The best places to visit in Pakistan are, first, the mountain valleys of the north: Hunza, Skardu, Naran, Fairy Meadows, the Neelum Valley, Swat and Chitral, all at their best between May and October. For the cooler months, the best picks are in the plains and the south: Lahore, Islamabad and Taxila, the necropolis at Makli, Mohenjo-daro and the Cholistan desert, all at their best between November and February. Put together, that gives you somewhere worth going in every month of the year.
This shortlist ranks twelve places across the provinces, taking three things into account: when you can go, how easy it is to get there, and how many days it needs. It is weighted towards the north because that is where most of the country's great landscapes are, but the southern picks are there for the half of the year when the mountains are cold and closed.
| Rank | Place | Province | Best months | Getting there from Islamabad or Lahore | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hunza | Gilgit-Baltistan | April to early November | Two days by road, or fly to Gilgit | 7 to 9 |
| 2 | Skardu and Deosai | Gilgit-Baltistan | April to October; Deosai June to September | One-hour flight from Islamabad | 5 to 7 |
| 3 | Naran and the Kaghan valley | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | June to September | 6 to 7 hours from Islamabad | 3 to 4 |
| 4 | Fairy Meadows | Gilgit-Baltistan | June to September | Road, jeep and a walk | 4 to 5 |
| 5 | Neelum Valley | Azad Kashmir | May to September | Keran 6 to 7 hours from Islamabad | 5 |
| 6 | Swat | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | All year, by altitude | 4 to 5 hours to Mingora | 3 to 5 |
| 7 | Chitral and the Kalash valleys | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | May to October | 10 to 12 hours | 6 to 7 |
| 8 | Lahore | Punjab | October to March | Motorway, rail or air | 2 to 3 |
| 9 | Islamabad, Taxila and Rohtas | Islamabad and Punjab | October to April | In and around the capital | 2 |
| 10 | Makli and Thatta | Sindh | November to February | About 98 km from Karachi | 1 |
| 11 | Mohenjo-daro | Sindh | November to February | About 28 km from Larkana | 1 to 2 |
| 12 | Cholistan and Derawar Fort | Punjab | November to February | From Bahawalpur | 2 |
The mountain north
1. Hunza
If you visit one place in Pakistan, make it Hunza. The Karakoram Highway runs up a deep valley past Rakaposhi, the old forts of Baltit and Altit above Karimabad, Attabad Lake and the Passu Cones, to the Khunjerab Pass on the Chinese border at 4,693 metres. The road is paved throughout, the villages are welcoming, and there is enough to fill a week without repeating yourself.
It takes two days to drive from Islamabad, or an hour's flight to Gilgit that is often cancelled for weather. April brings apricot blossom, summer opens the high pass, and late October turns the poplars gold. Our Gilgit, Hunza and Khunjerab tour covers the valley over nine days.
2. Skardu and Deosai
The best place in the far north to reach by air: PIA, Airblue and AirSial fly from Islamabad in about an hour. Skardu sits in a wide, sandy valley of the Indus, with the Kachura lakes, the Katpana cold desert, Shigar Fort and Khaplu Palace within reach. In summer, the Deosai plateau above the town, averaging over 4,100 metres, turns green and then full of wildflowers. Keep a spare day for flights. If you are choosing between the two great bases of Gilgit-Baltistan, our Hunza vs Skardu comparison sets them side by side.
3. Naran and the Kaghan valley
The easiest big-mountain trip from Islamabad and Lahore. The road is paved all the way, Naran is six to seven hours from the capital, and from there Lake Saif-ul-Malook, Lulusar Lake and the Babusar Pass at 4,173 metres are day trips. It is open only from about May to November, and packed at Eid and on summer weekends.
4. Fairy Meadows
A meadow at about 3,300 metres facing the Rakhiot face of Nanga Parbat, the world's ninth-highest mountain. Reaching it takes two days' drive to Raikot Bridge on the Karakoram Highway, a jeep ride on a narrow track to Tato and a walk of two to four hours. It is not for everyone, but few places anywhere put you so close to an 8,000-metre peak with so little climbing. See our Fairy Meadows page.
5. Neelum Valley
Azad Kashmir's long river valley, running about 150 km from near Muzaffarabad past Keran, Sharda and Kel. It is lower and greener than the Karakoram, with pine forest, wooden villages and the meadow at Arang Kel, which makes it kind to children and older parents. The road is slow above Athmuqam, and the valley runs along the Line of Control: it was closed to tourists for a time in May 2025, so check the news before you go.
6. Swat
The nearest large mountain valley to Islamabad and Peshawar, and open in every month. Lower Swat has Buddhist sites and the Swat Museum, Malam Jabba has skiing in winter, and Kalam at the top of the valley has forest and the jeep ride to Mahodand Lake. Security is the caveat in 2026: on 2 August a suicide bombing at Kabal, near Mingora, killed 17 people, and some foreign governments advise against all travel to Swat.
7. Chitral and the Kalash valleys
Ten to twelve hours from Islamabad through the Lowari tunnel, Chitral is the most culturally distinct trip in the north. The three Kalash valleys, Bumburet, Rumbur and Birir, are home to the Kalasha, with their own religion, language and festivals, including Chilam Joshi in mid-May and Uchal in August. Allow two nights in the valleys.
For a closer look at the whole mountain north, including Astore, Naltar, Ghizer and Kumrat, see our guide to the best places to visit in the Northern Areas.
