A Two-Week Travel Itinerary to Pakistan
Before you go searching for tickets and hotels, keep in mind that two weeks are not enough to see all of Pakistan, or even half of it. With this itinerary you would be able experience a small portion of the country’s top travel destinations which are mostly on the Northern and North eastern region. But fret not, for the reason that these places are surely going to blow you away with their beauty, mystery and culture. Due to low tourism and development most of Pakistan still remains quite non-commercial and pristine, giving travel lovers the chance to just wander and explore on their own terms.
Lahore is Pakistan’s cultural capital and rightly so. It’s one of the region’s oldest metropolis, whose imperial history involves rule of the Hindus, Ghaznavids, Ghurids and Mughals. Later on, the Persians captured it from the Mughals only to lose it to the Sikhs who were eventually defeated by the British.
With all that happening, Lahore developed into an exuberant and colorful urban center for artists and traders of all kinds. It’s a must to dedicate a day and a half to Lahore and check out its famous Badshahi and Wazir Khan mosques, Shahi Hammam and Sufi and Sikh shrines. Also a must-visit are Shalimar Gardens and the Lahore Fort. At the end of day one, catch authentic Pakistani cuisine at the Mall Road food street.
Book a late evening or night flight to Islamabad and use the morning to stroll around the Walled City area to see the heart of Lahore right in front of you. Here you will see carts, stalls and shops located in narrow alleys within ancient gates selling all kinds of products and services from breakfast to cobbling. Bring some money as you may get tempted to buy many souvenirs. Also worth visiting is the beautiful tomb of Jahangir built just outside. If you are quick, you may have time left to visit the Pakistan-India border where you see displays of marching armies and nationalistic crowds on both sides cheering them on. Next, get ready to arrive in a quiet and peaceful Islamabad. Take a look at the best bookable tours in Islamabad on your way there.
Depending on when you arrive you may want to catch dinner at the incredible Monal restaurant, with the view of the entire city or head on to catch a good night’s sleep. When you wake up, pay a visit in the morning-noon hours at the Shah Faisal mosque and the Pakistan Monument for some Instagram-worthy pictures and then head towards Daman-e-Koh to explore the greenery of the city. Start booking a tour . Islamabad should only be a short stop over so try to book a flight to Gilgit on the same day if possible. If not there are plenty of fine restaurants and cafes in the capital of Pakistan, located at sweet spots that you will enjoy. Sometimes due to weather, flights to Gilgit are delayed so you may have to extend your stay or take a 15-20-hour bus ride in NATCO buses to Gilgit.
Gilgit is your gateway to the picturesque and wonderful north of Pakistan where the world’s mightiest three mountain ranges, namely the Himalayas, the Hindukush and the Karakoram lie. Gilgit Valley and its surrounding areas are absolutely breathtaking. You could visit the sublime Fairy Meadows which is a lush green grassland at a two-hours distance, beside the steller Nanga Parbat of the Himalayan range which reaches the height of 8,125 meters. Spend half a day here relaxing in the pristine atmosphere. Do stop at the Gilgit Bridge which is suspended over the voracious Gilgit river. Next you could head to admire the Buddha statue called Kargah Buddha carved into the cliff. Nearby and worth visiting is the beautiful Naltar valley with rest houses, ski slopes, small lakes and glaciers and a lush green Alpine forest.