Pakistan

Understand

Pakistan is the world's 33rd largest country by size. With a population exceeding 207.2 million people, it is the fifth most populous country in the world.

History

The history of Pakistan can be traced back to the earliest ancient human civilisations in South Asia. The earliest evidence of farming in South Asia is from 7,000 BCE in Mehrgarh. Mehrgarh in present-day Balochistan was a small farming village and centre of agriculture in South Asia during New Stone Age period which lasted until its abandonment around 2600 BCE due to climate change and was succeeded by Indus Valley Civilisation, a civilization in the early stages of development growing along one of the major rivers of Asia, the Indus. By 2300 BCE, the IVC extended throughout much of what is modern-day Pakistan. It became one of the great civilisations of the ancient world along with Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. This Bronze Age civilisation with its remarkably sophisticated civil engineering and urban planning become most advanced civilisation of its time which had well-planned towns and well-laid roads, as recorded in its major city of Mohenjo-daro which today is an archaeological site of immense historical significance. The Indus Valley Civilization declined and disintegrated around 1900 BCE, possibly due to drought and geological disturbances. Most historians believe that the Vedic people were migrants who encountered this civilization in decline and perhaps hastened that decline. The Vedic people eventually occupied most of North India, laid the foundations of Hinduism and flourished in the ancient city of what is today known as Taxila. After the defeat of the first Persian Empire, Achaemenid, which ruled much of modern Pakistan, Alexander the Great, the Hellenistic King of Macedon, invaded the regio

See

Pakistan's attractions range from the ruins of civilisations such as Mohenjo-daro, Harappa and Taxila, to the Himalayan hill stations, which attract visitors not only from across the country but also from all over the world who are interested in winter sports and natural beauty. Pakistan is home to several mountain peaks over 7,000 m, especially K2 and is a h

Getting there

Visas

The e-visa system is opened for citizens of 191 countries. In 2026, Pakistan cancelled the easy and free Electronic Travel Authorization/Visa on Arrival and now all qualified nationalities must apply for a regular Tourist/Visit Visa through the site, which has an associated visa fee and takes 7-10 business days to process (although it may arrive faster or slower than this). Despite confusing proclamations on the application about requiring a sponsor and/or a letter of invitation from a hotel, in most cases the confirmation page from a confirmed hotel booking will suffice (be sure to submit the full page). You are technically supposed to apply for the visa from your home country, such that you may attend an interview if required, but in practice this is rarely demanded (at least not for those holding stronger passports), although wherever you actually are you should select your home country's Pakistan embassy when applying. Citizens of 24 "Tourist Friendly Countries" (TFC) are eligible for one month visas on arrival if they travel through a designated/authorised tour operator who will assume responsibility for them while in the country. Any extensions of this type of visa must also be done through the tour operator. They include: Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States. Nationals of most other countries, and those not wanting to travel with a tour operator and group, need to apply in advance for a visa, which are usually issued for 30–90 days depending on nationality and where you apply. Double-entries are sometimes given, but be clear and persistent that you need this wh

Getting around

Getting around Pakistan has become much easier with the completion of some motorways, and an increase in private airlines. Whilst the cities are well covered, roads in rural areas are not, with many minor roads missing - Google Maps in particular has a worrying habit of marking dried up river beds as minor roads, so if you're exploring out in the sticks, it's a good idea to use Google Earth to double check your route.

Maps If you prefer a paper map, look in your home country for one made by Gizi Map.

By plane

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) serves numerous domestic destinations and is the only airline to serve the three airports in the north of interest to trekkers or climbers: Chitral, Gilgit, and Skardu. There are usually two flights from Islamabad to these cities daily, but they are often cancelled due to bad weather, and often over-booked — show up early to guarantee a seat. Other domestic carriers include SereneAir and Airblue.

By train

Pakistan Railways provides passenger rail service. The stations tend not to have their timetables in English, but sales agents can usually explain everything to you. There are several different classes of fares depending on amenities. Air-Conditioned Sleeper class is the most expensive class, where the fares are almost at par with airfares. Bedding is included with the fare and this air-conditioned coach is present only on popular routes between Karachi to Lahore. The sleeper berths are extremely wide and spacious and the coaches are carpeted.

By bus

A large portion of travel between cities in Pakistan is carried out by bus. Travel by bus is often the cheapest and most convenient alternative. The Daewoo company runs a regular bus service between several major cities, with air-conditioned buses and seats booked o