Pakistan is a country that I have been wanting to go to for years. Up until a year or two ago, you could only apply for a visa from your home country. Since I have been living abroad since 2011, this wasn’t really a possibility. So when Pakistan launched e-visas, I jumped at the chance to finally go!
Since I was living in India, I decided that the Wagah border crossing was the most viable option and it would be kind of symbolic. (Read more about the crossing here!) Unfortunately, I didn’t have as much time as I hoped in Pakistan as there is so much more to this beautiful country that I want to see but 3 days is better that nothing.
Here is how I managed to squeeze in as much as possible with the 72 hours that I had for sightseeing.
Day 1: The Border Crossing & Shalamar Gardens
The Mughal-era Shalamar Gardens are one of the top rated places to see in Lahore. Unfortunately, since I was there in the winter, the flowers were dead, the fountains were empty and there was garbage everywhere. I recommend giving this one a miss if you are short of time and visit during the off-season. Don’t worry though – Lahore Fort has some lovely gardens to check out! If you are lucky enough to visit Pakistan in the spring or summer, then the gardens are worth a visit. They are also conveniently located on the way to Lahore city from the Wagah border!
After checking out the gardens, I took a tuk tuk to my hotel and had some much needed relaxation time.
Day 2: Old Lahore & the city center
Old Lahore is full of monuments to see and I decided to hire my tuk tuk driver from the day before for the day to show me around. The full day cost $20 and I could have negotiated it down. However, I liked the driver and felt comfortable with him so I didn’t want to pressure him.
Lahore Museum 
I was staying at the Rose Palace Hotel in Gulberg (highly recommended!) which is in the south of the city so our first port of call was the lovely Lahore Museum. The museum was built by the British in the late 19th century and is absolutely stunning! Say what you want about British rule over India but damn, they left some stunning buildings behind. Interestingly for what I thought was as strict Muslim country, the museum is divided by religions with exhibits on Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. The museum was full of schoolchildren while I was there which made it a bit rowdy!
Next up was Lahore Fort (Rps 500) and Badshahi Mosque (FOC). The two attractions are located within one park along with the Minaret of Pakistan so I was able to wander around for awhile and not worry about tuk tuks or traffic. The park is well-maintained, full of families and has cute little fair-like eateries.
Lahore Fort itself is a sprawling complex with palaces and gardens surrounded by well-preserved walls. The gorgeous Mahal is a must-see and well worth the separate entrance fee (Rps 100). This mirrored palace offers great views over the park and Old Lahore and the courtyard is reminiscent of other Mughal palaces. The adjoining areas are very similar to the Agra Fort in India and are just as full of young men and women taking “selfies”.
The mosque is a stunning masterpiece of Mughal architecture and resembles Jamma Mosque in Delhi. Immediately after entering, there is a staircase on your right which takes you up to see some of Muhammad’s relics. You can even see his underpants!
Back in the courtyard, the red sandstone behemoth of a Mosque stands proudly. Luckily, both women and men can enter the main hall. I spent way too long getting ask for “selfies”, was asked to give an interview for some university students on how I liked Pakistan and wa on my way!
Next on the itinerary was Jahangir’s Tomb. Jahangir was Shah Jahan’s Dad so you can partially thank him for Old Delhi and the Taj Mahal! The tomb is an odd-structure and is missing the characteristic onion dome that you see on the Taj and Humayun’s Tomb. It kind of looks a little like a 1970’s style house. The interior was gorgeous though and in the adjoining courtyard, you can find the fascinating ruins of another tomb with a huge, oddly shaped dome. The surrounding gardens were quiet and it was a great place to relax for a bit before starting on the next part of the day!
I was lucky enough to get a tuk tuk driver with a family living near the old city who graciously asked me if I wanted to meet his kids. A sucker for small children, I jumped at the chance. We pulled up alongside a small alleyway and next thing you know, I was chatting to a 6 year old girl and was quickly joined by her 3 year old sister. Next up was their mom holding a month old baby. I soon found myself being pulled up a rickety staircase by the 6 year old to their tiny one room apartment. Little kids, aunts and uncles wandered in and out of the room and after the customary questions of “what the hell are you doing in Pakistan?”, I was soon getting a dance lesson from a little girl and showing some of my own dance moves. Lots of laughter ensued at the sight of a 6 foot tall woman attempting to dance to Punjabi music. At least I can say that I provided some great entertainment for them!
Around dusk, I was back in the tuk tuk zooming towards Old Lahore. I thought it was going to look just like Old Delhi so I was happy to find it in better shape than its counterpart! The streets were full of shops selling everything from spices to scarves and the markets were coming alive as we entered the gates. The colour, sound and chaos made me quickly forget about any security issues and I was soon transported into another era.
Soon, the Wazir Khan Mosque loomed in front of me in all its colourful glory. Built by Shah Jahan, the mosque is mesmerising with the beautiful mosaic design commonly found through Central Asia. After a quick dinner of roti and aloo mutter at a street stall overlooking the mosque, I explored the mosque by moonlight. The quiet of the interior was in stark contrast with the chaos outside and the atmosphere was serene and welcoming.
I was driven back to my hotel and said a sad goodbye to my driver. He has treated me like a sister over the past two days and made my trip to Lahore special.
Day 3: Lahore to Islamabad
The next morning, I attempted to make my way to the bus terminal via Uber. Turns out, I had put in the wrong address and much confusion followed. The driver didn’t speak English but knew that something wasn’t right with the location. So, rather than throwing me out of the tuk tuk, he found a nice young man walking down the street to translate. I finally ended up at A bus terminal (not the one I was trying to get to) and waited about 30 minutes for the next bus to Islamabad.
The bus itself was comfortable and felt very safe. There were other women travelling alone and the bus attendant was a woman. The bus ride flew by as I watched out the window as the green fields turned into beautiful mountains. Suddenly, signs for Islamabad appeared and after showing my hostel address to the bus attendant, the bus quickly stopped and let me off at a taxi stand. 15 minutes later, I was checked into my hostel and ready to explore.
As it turns out, the ONLY thing to see in Islamabad is the Shah Faisal Mosque, a space-age prayer hall that looks more like the Jetson’s house than a mosque. The surrounding mountains provide a nice back-drop but the foreground was covered in garbage when I went. After a few photos and a quick glance in the windows, I was back on the mean streets of Islamabad. A newly-built capital city, Islamabad is well-planned and very organised. It looks more like Ohio than South Asia. After a short walk down the main drag, I was ready to go “home” and get to bed.
Day 4: Sad to leave…..
The next morning, I had an early flight out so woke up and got an Uber to the airport. Surprisingly, the Islamabad airport is probably the most pleasant airport I have ever been in. Free wifi, nice coffee shops and a clean, airy (no pun intended) atmosphere make it a place that you actually WANT to spend a few hours in.
Final thoughts: Pakistan has an unfortunate reputation and is more often linked with terrorism than tourism. However, visas are getting easier and easier to get and most Pakistanis are waiting for you with open arms. I always felt safe. I can’t wait for my next trip there when I have more time to explore Pakistan’s beautiful nature and intriguing Indus Valley ruins. ‘Til next time!
