Karakoram Highway
The Mir's Palace is under restoration. Until the early '70s the mir of Hunza lived here for three months of the year, presiding over local durbars …
Must-see attractions in Pakistan
Shrine of Shams-ud-Din Sabzwari
Pakistan
On the dry bed of the Ravi River, less than 1km northeast of the fort, the Shrine of Shams-ud-Din Sabzwari, who is believed to have lived from 1165 to…
Lahore
Just over the railway line from Jehangir's Tomb but not as well preserved is the Tomb of Nur Jahan. After the death of her first husband, an Afghan prince…
Pakistan
At the south end of town is the Chitral polo ground. One of Pakistan's best, practice matches are held here every few days from mid-March to early…
Southern Punjab
Displaying items ranging from calligraphy to artefacts from Moenjodaro, Cholistan and Harappa, Bahawalpur Museum, less than 1km southeast of Farid Gate.
Institute Of Blue Pottery Development
Pakistan
To see the production phases of blue pottery, a traditional craft that is a Multan speciality, visit the small but interesting Institute Of Blue Pottery…
Pakistan
Only the most enthusiastic fan of Islamic architecture could fully appreciate all of Multan's shrines, tombs and mosques in a fleeting visit. Many are…
Lahore
At the eastern end of the Old City, 250m inside Delhi Gate, is the deteriorating but beautifully tiled Mosque of Wazir Khan. It was founded in the 17th…
Karakoram Highway
The main landmark in Shigar village is Fong Khar, the former Raja of Shigar's fort-palace, now a luxury hotel and museum showcasing the impressive rustic…
Karakoram Highway
At 3200m, surrounded by moody, snowy mountains, Lake Saiful Mulk (or Muluk) is said to be inhabited by fairies. Legend has it that in ancient times a…
Balochistan
About 24km beyond Mach, after passing several coalmines, a rough track running right off the main road leads to Pir Gheib. This beautiful rock pool is fed…
Pakistan
This largely forgotten but impressive 16th century tomb lies in the Suraj Miani suburb to the north of the city centre. Akbar's mother has her own tomb…
Balochistan
In 1878, after an earlier assault on the town in 1841, the British captured Sibi and renamed it Sandemanabad, for Robert Sandeman. The most imposing of…
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Museum
Karachi
Pakistan's plentiful military museums always pose a problem - how to celebrate an institution that has repeatedly seized power from the politicians and…
Command & Staff College Museum
Balochistan
The Command & Staff College Museum has a small private collection built up during the days when the then Indian Staff College was the Raj's answer to West…
Lahore
Old Lahore sprawls at the foot of the fort. It comprises narrow snaking alleys surrounded by a 9m-high wall with 13 gates, with sections closely…
Karakoram Highway
The picturesque fort overlooking the village of Altit beside the Hunza River was undergoing extensive renovation at the time of research and was closed to…
Peshawar
West of Chowk Yadgar is Mahabat Khan Mosque, the city's finest mosque, built in 1630 by the governor of Peshawar under Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, and…
Gilgit
The well-kept British Cemetery has some surprisingly recent graves of adventurous trekkers and mountaineers among the more historical plots. Buried here…
Peshawar
Kabuli Gate is where Khyber Bazaar becomes Qissa Khawani, the old 'Street of Storytellers'. Peshawar's most famous bazaar, there's little memory left of…
Peshawar
The imposing Bala Hisar Fort and its bleak ramparts still appear to monitor movement along the Grand Trunk Rd. Babur first built a fort here in 1526 after…
Islamabad & Rawalpindi
Shakarparian is also the site of the impressive reddish-brown granite Pakistan Monument, conceived to represent Pakistan's diverse culture and national…
Pakistan
Partly funded by the Japanese, the excellent Swat Museum in Saidu Sharif should be on anyone's itinerary if they have an interest in Buddhist Swat…
Peshawar
The prestigious Islamia College, founded in 1913, is well worth a look for its grand Victorian façade and clocktower, which features on the country's…
Peshawar
The tomb of Ziarat Rahman Baba in green surroundings on the southern outskirts of Peshawar is a shrine to the 17th century poet Rahman Baba, one of the…
Islamabad & Rawalpindi
Most of the main sites are within 2km of the museum. There's a large map of the site outside the museum and each site is signposted from the road and has…
Peshawar
Near the narrowest point of the pass, about 15km from Jamrud, is Ali Masjid. Above the mosque, Ali Masjid Fort commands a view over this strategic sector…
Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Lahore
Outside of the Lahore Fort, the Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh commemorates the founder of the short-lived Sikh empire, Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The ashes…
Southern Punjab
Established in 1942, the Zoo would have to be one of the best kept in Pakistan. It houses more than 700 different animal species including leopard, lion,…
Lahore
Near Bagh-i-Jinnah, behind a large gateway adorned with a colourful animal mural, Lahore Zoo is one of the oldest zoos on the subcontinent. It was founded…
Islamabad & Rawalpindi
A picnic spot and lookout in the Margalla Hills, Daman-e-Koh has panoramic views over Islamabad and, on the rare clear day, south to the Salt Range. It's…
Islamabad & Rawalpindi
The Margalla Hills are full of hiking trails that snake their way up ridgetops and down through forested valleys. Hiking Around Islamabad, available in…
Karachi Metropolitan Development Corporation Building
Karachi
Many of the city's most architecturally interesting British Raj buildings are now used as government offices and aren't so easily accessible for…
Lahore
In a park at Charing Cross, commemorating the Islamic Summit Conference held in Lahore in 1974, is Summit Minar. Underneath the minar - a tall, slender…
Balochistan
The British weren't the only ones to appreciate Ziarat - so too did Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the Quaid-i-Azam (Great Leader). Jinnah spent his last days here…
Lahore
The Gurdwara of Arjan Dev is dedicated to Sikhism's fifth guru. Created by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, this is Lahore's largest gurdwara (Sikh temple) and is…
Karakoram Highway
Across Hargisar Nala from the track is a Buddha Relief carved on a rock in about the 7th century. About 200m beyond the Baltoro resthouse turning and a…
Karakoram Highway
Beyond Zood Khun is the mystical and holy Baba Ghundi Ziarat, a shrine to a Sufi saint said to have miraculous powers, and a popular pilgrimage site. The…
Islamabad & Rawalpindi
Just beyond Rajah Bazaar on Railway Workshop Rd are rows of truck workshops where you can sometimes see trucks being decorated with the vibrant art that…
Karakoram Highway
Sacred Rocks at Hunza is about 1.5km east on the KKH at a place called Haldekush are several stony rises. The rocks, with pictures and inscriptions from…
