Pakistan Tourism: The Complete Guide to Places, Visas, and the Best Time to Visit

Assalam-o-Alaikum, my dear readers. How are you all? I hope you are well, your family is well, and your chai is still hot while you read this.

Last week my cousin from Manchester called me, and the first thing she asked was, “Maryam, is Pakistan really worth visiting, or is it all just pretty mountains on Instagram?” I laughed, because honestly, I have heard this question so many times now. Friends abroad see one photo of Hunza on their phone and then they ask ten more questions. So today I sat down and wrote everything in one place. This is my simple, honest guide to Pakistan tourism — the places, the visa, the best time to come, the money, and the truth about safety too. No big words. Just the facts, the way I would tell them to my own family.

Here is the short answer first. Yes, Pakistan tourism is growing fast, and it is not a small thing anymore. In 2024 and 2025, more than 4.3 million foreign nationals arrived in Pakistan, according to figures shared in the National Assembly. That is a big number for a country that many people still think nobody visits. And the world has noticed: the United Nations tourism body once called Pakistan its best performing destination, and in the first three months of 2026, Pakistan’s tourism earnings rose 60 percent compared to the same time last year. Something is changing, and in this article I will show you what is changing, and how you can see it yourself.

Now, let me be honest with you, because that is what this website is for. Not all of those 4.3 million people were holiday tourists. Many were overseas Pakistanis coming home to see their parents, attend a wedding, or visit their village in Gujrat or Mirpur. But even with that honest note, the direction is clear. More foreigners are coming for the mountains, the history, and the food — and many of them go home and tell their friends to come too.

The North Is the Star of the Show

If you ask ten travellers what they loved most about Pakistan, nine of them will talk about the north. And I understand why. In Gilgit-Baltistan, three great mountain ranges meet — the Himalayas, the Karakoram, and the Hindu Kush. Nowhere else on earth do so many giant peaks stand so close together. K2, the second highest mountain in the world at 8,611 metres, stands here in Pakistan. People travel from every corner of the world just to walk to its base camp.

Hunza Valley is the place everyone falls in love with first. The valley is green, the people are warm, and the air feels clean in a way Lahore air never does in June. Attabad Lake sits in Hunza like a piece of blue glass between the mountains. The lake was not there before 2010 — a big landslide blocked the Hunza River that January, and the water slowly filled the valley. Today boats cross it, families take photos on its shore, and small hotels and cafes line the road above it. When my own family went north years ago, we stopped at a little dhaba near the lake, and the chai tasted twice as good just because of the view. That is the kind of memory the north gives you.

Skardu is the next stop for most travellers, and it is the gateway to K2. Near Skardu sits Shangrila Lake, also called Lower Kachura Lake, with its famous resort on the bank. The resort has stood there since 1983, and from above, the lake looks almost like a heart. Then there is Fairy Meadows, a soft green field with the giant Nanga Parbat standing right in front of you, and Deosai, the high plain where wildflowers cover the ground in summer. In Chitral alone, more than 2,700 foreign tourists arrived in 2025, which was 15 percent more than the year before. The numbers are small there, but they are growing every single year.

Five Thousand Years of History in One Trip

Here is the part many people do not know. Pakistan is not only mountains. It is also one of the oldest lands in the world. Pakistan has six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and all six are cultural treasures.

Mohenjo-daro in Sindh is a planned city from around 2500 BCE, from the Indus Valley Civilisation, with streets, drains, and a Great Bath built thousands of years before modern plumbing. Taxila, near Islamabad, was a great centre of learning where students once came from faraway lands. Takht-i-Bahi in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a Buddhist monastery standing on a hilltop, nearly complete after almost two thousand years. In Lahore, the Lahore Fort and the Shalimar Gardens show the beauty of the Mughal kings, with 410 fountains in the gardens. Makli, near Thatta, is one of the largest graveyards in the world, with beautiful carved tombs spread over a huge area. And Rohtas Fort, built by Sher Shah Suri in 1541, was never conquered in battle and still stands strong today.

So a traveller can stand on a glacier in the morning and walk through a 5,000-year-old city a few days later. Very few countries in the world can offer that in one trip.

Getting a Visa Is Much Easier Now

This is the change that made the biggest difference. In January 2026, the government announced that citizens of 192 countries can now apply for a Pakistani visa online, without visiting an embassy at all. You apply through the Pakistan Online Visa System, and a normal tourist visa gives you up to three months in Pakistan. The portal says the decision usually takes seven to ten working days, so apply early and do not leave it to the last week. Visa on arrival was also announced for citizens of 120 countries, but the list can change, so always check the official portal before you book your ticket.

