The cultural heart
Lahore is the place most visitors fall for first. The Walled City holds Lahore Fort, the Badshahi Mosque and the tiled Wazir Khan Mosque, while Gulberg and the old food streets keep the city eating late into the night. Add the Shalimar Gardens and the evening ceremony at the Wagah border, and three days pass quickly.
The capital and its hills
Islamabad is green, orderly and calm, set against the forested Margalla Hills. The Faisal Mosque, hiking trails, the Lok Virsa museum and the old bazaars of neighbouring Rawalpindi fill two days, and the Buddhist ruins of Taxila are an easy day trip. It is also the gateway for flights to the north.
The great port
Karachi is Pakistan's biggest city and its business engine: a sprawling, diverse metropolis with the founder's mausoleum, colonial Saddar, the sea front at Clifton and some of the best food in the country. It suits travellers who like big cities and those visiting family.
The high valleys
Hunza Valley is the picture on every Pakistan poster: ancient forts above terraced orchards, Attabad Lake, the Passu Cones and the Karakoram Highway climbing to the Khunjerab Pass on the China border. Come between April and October.
Skardu is the capital of Baltistan and the base for Shangrila and the Kachura lakes, the cold desert dunes of Katpana, the high Deosai Plains and the restored palaces of Shigar and Khaplu. It is also where K2 expeditions begin.
Putting it together
A classic two week trip runs Lahore, Islamabad, then a flight to Gilgit or Skardu, with the mountains as the finale. Northern flights depend on clear weather, so build in spare days. Before you book, check your government's travel advice for every region on your route, as it varies a lot across the country. Our free trip planner helps you shape the order.