NEPAL: Tenzing–Hillary Airport The Most Dangerous Airport In The World

Tenzing–Hillary Airport, also known as Lukla Airport, is a small airport in the town of Lukla, in Khumbu, Solukhumbu District, Province No. 1, eastern Nepal.

A program titled Most Extreme Airports, broadcast on The History Channel in 2010, rated the airport as the most dangerous airport in the world for over 20 years.

The airport is popular because Lukla is the place where most people start the climb to Mount Everest Base Camp.

There are daily flights between Lukla and Kathmandu during daylight hours in good weather. Although the flying distance is short, rain commonly occurs in Lukla while the sun is shining brightly in Kathmandu.

High winds, cloud cover, and changing visibility often mean flights can be delayed or the airport closed. The airport is contained within a chain link fence and patrolled by the Nepali armed police or civil police around the clock.

The airport was built in 1964 under the supervision of Edmund Hillary, who originally intended to build the airport on flat farmlands. However, local farmers did not want to give up their land, so the airport was built at its current position.

Hillary bought the land from local Sherpas for US$2,650 and involved them in building the facilities.

It has been said that Hillary was unhappy with the runway's soil resistance, and that his solution was to buy local liquor for the Sherpas and ask them to perform a foot-stomping dance to flatten the land that served as the runway. The runway was not paved until 2001.

In January 2008, the airport was renamed in honor of Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary, the first people confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest, and also to mark their efforts in the construction of this airport.

The airport's paved asphalt runway is accessible only to helicopters and small, fixed-wing, short-takeoff-and-landing aircraft such as the De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, Dornier Do 228, L-410 Turbolet and Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter.

The runway is 527 m (1,729 ft) × 30 m (98 ft) with an 11.7% gradient. The airport's elevation is 9,334 ft (2,845 m).

The airport is used for passenger flights and for transporting most of the building materials and cargo to Lukla and other towns and villages to the north of Lukla, as there is no road to this region.

In the early morning, the wind is usually from the north-east, changing to a south-west wind from mid to late morning due to the action of the sun on the mountains to the north of Lukla.

The airport regularly closes from mid to late morning due to the strong south-west winds that create crosswind tailwinds. Consequently, flights are usually scheduled for the early morning.

Sudden loss of visibility preventing planes from landing under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) will result in the immediate closure of the airport with no warning.

Although the airport is available throughout the year, visibility problems close the airport 50% of the time during the monsoon season with a consequent cancellation of 50% of flights.

Due to the terrain and the low possibility of a safe go-around for a missed approach, there are no go-around procedures for this airport.

Tenzing–Hillary Airport is frequently referred to as the most dangerous airport in the world.

Arriving and departing aircraft must use a single runway, 06 for landing and 24 for takeoff. There is a low prospect of a successful go-around on short final approach due to the terrain.

There is high terrain immediately beyond the northern end of the runway and a steeply angled drop at the southern end of the runway into the valley below.

Due to the difficulties of successfully landing at the airport, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal sets high standards, for which only experienced pilots, who completed at least 100 short-takeoff-and-landing (STOL) missions, have over one year of STOL experience in Nepal and completed ten missions into Lukla with a certified instructor pilot, are allowed to land at the airport.

There are plans to construct five new helipads at the airport by 2020 and expand the terminal and runway.

On 15 October 1973, a Royal Nepal Airlines DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 (registration 9N-ABG) was damaged beyond repair on landing. The three crew and three passengers were unhurt.

On 9 June 1991, a Royal Nepal Airlines DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 (registration 9N-ABA) from Kathmandu crashed at the airport while attempting to land following an unstabilized approach in bad weather. The three crew and fourteen passengers escaped with injuries.

On 26 September 1992, a Royal Air Nepal Harbin Yunshuji Y-12-II (registered 9N-ACI) faltered during takeoff and was damaged beyond repair. All twelve passengers and two crew survived.

On 25 May 2004, while on approach to the airport, a Yeti Airlines DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 (registration 9N-AFD) from Kathmandu crashed into Lamjura Hill in heavy clouds. No passengers were on board; all three crew members were killed.

The Nepalese accident investigation committee concluded that the captain provided inaccurate information about his position to the Area Control Centre.[28]
On 1 October 2004, on landing at the airport, a Sita Air Dornier Do 228 suffered a collapse of its nose gear and slid along the runway, blocking it once it had come to rest. The airport was closed for two days.

