Tourism in pakistan
Tourism in Pakistan is a growing industry. In 2010, Lonely Planet dubbed Pakistan the "next big thing" for Pakistani tourism for more years than we can remember. The country is geographically and ethnically diverse and has a number of historical and cultural heritage sites. Condé Nast Traveller has ranked Pakistan as the best vacation destination of 2020. It has also announced it as the 3rd potential adventure destination in the world for 2020. With the improved security in the country, tourism is increasing; in two years, it has grown by more than 300%. The Pakistani government has launched online visa services. For 175 countries and 50 countries have obtained visa on arrival, making it easier to visit Pakistan. The country has received an influx of travel bloggers, who have promoted the country's features, such as the northern regions like Hunza and Skardu.
In October 2006, a year after the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, The Guardian published a list of the "top five tourist sites in Pakistan" to help the country's tourism industry. The sites included Lahore, Karakoram Highway, Karimabad and Saif Molouk Lake. To promote the country's cultural heritage, Pakistan launched a "Visit Pakistan" marketing campaign in 2007 that included events such as fairs, religious festivals, regional sporting events, arts and crafts shows, folk festivals, and the opening of historical museums. In 2013, more than half a million tourists visited Pakistan, bringing in $298 million; These numbers have since increased to more than 6.6 million tourists in 2018. In comparison, Pakistan's domestic tourism industry is estimated at 50 million tourists who visit the country for short trips, typically between May and August. The largest influx of tourists came from the United Kingdom, followed by the United States, India and China.
Best time to travel to Pakistan
The best time to travel to Pakistan is during the summer months (May to October), when the average temperature is 30°C.
The best tourist places in Pakistan
Pakistan is considered one of the best tourist destinations in Pakistan. It is also characterized by the best tourist destinations that make it a distinguished tourist country....let's get to know the best destinations together.
Lahore
Lahore remains a major tourist destination in Pakistan. The walled city of Lahore was renovated in 2014 and is popular due to the presence of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Some of the most popular sites include the Lahore Fort, adjacent to the walled city and home to the Sheesh Mahal, Alamgiri Gate, Naulakha Pavilion and Moti Masjid. The fort and the Shalamar Gardens have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. The city is home to several ancient religious sites, including important Hindu temples, the Krishna Temple and Valmiki Mandir. The Ranjit Singh Samadhi, also located near the walled city, houses the burial urns of Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The most important religious building is the Badshahi Mosque, built in 1673; it was the largest mosque in the world when it was built. Another popular site is the Wazir Khan Mosque, known for its extensive tile work and built in 1635. The old city of Lahore is known for its grand Mughal architecture and is distinguished by its ancient wooden balconies, temples, gurdwaras, havelis, narrow winding streets and bustling bazaars.
Karachi
Karachi is the capital and metropolis of Sindh. It is the stock and trade of Pakistan. It is located on the eastern coast of the Arabian Sea. It is one of the revenue generating centers of the nation. It also has the largest seaport in the county. The population of Karachi is noticed as different strokes due to its liveliness and hectic life 24 hours a day. The pace of life is more rushed and the social norms are much more liberal than elsewhere in Pakistan. The city of Karachi is also known as the city of lights and the city of Quaid and the city that never sleeps. Karachi is a huge city and has many attractive sites to enjoy, such as museums, colonial buildings, monuments, beeches, islands, parks, pet clubs, shopping malls and many other fascinating tourist spots. Karachi is a city of endless festivities.
Islamabad
The capital of Pakistan, Islamabad is an important geopolitical center and hub in the South Asian region. A planned city designed to replace the former capital Karachi, it is considered one of Pakistan's most developed cities, as well as the greenest and cleanest, serving as a tourism hub to witness the prowess and wonders of Pakistan's culture.
Being a predominantly Muslim city, Islamabad is home to the Faisal Mosque, the largest mosque in Pakistan as well as in South Asia. The city's surroundings are green hills that amplify the magnificence of this capital city, with the beautiful Margalla Hills National Park, a part of the Himalayan foothills and one of the most important biological hotspots in the country. The city itself is home to a number of green spaces, the most important being the Shakarparian National Park. You can admire the natural beauty of the country or travel a little further to find the pristine Rawai Lake. The general architecture of the city can be described as a delightful blend of traditional Islamic architecture and contemporary styles to produce some truly distinguished structures, including the Saudi-Pak Tower and the Pakistan Monument. A well-planned city, most of the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the city is found in the Blue Zone, designated as the commercial and central business district of the city. The outskirts of the city will show you ancient Mughal structures like Pharwala Fort and Rawat Fort, two impressive fortifications that display the majesty of the ancient Mughal empire.
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a beautiful city with a rich history that bears the hallmarks of the 17th century Mughal era and beyond. This ancient city saw Alexander the Great and Babur, the path of plethora of great civilizations such as Greeks, Aryans, Persians, Mughals and Mongols. You can find various buildings, historic streets and bazaars that have changed a little over the last hundred years. For history buffs, walking through these streets and bazaars is a feast for the eyes. But don't worry if history is not your thing, because Peshawar will make you fall in love with this beautiful city.
