Lahore
Built, damaged, demolished, rebuilt and restored several times before being given its current form by Emperor Akbar in 1566 (when he made Lahore his…
Must-see attractions in Pakistan
Islamabad & Rawalpindi
The eye-popping Shah Faisal Mosque, nestled at the foot of the Margalla Hills, is one of Asia's largest and reflects an eclectic blend of ultramodern and…
Lahore
Completed in 1674 under Aurangzeb as the Mughals' final architectural fling, the sublime Badshahi Mosque, opposite the main gateway to the Lahore Fort, is…
Lahore
Standing in a garden on the northern outskirts of Lahore, the elaborately decorated sandstone Jehangir's Tomb is that of Emperor Jehangir. Built in 1637…
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Karakoram Highway
The oldest parts of Baltit Fort date from the 13th century. Over the years more houses and towers were added, and it was fortified. To cement an alliance…
Shrine of Data Ganj Bakhsh Hajveri
Lahore
Author of a famous book on mysticism, the 11th-century Data Ganj Bakhsh, originally from Ghazni in Afghanistan, was one of the most successful Sufi…
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Lahore
Some 16km northwest of Jhelum, colossal Rohtas Fort is an extraordinary example of military architecture. It was started in 1543 by the Pashtun ruler Sher…
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Mausoleum Of Sheikh Rukn-I-Alam
Pakistan
Lying just inside the main entrance to the fort, this masterpiece of Mughal architecture is the most significant and attractive of Multan's shrines. A…
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Pakistan
This Buddhist Monastery sat on a commanding rocky hill 15km northwest of Mardan is by far NWFP's stand-out Gandharan site, and compares more than…
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Lahore
About 500m inside Bhatti Gate on the right-hand side, a small mansion houses the Faqir Khana Museum. It houses the treasures of the Faqir family, who have…
Karachi
This curiously shaped mausoleum is a monument to Pakistan's founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah. It's set at the top of a stepped pyramid in a small park. Built…
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Karakoram Highway
The restoration of Ganish Village is particularly good and won a Unesco Asia Pacific Heritage Award. While Baltit Fort shows how the cream of society…
Pakistan
The most exposed parts of Moenjodaro City are open to visitors, representing just one-third of the area yet to be excavated. Archaeology buffs will get…
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Pakistan
Multan's most prominent landmark, now largely in ruins except for its gate and part of the outer walls and bastions, is Qasim Bagh Fort, near Hussain…
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Mausoleum of Baha-ud-Din Zakaria
Pakistan
Just near the Mausoleum of Sheikh Rukni-Alam, the Mausoleum of Baha-ud-Din Zakaria, father of Rukni-Alam, was built in 1263. A disciple of the Sufi mystic…
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Karakoram Highway
Chilas is surrounded by wonderful Petroglyphs, which are easy to access, though be prepared for high temperatures and take plenty of water. There is a…
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Lahore
To the northeast of town, about 4km from the main train station, this was one of three gardens named Shalimar Gardens created by Shah Jahan in the 17th…
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Lahore
Try to set aside a couple of hours to make the most of a visit to the superb Lahore Museum, which has exhibits spanning the recorded history of the…
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Pakistan
Chitral Fort has a commanding position on the river. It remains the seat of the mehtar's descendents so you can't enter it without an invitation, although…
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Lahore
Soaring into the sky in Iqbal Park, the 60m high Minar-i-Pakistan was built in 1960. It commemorates the signing of the Pakistan Resolution on 23 March…
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Pakistan
Harappa Site comprises a citadel mound, defensive walls, a drainage system, a cemetery and a huge granary. However, in the past it has been plundered so…
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Lahore
Zamzama 'He sat in defiance of municipal orders, astride the gun Zam-Zammah on her brick platform opposite the old Ajaib-Gher - The Wonder House, as the…
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Karachi
Although not as busy as Clifton Beach, Sandspit is popular with families on Sunday and on holidays. Sandspit is a natural breakwater that prevents the…
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Karakoram Highway
A three- or four-hour walk along the main water channels from Ultar Nala is a good way to see Hunza at its best. Try to avoid the delicate side channels.
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Karachi
Clifton Beach is Karachi's busiest beach, although here you'll want to take a stroll rather than a swim. The beach itself is nothing special, made of mud…
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Lahore
The baradari (summer pavilion) of Prince Kamran, son of the first Mughal emperor Zahiruddin Babur, stands on a small island in the Ravi River (the river…
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Karachi
Manora Island sits a short ferry ride from Keamari Harbour, the entrance to Karachi's busy port. The island was the site of the fort where Karachi's…
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Lahore
Originally intended to be temporary but open since 1975, the year Muhammad Abdur Rahman Chughtai died, the Chughtai Museum is just northwest of the…
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Islamabad & Rawalpindi
Lok Virsa Museum houses a fascinating array of traditional handicrafts including embroidered costumes, old jewellery and intricate woodcarvings - it is…
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Karakoram Highway
Ali Sher Khan probably built the fort on the east end of this rock in the 17th century, but the Dogras trashed and rebuilt it. It's a half-hour climb to…
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Islamabad & Rawalpindi
About 4km northeast of the Diplomatic Enclave, Nurpur Shahan Village village is a shrine to Shah Abdul Latif Kazmi. Also known as Bari Shah Latif or 'Bari…
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Karakoram Highway
On the north side of town is Mansehra's tourist attraction, three granite boulders on which 14 edicts were engraved by order of the Mauryan king Ashoka in…
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Defence Housing Authority Mosque (Masjid-i-Tuba)
Karachi
Surely Pakistan's most eccentric mosque, the Defence Housing Authority Mosque is a truly odd structure that was built in the late 1960s. The low-slung…
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Pakistan
Butkara No 1 is also called Butkara, or the local name of Gulkada (gool-ka-da). This site has yielded one of Swat's richest harvests of artefacts, all now…
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Karakoram Highway
The Queen Victoria Monument at the top of the rock face behind Karimabad can be reached in an hour from Baltit. Take the channel path above the polo…
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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 …
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
