Pakistan is probably one of the most adventurous countries I have visited. I spent almost Rent a car Lahore to Islamabad month traveling around Pakistan independently, starting my journey in Lahore and traversing the entire Karakoram Highway all the way to the border of China and back.
In that month alone, I was able to witness Nanga Parbat, the 8th highest mountain in the world, have a close encounter with Himalayan wildlife, hanging for my dear life in a jeep as we zigzagged our ways around the mountain road of Pakistan, and hitchhike my way across the country all the way to the Chinese border in the north.
It was invigorating, to say the least, and for those who are looking to experience the same, you are in the right place. With this guide, you will find all the information you need to independently travel through Pakistan in one month, as I did, and see why Pakistan is nothing like what the media has painted it to be.
Day 1 - 3: Lahore (3 nights)
Lahore is the cultural capital of the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the place to be if you are looking to learn about the history of Pakistan and enjoy exploring stunning architecture that was built during colonial times.
You can spend your first day exploring the old town by going to the Badshahi Mosque in the morning, and then spend the rest of the day exploring Lahore Fort, Wazir Khan Mosque, and many more.
You can also spend another day getting your local SIM card sorted out following the guide I wrote above or hop in a taxi in the evening and go to the Wagha border, a town bordering India, to witness a once-in-a-lifetime ceremony where soldiers from both countries participate in a rapid dance-like parade to symbolize the rivalry, brotherhood, and cooperation that the two countries share.
Day 4 - 5: Islamabad (2 nights)
Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan, and it is the blueprint city built according to the government's vision of what a modern Pakistani city should look like. It is also the greenest city in Pakistan, with plenty of parks and viewpoints for you to explore.
The Pakistan monument, the Daman-e-Koh viewpoint, and Faisal Mosque are a few things you can do during your time in Islamabad. If you are a photographer, the best time to visit the Faisal Mosque is during sunset when the sky turns purple and the artificial illumination enhances the beauty of the main building.
Day 6: Islamabad to Gilgit (1 night)
To travel from Islamabad to Gilgit, you will have to take an overnight bus that leaves at 9 PM from the NATCO terminal in Sector I-11.
The bus will take you 18 hours and it costs around 2,500 PKR. Additionally, you will need to prepare at least 10 copies of your passport because the bus will pass through at least 7 police checkpoints. To avoid the police waking you up every hour, you can give the copies to the bus driver before boarding the bus, and they will manage it for you.
One of the best things to do in Gilgit is to go hiking around Fairy Meadows, which begins at the Raikot Bridge, 80 km before arriving in Gilgit. However, since you are probably carrying a lot of stuff, I would recommend going directly to Gilgit first. Spend a night there and leave unimportant stuff at the guesthouse, so you don't have to carry everything up the mountain.
After spending a night in Gilgit, you can either take a bus heading towards Chilas or hire a taxi to drive you to the Raikot bridge and begin your journey up to Fairy Meadows.
Day 8 - 10: Fairy Meadows (3 nights)
In order to get to Fairy Meadows, you will have to take a local jeep up from the Raikot bridge, and from there, you will have to hike for 2 hours before arriving at Fairy Meadows.
Fairy Meadows is a great place to spend a day hiking to and sleeping at Behal camp and proceed to Nanga Parbat base camp the next day to witness the mighty mountain up close.
For the second day, you can spend some time exploring Fairy Meadows itself and hiking up to one of the many viewpoints around the area or simply enjoy a nice cup of coffee and mingle with the locals.
After a few days in the mountains, it is always nice to come back to a city and relax, enjoying a nice warm shower and a comfortable bed in Gilgit for a night before moving onward to Minapin for another hike.
Minapin is a base town for the Rakaposhi Base Camp trail, and that is what you are going to do for an entire day when you are there.
To get to Minapin, you can either take a bus or hitchhike from Gilgit. When you arrive, spend the day preparing a lunchbox, water, and snacks for the upcoming epic 7-hour hike you are about to embark on.
The next day, start the hike at 8:30 AM or earlier and walk towards the mountain. It should take you around 4 hours to reach the top of the ridge, where you will be able to see the psychedelic Minapin glacier and Rakaposhi mountain in their entirety.
Day 14 - 16: Karimabad (3 nights)
You are probably tired from all the hikes you just did, right? If so, then you are in luck as we will be taking it slow in Karimabad and spending most of the time relaxing in a cafe and walking around town.
Baltit and Altit forts are a must-see when you are in Karimabad. From the Baltit fort, you will also have a clear view of Rakaposhi, the mountain you hiked the day before. You can also go on a day hike to Ultar base camp if you are not exhausted from before.
Cafe de Hunza is a gathering place that serves Western-style coffee, has the best walnut cake, and, best of all, is the only place in Hunza to have reliable internet. This is your chance to reconnect with the outside world!
