Tourism has grown faster than the global economy for the eighth consecutive year. Today, more than a billion people travel internationally, with around half these journeys destined for developing countries. Pakistan is uniquely placed to take advantage of this trend.

Tourists & Travellers can experience the historical heritage of one of the oldest civilizations in the world, worship at the rich collection of Sufi shrines, Hindu temples, Sikh Gurdawaras and Buddhist monasteries, scale some of the highest mountains in the world, or simply experience natural beauty ranging from blossoming trees against a backdrop of snow-clad peaks in Gilgit-Baltistan to pristine beaches in Gwadar.

Now hold on, before you judge, let me at least make my case. Pakistan exactly the most attractive sounding place for a tourist destination. However, Pakistan has invested a great deal in its tourism industry – particularly in the last few years.

Pakistan has made significant improvements to its country’s safety. They have done such a great job that even Forbes has listed Pakistan as one of the best-underrated tourist destinations to visit in 2020! , I’ll tell you exactly why you must visit this country. The Geography of Pakistan is a profound blend of landscapes varying from plains to deserts, forests, hills, and plateaus ranging from the coastal areas of the Arabian Sea in the south to the mountains of the Karakoram, Hindukush, Himalayas ranges in the North.

• Discover the Magnificent Himalayas & Karakorum Ranges.
• Discover the Surreal & Enchanting Glory of Nature.
• Discover the Fascinating Cultures & Colors of the Land.
• Discover the Contrast of Spellbinding Grandeur & Sheer Simplicity.

  It’s The Best Time To Visit Pakistan

  Towards the end of last year, Condé Nast astounded many travellers all over the world when it crowned Pakistan as its number one destination for 2020 “this is a place of exquisite landscapes, where green spaces are overlooked by towering mountains,” they said. While there are still things to consider when travelling to the country, travel advisories have been softened, and after almost two decades, tourism is once again being promoted to Pakistan.

  

  To Meet The Descendants of Alexander the Great – The Last Pagans of Pakistan

  Deep in the Kalasha Valleys of Chitral in Northern Pakistan, surrounded by the Hindu Kush peaks, you’ll find the Kalash people, an indigenous matriarchal-led tribe who claim to be the descendants of Alexander the Great. Among them are the last pagans of Pakistan.

  The Kalash people have their own culture, language and way of life. Every year at the end of May, visitors come to experience their Chilam Joshi Festival, which takes place across three valleys. It’s one of the highlights of the year. Everyone drinks, dances and celebrates their deities.

  

  The Natural Beauty

  Pakistan is famous for its geographical magnificence because it contains all the varieties of natural phenomena starting from rolling hills leading to towering peaks in the north. It has vast fields and rivers, towards the province of Sindh we begin to witness oceans, and finally there are vast deserts making it a complete treasury of nature’s gifts. One reason the landscape remains so enchanting is because most of it is still preserved in its rawest and most natural form. Let us not forget that Pakistan is proud to lay claim to five of the highest and most glorious mountains in the world.

  

  The Cultural Diversity

  Pakistan has five provinces, with each having its own culture, traditions, dialect and palette of food and art. This cultural diversity stems from the ethnic variation causing it to have profound and long lasting effects on the entire culture as a whole. If you travel across the entire country, crossing over to each different province is almost like going to a new country where you will notice the difference in the way people look, dress, speak and behave. This diversity is what enriches the variety of food we have, the great range of music and instruments we play, the enriched variety of songs and literature we read as well as the great number of local dialects we own. It is a truly fascinating experience because you are able to experience a multitude of unique cultures under the umbrella of one collective culture, making your trip a lesson in diversity.

  Traditional Food

  The food in Pakistan is famous for its specialized use of all sorts of herbs and spices. Every traditional dish is a special concoction whose recipe has been perfected through generations to give it a perfect taste. Each dish, whether it is lentils or chicken roast or even lamb has to be seasoned and cooked to perfection, and therefore when the final dish is prepared it is a pleasure to eat every single bite. The country is also famous for its unique sweets known as ‘Mithai’, sweet goods made with local recipes and topped with an assortment of nuts. Pakistan is known for its agriculture and therefore you should be prepared to taste the kind of organic fruits and vegetables you can only dream of.

