1. Mohenjo-daro:
Mohenjo-daro is a place of historical importance in Pakistan and geographically located in the Sindh province of the country. The literal meaning of the locality is Mound of the Dead Men and now has become one of the greatest place of archaeological importance in the state. Historians are on the view that the location was built in around 2500 BCE and was one of the largest human settlement in the civilization of Indus Valley. The civilization is synchronous to the period of Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt and Norte Chico. After the decline of Indus Valley Civilization, Mohenjo-daro was abandoned by its inhabitants. It was the 19 th century BCE and it was rediscovered in 1920 after a significant excavation. Now this is a World Heritage Site recognized by the UNESCO. But presently the site is experiencing some troubles like there are lack of proper restoration and the site is also experiencing erosion. Historians could not unveil its original name but based on some evidences, the city name could be Kukkutarma which refers to some sort of cock fighting rituals with religious importance for the city. Historically the importance of the city is invaluable and with the initiatives of an Indian archaeological officer it got discovered. A large-scale excavation work started in 1924 and the major excavations took place during the 1930. Presently this is a site for great importance for the tourist while visitors from around the world come here to know more about the civilization.
2. Takht-i-Bahi:
Pakistan is one of the countries which contains some of the World Heritage Sites declared by the UNESCO and Takht-i- Bhai is one of the ancient sites which has gained the title. In the beginning it was a Zoroastrian complex and when the Buddhists arrive in the country, the complex turned into a Buddhist monastery. Presently the ancient complex is located in Mardan in Pakistan and is a Parthian archaeological site. The construction of the site dates back to the 1 st century BCE. The historians and archaeologists are on the belief that the site is the representation of architectures of then era which is of great value. The name – Takht-i-Bhai has originated from Urdu language (state language of Pakistan) and there are a good number of explanations are found over the naming of the site. It is also believed that the site has been named after the wells, hills and nearby springs. The words Takht refers to the top position or throne while Bhai refers to water and with the combination of the two it appears that there were some sort of water body or spring on the top of any hill. In fact, there were two such springs have been found nearby. The site is located in a small fortified city of Pakistan and the villages where it is located is of the same name. The locality is famous for producing different agricultural crops like wheat, sugar cane and other vegetables. Now the site is a great tourist attraction.
3. Cholistan Desert:
Mostly famous for the largest jeep rally in Pakistan, the Cholistan Desert is one of the places which is used for the recreational purposes. The desert and the locality is also known as Rohi and located in Punjab of Pakistan. The entire desert cover over 26,000 square kilometers and also connects to the Thar Desert and some parts of India. The origin of the name has been derived from a Turkic word – chol which refers to desert. The local people of the area lead almost the life of nomads and they do not have any permanent living place. They move from places to place to feed them and their animals. Usually they move from one place to another when the foods and waters are over. Besides, the Hakra River (which has been dried) also runs across the area and different relics of Indus Valley Civilizations have also been discovered here. The Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally is held annually in the desert and a large number of participants across the country come here to participate in the rally. The people of this locality speak in a Marwari dialect while almost all of the inhabitants are able to speak Punjabi and Urdu. Rainfall is not abundant here and thus the people are engaged into livestock rearing, leatherworks, pottery and weaving. Now this is a good place for the tourists outside the country.
4. Lahore:
This is the second largest metropolitan area in Pakistan and the capital of the Punjab province. The city is considered as the 15 th most populous city in the world and a historical center for the South Asia for different reasons. The history of Lahore is enriched and dates back to over a millennium. Lahore also plays the role of the key cultural center for Pakistan and majority of the cultural and economic activities take place here. The importance of the city appeared in the 11 th century when it played the role of the regional capital of Hindu Shah kingdom, served the Mughals in the 16 th century, served the Sikh Empire in the 18 th and also served the British Raj in the mid of 19 th century. Earlier, the city was a cultural hub that stretched from the eastern bank of Indus River and ended to the New Delhi. The city is now famous for some of the old artifacts and relics of Mughal structures like the Lahore Fort, the Badshahi Mosque, Shalimar Gardens etc. Some other colonial structures also attract the tourists in the city like the Lahore Museum. This is the city that has been playing an important role for Pakistan and almost majority of the activities take place here including publishing, film making, festivals and cuisine. Besides, some of the leading universities of Pakistan are also located here. For all such reasons, the city has gained the title as the heart of Pakistan.