Scrédo
Skardu (Urdu: eskardu, Balti: སྐརདུ་་, from Tibetan: སྐར་རྡོ་ pronounced skarrdu, meaning stone meteorite) is a city and capital of Skardu district in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The city is about 2 km wide and 5 km long.The Skardu valley is located at the confluence of the Indus and Shugar rivers. The city is located at an altitude of about 2500 m. It is surrounded by brown mountains of more than 8000 meters high nearby.
Multân
Multan, one of the oldest cities, was built on a mound just east of the Chenab River. It was subdued by Alexander the Great in 326 BC and fell to the Muslims around 712 AD. Being a commercial center, it attracted a multitude of Sufi mystics. As a commercial and military key, it suffered several sacks and sieges over the centuries. It was subject to the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire and was later captured by the Afghans (1779), the Sikhs (1818) and the British (1849). Formerly called Kashtpur, Hanspur Bagpur, Sanb and finally Mulasthan, the name derives from the idol of the sun god temple. The ancient skyline of Multan is dominated by the great domes of countless tombs - spiritual masters of all shades of Islam.
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi and the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad, are jointly known as the "twin cities". Rawalpindi is located on the Pothohar Plateau, known for its ancient Buddhist heritage, especially in the nearby town of Taxila - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a gateway to northern Pakistan. The city is home to historic havelis and temples and serves as a hub for tourists visiting Rohtas Fort, Azad Kashmir, Taxila and Gilgit-Baltistan. Rawalpindi lies within the ancient boundaries of Gandhara and is in an area littered with Buddhist ruins.
Faisalabad
Faisalabad is the third most populous city in Pakistan and thus the second largest city in the eastern province of Punjab. It was traditionally one of the first planned cities in British India and has long since become a cosmopolitan city. Faisalabad has become an important industrial and distribution center due to its central location in the district and the connection of roads, rails and shipping. It has been called the "Manchester of Pakistan". The surrounding countryside, irrigated by the Lower Chenab River, produces cotton, wheat, sugarcane, vegetables and fruits. The city is an industrial center with major railroad repair yards, engineering works and mills that process sugar, flour and oilseeds. Faisalabad is a major producer of cotton textiles, silk, hosiery, dyes, industrial chemicals, beverages, garments, pulp and paper, printing, agricultural equipment and ghee. The Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Business monitors industrial activity in the city and reports its findings to the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the provincial government. The city has a major dry port and an international airport.
Faisalabad is home to the University of Agriculture, State College University, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad Departmental Public School and National Textile University. The weather in the city is monitored by the Pakistan Meteorological Department. The Pakistan Meteorological Department frequently provides forecasts, general warnings and rainfall data to farmers with the help of the National Agricultural Meteorological Center. Faisalabad is classified as a hot desert climate. Faisalabad is well known as the textile trade hub of Pakistan, contributing to half of Pakistan's total textile shipments. While Punjab's economy is primarily driven by agriculture, the textile industry as well as animal leather products and light engineering products play a vital role, with 48,000 manufacturing units deployed across Punjab. In an effort to boost bilateral trade, Romania and Turkey have honorary consulates in Faisalabad working to adjust trade ties with the city.
Gilgit
Gilgit-Baltistan borders the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the west, a small portion of Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor to the north, Xinjiang, China to the northeast, the Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to the southeast, and the Pakistani-administered state of Azad Kashmir to the south. Gilgit-Baltistan is home to five of the "eight thousand" and over fifty peaks above 7,000 meters (23,000 feet). GilgitAstore and Skardu are the three main hubs for expeditions to these mountains. The region is home to some of the highest mountain ranges in the world. The main ranges are the Karakoram and the western Himalayas. The Pamir Mountains are to the north and the Hindu Kush to the west. Among the highest mountains are K2 (Mount Godwin-Austen) and Nanga Parbat, the latter being one of the most feared mountains in the world. Three of the world's longest glaciers outside the polar regions are in Gilgit-Baltistan: the Biafo Glacier, the Baltoro Glacier and the Batura Glacier. In addition, there are several high altitude lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The Karakoram Highway is the main highway of Gilgit-Baltistan, connecting the region to the rest of Pakistan in the south and to China at its northern end. It is the highest paved road in the world and is sometimes referred to as the "8th wonder of the world".
Deosai National Park
Deosai National Park is considered the second highest plateau in the world at an altitude of about 13,500 feet above sea level. Located in Skardu district, it is also one of the most popular tourist attractions in Gilgit Baltistan. If you are planning to visit Deosai National Park before the northern areas become impassable during winter, here is everything you need to know about the area and how to get there.
As the natural habitat of the Himalayan brown bear, Deosai National Park was established in 1993 with the aim of protecting the endangered species nesting here from poachers and hunters. It is a high altitude plain with the word "Deosai" literally translating to "Land of Giants". The park covers about 3,000 square kilometers, encompassing a mixture of hills, mountains, plains, plateaus, streams, rivers and lakes.