  

  The Local Bazaars

  There is a thriving market culture that is still alive in Pakistan. There are hundreds of market places in every city and district, each with their own unique culture. The interesting thing about the local bazaars is that each shop still has an owner who has been there for decades and can answer any question put forth about his trade. The owners of clothes shops will tell you about any type of cloth in the world whereas the silver jeweler will tell you about any kind of silver present anywhere in the world. This relationship that the vendors have with customers is so precious in today’s modern age of impersonal shopping that any purchase can be transformed into a great bonding session and an even greater lesson about the product.

  Beautifully Ornamented Handicrafts

  This country has such an abundance of craftsmen that are so marvelously skilled at producing certain goods because they have learned a particular skill from their fathers, who in turn learned it from their fathers. There are beautifully woven carpets that take more than six months to create due to the intricacy of the designs embossed on them. There are magnificent embroideries done on all sorts of clothes, special jewelry is also cut to perfection using hands instead of machines. Utensils made from copper and silver follow the same pattern of unique craftsmanship, making the country a haven for handmade handicrafts that are not available in this variety anywhere else in the world.

  

  Entrancing Local Music

  Most musicians on the outskirts of cities and rural locations along with some in urban centers, prefer to use the traditional instruments of the east such as the flute, the Rubab, the harmonium and the tabla (local drum). Along with the beauty of the sound produced by these local instruments, there are notes and hymns that go back more than 1,000 years, that are sung by local musicians that can put you into a state of intoxication without any substance. No matter how many rock and metal concerts you have attended, the experience of listening to a Qawalli (Devotional music) will be a musical experience that will resonate with you forever.

  The Unique Hospitality

  Anyone who comes from abroad is pleasantly surprised at how all the locals go out of their way to be hospitable to their guests. Whether you are in one of the major cities or backpacking in the Northern areas, anyone who crosses your path will tell you all you need to know about the area and the conversation will always end in them inviting you as a guest to their house for either tea or dinner. There is hardly anyone who does not offer foreigners a sightseeing tour of the area in which they are staying so that they can see all the unique things that are unknown to travelers.

  Magnificent Clothes

  In Pakistan you can find any kind of cotton, silk, wool, lawn and linen. It has more variety of cloth than anywhere else in the world because most women still choose to buy their own cloth and get it stitched. On top of that there is such a wide variety of skilled craftsmen who can make the most beautiful designs on any cloth using all sorts of beads and stones so you can have the kind of custom-made clothes you always dreamed of.

  

  Passion for Sports

  This country is famous for its relentless passion for sports, with cricket and polo being the national favorites. Pakistan has some of the most famous polo matches in the world that take place in Shandur, which is the highest altitude polo field in the world. Whenever there is a cricket match, a kind of frenzy appears and puts the whole country into a mood of festivity. You will see people dancing, listening to music and jeering uncontrollably every time the Pakistani team makes a goal.

  

  Glorious Mosques

  During the centuries that the Mughals reigned over the sub-continent, they hired the most illustrious artists and architects of the time to create marvelous mosques that are still as glorious as they were in their heyday, such as the Wazir Khan Mosque and the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore. There is also Shah Jahan Mosque in Sindh which was commissioned by the emperor Shah Jahan and is made entirely out of marble. There is a large mosque made out of one dome known as Gol Masjid in Karachi. The architecture, minarets and exquisite artwork accompanied by flawless calligraphy, make these mosques an architectural marvel that should be experienced first-hand.

  

  Beautifully Decorated Trucks

  Anyone who visits Pakistan is completely blown away by the mesmerizing art that fills all the trucks. These beautifully decorated trucks have become a widespread representation of Pakistani culture. There is an entire sub-culture that revolves around the ornamentation of them and there are special artisans skilled in the art to whom this task is assigned. There are a plethora of bright colors and designs, symbols and emblems, famous lines of poetry and endless birds and flowers engraved on all the huge trucks that traverse the roads of the country day and night, carrying goods from one place to another. You will never see a truck that is not a piece of unique art and each truck is a colorful representation of the thriving culture of Pakistan.