Useful tips for traveling to Pakistan in 2023

If you ever decide to travel to Pakistan, I promise you that you will have the adventure of your lifetime.

From hitchhiking on tractors and psychedelic trucks to driving over extremely narrow mountain roads built on a cliff 1,500 meters high, soldiers who voluntarily give you their AK-47 for taking a photo, the most striking landscape and the fact that you can camp in the middle of a paradise completely by yourself. 

Traveling to Pakistan is, definitely, the ultimate experience and adventure.

However, this isn’t particularly an easy place to travel in.

Going on a trip to Pakistan requires a little bit of preparation, as well as quite a lot of things to know beforehand.

This Pakistan travel guide contains everything you need to know, including all travel information regarding visas, transportation, cultural etiquette, cultural behavior, costs and more!

How to get a visa for visiting Pakistan

Here you have the most updated information

Before May 2019 – Getting a visa on the road was not possible, but you could only get it from your home country or country of residence. 

After May 2019 – They have finally introduced an e-visa system and up to 176 nationalities can now apply for a Pakistani visa online.

How to apply for a Pakistani e-visa 

You can apply through this portal.

Things you need to know about the e-visa:

Visa length – Officially, you can get a visa for up to 3 months. The application says that you can get up to 12 months but so far, there aren’t any reports from tourists who have been able to get one. 

Multi-entry – You can also apply for a multi-entry visa valid for up to 1 year.

Price – I believe it depends on nationality and the length of your trip, but I hold a Spanish passport and a single entry 2-month visa cost me 35USD. Then, I tried to apply for a multi-entry visa and it cost 52USD. 

Timing – The application says the process may take up to 7 days but it also may depend on your embassy. One traveler claimed that he got it in one day, while others say it takes several days. It is recommended to apply in advance. 

Letter of Invitation – For most nationalities, an LOI is required for the visa application. Alternatively, the system also allows you to upload a hotel booking confirmation (instead of the LOI) but usually, they will reject it and tell you to upload an LOI, which you should get through a local tour operator.

After submitting your application, your embassy has the right to call you for an interview, which means that you would need to be in your home country. However, this only happens in rare cases. 

For more information, Marco from Monkey Rock World has written a comprehensive guide/tutorial about how to get a Pakistani e-visa.

How to make a visa extension

Would you like to spend more time in Pakistan? No problem.

Extending your visa while traveling in Pakistan used to be a confusing process, as everybody has different experiences and rules were constantly changing but, finally, you can get your visa extension through the regular e-visa portal, as long as you are already in Pakistan and in possession of an e-visa. 

If you traveled to Pakistan with a regular visa, you can only extend it at the passport office of any major city, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Chitral, Gilgit, and Skardu but, apparently, the easiest place is Lahore.

How to sign up for a tour in Pakistan

Traveling with a group and an expert local guide will make things much easier, and more fun!

Against the Compass has the following scheduled Pakistan expedition:

August 13th to 26th (2023)

14 days exploring the Northern Areas, including driving through the Karakoram Highway, as well as exploring the barely visited valleys of Shimshal and Astore.

Best time to visit Pakistan

Pakistan has many different regions, ranging from sea-level, flat deserts to 8,000-meter peaks, so each season will present its own peculiarities.

Winter (mid-November to February)

The best time to visit the south part of the country, especially Sindh province. Those lands may not have the mountains Pakistan is famous for but this is the most religiously diverse region in Pakistan.

On the other hand, most mountains in northern Pakistan remain totally inaccessible in the wintertime. You can still get to the Northern Areas through the Karakoram Highway, but you won’t be able to visit any side valley.

Summer (June to September)

The best season for visiting the Northern Areas, especially if you like trekking in high altitude mountains.

Spring & Autumn

I personally traveled to Pakistan in April and May and the mountains were at their best, as the weather was gorgeous (most days), plus they weren’t busy with domestic tourism. However, if you travel to Pakistan in early spring, late autumn, the mountains may not be that accessible. 

Traveling in Pakistan during Ramadan

A topic by itself, with its pros & cons. Lost with Purpose traveled in Pakistan during Ramadan and wrote this insightful post.

