The caves in Pakistan that most people can visit easily are the Khewra Salt Mine in Jhelum district, which is a mine rather than a natural cave, and the Shah Allah Ditta caves on the edge of Islamabad, small rock shelters with Buddhist-era history. Beyond those, the country's best known caves are archaeological sites with no visitor facilities, such as Gondrani near Bela and Kashmir Smast near Mardan, and several sit in areas under current security advisories.
Pakistan has no show caves of the kind you find in Europe, with lit paths and guided tours through natural passages. This guide sets out what each site really is, how to reach it and what to check before you go. For other outdoor days out, see our experiences page.
| Site | Province | What it is | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khewra Salt Mine | Punjab | Working salt mine with visitor tunnels | Easy; ticketed, train inside |
| Shah Allah Ditta caves | Islamabad | Small rock shelters and shrine | Easy; short drive from the city |
| Pir Ghaib | Balochistan | Waterfall and shrine linked to a cave legend | Road from Quetta; current advisory |
| Gondrani | Balochistan | Hundreds of rock-cut caves | Rough track from Bela; current advisory |
| Kai caves | Sindh | Stone Age caves in the Kirthar hills | Remote; local guide needed |
| Kashmir Smast | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Large limestone caves with ancient temples | Hike from Katlang villages; current advisory |
Khewra Salt Mine: the easiest underground visit
Khewra, in Jhelum district, is the cave-like day out most Pakistani families mean, even though it is a mine. It sits about 160 km from both Islamabad and Lahore, about 30 km off the M-2 motorway at the Lilla interchange, which makes it a comfortable day trip from either city.
Salt has been dug here for centuries. Local tradition says Alexander the Great's horses found it by licking the rocks in 326 BC, and the main tunnel was laid out in 1872 by the British mining engineer H. Warth. The mine, run by the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation, runs about 730 metres into the hill, with around 40 km of tunnels on 19 levels, 11 of them underground.
Visitors ride a small train in along the old narrow-gauge track and walk the show section, which includes:
- A mosque built from coloured salt bricks
- The Assembly Hall, a huge chamber about 75 metres high
- Sheesh Mahal, where pale pink salt crystals glow under lights
- Pul-e-Siraat, a salt bridge over a brine pool
Khewra draws up to 250,000 visitors a year, so weekends and school holidays are crowded. Being underground, it works in any season, including the Punjab summer. Ticket prices have changed several times, and the most recent figures we found were from 2022, so check our Khewra ticket price guide and pay what is posted at the gate. For routes, see how to reach Khewra Salt Mine.
Shah Allah Ditta caves near Islamabad
The Shah Allah Ditta caves are in the village of the same name at the foot of the Margalla Hills, next to Sector D-12 of Islamabad. The site, also known as Sadhu da Bagh, is a set of small rock shelters under old banyan trees, with faint Buddhist-era murals on the rock.
The caves were used by Buddhist monks for meditation, then by Hindu sadhus and later by Muslim ascetics, which is why you find burnt diyas and amulets tied to the trees today. The village also has an old stepwell, the Losar Baoli. It is a short evening outing rather than a cave exploration: the shelters are shallow and you see them in a few minutes, but the setting is calm and the history is real.
Shah Allah Ditta is also the starting point of the 44 km Margalla Ridge Trail. Our Shah Allah Ditta caves guide covers timings and how to combine the visit with a walk.
Pir Ghaib in the Bolan valley
Pir Ghaib, in the Bolan valley about 70 km from Quetta, is a waterfall of about 15 metres falling into a rock pool among palm trees, with a small shrine beside it. The name means "the invisible saint". Legend says the saint and his sister, Bibi Nani, came to the area to preach, and that when he was cornered against a rock wall by his pursuers he prayed and vanished. It is a cave legend more than a cave, but the shrine is the reason the place is visited.
Pir Ghaib is in Balochistan, where the UK government advises against all travel, and foreigners need a special permit. Pakistani visitors do go, mostly from Quetta, but check local news and current police advice first. Our Pir Ghaib waterfall guide has more.
Gondrani and the other caves of Balochistan
The Gondrani caves sit about 20 km north of Bela in Lasbela district, about 218 km from Karachi. Records from the British period counted around 1,500 caves cut into the conglomerate cliffs on several levels; only about 500 survive. Historians believe they were part of a Buddhist monastery in around the 8th century. The small rooms still have hearths and wall niches. The site is unprotected and eroding, and there are no facilities.
Lahoot Lamakan, a cave shrine with natural springs in Lasbela, is the other well known cave in the province. Both are covered in our guide to the caves of Balochistan, and Gondrani has its own Gondrani caves guide. The same Balochistan advisory applies to both.
Kai caves and Kashmir Smast
The Kai caves are in the Kai valley of the Kirthar range, south of Sehwan in Jamshoro district, Sindh. There are two groups, the upper caves on a high hill to the east and the lower caves, called Satt Ghariyoon or Seven Caves, to the west. Archaeologists have found pottery linked to the Indus Valley Civilisation, and the caves themselves are thought to date to the Stone Age. There are no visitor facilities, and you need someone local to show you the way. The area is close to the line north of Nawabshah beyond which the UK advises against all but essential travel in Sindh.
Kashmir Smast, in the Babuzai hills of the Katlang valley near Mardan, is a set of three large limestone chambers. Between about the 4th and 9th centuries AD it held temples and a small fortified kingdom, and carved wooden panels from it are in the British Museum. It is approached on foot from the villages of Pirsai or Babozai. The UK advises against all but essential travel to Mardan, so check current advice and go with local people who know the path.
Are caves in Pakistan safe to visit?
Khewra and Shah Allah Ditta are easy, well-visited family outings. The others need more care, for two reasons.
The first is security. Gondrani, Lahoot Lamakan and Pir Ghaib are all in Balochistan, which the UK government's September 2026 advice says not to visit at all, and Kashmir Smast is in Mardan, under an all but essential travel advisory. Pakistani visitors still travel to these places. Check local news and police advice before setting out, and overseas visitors should note that their own government's advice may say not to go and that it can void travel insurance.
The second is the caves themselves. Natural caves in Pakistan have no lighting, no marked routes and no rescue service. Carry two torches each, tell someone where you are going, never enter a passage you can't see the end of, and stay out after rain, when flash floods run through the hills. Go with someone local who knows the site.
Which cave should you visit?
For a family day out from Lahore or Islamabad, Khewra is the clear choice: easy to reach, properly run and interesting for children. Our guide to places to visit in the Salt Range has more to add to the day. For a short history outing in Islamabad, Shah Allah Ditta takes an hour or two.
The archaeological caves suit people with a real interest in history who are happy with rough access and no facilities. Gondrani is the most impressive of them, but only once you have checked that travel to Lasbela is possible that week.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous cave in Pakistan?
The Khewra Salt Mine is the most visited underground site in Pakistan, though it is a mine rather than a natural cave. Among true caves, the Gondrani caves near Bela and the Shah Allah Ditta caves near Islamabad are the best known.
Are there caves near Islamabad?
Yes. The Shah Allah Ditta caves, small rock shelters with Buddhist-era history, are in the Margalla foothills next to Sector D-12.
How far is Khewra Salt Mine from Lahore and Islamabad?
About 160 km from each, reached via the M-2 motorway and the Lilla interchange, roughly 30 km from the mine.
Can tourists visit caves in Balochistan?
Pakistani visitors do travel to Gondrani, Lahoot Lamakan and Pir Ghaib, but the UK advises against all travel to Balochistan and foreigners may need permits. Check current advice and local news before planning a visit.