On 30 June 2005, a Gorkha Airlines Dornier Do 228 skidded off the runway while attempting to land. The nine passengers and three crew suffered minor injuries. The aircraft was reportedly withdrawn from service and written off after the accident.

On 8 October 2008, Yeti Airlines Flight 103, a DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 (registration 9N-AFE) crashed on final approach and caught fire, killing eighteen passengers and crew. The aircraft's captain was the only survivor. Video of the incident showed inclement weather at the time of the incident.

On 12 October 2010, a Sita Air Dornier Do 228 (registration 9N-AHB) lost braking control and struck the wall-end of the runway during landing. All passengers and crew escaped injury; the aircraft's nose was damaged.

On 26 September 2013, an Air Dynasty helicopter (registration 9N-AEX) crashed when the rear rotor touched the barbed wire of the compound wall at the airport. All three passengers and the captain survived.

On 27 May 2017, Summit Air Flight 409 was performing a freight flight on a Let L-410 from Kathmandu to Lukla (Nepal) with three crew, was on final approach to Lukla's runway 06 at about 14:04L (08:19Z) with poor visibility when the aircraft lost altitude and touched a tree short of the runway before contacting ground about 3 meters/10 feet below the runway level.

The aircraft slid down the slope before coming to a rest about 200 meters below the runway level. The captain was killed and the first officer, Shrijan Manandhar, died in hospital almost eight hours later.

The third crew member received injuries and was evacuated to Kathmandu the following day after the weather had cleared.

On 14 April 2019, at 9:10 am a Summit Air Let L-410 Turbolet aircraft, registration 9N-AMH, with no passengers on board veered right and left the runway on take off from Lukla Airport and struck a Manang Air Eurocopter AS 350B3e helicopter registration 9N-ALC on the helipad 30 to 50 metres from the runway destroying the plane and the helicopter.

A second helicopter, Shree Airlines Eurocopter AS 350, 9N-ALK, on the helipad sustained little or no damage. The three reported fatalities were the co-pilot of the plane and a police officer on airport security duty who died in the crash and a second police officer who was critically injured and airlifted to Kathmandu where he died in hospital.

The four reported injured include the pilot of the plane and a Manang Air helicopter pilot who were injured and flown to a hospital in Kathmandu where they were reported to be out of danger.

Tenzing–Hillary Airport in eastern Nepal, also known as Lukla Airport, is notorious for being the world’s most dangerous airport. Despite this, the airport is popular due to it’s proximity to Katmandu, where most climbers begin their ascent up Mount Everest.

The aircrafts involved belonged to private companies that transport locals, climbers and tourists to the remote Everest region.

The short runway (527m) has a 600m drop at the end of it. The airport’s altitude stands at 2,845m, giving pilots little time for descent before landing. The runway is surrounded by mountains, making takeoff and landing very tricky.

Unpredictable weather, no navigation aids and no night operations all contribute to the danger of this airport. Watch to see an airplane landing at the infamous airport here.

More than 300 people have died attempting to reach the summit of Mount Everest, with countless more injured.

Yet the dangers begin well before trekkers even reach base camp. The most common way hikers reach the area is to fly to the tiny Himalayan settlement of Lukla, 9,383 feet above sea level.

The alternatives all involve several days trekking, and so multiple flights carry hikers between Kathmandu and Lukla every day. Although the flight time is just 25-30 minutes, the two airports are as different as night and day.

Airports can be challenging to pilots for many reasons, as seen on this list of dangerous airports in Europe. Sometimes it's the short runway as on many Greek islands.

Places like Gibraltar suffer from regular wind shear, while mountainous terrain surrounding airports like Innsbruck creates obvious risks. Airports at high-altitude present dangers due to the effect that low air pressure has on the handling of an airplane.

Tenzin-Hillary Airport in Lukla, Nepal, has not just one, but all of these dangers.

While far from being the world's highest civilian airport—that honor goes to Daocheng Yading Airport in China's Sichuan province—Lukla's altitude is still more than enough to cause pilots problems.

The airport is surrounded on all sides by steep, mountainous terrain. The short runway is perched on little more than a mountain shelf. At one end there's a wall and at the other a steep drop into the valley below.

