Where in the world is Pakistan
 Pakistan on the world map |
 Map of Pakistan |
How to come to Pakistan
By air
There are three major international airports and six other international airports in Pakistan.
- Jinnah International Airport in Karachi receives major international airlines including Air Arabia, Air China, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Cathy Pacific, Etihad, Emirates, Flydubai, GMG Airlines, Gulf, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, Iran Air, Iraqi Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Thai Airways, and Turkish Airlines. Besides international flag carriers, it’s also the main hub of the national carrier “PIA” and 3 private airlines (Air Blue, Indus Air and Shaheen Air).
- Allama Iqbal International Airportin Lahore has been completely renovated with a new terminal for international arrivals and departures. Many airlines are currently operating to the airport including Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, Pakistan International (PIA), Saudi Arabian Airlines, Thai Airways, Kuwait Airways, Oman Air, Uzbekistan Airways and two private airlines from Pakistan.
- Benazir Bhutto International Airportin Islamabad is serving in the capital currently receiving airlines including many of the above with Ariana Afghan Airlines, Kam Air, Kyrgystan and China Southern Airlines.
By road
From China:
At an elevation of 4737m is the Khunjerab border connecting Pakistan and China by the Karakoram Highway, a modern feat of engineering that traverses a remarkably scenic route through the Karakoram and Himalayan mountains. There are now private buses as well as government regular transport shuttling between Kashgar (China) to Sust (Pakistan). One can hire a mini-van or a Land-cruiser to commute over the Karakoram Highway. The pass remains open from 1st May to 31st October.
From Afghanistan:
The Khyber Pass connects Peshawar to Jalalabad and Kabul and requires and a permit to travel through the tribal regions between Peshawar and the border. Onward travel from the border to Kabul should be verified for safety reasons.
From Afghanistan:
The Bolan Pass connects Quetta in Pakistan to Kandahar in Afghanistan but considered very chancy. That is why this route is not currently open to foreign tourists, and is only open to locals and aid workers. Via the Mijva border in Iran which is half an hour’s drive from Zahedan. The Pakistani border town is called Taftan and has facilities of immigration, customs, hotels etc.
From India:
There is a regular bus service commuting between Delhi and Lahore via the Wahga border. All travelers must have valid visa including necessary documents. One cannot buy ticket on the spot rather travelers need to show up few days before with valid visas of both countries. The journey details can be found here:http://dtc.nic.in/lahorebus.htm.
From Iran:
Via the Mirjaveh – Taftanborder in Iran which is half an hour drive from Zahedan. The Pakistani border town is called Taftan and has facilities of immigration, customs, hotels etc.
When to go (climate)
The mountainous areas in the north are subject to four distinct seasons: brief Spring (March to April depending on elevation) extended Summer (May to August) Fall (September to November) and Winter (December to February) while the southern and central parts of the country have three main seasons: cool (from October through February), hot (from March through June) and monsoons occur between July and September. But due to steady effects of climate change around the globe, slight irregularities in the weather pattern have been observed in Pakistan too.
As climate is the crucial factor in deciding when and where to travel in Pakistan. The northern mountainous areas are full of nature round the year but tourist season commences with Japanese’s Cherry Blossom tours during spring season followed by the peak summer which invites numerous trekking groups and individuals to the high mountains and surroundings. It then concludes in the late fall till end of October when the trees are romantically colorful before they shed-off. The central part and the southern part, however, which are abundant in history, art and archaeology, are best to visit either during fall or during winters for their climatic appropriateness.
Visa information
Visas are usually easier to obtain in your home country, though recently the individual missions around the world have been given more authority to issue visas without checking with Islamabad ( the capital), which should help in getting applications turned around quicker.
Nationals of Israel are not allowed entry as it is not recognized as a nation by Pakistan. Despite much on-line information to the contrary, Israeli stamps and visas would usually pose no problems for entry into Pakistan, though you may be subject to more stringent questioning by immigration officers.Holders of Taiwan passports are refused entry except in airport transit.
Indian nationals can apply for 30 day tourist visas but must travel in a group through an authorized tour operator. Visitor visas to meet relatives or friends are easier to obtain, and come with some restrictions. Religious visas are granted for groups of 10 or more for 15 days.Business visas are now being issued for up to 5 years, multiple entries, as soon as 24 hours before arrival.
People of Pakistani origin living overseas are granted 5 year multiple entry visas (along with their spouses), good for single stays of up to 1 year. Visas aren’t required at all if they are holding a Pakistan Origin Card (POC) or a National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP).
International ticket
PIA flies to most of major international destinations across the globe. Similarly a great number of international flag careers touchdown Pakistan’s three major airports in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. Etihad Airways, Emirates, Saudi Airlines and Qatar Airways frequently serve in all major airports of Pakistan like anywhere in the world. A timely ticket purchase to Pakistan may save you enough money.
Personal insurance
It is highly recommended that always travel with your health insurance even if you are healthy as no one can be sure of accidents while travelling away from home. If you have any pre-existing medical condition, declare it before the insurance company finds out and refuse to cover. Emergency evacuations are way too expensive and the only best way is simply being insured. And if you are already insured luckily, find out in advance about the procedures for your company to reimburse directly to providers or to you later. Knowing everything about your insurance company and about the plans you are entitled would be very helpful. You must carry necessary documents in your backpack for immediate action in case of any emergency.
What to carry
- Warm clothing& trekking shoes if you plan to go trekking in the high altitude mountains
- Medicine or a brief first aid kit for emergency aid
- A pair or two of sun-glasses to avoid all kind of weather conditions
- Camera and accessories (optional) if you are into photography
- Credit card/travelers cheques/ cash to tackle emergency situations
- Emergency contact information
- Satellite phone (optional) if you want to stay connected with family