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A land of magic, mountains, golden beaches & 5000 years of history. Add to that, warm, friendly people, a relaxed lifestyle and an endless variety of landscapes & activities and you’ll see why we invite you to make Pakistan your next destination. PAKISTAN - FAR FROM THE ORDINARY Pakistan is a land of contrasts and holds an excellent diversity of habitats ranging from high snow-covered mountains in the north, to vast lush fields and great deserts of Cholistan & Tharparker, to sandy seashores in the south. These mountains, plateaus, plains, deserts, rivers, lakes and seashores project the true & natural beauty of Pakistan. GEOGRAPHICAL Pakistan has a geo-strategic place in the comity of nations, and is bounded by Iran, Afghanistan and two of the most populous countries in the world: China and India. Blessed with natural resources, its Northern Areas are a white world full of black granite slopes, some of them too steep for snow. This witnesses the unbelievable physical drama combining the world’s four highest mountain ranges; the Himalayas, the Karakoram, the Hindukush and the Pamirs, and with them the fertile river basins with many tributaries feeding the mighty Indus river and draining into the warm waters of the Arabian Sea. HISTORICAL & CULTURAL HERITAGE Pakistan has great treasures of the Indus and the Gandhara Civilizations, traces of which are found in the ruins of Moenjodaro, Kot Diji, and the plains of Punjab and Harappa. In Sindh is one of the oldest and largest graveyards in Thatta. The Shrine of the great Sufi Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan and the shrine of one of the greatest poets Shah Abdul Latif in Hala display the legacies the great people left behind. Kot Diji and Moenjodaro, one of the four oldest civilizations of mankind (2700-1500 B.C) are also great places of interest. Onwards to Punjab, the Mughal Empire’s old capital, Lahore, boasts of the world’s most beautiful Shalimar Gardens with 400 spouting fountains, the world’s third largest Muslim mosque, the Badshahi Masjid, the high-water mark of Mughal architecture, the Lahore Fort, and the Great Mughal emperor Jahangir’s magnificent tomb. Further to the north about 72 KM, the birthplace of Baba Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh religion, is the most important place for Sikh Yatris. A large Sikh Gurdwara has become the center of annual pilgrimage by the Sikh community from around the world. Pakistan’s population is a unique blend of a variety of living habits, cultural and social values and stunning arts and crafts. Some major cultures developed on the bank of Indus – an 8000 year old civilization. Buddhism being influenced by the Aryan and later Greek invasions, gave rise to the Greco-Buddhist (Gandhara). Gandhara, the ancient Peshawar Valley and the cradle of Buddhist civilizations, gave birth to the famous Gandhara Art. TODAY: A MODERN STATE WITH CONVENIENCE With a rich cultural heritage and history, Pakistan is, today, a modern state with convenience. All communication networks such as cell phones, fax and internet, bazaars with old and modern collection of art, restaurants serving spicy and tasty food of famous places such as Burns Road of Karachi, Food Street of Lahore, Jahangria of Rawalpindi and Namak Mandi of Peshawar and the endless variety of landscapes, activities, flora and fauna are of much interest. Highly developed and inexpensive air network links all regions of the country and neighboring countries with multiple frequencies by PIA. SUMMER ADVENTURES IN PAKISTAN The mountain adventures can be carried out in the north, where lie the mountains of the Himalayas, the Karakoram, the Hindukush and the Pamirs. The lush valleys of Dir, Swat, Kaghan, Chitral, Gilgit, Hunza and Baltistan are nothing short of paradise on earth. TREKKING One of the most popular treks is the Baltoro trek, which ends up at Concordia. Concordia is the point where all the glaciers coming from K-2, Broad Peak and the Gasherbrum-IV meet and flow down towards Paiju peak like a highway. Nowhere in the world can one witness four 8000 meter peaks within such a small radius—they are the K-2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum-I and Gasherbrum-II. MOUNTAINEERING Pakistan boasts of one of the world’s highest collections of peaks rising above 6000 meters. The lofty mountain ranges of Karakoram, Hindukush and Himalayas offer great opportunities for mountaineering which are unparalleled in the world. The area has been a magnet for mountaineers from all over the world. ROCK CLIMBING Pakistan is well known for high altitude and rock-climbing. The Trango towers in Baltoro area and the Kondus valley in Khaplu area are well known all over the world. There are numerous untouched rock faces in the Karakoram, Himalayas and Hindukush ranges of Pakistan, which are ideal for rock climbing. AIR SAFARI Rarely do you experience a phenomenon so unique, so exhilarating, that it leaves you catching your breath at the sheer spectacle and magnitude of nature’s boundless beauty. Air Safari to the roof of the world offers great opportunities to the tourists to have a bird’s eye view of Pakistan’s Northern paradise. This 80-minute safari experience will take you to the peaks of Karakoram and Hindukush ranges, such as the Nanga Parbat, Mount Trichmir, Rakaposhi and the striking Baltoro Glacier. Above all is K-2, the world’s second highest peak, standing spectacularly. This wonderful experience leaves an unforgettable impression on one’s life, with memories to last a lifetime. SOFT ADVENTURES Adventures during the day include hiking and jeep rides, which are one of the major attractions of Chitral, the Kalash Valley – the home of the Kafir-Kalash or “Wearers of the Black Robes”, a primitive pagan tribe. The night can be spent in well furnished motels and lodges. The people of Kalash are fun loving. They love music and dance, particularly on their religious festivals like Joshi Chilinjusht (14th & 15th May – Spring), Phool (20th – 25th September) and Chomas (18th - 21st December for a week). Polo in Chitral is as popular as in Gilgit. Polo matches are great attractions at festive occasions. A regular polo tournament is held every year (first week of July) at Shandur Pass. WINTER ADVENTURES IN PAKISTAN SKY & SNOW There are a number of areas in Northern Pakistan, in both the high mountains of the Northern Areas and Chitral, and in lower regions of Swat and Kaghan, which can be developed as ski and snowboarding sites. There are plenty of sites and opportunities available for cross-country skiing in the Northern Areas, Chitral, Kaghan and Swat. The precipitation and snow accumulation in these areas, except for the Northern Areas, is very high. Skiing has made a late start in Pakistan. Nevertheless, best available skiing areas are at Naltar near Gilgit, Burzil pass area and Ratu, near Astore, District Gilgit. There are few novice and nursery level skiing slopes available at Malam Jabba and an improved site at Ayubia in Murree hills off Islamabad. Commercial skiing has recently been opened at Malam Jabba. At 8700 feet above sea level, Malam Jabba Ski Resort stands on top of the mountains of the Hindukish range, North East of Saidu Sharif. It is a wonderful tourist resort offering picturesque skiing landscape. The main attractions of the resort are skiing and chair lift. ACTIVE TOURS PAKISTAN WEB: http://www.visitatp.com
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