Pakistan doesn't do things by halves. You've got some of the highest, most dramatic mountains on the planet in the north, 4,500-year-old ruins in the south, and one of the maddest border ceremonies anywhere in the world in between. Picking just ten sites was genuinely difficult, but here's where we'd send you first.
1. Hunza Valley
If you only do one thing in Pakistan, do this. Hunza is the postcard version of the north: terraced apricot orchards, glacial peaks stacked on top of each other, and some of the warmest, most welcoming people you'll meet anywhere. Base yourself around Karimabad for a few days and you'll understand why every single traveller we've spoken to who's been to Pakistan puts Hunza at the top of their list.
2. The Karakoram Highway and Khunjerab Pass
The KKH is the highest paved international road in the world, and driving it is an attraction in itself — glaciers, 7,000-metre peaks and switchbacks the whole way. Push all the way to Khunjerab Pass on the Chinese border (open Monday to Friday, weather permitting) and you're standing at over 4,700 metres on one of the most spectacular crossings on earth. We've written a full guide to crossing it if you want the details before you go.
3. Fairy Meadows
Named by German climbers for good reason, Fairy Meadows sits at the base of Nanga Parbat — the world's ninth-highest mountain and, at 8,126 metres, the second-highest peak in Pakistan itself. It's not a drive-up viewpoint either: you'll jeep up a genuinely hair-raising track and then hike in, which only makes the view better once you get there.
4. Skardu and the Deosai Plains
Skardu is the gateway to Pakistan's serious mountaineering country, but the Deosai Plains just outside it are worth the trip on their own — one of the highest plateaus on earth, nicknamed the “Land of Giants,” carpeted in wildflowers through summer and home to the endangered Himalayan brown bear. It's a completely different kind of alpine landscape to Hunza, and worth building real time into your itinerary for.
5. K2 Base Camp
Not for everyone, and that's the point. Reaching the base of the world's second-highest mountain (and by most accounts its most technically demanding) is a serious multi-day trek through Concordia, but it's one of the last genuinely wild, uncrowded treks left on the planet. If you've got the time and the legs, this is Pakistan's ultimate bucket-list hike.
6. Lahore's Old City
Lahore is Pakistan's cultural heart, and its old city is where that's most obvious. Lahore Fort has been fought over and rebuilt by Mughals, the Sikh Empire and the British in turn, and the Badshahi Mosque next door is one of the largest in the world — its courtyard alone can hold 100,000 worshippers. Wander the food streets around here in the evening and you'll get why we rate Lahore as one of the best city stops in the country.
7. Mohenjo-daro
Down in Sindh, Mohenjo-daro is one of the best-preserved cities of the Indus Valley Civilisation and one of the oldest planned urban settlements anywhere in the world — we're talking roughly 4,500 years old, complete with a drainage system that still impresses archaeologists today. It's a genuinely different side of Pakistan to the mountains, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site for good reason.
8. The Wagah Border Ceremony
This is one of the most bizarre things you'll ever watch: soldiers from India and Pakistan high-kicking, glaring and slamming gates shut at sunset, with crowds on both sides roaring them on like it's a football match. Worth noting: the actual land crossing at Wagah has been closed to foot traffic since April 2025 (we've covered this in our Pakistan land borders guide), but the ceremony itself is still running and is very much still worth the trip out from Lahore.
9. Faisal Mosque and the Margalla Hills, Islamabad
Islamabad doesn't get talked about as much as Lahore or Karachi, but it deserves a stop. Faisal Mosque is a genuinely striking piece of modern architecture, all sweeping white concrete with no dome in sight, and it's one of the largest mosques in the world. Head up to Daman-e-Koh in the Margalla Hills afterwards for the best view over the whole city.
10. Swat Valley
Nicknamed the “Switzerland of Pakistan,” Swat is green, mountainous and a lot less visited than Hunza, which is exactly its appeal. Malam Jabba is Pakistan's main ski resort, Mahodand Lake is genuinely one of the most beautiful high-altitude lakes we've seen anywhere, and the whole valley has a completely different feel to the drier terrain further north.
How Can You Visit Pakistan’s Top Highlights?
This list barely scratches the surface — Pakistan has enough mountains, ruins and cities to fill months of travel. The best way to get the most out of a short trip to Pakistan is to join a Saiga Tours group Pakistan tour. To see our departure dates, check out our
website here
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To sign up and secure your place on our
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