5. Lake Saiful Muluk:
Saiful Muluk is the highest lake in Pakistan in consideration of the elevation. In fact, the lake is above 3224 meters of the sea level and thus it has gained the highest elevation form the other lakes of the country. The lace is located under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan and adjacent to the town of Naran in the Kaghan Valley. The lake is also in the north east part of the Mansehra District. To reach the lake, the travelers have to travel around eight kilometers north from Naran and then enter into the northern part of Kaghan valley. The best time of the year is summer to visit the lake as it takes different shapes in different times of the year. In winter, the lake becomes snow-covered and waters are hardly seen and access in the lake becomes limited. But on the other side, during the summers the lake water glazes in the bright sunlight. The origin of the lake was done by some glacial moraines and those blocked the stream from passing through the valley. As the waters got clogged in the trap, the lake has been formed. The lake has some ecological importance and enriched with eco-diversity. The lake also holds many marine resources and a great source of different fishes. The lake is visited by a large number of people annually in Pakistan.
6. Concordia:
Concordia is the place where two mighty glaciers have been joined. In fact, this is the confluence of Baltoro Glacier and Godwin-Austen Glacier. The place is located in Karakoram range in Pakistan. The name of the locality has some histories and it is said that the name has been provided by some European explorers when they came to visit the area. They named it with Concordia based on the similar name of a place located in the Central Alps. Presently there are some clusters of the highest peaks of the world. Additionally, there are some other highest peaks are also located in this region which has raised the importance of the area to the trekkers and climbers. The region is also famous for some of the lower peaks of the world as well. But Concordia is a bit different from the other locations. The place is best suited for camping for the climbers and trekkers. Mountaineers are often found camping on the location before they start their mountain climbing. Besides, the surrounding views are also breathtaking and some short treks lead the travelers to some important mountain climbing base camps. Though this is mountainous region, the reserve of water is limited here and thus the travelers are to bring fresh water or collect water from fresh water sources to avoid unexpected troubles.
7. Kalam, Swat:
This is one the charming locations in Pakistan and visited by a large number of people around the world. The valley is located about 99 kilometers away from Mingora and located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. Because of the natural beauty and scenic locations, the place has become a heaven for tourists in Pakistan. The entire locality is encircled with lush greens, and there are green hills, lakes, meadows, thick forests and many other natural landscapes. The place is also the source of the River Swat. The Swat River has been formed with union of two other rivers naming Gabral River and Ushu River. The spacious valley is 6600 feet above of the sea level and a perfect place for different types of crop farming. The roads of the locality will lead the travelers to the other valleys like Usho and Utror valleys. Mount Falaksar, a snow-capped mountain is also visible from this location. Being a tourist zone, there are good number of accommodation system has been formed here and the travelers could pass their nights on the grand hotels. The residential hotels come up with some special facilities like the people staying at night will have the option to enjoy some cool breeze arriving from the Swat river.
8. Karachi:
9. Neelum Valley:
This is one of the places of scenic beauties in Pakistan and mostly known for the snowing in the locality. The place is a region where a good number of trees are found. The place is also spelled in different ways like – Neelam Valley. The valley is about 144 kilometers in length and located in the forested region of Azad Kashmir in Pakistan. The naming of the location has been done after the adjacent river Neelam. The Neelam River flows across the length of the entire valley. The valley runs parallel to the Kaghan Valley and located in the north east part of Muzaffarabad. The valleys are separated by some snow covered peaks and it is around 4000 meters above of the sea level. The valley is accessible from Muzaffarabad by the Neelam road. The road conditions are very good and almost all types of transports could pass through the road. But during the winter seasons the roads become difficult to drive for snow fall and reaching the upper parts of the valley becomes almost impossible. Bus services from Muzaffarabad are also available while the visitors could also hire horses or jeeps to explore the inside of the valley. There are several top class rest houses are available here to entertain the guests and the private hotels are the most suited one for the outsiders if they want to have some world class service.
10. Faisal Mosque:
With the design from a Turkish architect, the largest mosque of Pakistan, the Shah Faisal Mosque was completed in 1986 and is the largest mosque in Pakistan. This is a religious place for the Muslims in Pakistan and located in the capital of the city, Islamabad. The mosque is completely different considering the contemporary architecture of the mosques in Pakistan as the mosque has been designed like a tent. The mosque is located on the bottom of the Margalla Hills and the sloping roofs are good to look at. The main prayer room is very spacious and can accommodate around 100, 000 people at a time. A large part of the construction cost was shared as a gift from the King Faisal from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The mosque is a place where everyone could go for a visit but the non-Muslims are advised to avoid the visit during the prayer times of the day and in Friday. The mosque has become an icon for the Islamic World and due to its excellent location, the mosque is seen from a long distance as well. Interestingly, the mosque played the role of the largest mosque in the world for around eight consecutive years and was replaced by the Hasan II Mosque in Morocco. The mosque has also been referred to some of the contemporary literatures and used as reference for studying.
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