Pakistan is an ancient country with an amazing history that connects various civilizations with an interesting emphasis on religion and culture. The country is rather appealing with its various interests offered in different regions. Some of them offer unique views of the ancient ruins, while the others will be great for the fans of wild nature.
Islamabad is Pakistan’s capital. It’s not a typical Asian city, it’s more of a modern type drenched in all of the European standards, including good infrastructure. Though in contrast to those cities, in Islamabad there’s a large number of mosques and Asian style masterpieces. The main ways of viewing the southern part of the city is getting to Daman-e-Koh, which is a wonderful natural hill, allowing the visitors viewing most blocks of this part of the city. One of the main attractions of Islamabad is Margalla Hills National Park, overlooking the capital. The park is hosting rare species of leopards, monkeys, deer, mountain goat, wild boar and pheasants. It might be hard to explore the place in a single day, so make sure to organize the way that you can visit it at least for two days.
Rawal Lake is one of the most favorite places for the locals. This huge artificial lake is surrounded with a park, which is not only a great place for a tranquil rest, but also for organizing family picnics. As for those who want to swim in the lake, should get to Simly Dam Lake, which is also great for boating and sailing. Another natural wonder here is the garden of roses and jasmine. This garden actually reminds more of a botanical garden, as here you will not only find wonderful roses and jasmine flowers, but also various types of trees and shrubs.
Overall there are 14 national parks in Pakistan, including Kirthar National Park in Karachi, where you will find a large variety of wildlife. Here you may come across deer, Asian leopards and even dolphins and birds of prey. Most of the parks are located either in the largest cities or somewhere nearby, which makes their access quite easy. The most amazing park is located around 100 km from the capital, where you will find yourself moving from desert to the green valley in just a few minutes, which will give you an amazing feeling.
The largest city of Pakistan is actually not the capital city, but Karachi. This city is combining a large number of skyscrapers and old houses. The city is also considered to be the largest port of Pakistan. The city proudly hosts the Quaid-i-Azam Mausoleum, which is a monument to the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Among the other places of interest to see in Karachi are the Masjid e Tooba Mosque, which is made of white marble, the birthplace of Aga Khan, as well as the Zoroastrian Towers of Silence. The only European traces of the city are the Holy Trinity Cathedral and St. Andrew’s Church. It’s interesting that the National Museum is also located here with its rich archaeological and ethnographic collections. Some of similar samples, including carpets, leathers and furs, silk scarves can be found in the local market.
Punjab has a super long history. This is why the place is quite rich in culture. The first stop point in the region should be Bahawalpur, which is quite an amazing and hospitable city. From here you can have a visit to the wildlife areas, have a glance at the ancient fortresses left by the ancient tribes. And moving further you will appear in the center of Hindu culture.
Peshawar is the city almost bordering Afghanistan. The main part, which is worth visiting, is the Old Town, where you can find an open Asian market, the largest one for South Asia. The good thing is that here you will find some of the best local souvenirs, which are mostly handmade. The locals are selling vases, blankets, knives, saddles and harness, and various handicrafts with great enthusiasm and hospitable approach.