How to visit Pakistan

Travel insurance for Pakistan
I recommend IATI Insurance because it covers many adventure activities such as high-altitude trekking
Get a 5% exclusive discount when purchasing via this link.

How to travel to Pakistan by air

Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad have international airports connecting with many Middle Eastern cities, especially Doha and Dubai. 

How to travel to Pakistan by land

Pakistan shares a border with Iran, Afghanistan, India, and China. You can’t use the Afghan border to cross but the rest are open:

• China – The highest border crossing in the world. Read my report.
• India – An easy one, despite the diplomatic relationship between both countries. Read this report
• Iran – It goes through Baluchistan and it is quite an adventure. Read this report

What’s it like to travel in Pakistan today

Before 9/11, Pakistan used to be a tourist country. 

Well, not that touristic, but its breathtaking mountains were a popular stopover for backpackers going along the famous Hippie Trail.

In fact, in the Northern Areas, you can find a few backpacker hostels which somehow, are the remains of what used to be a popular destination for intrepid backpackers. 

The 9/11 attacks, however, along with a big bunch of unfortunate events, usually involving Taliban activity and loads of violence, put an end to the emerging tourism industry.

Fortunately, things have changed. 

In the last couple of years, the security situation in Pakistan has dramatically improved and the Northern Areas of Pakistan are, once again, filled with intrepid backpackers who want to visit some of the most jaw-dropping mountain scenery you will ever see, and experience the hospitality Pakistan is famous for. 

Nevertheless, despite this massive tourism increase, Pakistan still remains raw, authentic, and genuine, and it will stay like that for a very long time, especially because it is not an easy country to travel to: tourist infrastructure is in an embryonic stage, it is difficult to move around and you won’t meet many foreigners, so that’s why I personally believe that only experienced travelers should go to Pakistan. 

However, traveling in Pakistan is one of the most rewarding traveling experiences one can ever have.

Cultural behavior and facts when traveling in Pakistan

Urdu, which is like Hindi, is the official language

However, each region has its own (or several) local languages, so different from each other. English is widely spoken among educated people, like in India.

Pakistan is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse countries

From the South Asian-looking people of Punjab and Sindh; to the people of the Pashtun areas, closer to Iran or Afghanistan; the pagan culture of Kalash; the Shias from Gilgit and Nagar; the Ismailis of lower Hunza and the Wakhis (and also Ismailis) of upper Hunza. Traveling in Pakistan is like traveling in several, different tiny countries. It’s fascinating.

Remember, you are the guest

People tend to say that, in Iran, Sudan and Iraqi Kurdistan, you find the most hospitable people in the world. Well, clearly, they haven’t visited Pakistan. Whereas it’s true that these countries are very hospitable, Pakistanis bring it to the next level. In this country, you are the guest, which means that the locals strive for you to have the best possible time in their country or region.

The hospitality can even be overwhelming

During your trip to Pakistan, you’ll be invited for lunch, dinner and even to stay at people’s houses so many times that, on many occasions, you will have to refuse.

After your refusal, they will insist once again, over and over. They will also insist on carrying your bag and offering you food one hundred times even if you say that you are full. These are their cultural rules and you are the guest.

So overwhelming but just don’t get angry

One day, some random men who I had never seen before came to my hotel at 7:30 am in the morning, knocking at the door of my room, waking me up from a very good sleep.

Apparently, they heard that there was a foreigner in the village, so they just wanted to hang out with me. I got a little bit angry, continued sleeping but then I kind of felt bad, as all they wanted was to show me around the village.

Paying for meals

For some reason, Pakistanis always want to pay for your meals to the extent that it gets awkward. I personally didn’t like it, especially when I could see that the local people didn’t have much money. If possible, try to back them up.

Wearing a Shalwar Kameez

The traditional Pakistani dress, which 80% or 90% of Pakistanis wear, is called shalwar kameez. Should you wear it? It’s not compulsory but, if you do, the locals will really appreciate it, especially in the Pashtun areas.

Islam

Pakistan is the most conservative country I’ve ever been to. You should be careful and always respect their rules. If you do, they will also respect you and you will have the best time in their country.