At these altitudes, air density is considerably lower than at sea level and that has a detrimental impact on the amount of power generated by the aircraft engines, reducing lift.

Reduced air resistance also makes it more challenging to slow the plane down. At high altitudes, the longer the runway, the better.

Unfortunately for pilots landing at Lukla, the airport runway is extremely short at just 1,729 feet long. Runways at many of the world's international airports are more than 10,000 feet long.

So short is Lukla's runway that it slopes uphill with a gradient of almost 12% to assist planes in slowing down in time.

To make matters worse, there is so little opportunity for a missed approach because of the surrounding mountains that there are no go-around procedures.

Once an aircraft starts its approach, it must touch down. Given these factors, only helicopters and small fixed-wing propellor planes are permitted to land.

Weather in the Himalayas is highly unpredictable. Sudden mist, fog, rainstorms or snow are always possible. Despite the short distance and short flight-time, the weather in Lukla can often be completely different from Kathmandu, and frequently changes while the airplane is on its way.

In such circumstances, planes turn around and return to Kathmandu. Afternoons are so frequently cloudy that most flights are scheduled for the early morning. Cancellations from Lukla are common.

Some airports considered challenging or even dangerous by pilots have an exemplary safety record. That's not the case at Lukla, where there has been a list of incidents into double figures. Many of the more recent ones have even been caught on camera.

The most notable occurred in 2008 when Yeti Airlines Flight 103 crashed into the mountain a few feet below the start of the runway. The pilot lost visual contact in heavy fog during final approach but attempted a visual landing nevertheless.

All 16 passengers and two of the three crew were killed. The pilot was the only survivor.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal now sets high standards for pilots. To land at Lukla, pilots must have completed 100 short-takeoff-and-landing flights, have at least one year of such experience in Nepal and have successfully completed ten flights into Lukla with a certified instructor.

There is a technical study underway to assess the feasibility of a runway extension, although this would be limited to just 100 feet. Construction of a new helipad is also underway to increase passenger capacity.


Tourism Observer

NEPAL: Nepal Based Airlines Banned From Flying In European Union Airspace

A plane crash at Nepals international airport that killed 51 people happened because the captain suffered an emotional breakdown, a leaked draft of the official investigation has found.

Investigators said the captain, Abid Sultan, wept during the flight after his skills had been questioned by a co-worker.

This mistrust and stress led him to continuously smoke in the cockpit and also suffer an emotional breakdown several times during the flight, their report said.

The 12 March flight from the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka crash landed at Kathmandu airport and skidded into a football field where it burst into flames, killing 51 people in the deadliest aviation accident in the Himalayan nation for decades.

The captains constant monologue led to the total disorientation of the co-pilot, who was flying the plane when it crashed. Prithula Rashid had only recently qualified and had never previously landed at Kathmandu airport.

The draft copy of the final investigation report concluded the US-Bangla Airlines captain was under stress and emotionally disturbed after a co-worker had questioned his reputation as a good instructor.

During the short flight, Sultan a former Bangladesh air force pilot who was also an instructor for the airline talked non-stop as he tried to impress upon the junior co-pilot his competence and proficiency.

Nepals only international airport lies in a narrow bowl-shaped valley with the Himalayas to the north, making it a notoriously challenging place to land.

As the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 turboprop approached the runway it made a last-minute change of direction, failed to sufficiently reduce its speed and necessary landing checks were not carried out, investigators said.

The report revised the final death toll up to 51, including both pilots. Twenty passengers miraculously escaped the burning wreckage but sustained serious injuries.

Conflicting reports emerged shortly after the crash suggesting confusion between the pilot and air traffic control might have caused the disaster.

The report said air traffic control did confuse the two ends of the runway referred to as Runway 02 and Runway 20 but concluded this had no impact on the flight.

A source at Nepals tourism ministry, which led the investigation into the crash, confirmed the authenticity of the draft.

The accident was Nepals deadliest since September 1992, when all 167 people aboard a Pakistan International Airlines plane were killed when it crashed as it approached Kathmandu airport.

Just two months earlier a Thai Airways aircraft had crashed near the same airport, killing 113 people.

Nepals poor air safety record is largely blamed on inadequate maintenance and sub-standard management.

Accidents are common and Nepal-based airlines are banned from flying in European Union airspace.

