Pakistan Travel Guide: Self-Guided City Walks

The best things to do in Pakistan include exploring the country’s ancient civilisations, discovering its varied landscapes and visiting cities shaped by centuries of cultural exchange. Pakistan stretches from the Arabian Sea to the northern mountains, with a history that reaches from Neolithic Mehrgarh and the Indus Valley Civilisation to the Mughal period, the British Raj and the creation of the modern state in 1947. Neywo has free audio guides for 3 cities in Pakistan, with 99 narrated places in total across 6 walking tours.

What to see and do in Pakistan

Discover one of the world’s oldest human stories

Pakistan is home to sites connected with some of South Asia’s earliest civilisations. In Balochistan, Mehrgarh is a Neolithic site dating back about 8,500 years. It was followed by the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilisation, one of the ancient cultures that developed in the lands now within Pakistan.

The country also preserves the legacy of Gandhara, an ancient civilisation whose influence forms another important part of Pakistan’s history. Later centuries brought Achaemenid and Mauryan rule, followed by the Mughals and the British Raj. Travelling through Pakistan means encountering a layered past rather than a single historical period.

Understand the story of modern Pakistan

Pakistan emerged from the Pakistan Movement, which sought a homeland for the Muslims of British India. Independence came in 1947, during partition, a period marked by mass migration and devastating loss of life.

The new country initially consisted of two geographically separate parts: East Pakistan and West Pakistan. After a nine-month civil war, East Pakistan became the independent country of Bangladesh. This history remains central to understanding Pakistan as a modern state formed through political change, migration and upheaval.

Experience the country’s changing landscapes

Pakistan lies at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia. The Arabian Sea borders the country to the south, while the Gulf of Oman lies to the southwest. Pakistan shares land borders with India, Afghanistan, Iran and China; Afghanistan’s narrow Wakhan Corridor separates Pakistan from Tajikistan.

The scenery changes considerably from one region to another. Northern mountains support spruce, pine and deodar cedar. The Sulaiman Mountains are associated with shisham, while western hills are covered by juniper, grasses and scrub. Farther south, coconut and date palms grow in warmer areas, and mangrove forests dominate the coastal wetlands.

The terrain also reflects Pakistan’s position on the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Their interaction creates a zone of high seismic activity beneath the country’s mountains, plains, dry hills, wetlands and coast.

Visit Pakistan’s cities

Pakistan’s cities offer some of the clearest ways to explore its history, religious traditions and cultural life. Neywo currently covers three cities:

• Islamabad has 11 narrated places, including Lal Masjid, Golra Sharif Railway Museum and sites in Islamabad Capital Territory.
• Karachi has 32 narrated places, including the National Museum of Pakistan, Wazir Mansion, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and the Sindh Police Museum.
• Lahore has 56 narrated places, including Wazir Khan Mosque, Gurdwara Dera Sahib and Minar-e-Pakistan.

Together, these city guides cover 99 narrated places. They offer different perspectives on Pakistan: Islamabad through its capital setting, Karachi through museums and religious and civic landmarks, and Lahore through its historic monuments and places of memory.

Explore a country of many languages and traditions

Pakistan is ethnically and linguistically diverse. Estimates suggest that between 75 and 85 languages are spoken across the country. Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi, Pashto and Baluchi are among the languages used in Pakistani literature, while the Pakistan Academy of Letters promotes literature and poetry nationally and internationally.

Family remains central to social life, with the extended family traditionally forming the primary unit. Social and economic change has also contributed to a growing tendency towards nuclear families. Cultural etiquette and traditional Islamic values are important parts of daily life. Islam is the state religion and the great majority of Pakistanis are Muslim, alongside Hindu and Christian communities.

The shalwar kameez is Pakistan’s national dress and is worn across the provinces and in Azad Kashmir. Regional styles differ, as do the fabrics used, including silk, chiffon and cotton. It is a visible example of how a shared national identity can contain many regional forms.

Taste the influences behind Pakistani cuisine

Pakistani cuisine reflects the country’s position between several cultural worlds. Its roots include the royal kitchens of the Mughal emperors in the sixteenth century, while its broader character has been shaped by British, Indian, Central Asian and Middle Eastern influences.

This mixture mirrors Pakistan’s wider history. The country’s agriculture is also an important part of national life and employment, with large-scale production of wheat, cotton, sugar and milk. Pakistani food can therefore be understood not only as a culinary tradition, but also as a record of the cultural exchanges that have taken place across the region.

Explore Pakistan with Neywo’s audio guides

Download Neywo to explore Pakistan with 6 walking tours covering 99 narrated places in 3 cities. The app’s guides are available in 11 languages, and each story plays as you reach the place it describes. You can explore at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Discover Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore while the app tells you the story of each stop around you.