Useful books for traveling to Pakistan

This is just a selection of the most useful travel books but, if you want to know all the options, remember to check this list:
The best books on Pakistan
(classified into history, politics, novels and travelogues)

The best travel guide to Pakistan: Pakistan Traveller

This is the most up-to-date and ultimate guidebook about Pakistan. 256 pages full of maps and endless travel tips. The author, Tim, is an Australian man who has visited Pakistan 10 times since 2006. A must-have for anyone who visits Pakistan. 

To know about the culture: Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Culture Smart! is a well-known collection of books that provide deep introductions to the culture and customs of many countries. In this book, they give a great analysis of the complexity of the culture and sub-cultures in Pakistan, so you will have a great understanding of the cultural etiquette beforehand!

For more political background: Pakistan, a hard country

Pakistan, a hard country – This award-winning book will give you a deep understanding of the situation in Pakistan nowadays.

Security and safety when you travel in Pakistan

Pakistan is not dangerous but you should be cautious.

You might have read from other blogs that Pakistan is one of the safest countries in the world. Personally, I wouldn’t say that. Whereas I think that Pakistan is not a dangerous country, in some areas, it’s better to be cautious, especially in the region bordering Afghanistan.

Read: Is Afghanistan safe?

However, the situation is only getting better and better

Seriously, safety in Pakistan has improved exponentially.

Police are there to help you

Throughout your Pakistan travels, you’ll be continuously interrogated by dozens of different policemen and people from the army. Who are you? Why are you here? Where are you going? Unlike in other countries, in Pakistan, the police and military are pretty cool and, for your own security, they are commanded to ask you these questions.

You will have to register at more than 100 security check posts

I am not kidding. During my 56-day trip to Pakistan, I had to register more than 100 times at different army and police check posts. Sometimes, to get from one destination to another, I had to register more than 10 times! At each check post, you have to get off the car or bus and write down all your personal information in a notebook. This will slow down your journey considerably.

Bring one thousand passport & visa photocopies

It’s good to bring loads of photocopies because, at some check posts, if you have a passport copy, you don’t have to get out of the car. Otherwise, you are going to waste your time.

Occasionally, you get a personal guard, for free

Again, not kidding. For security purposes, in some areas, you will get a personal armed guard. Sometimes, you might have to pay for his meals but, according to the police, you are not forced to. It’s up to you. For more information, read my post: Is Pakistan safe?

Having a personal armed guard seems kind of cool but, to be honest, it’s not that much

The first time you get an armed guard you get kind of excited. However, after half an hour, you might start hating him because he will put you under a lot of restrictions.

Pakistani intelligence is one of the best secret services in the world

One of the reasons why Pakistan is not a dangerous country is thanks to the Pakistani intelligence, which is considered the best intelligence corps in the world, even better than the CIA.

Be aware that they are watching your steps and they will always know where you are. I remember that, while hiking around a remote area in the Astore Valley, a man wearing a salwar kameez (the traditional Pakistani clothes), came to me and said, ”You are the Spanish, right?” Yes, he was from Pakistani intelligence.

For further information on safety, including which areas are the safest, read my post: Is Pakistan safe?

You may also be interested in which countries in the Middle East are safe?

Solo female travel in Pakistan

Women traveling solo is more common and safer than you think

Women tell wonderful things about their experiences during their journeys through Pakistan, but they also say that this is a particularly challenging destination, home to a very conservative, patriarchal society who don’t really know how to deal with foreign women.

I’m not the most qualified person to talk about this topic, however, but Spanish traveler Leti Lagarda backpacked in Pakistan solo for 2 months, and has written a compelling guide about it, which will tell you everything you need to know about solo female travel in Pakistan, including:

• Interaction with men
• Safety tips
• Cultural etiquette
• What to wear
• And much more

Read the ultimate guide to solo women travel in Pakistan

Bureaucracy and permits for your trip in Pakistan

Don’t trust any source of bureaucracy information, not even Against the Compass

In Pakistan, rules are not written and things are constantly changing. Places that no longer require a permit, might require it overnight, by the next day it was changing it back again.

A military guy told me once that, when this happens, it’s because they are suspicious of some Taliban or terrorist activity.