Cities and history
8. Lahore
The best city trip in Pakistan, and the one place on this list you can visit in any month, though October to March is far more comfortable than the summer heat. Inside and around the Walled City are the Lahore Fort and the Shalamar Gardens, together a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981, the Badshahi Mosque, the Wazir Khan Mosque, and bazaars and food streets that are reason enough to go. The flag-lowering ceremony at the Wagah border is a short drive east.
The one thing to plan around is smog, which often settles over the city in late autumn and early winter. February and March are usually clearer and pleasant.
9. Islamabad, Taxila and Rohtas
Islamabad itself is a green, orderly capital under the Margalla Hills, with the Faisal Mosque, walking trails from the edge of the city, and the Pakistan Monument and Lok Virsa museum. It is also the gateway to two World Heritage Sites:
- Taxila, a short drive north-west, with the ruins of cities and Buddhist monasteries from the Gandhara period and a museum of their sculpture. Inscribed by UNESCO in 1980.
- Rohtas Fort, near Jhelum on the old GT road between Islamabad and Lahore, a vast 16th-century fortress built by Sher Shah Suri. Inscribed in 1997, and an easy stop on the drive between the two cities.
Spring, from February to April, is the best time, when the Margallas are green and the heat has not yet arrived.
The south
The plains of Sindh and southern Punjab are fiercely hot from May to September, so the southern picks are winter trips.
10. Makli and Thatta
The necropolis at Makli, about 98 km east of Karachi, covers some 10 square kilometres of plateau with tombs built from the 14th to the 18th centuries, carved in sandstone and in places tiled in blue. It has been a World Heritage Site since 1981. It makes a full day out from Karachi, together with the Shah Jahan Mosque in Thatta nearby.
11. Mohenjo-daro
The ruins of one of the largest cities of the Indus Valley civilisation, built around 2500 BCE, about 28 km from Larkana. It has been a World Heritage Site since 1980, and there is a museum on the site. Go between November and February; in summer this is one of the hottest parts of the country. Some foreign governments advise against travel in upper Sindh, so check current advice and local conditions before you go.
12. Cholistan and Derawar Fort
The Cholistan desert south of Bahawalpur, with Derawar Fort rising from the sand about 20 km south of Ahmedpur East: forty bastions and walls up to 30 metres high. The fort is still owned by the family of the former rulers of Bahawalpur, and going inside has traditionally needed their permission, but the walls alone are worth the trip. The Cholistan Desert Rally is held near the fort each February; in 2026 it ran from 11 to 15 February, and the area is busy that week.
What about the coast?
Karachi's own beaches are the easiest seaside day out. Many Karachi families also drive about four hours up the Makran Coastal Highway to Kund Malir in Hingol National Park, in Balochistan. Balochistan has serious security advisories, and the UK advises its nationals against all travel to the province. If you go, check the latest news, travel in daylight and in company, and don't go further along the coast without good local advice.
Where to go, month by month
- December to February: Lahore, Makli, Mohenjo-daro, Cholistan and Karachi; snow at Malam Jabba in Swat; Hunza and Skardu for a cold, quiet winter trip.
- March and April: Islamabad and Taxila; lower Swat; blossom in Hunza and Skardu.
- May and June: the whole north opens, with Naran from May and Deosai from June.
- July and August: the north, with care in the monsoon, when landslides close roads for hours or days.
- September and October: the best months for most of the north, with clear skies and autumn colour in Hunza and Skardu.
- November: Hunza's last golden weeks, then back to the south.
Our seasons guide goes into the northern months in more detail.
How to choose
- First trip, one week: Hunza, or Skardu if you are flying.
- Long weekend from Islamabad: Naran in summer, Swat or the Galiyat in other months.
- Long weekend from Lahore: the Walled City, Rohtas and a day at Wagah, or fly north.
- Long weekend from Karachi: Makli and Thatta in winter, or fly to Skardu in summer.
- With small children or older parents: Hunza, Neelum, Lahore and Islamabad. Leave Fairy Meadows and the 4,000-metre day trips for another time.
- History: Lahore, Taxila, Makli, Mohenjo-daro and the Kalash valleys.
Our travel guide covers the practical side for the north: permits, altitude, money, signal and what to pack.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most beautiful place in Pakistan?
Most travellers would say Hunza, for its mix of high mountains, orchards and villages. Fairy Meadows under Nanga Parbat and the Deosai plateau in July are strong contenders for a single landscape.
What is the best time to visit Pakistan?
It depends on where. The mountain north is best from May to October, with June to September for the high passes. Lahore, Sindh and southern Punjab are best from November to February, when the heat has gone.
How many World Heritage Sites does Pakistan have?
Six: Mohenjo-daro, Taxila, Takht-i-Bahi, Makli, the Lahore Fort and Shalamar Gardens, and Rohtas Fort. Several more, including the Badshahi Mosque, Deosai and the Kalash valleys, are on the tentative list.
Which places in Pakistan can you visit in winter?
Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, Makli, Mohenjo-daro and Cholistan are at their best in winter. In the north, Hunza, Skardu and Swat stay open, with snow at Malam Jabba, while Naran, Fairy Meadows, Deosai and the high passes close.
Where should I go for a week in Pakistan?
For a first trip, Hunza by road with a flight one way, or Skardu by air with a day on Deosai in summer. In winter, a week split between Lahore, Rohtas and Islamabad works well.
Is Pakistan safe to travel around?
The main tourist areas of Gilgit-Baltistan, Lahore and Islamabad see large numbers of visitors every year. Parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, upper Sindh and Balochistan have security advisories, and the Neelum Valley lies on the Line of Control, so check current advice for the specific places on your route.