Yes, Coronavirus has put an end to all life outside of the confines of our homes but just like anything else in life, this too shall end and we will venture out once again. Once this azmaaish ends why not start exploring the world once again by starting at home? We’ve established that Pakistan is a beautiful country and indeed a paradise because of its natural beauty. There’s a lot more to it apart from just terrorism and politics. It seems, however, that there’s a bias towards showing mostly the northern areas when talking about Pakistan’s beauty. It’s true that the north is absolutely gorgeous but that’s not where Pakistan’s beauty ends.

So let’s broaden our horizons and explore some phenomenal places apart from the north. Before traveling the world, let’s discover our own country first.

1. Tharparkar

Of all the places in Pakistan this is a blessing with loads of magical golden granular materials. Located in Sindh, Tharparkar is one of the five major deserts of the country and is the only fertile desert in the world. It also stretches till the areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat in India.

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2. Mohenjo-Daro

Yes, most of us read about this place in our Pakistan history books and really wanted to go visit but never really got to but this is one of those places in Pakistan that puts our country on the world map in a good way. Located in Sindh, Mohenjo-Daro is an archaeological site. The Indus River Valley civilization built the city of Mohenjo-Daro in what is now Pakistan about 4,500 years ago. Built around 2500 BCE, it was one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, and one of the world’s earliest major urban settlements.

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3. Taxila

Did you know Taxila is one of the places in Pakistan that holds a huge significance in world history? This place has the world’s oldest university, ever. Technically not a “university” in the modern sense but this city had the oldest “place of higher learning” in the world. Looks like some magical place out of the Hobbit movie, this place is actually in Pakistan. Located near Rawalpindi, Taxila is another important archaeological site. Some of the earliest ruins in this area date back to the time of the Achaemenid or Persian Empire in 6th century BC.

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4. Hingol National Park

No buddy, this isn’t the Grand Canyon and yes, we too have have something like a National Park! Approximately 190 km from Karachi, Hingol National park is located in Balochistan on the Makran coast with its mountains, the Hingol River, its desert and the deep blue Arabian Sea. The park includes the estuary of the Hingol River which supports a significant diversity of bird and fish species. But apart from that it’s just really cool… reminds you of the Flinstones.

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5. Katas Raj

Damn, look at that water! Located in Katas Village near Choa Saidanshah in the Chakwal district of Punjab in Pakistan, Katas Raj is a Hindu temple complex. Dedicated to Shiva, the temple has, according to Hindu legend, existed since the days of Mahabharata and the Pandava. Seriously, who knew?

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6. Derawar Fort

Located in Bahawalpur, the Derawar Fort is a large square fortress. The forty bastions of Derawar are visible for many miles in Cholistan Desert. The walls have a circumference of 1,500 meters and stand up to thirty meters high. That’s high for sure! Also the fort was built by Hindu Rajput, Bhati of Jaisalmer.

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7. Cholistan

Pakistan sure has its share of deserts. The Cholistan Desert is about thirty kilometers from Bahawalpur, Punjab and covers an area of 26,300 square kilometers. Might not be everyone’s cup of tea but if you’re a nature person then you’d probably love it in all its forms. Interesting thing: the people of Cholistan lead a semi-nomadic life, moving from one place to another in search of water and food for their animals.

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8. Khewra Salt Mines

Okay, this is another one of those places we’ve read and heard about many times, but have we been there? The Khewra Salt Mine is located in Khewra, north of Pind Dadan Khan. It’s Pakistan’s largest and oldest salt mine and the world’s second largest. You get all sorts of cool salt things like sculptures, keychains, and just plain big rocks of salt from there!

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P.S. yes, the walls inside and almost everything does taste like salt – don’t try and lick it please. People have touched it with their hands that you don’t know have touched whatever else.

9. Keenjhar Lake

Always wanted to see one of those really cool lakes with the floating leaves inside? Well guess what we have it! Keenjhar Lake is situated in Thatta District, Sindh. It’s the second largest fresh water lake in Pakistan. It provides a favorable habitat for winter migratory birds like ducks, geese, flamingos, cormorants, waders, herons, egrets, ibises, terns, coots and gulls (basically a whole lotta birds). So, you can definitely go there and enjoy a picnic, have a swim, go fishing, or boating.