Day 17 - 18: Passu (2 nights)
Passu is another great stop before you reach the end of the Karakoram Highway. It is also a place where you can see the iconic jagged peaks of Passu peak and Hussaini bridge, the old suspension bridge that crosses the raging Hunza river. Spend the day walking around the valley or hike up to the ridge where you can see Passu glacier and Passu Sar.
Finally, you have reached the frontier town of Sost, the last big town before China. There isn't much to do in Sost itself, so I would recommend that you find a taxi to drive you through Khunjerab National Park and up the Khunjerab Pass, which is the highest point on the Karakoram Highway.
The taxi should cost you around 3,000 PKR, whereas if it snowed, you might need a jeep, which would set you back around 7,000 PKR.
If you are lucky, you might be able to spot some wildlife on your way to the pass. We saw hundreds of ibex and one blue sheep. Unfortunately, we didn't see any Marco Polo sheep.
Day 21 - 22: Skardu (2 nights)
From Sost, it's a long way to Skardu, but luckily, you can do it in one day by taking the bus from Sost to Gilgit at 5 AM. You should arrive in Gilgit by 9 AM, where you can take another bus to Skardu.
As of 2023, the road has been completed and it should take you around 4 hours to go from Gilgit to Skardu. It used to take me more than 7 hours to travel this route when much of the road were still under construction so consider yourself lucky not having to experience the pain of slow, dusty travel 😂.
Spend your first day exploring Skardu and check out places like the Kharpocho Fort, the Buddha Rock Carvings, or, if you are into mountaineering, drop by the K2 museum to learn about the history of K2.
The next day, hire a jeep to drive you to Astore through the Deosai National Park. The Deosai National Park is home to the elusive brown bears, and since the area mostly consists of plains and snowy hills, it is unlike all the mountains we have seen so far.
The jeep ride to Astore will cost you around 8,000 - 10,000 PKR, depending on how hard you haggle, so it is best to share with someone. I was able to find some people to share with on the Facebook group, Backpacking Pakistan, so I would recommend joining the group and asking someone there. The entire trip should take you at least 7 hours, so start the trip early.
Once you are in Astore, spend a night there and either organize another taxi or hitchhike with other travelers to Rama Meadows. The trip should take around 30 minutes, and when you arrive, you will be rewarded with the view of Rama Lake and several snowy peaks.
Spend your last day in the mountains of Pakistan enjoying the view of Rama Meadows, or you can hike to Rama Lake, which should take you no more than 2 hours round-trip.
The next day, make your way back to Gilgit, and either take the next flight back to Islamabad or spend another night there and board the next flight.
Spend your last night in Pakistan in Islamabad and indulge yourself in basic amenities such as having access to a hot shower, a comfortable bed, and the internet before taking your flight back home the next day.
If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips:
Pakistan is not your typical travel destination. Looking from the outside, you may wonder, "What is there to see in Pakistan?" It turns out, there are tons of stunning places that are begging for you to explore.
From Lahore, the cultural capital city of the Punjab province, to the pristine snowy peaks of the Himalayas, the Karakoram, and the Hindu Kush mountain ranges, you will be surprised to discover that these places exist in Pakistan.
Other than the scenery, the hospitality of the Pakistani people is unmatched by anyone. The friendliness and kindness of its people are one of the highlights of traveling in Pakistan. Strangers will come up to you, strike up a random conversation, and help you out as best they can, while expecting nothing in return. I have to tell you, it is such a breath of fresh air when a taxi driver pays for your lunch!
From the mountains of Gilgit Baltistan to the cultural heritage of Punjab, Pakistan has everything for a grand adventure unlike any other country you have been to before.
When to Go to Pakistan?
The best time to visit Pakistan is during the months of May to October when the weather is neither too cold in the north nor too hot in cities like Lahore and Islamabad.
In my opinion, September and October are the best times to visit as the valleys of North Pakistan are turning orange, and popular destinations are free from the local crowds. Accommodations in places like Fairy Meadows become cheaper as well.
This place is quite affordable compared to all the other countries in the world. If you are planning a trip here, you can expect to spend around $25 - $45 USD per day per person, which should include accommodation and three meals.
Please keep in mind that these are suggested daily budgets based on my own style of travel, which leans more towards the budget side of things. If you aim to stick to this budget, anticipate sleeping in dormitories, dining out only occasionally, and being comfortable with the cheapest and most convenient modes of transportation, which often involve a considerable amount of walking.
Which tourist SIM card is best for Pakistan?
Update: If your phone supports eSIM, I highly recommend checking out Airalo, a global eSIM marketplace. It allows you to stay connected affordably while traveling in Pakistan without having to switch out your physical SIM card.
