From snow-capped Himalayas to ancient ruins and brilliant monuments, Pakistan is endowed with some of the most attractive travel sites in Asia. Though few of these breathtaking sites are well-known elsewhere, when you travel Pakistan you will feel like a tourist pioneer.With its beauty, grandeur, variety, culture, and complicated history and identity, this nation will surprise you at every step. From the abundance of locations Pakistan has to offer, here are 10 must-see sites even if it’s difficult to choose a small number of them.
1. Baltit Fort, Karimabad
Baltit Fort is a 14th-century strategic fortification that sits atop the town of Karimabad’s highest point and overlooks the Hunza Valley in the stunning Karakoram Range mountains. The Mir of Hunza married a Baltistani princess in the 15th century, bringing her semi-Tibetan background to influence her new country, thus if you believe it looks somewhat Tibetan, you are partially correct. The fort, which has been lavishly renovated in the middle of the 20th century and has been added to throughout the ages, is now a display of elaborate stone masonry and woodwork and has a first-rate museum.
2. Faisal Mosque, Islamabad
Traditionalists expressed their disappointment that the Faisal Mosque was not built around a central dome during its construction. When followers were permitted to visit this magnificent place upon its completion in 1986, however, disapproval of Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay’s design quickly vanished.The construction, which at the time was the biggest mosque in the world, resembles a Bedouin tent in the desert, and its distinctive form contrasts well with the Margalla Hills. This very spectacular structure, which bears the name of King Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia, who financed and enabled construction, is appropriate for a capital city where modernism and spirituality coexist.
3. Kalash Valley
4. Makli Hill, Thatta
5. Mohenjo Daro, Larkana
One of the oldest significant towns in the world, Mohenjo-daro is said to have been founded about 2500 BCE. It was the greatest town in the Indus Valley Civilisation and had 40,000 inhabitants when civilisations began to emerge in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Minoan Crete.However, it had been abandoned by 1700 BCE. The 300-hectare archaeological complex is the first in South Asia to be classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Although Mohenjo-daro is known as the uninspired “Mound of the Dead,” it is also a site of highly developed urban planning, with a well-organised street layout, intricate drainage systems, and even a “Great Bath.”
6. Sethi House, Peshawar
The renowned merchants of the Sethi family were among those who benefited greatly from the transcontinental connections made possible by the Silk Road. The Sethis currently reside in India, but their 1884 home in the culturally significant city of Peshawar provides a window into their lavish way of life. It is a feast of artistry centred around a sophisticated courtyard, with vividly coloured glass, delicate woodwork, exquisite paintings, and fabrics that blend South and Central Asian traditions. Over the last century, the house has been used as an administrative structure for both local and British officials. Today, it serves as a beautiful background for photo shoots and a museum and research centre.
7. Shah Jahan Mosque, Thatta
A visit to Shah Jahan Mosque could convince anybody who believes that structures can never be genuinely amazing. With acoustic proportions so ideal that worshippers can hear the Imam’s prayers from anywhere in the edifice, several of its 93 domes have incredibly detailed geometric blue and white tiling that depicts the wonder of the skies.The brickwork, which is often placed in concentric rings, is spectacular in the surrounding colonnades. Those who have visited Central Asia, especially Uzbekistan, would recognise the mosque’s atmosphere since Shah Jahan was heavily impacted by the architecture he saw during his battles close to Samarkand.
8. Shalimar Gardens, Lahore
Shalimar Gardens are the model for a utopia in which people live in perfect harmony with the splendour of the natural world. Emperor Shah Jahan, who created this enchanted area in the 17th century, undoubtedly intended that.Strolling along calm paths through well-kept lawns and verdant surroundings, visitors may see marble Mughal pavilions with vibrant flower designs. There are around 400 fountains, and water flows down three terraces. Shah Jahan’s design, like that of his mosque in Thatta, was greatly impacted by centuries-old customs in Iran and Central Asia, where the idea for the “Charbagh” (Paradise) garden originated. There is undoubtedly a sense of a promised land here.