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10. Chaukandi

If you’re the historical archaeology type of person, this is one of those places in Pakistan that you have to go to. Chaukhandi is an early Islamic cemetery situated 29 km east of Karachi. The tombs are remarkable for their elaborate sandstone carvings and the style of architecture is typical to the region of Sindh. Generally, the tombs are attributed to the Jokhio and are known as the family graveyard of the Jokhio tribe.

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11. Ranikot Fort

OMG, we’ve got our own wall of China type of thing, okay seriously why did no one tell us about this? The Ranikot Fort is a historical fort near Sann, Jamshoro District, Sindh. Ranikot Fort is also known as The Great Wall of Sindh and is believed to be the world’s largest fort with a circumference of approximately 26 kilometers. Why aren’t we famous for this?

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12. Pishin Valley

Beauts, absolute beauts! The Pishin Valley is about 50 kilometers from Quetta city in District Pishin in the northwest of Balochistan. It consists of thousands of acres of fruit orchards. The valley is a fertile land where several crops and fruits are grown. Pishin Valley is renowned for the greenery and is also the primary place for crop production. But did you know about? Did you?

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13. Astola Island

This is one of those places in Pakistan that is actually unbelievable. Cant you just picture yourself chilling at this place with a cold drink in your hand, that too without having to pay shit loads of money as you would have had you gone to one of those Thai beaches?

Astola Island is a small uninhabited Pakistani island in the Arabian Sea approximately 25 km south of the nearest part of the coast and 39 km southeast of the fishing port of Pasni, Balochistan. And the island can be accessed by motorized boats from Pasni, with a journey time of about 5 hours to reach the island.

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14. Gwadar

Okay, we know this place exists, we know it’s got a huge port, we even know that China is trying to invade it (not literally) but when are we going there? Not only does it have a beautiful coastline, its history has given it a unique blend of cultures. The Arabic influence upon Gwadar is strong as a consequence of the Omani era and its close proximity to the Arabian peninsula. The legacy of the Omanis is observed in the local Makrani population who can trace their lineage to Afro-Arabs and Zanj slaves, who settled in the town during Omani rule. They have an Arab dance and music called Liwa, which is also performed in the Arabian Peninsula. Once again who knew?

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15. Bolan

The Bolan Pass is a mountain pass through the Toba Kakar Range of Balochistan about 120 kilometers from the Afghanistan border. It connects Sibi with Quetta both by road and railway. The pass itself is made up of a number of narrow gorges and stretches 89 km from Rindli north to Darwaza near Kolpur in the Balochistan province of Pakistan.

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16. Hanna Lake

Though drought-like conditions had left the lake dry for a bit, the lake seems to have been breathed back to life by some rainfall. The lake is located a little short of the place where the Urak Valley begins and 14 km from Quetta. The reservoir was constructed during the British Colonial era in 1894 and is one of the main attractions in the city. Golden fish in the lake come swimming right up to the edge of the lake and you can even fish! Also there is a lakeside restaurant with picnic tables shaded by pine trees. Perfect right?

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17. Gorakh Hill

Also known as the Murree of Sindh, Gorakh Hill station is situated at a height of 5,689 ft above sea level near the city of Dadu. It takes about 8 hours, or more depending on the road conditions and your speed, if you’re traveling from Karachi. It gets its name of being the Murree of Sindh is because the weather’s pretty chilly so you can take a nice weekend trip to this place if you’re interested in a little adventure away from the hustle and bustle of your city life.

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18. Bhit Khori

Located around 45 kilometers from Hawksbay Road, Bhit Khori is an Instagram addict’s dream come true. With the stunning beach, to the gorgeous hills, this hidden gem HAS to be on your travel list.

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Lakes, mountains, deserts, beaches baby; Pakistan has it all. Not only are our northern areas absolutely gorgeous, so is the rest of Pakistan; all with rich historical landmarks and picturesque places in Pakistan that are waiting to be visited.