Gone are the days when you needed to scramble to find a local SIM card at an airport upon arrival. You can purchase an eSIM before your arrival, and you'll be good to go. If your phone doesn't support eSIM, here is how you can get a local SIM card in Pakistan:
The reliability of the internet in Pakistan will depend on where you are, but I would recommend getting a local SIM card as soon as you arrive in Lahore. To buy a SIM card as a foreigner, you will have to go to a franchise office and register there. Do not buy it from the airport or any shop that claims they can do it! They are all scams.
The process may seem like a hassle, but once you know where to go, it only takes 5 minutes to get your SIM activated. I would recommend you get a ZONG SIM card from the Zong franchise customer care in Lahore shown on the map below.
To buy a local SIM card in Lahore, simply tell a rickshaw driver to take you to "Liberty Market" (do not pay more than 200 PKR), and make sure you have your passport with you.
Once you are there, you can choose whether you want a data SIM card only (1,500 PKR for 12 GB) or the one with calls (~2,500 PKR). I would recommend the one with calls if you are planning to go up north, as the data connection becomes unreliable up there and you might need to call some places to book. The entire process took me less than 5 minutes.
For Zong's reception in cities like Islamabad and Lahore, you should have no problem getting LTE speed from your SIM card.
In Gilgit, the internet becomes slower but still manageable. However, once you go beyond Gilgit, you will only get an unreliable EDGE connection on your phone. Additionally, only a few places are equipped with Wi-Fi, and they are painfully slow.
The only place with reliable wifi beyond Gilgit that I know of is at the Cafe de Hunza in Karimabad, so make sure to say goodbye to the outside world before leaving Gilgit.
Tips: To stay connected with people at home, be sure that you have a VPN, such as ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It's FREE, and you can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.
What to Pack for Pakistan?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Pakistan:
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.
Pakistan is very strict when it comes to who gets into their country, which is why they will not issue a tourist visa from embassies that are not in your home country, unless there are none.
If you live in a country that has a Pakistan embassy, you will have to obtain it from there prior to your trip. If not, then you will have to obtain it from the nearest country with an embassy. The process can take from 3 weeks to a month, depending on your embassy, so prepare way ahead of time.
Almost every country that wants to apply for a tourist visa is required to have a letter of invitation from either someone you personally know in Pakistan or from a legally registered tour company. Many tour companies will require you to buy a tour with them, but I found a few that will offer a letter of invitation to an independent traveler without having to purchase a tour.
I have a personal experience with Lost Horizon tour company and can recommend them. They charge 100 USD per person, and all you have to do is provide them with your info and a rough itinerary of your trip, and they will get all the documents you need within a few days.
Another great option is to get your LOI through Caravanistan.com. They charge only 65 USD, which is considerably less than Lost Horizon, and they are responsive and can provide you with additional information about your itinerary.
Keep in mind that the documents required may differ depending on the embassy in which you are applying, so please consult your embassy's website for more details.
If you have all the documents they asked for, the process should be straightforward, and they should give you a date for when your visa will be completed.
How to Get to Pakistan?
There are several major airlines that fly to Lahore. One of the best ones is Emirates, Qatar, THAI, and Etihad Airways. If you are looking for a flight from where you are, I would recommend you browse through Expedia or Skyscanner to find the best and cheapest deal possible.
How to Get Around Pakistan?
Within big cities like Lahore and Islamabad, Uber is the cheapest and most convenient way to travel around the city. A rickshaw is also a good option in Lahore if you haggle hard. Beyond Islamabad, taxis or hired jeeps are sometimes required to get to remote places around the area.
From Lahore to Islamabad, you can take a Daewoo Express bus (search for Rawalpindi as a destination instead of Islamabad, as the bus station is located in Rawalpindi, a twin city next to Islamabad) that connects the two cities. From Islamabad to Gilgit, you can either fly or take a NATCO overnight bus that will take around 18 hours to reach the destination. Be sure to check out our detailed guide on traveling to Gilgit from Islamabad as there are certain things you need to prepare before you get on the bus.
Beyond Gilgit, you will either have to flag down a bus from the Karakoram Highway yourself or hitchhike, which is the most effective way to traverse the Karakoram Highway as the buses are often full and do not come on time. Besides, the locals are more than happy to drive a guest around their country, and they will try to help you as best as they can so that you will have a great time in their country.
From Sost to Skardu, you can take a bus that leaves for Gilgit at 5 AM. When you arrive in Gilgit by 9 AM, you can board the next bus bound for Skardu. With the new road completed, it should take approximately 4 hours to reach Skardu. Therefore, if you leave Gilgit by 9 AM, you should arrive by 1 PM.
From Skardu to Astore, you will have to rent a jeep to travel on the unpaved road in Deosai National Park, and it will take approximately 7 hours to reach Astore.
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Pakistan
Looking for more information for your trip to South Asia? Here is a collection of articles about South Asia that might help you with your trip planning.
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