For overseas Pakistanis, the trip is even simpler, and many already travel on their Pakistani passport or NICOP. And for young Pakistanis, this growth is also a chance to build something: travel companies, guesthouses, tour guiding, and food businesses around tourist towns are all growing, and we wrote a simple guide to starting a business in Pakistan if that idea interests you.

When Should You Go?

Pakistan has four seasons, and the right month depends on where you want to go. For the northern areas — Hunza, Skardu, Naran, Fairy Meadows — the best time is May to October, when the roads are open and the guesthouses are fully working. Late March and April bring the cherry and apricot blossom in Hunza, and the Khunjerab Pass to China reopens on the 1st of April. October is my favourite month for photos: the poplar trees in Hunza turn gold, the skies are clear, and the summer crowds have gone home.

For the cities — Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, and the old sites like Mohenjo-daro and Taxila — the best time is October to March, when the weather is cool and comfortable. In June and July, Lahore and Karachi can cross 45 degrees, and that is no time for walking around old forts. One warning from my side: in July and August, monsoon rain can block parts of the Karakoram Highway with landslides for a day or more, and flights to Gilgit and Skardu are often cancelled in bad weather. Keep two or three extra days in your plan, and pack a warm jacket even in summer, because nights above 3,000 metres stay cold all year.

What Does a Trip Cost?

Pakistan is still one of the cheapest beautiful places in the world to visit. Tour companies advertise northern packages from about Rs25,000 to Rs120,000 per person, depending on the place and the number of days. A bus from Lahore to Islamabad costs very little, and from Islamabad you can take a comfortable Daewoo bus or a NATCO bus towards Gilgit. Inside the mountains, jeeps are the normal transport, and you share the cost with other travellers.

Food is cheap and very good. A full plate of daal, roti, and chai at a roadside dhaba costs less than a coffee in London. In Hunza and Skardu, small family guesthouses are everywhere, and the owners usually treat you like a guest in their home, not like a customer. Buy a local SIM card at the airport — Jazz or Telenor both work in most tourist areas — and check our 5G guide to see where fast mobile internet is available in Pakistan now. And if you drive yourself up north, keep an eye on fuel prices, because a full tank for a long mountain trip adds up; our petrol price page is updated daily.

The Honest Part: Safety

I will not tell you everything is perfect, because it is not. The United States still rates Pakistan overall at Level 3, which means “reconsider travel”, and some areas are Level 4, which means “do not travel”. Gilgit-Baltistan, where Hunza and Skardu are, is rated Level 2, which is the same level as many normal tourist countries. The UK and other countries have also softened their advice for the main cities and tourist areas in recent years.

What does this mean in simple words? The famous tourist places — Hunza, Skardu, Lahore, Islamabad — are visited by thousands of foreign tourists every year, and most of them go home happy and safe. There is tourist police in the main areas, and the PTDC runs a tourist helpline at 1422 that works day and night. But some areas, like parts of Balochistan and the areas near the Line of Control, are not safe for tourists, and you should not go there. Always check your own country’s travel advice before you book, travel with a known guide or a trusted local company in remote areas, and keep your family informed about your plans. A careful traveller is a happy traveller.

A Few Small Tips Before You Pack

First, dress with respect for local culture, especially in villages and religious places. Second, learn five or six simple words — “Assalam-o-Alaikum”, “shukriya”, “kitne ka hai” — and you will see smiles everywhere. Third, carry cash, because small shops and jeep drivers in the mountains do not take cards. Fourth, take your rubbish back with you; the mountains are beautiful because people kept them clean, and we should keep it that way. And last, do not rush. Pakistan is not a country you finish in three days. Take one valley, sit with the people, drink the chai, and let the place speak to you.

So, my cousin from Manchester, this article is my answer to you. Yes, Pakistan is worth visiting. The mountains are real, the history is real, and the people are more welcoming than you can imagine. Plan well, come in the right season, and bring an open heart. Pakistan will do the rest.

Take care, my dear readers, and if you have ever visited Pakistan, or if you are planning your first trip, please tell me in the comments or through our Contact Us page. I would love to hear where you went, what you ate, and what surprised you most. Your questions are always welcome.