This information doesn’t flow throughout the country, so you will see that everyone (including national police, local police, the Army, the locals, travelers, and blogs) will always have a different opinion. Don’t trust anyone. Check it yourself, once you’re on the ground.

In Pakistan everything is possible

If there is something valuable I learnt during my trip to Pakistan, it is that, as in any corrupt country, everything is possible and it all depends on your contacts. If you know the right people, you can do absolutely everything you want, including visiting forbidden areas without a permit.

What you need to know about NOC

• What is it? A No Objection Certificate, which is basically, a permit required for certain restricted areas.
• How to get? – The best way to get it is through a local with contacts. If you don’t know any local, contact your embassy, but it can take up to 4 or 5 working days to proceed. 
• When do you need it? – As I said before, don’t trust any source of bureaucracy information. During my trip to Pakistan, a friend of mine was required to get an NOC to use the road between Timargara and Chitral. One day later, I tried to use that road but the NOC was not required anymore. However, officially, you would need an NOC to visit Balochistan, the Khyber Pass, Tribal Areas and Kashmir (some areas of Kashmir).

Internet and connectivity in Pakistan

Except in Gilgit-Baltistan, the internet works reasonably well throughout the country.

In the Northern Areas, the connectivity is awful or non-existent depending on where you go. 

I got a SIM Card from a Chinese company called ZONG which is supposed to be the best for pretty much anywhere in the country. In the Northern Areas, however, it barely worked and, apparently, you need to get a company named SCOM, which you can find in Gilgit, 

Pro-tip: Tell a local to get a SIM Card for you – The downside of ZONG is that, as a foreigner, you need to go to the central office and pay quite a lot of money to sign up for it (20 or 30USD). Tell a local to sign up for you, so you’ll just pay the local price and get it very quickly.

eSIM for browsing, calling and traveling in Pakistan

Basically, an eSIM is a regular SIM card with a digital format that works like a normal physical SIM card, with the added benefit that you can buy it from home before the beginning of your trip, hence avoiding the hassle of buying it at your destination. 

With Holafly, you can get a SIM Card for a wide range of destinations, including Pakistan. 

Moreover, you can benefit from a 5% discount with the following code: AGAINSTTHECOMPASS

Get a VPN for traveling in Pakistan

You should always use a VPN when you travel, especially when you connect to public Wi-Fi networks.

Your connection will be much safer. 

Moreover, you will be able to access content which is typically censored in Pakistan. 

I recommend ExpressVPN – Extremely easy to use, fast and cheap. 

If you want to learn more about VPN, check: Why you need a VPN for traveling.

Money in Pakistan

In Pakistan, they use the Pakistani Rupee (PKR) and approximately:

1USD = 262 PKR

Cash & ATMs – Pakistan is a cash economy, so better bring cash, especially in the Northern Areas, where. Of course, you can find ATMs in all big cities but not all of them will accept foreign cards.

How much does it cost to travel to Pakistan

But before, a few things you need to know:

• In Pakistan, everything is negotiable: Everything can be bargained for, especially the hotel rooms. Expect to pay different amounts from other guests.
• Always come with a reference: When you travel in Pakistan, contacts are very important and that’s why in either hotels or trekking tour companies if you come referenced by a local, you will get a better price.

In any case, this is a pretty cheap country and I think you can easily travel to Pakistan for less than 20 a day, sleeping in private rooms and eating 3 meals outside. These are the (approximate) prices of the most typical things:

• Local meal – 150PKR
• Local meal in a mid-range restaurant – 250-500PKR
• Meal in a fancy restaurant of Lahore – from 1500PKR
• Private room in a budget hotel – Up to 1500PKR
• Private room in a mid-range hotel – Around 3,000PKR
• Long bus rides (Islamabad to Gilgit) – Around 2,500PKR for a VIP ticket (you want to get a VIP, trust me)

Transportation for traveling around Pakistan

You’ll get used to the mountain roads – Most mountain roads are very scary as they are extremely narrow and built on insanely high cliffs. Don’t panic. You’ll just get used to them!

You will learn to be patient – In absolutely almost every long bus journey I took, we had a breakdown. Sometimes, we were stopped for two hours! And one day, we stopped because the bus ran out of gas! Can you believe it?

