March

March

March is when spring reaches Pakistan, and the best places to visit in Pakistan in March include the blossoming orchards of Hunza and Skardu, the Buddhist sites of Taxila and the old cities of Lahore and Peshawar. Days are mild in the plains, and the month brings Nowruz in Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan Day on 23 March.

Pakistan in March at a glance

March is one of the easiest months to travel in the plains. Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar have warm days and cool evenings, good weather for sightseeing on foot. Sindh is warming fast, so early March marks the end of the comfortable season at Mohenjo-daro.

In the north, snow is retreating from the valley floors and fruit trees start to flower. Nights in Hunza and Skardu are still cold, and the Babusar Pass and the Deosai Plains remain closed until summer.

Best places to visit in Pakistan in March

  • Hunza: blossom begins in lower Hunza around the second week of March, and Karimabad and Altit usually peak between late March and early April.
  • Skardu, Shigar and Khaplu: the main Skardu valley flowers from about mid-March to mid-April.
  • Taxila and Gandhara: the UNESCO-listed ruins of Taxila and the monasteries of the Peshawar valley are pleasant to explore before the heat. Our 11D 10N Buddhist Heritage Journey in Pakistan is scheduled in March.
  • Islamabad and Peshawar: spring walks in the Margalla Hills, and the large Gandhara collection at the Peshawar Museum.
  • Lahore and the south: mild weather suits a long heritage loop, such as the Cultural and Heritage Expedition Across Civilizations.
  • Hingol National Park: spring on the Makran coast is still mild. See the 8 Days Balochistan Hingol National Park Tour.

Festivals and events in March

  • Nowruz (21 March): the Persian new year is celebrated across Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral with polo, music and the custom of cracking coloured eggs. It is a local holiday in Hunza.
  • Pakistan Day (23 March): a national holiday marking the 1940 Lahore Resolution, usually with a military parade in Islamabad.
  • Blossom season: there is no fixed date. A cold winter pushes the flowering later, so we keep spring itineraries flexible.

Is Skardu open in March

Yes. The road from Islamabad stays open and flights run when the sky is clear, though spring cancellations are common. Shigar Fort, a restored fort-palace that now works as a heritage hotel, makes a good base for blossom walks. Pack for two seasons: light clothes for Lahore and Islamabad, and a warm jacket for near-freezing mornings in the mountains.

Plan your March trip

Tell us your dates and we will time the route around the blossom and the holidays. For more ideas, see February, April or our Taxila page.