Pakistan
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Southern Asia · PAK
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Pakistan
Pakistan is one of South Asia's most dramatic trips for travelers who want mountains, historic cities, and deep cultural variety. It works best as a focused route through Lahore, Islamabad, and one mountain corridor rather than trying to combine every region at once.
Popular For
Things To See
- Lahore
- Islamabad
- Hunza Valley
- Skardu
- Taxila
- Karachi
Best Months
Best Months For Winter Travel
Know Before You Go
- Spring and fall are the easiest broad travel windows.
- Mountain routes are the strongest payoff but need more time than cities.
- Check current access and routing carefully, especially if you want a northern overland itinerary.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Pakistan.
Guidebooks
📚Browse Pakistan Guidebooks on AmazonTours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Pakistan.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Islamabad
- Population
- 241,499,431
- Area
- 796,095 km²
- Region
- Southern Asia
Languages
- English
- Urdu
Currency
Pakistani rupee (₨)
PKR
Exchange rate unavailable for USD.
Cost of Living (World Bank)
23.7
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 18.2
- Restaurants
- 17.2
- Rent
- 3.4
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Islamabad (33.68°N, 73.05°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
13/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 2/100
- Lived safety
- 33/100
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal❌
- Relationship recognitionNone
- Adoption recognition❌
- Anti-discrimination laws❌
- Employment protections❌
- Legal gender recognition❌
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.544
Low human development
- 5-year change
- +0.006
- 10-year change
- +0.032
- Trend
- stable
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.838
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.536
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.529
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (6)
- 🏛️
Rohtas Fort
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta
Inscribed 1981
- 🏛️
Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore
Inscribed 1981
- 🏛️
Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol
Inscribed 1980
- 🏛️
Taxila
Inscribed 1980
- 🏛️
Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro
Inscribed 1980
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 19.2%
- Forest cover
- 4.7%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 24
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 33
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
28/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Winter Sports
24/100
Ski infrastructure & alpine pedigree
Combines ski resort depth, ski resort density, and Winter Olympic skiing results. Separate from climate comfort.
Luxury Infrastructure
81/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Reconsider travelto Pakistan due to armed conflict, terrorism, crime, and kidnapping. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory. On March 3, 2026, the Department of State ordered non-emergency U.S. government employees and the family members of U.S. government personnel from U.S. Consulates Lahore and Karachi to leave Pakistan due to safety risks. There is no change to the status of Embassy Islamabad. Terrorism There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Pakistan. Visit the U.S. Department of State's country reports on terrorism to learn more. Violent extremist groups have carried out attacks in Pakistan. Terrorist attacks typically happen in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the former FATA, but they have also occurred in major cities such as Karachi and Islamabad. Terrorists may strike without warning. They target transportation hubs, hotels, markets, malls, military and security forces sites, airports, trains, schools, hospitals, places of worship, tourist spots, and government buildings. Demonstrations Local law prohibits protesting or demonstrating without a permit. Being near a protest can draw scrutiny from Pakistani security forces. U.S. citizens have been detained for participating in protests. You can also face detention for posting content on social media viewed as critical of the Pakistani government, military, or officials. Internet and mobile phone service outages are common, especially during protests. Crime Pakistan’s security environment remains fluid. It sometimes changes without notice and can be a serious threat. There are greater security resources and infrastructure in the major cities. Security forces in these areas may be more readily able to respond to an emergency compared to other areas of the country. The most reported crimes are pickpocketing, bag-snatching, and phone theft. Limited U.S. consular assistance The Government of Pakistan restricts the travel of U.S. government personnel working in Pakistan. U.S. government employees working in Pakistan are required to use armed escorts and armored vehicles when traveling in certain parts of the country, both for official and personal travel. The U.S. government has a limited ability to assist or provide services to U.S. citizens in the KP Province, Balochistan Province, Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir, and most areas outside of Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. U.S. government personnel working in Pakistan must obtain special authorization from the host government to travel to most areas outside of Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. Additional restrictions on movements can occur suddenly and at any time. This depends on local circumstances and security conditions. U.S. government employees working in Pakistan are generally prohibited from attending most large gatherings, such as political rallies or religious ceremonies. Dual nationals The U.S. embassy and consulates have a limited ability to provide consular services to dual U.S.-Pakistani citizens who have been arrested or detained. Pakistani law considers such individuals to be exclusively citizens of Pakistan. Do Not Travel to: Balochistan Province due to terrorism and kidnapping. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province, including the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), due to terrorism and kidnapping. The immediate vicinity of the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data