Psychedelic trucks are a way of life – Everybody falls in love with the trucks in Pakistan, as they are so particularly decorated that they are a blessing to your lens.

Ways of moving around when you travel in Pakistan

Public buses & minivans go everywhere – Like in most developing countries where most people can’t afford to buy a car, buses and minivans travel to even the remotest areas in the country. In Sindh and Punjab provinces, Daewoo is the most luxury bus. For traveling to Gilgit from Islamabad, you should definitely take NATCO VIP Bus ( around 17USD). Don’t worry, is not that VIP.

Train – In Sindh, Punjab, and Peshawar, you can move around by train. There are different train companies but you should always take the private ones, as they are more punctual. Use AC standard, as it is the one used by the Pakistani middle class. It’s not expensive, not smelly and comfortable enough. For more information, check this train guide to Pakistan. 

Hitchhiking is too easy – It’s so easy, that sometimes, it’s faster and easier than taking public transport, especially on the Karakoram Highway (from Gilgit to Khunjerab Pass). Everybody will want to pick you up! As a general rule, on the KKH, I didn’t hitchhike on motorbikes (there are so many accidents) and cars with women inside.

Plane is pretty convenient – Traveling by bus from Islamabad to the northern areas, including Chitral, Gilgit and Skardu takes ages (from 15 to 20 hours). There are flights connecting Islamabad with all these cities. Book your flights here. Please note that, for flying to and from Gilgit, you must book several days (even weeks) in advance. Also, bear in mind that many flights get canceled due to the weather condition.

Read: 80 Tips for traveling to Iran

Food, drinks, and alcohol

Food is extremely oily

Pakistanis love oil too much. They put tons of it in absolutely every meal, including in the steamed rice, which they will always fry afterwards. When you are in a restaurant, always ask for half fried.

It’s almost dry

In the Sindh province and Islamabad, you can find liquor stores. In the rest of the country, alcohol is only available on the black market, but most locals (who drink) can get it for you easily.

Expect to have ten cups of chai a day

Chai, which is tea with milk, is a way of life in Pakistan and a sign of hospitality.

Tap water, watch out!

Don’t dare drink tap water. In the northern part of the country, the locals will tell you that the tap water is good, as it comes from the mountains and glaciers. This may be true, but I still got sick when I drank from a mountain fountain. Always use a water purifier.

You’ll get sick

I don’t know anyone who didn’t get sick in his stomach when traveling in Pakistan. Try to avoid salad, food stalls with flies (they are hard to find) and don’t drink tap water.

Anyway, there are a few things you need to know about accommodation in Pakistan:

Prices can be negotiated to the extreme

Whenever they tell you the price, ask if they have a cheaper room. Seriously, on many occasions, I managed to get half of the initial price.

If you are on a budget, always ask if they have a dorm

Surprisingly, many hotels have dorms and they don’t tell you until the end of the negotiation. The good thing is that, since there are not many backpackers, you are most likely to get the dorm just for yourself!

In most of Pakistan, you are covered

In Pakistan, there is a lot of domestic tourism, so most touristic areas are filled with hotels for absolutely every budget, from hostel to mid-range and luxury rooms.

But it may be harder to find decent accommodation in the rest of the country

In cities like Peshawar, Karachi, Multan, and basically anywhere outside of Swat Valley, Chitral, Northern areas, Islamabad and Lahore, finding decent (budget) accommodation may be challenging.

Couchsurfing is quite popular!

There are loads of profiles, especially in big cities.

If you want to know all my hotel recommendation per city, read my Pakistan Itinerary

More information for traveling to Pakistan

Travel insurance for Pakistan
I recommend IATI Insurance because it covers many adventure activities such as high altitude trekking
Get a 5% exclusive discount when purchasing via this link.

All guides and articles for traveling in Pakistan destination

That’s everything you need to know! If you think I forgot something, please let me know! Ah, and remember that, in Pakistan, you shouldn’t plan too much! Welcome to the country of unexpected events.
From endless bus breakdowns to time-consuming check posts, new local friends and paradises where you want to spend ages, during your Pakistan travels, you will realize that nothing will go according to your plan.

Travel guides to other countries in Central Asia

You might also like our Iran travel guide.