Rescuers pulled bodies from the charred wreckage of the plane, operated by Bangladeshi airline US-Bangla, after a raging fire was put out.

The airline has blamed air traffic control, but the airport says the plane approached from the wrong direction.

Flight BS211 veered off the runway while landing on Monday afternoon.

The exact cause of the crash remains unclear and Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli promised an immediate investigation.

However, a recording of the conversation between the pilot and air traffic control minutes before the plane crashed suggests some misunderstanding over which end of the sole runway the plane was cleared to land on.

Moments before the plane crash-landed, an air traffic controller is heard in the recording from air traffic monitor LiveATC telling the pilot: "I say again, turn!"

Twenty-two people were treated in hospital for injuries, police spokesperson Manoj Neupane said.

The plane, which was flying from the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, was a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 turboprop and was 17 years old.

The plane landed at 14:20 local time (08:35 GMT).

The aircraft was permitted to land from the southern side of the runway flying over Koteshwor, but it landed from the northern side, Sanjiv Gautam, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal said.

However, US-Bangla Airlines chief executive Imran Asif blamed Kathmandu air traffic control.

There were wrong directions from the tower. Our pilot was not at fault, he told reporters at his office in Dhaka.

Our pilot is an instructor of this Bombardier aircraft. His flight hours are over 5,000. There was a fumble from the control tower.

Airport general manager Raj Kumar Chettri said that the plane hit the airport fence before touching ground.

The plane should have come from the right direction, he said.

One of the survivors, Nepalese travel agent Basanta Bohora, described from his hospital bed what he had experienced.

After a normal take-off from Dhaka, the plane had begun to behave strangely as it approached Kathmandu, he said.

All of a sudden the plane shook violently and there was a loud bang afterwards.

I was seated near the window and was able to break out of the window, he added.

I have no recollection after I got out of the plane, someone took me to Sinamangal hospital, and from there my friends brought me to Norvic hospital. I have injuries to my head and legs, but I am fortunate that I survived.

The plane was carrying 67 passengers and four crew.

It is now known that 33 of the passengers were Nepalis, 32 were Bangladeshi, one was Chinese and one was from the Maldives.

Among the 22 people injured, some are in a critical condition.

An airline worker said he saw two or three people fall or jump from the windows of the burning plane.

Its airline companies are banned from flying within the European Union.

There have been many aviation incidents in Nepal, but this is the deadliest since a Pakistan International Airlines plane crashed on approach in September 1992, killing all 167 on board.

Earlier that same year, a Thai Airways plane crashed near the airport, leaving 113 people dead.

Pilots say that landing at Kathmandu airport can be challenging because of the mountainous landscape.

Aviation incidents in Nepal include:

February 2016: Twenty-three people were killed when a small passenger plane crashed in mountainous western Nepal

March 2015: Lucky escape for passengers after plane skids off runway in fog in Kathmandu

February 2014: Bodies of all 18 people recovered after small plane crashes in western Nepal

September 2012: Plane heading for Everest region crashes on the outskirts of Kathmandu, killing all 19 on board

May 2012: Fifteen people die when a plane carrying Indian pilgrims crashes in northern Nepal

September 2010: Sightseeing flight crashes into a hillside near Kathmandu

September 2006: All 24 people on board a WWF helicopter die when it crashes in eastern Nepal

What is US-Bangla airlines?

The carrier launched in July 2014 and its slogan is "Fly Fast, Fly Safe".

Its first international flight was in May 2016 - to Kathmandu.

It now flies to airports in South and South East Asia and the Middle East.


Tourism Observer

INDIA: Lucknow Is Quite Safe To Visit

Lucknow is the capital of Uttar Pradesh, India.

Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, thrives along the banks of Gomti river. The city, Awadh and Uttar Pradesh fell to the British during the imperialistic era .

Today Lucknow is dotted with remnants of its rich cultural past.

Lucknow is the capital city of the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

This metro city is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division.

Lucknow has always been known as a multicultural city and flourished as a cultural and artistic capital of North India in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Today it continues as an important centre of commerce, aerospace, finance, pharmaceuticals, technology, design, culture, tourism, music and poetry.

Lucknow ranked 6th among all the cities in India for fastest job creation.

Lucknow is also known for its elaborate cuisine and Chikankaari, or exquisite shadow-work embroidery on fine muslin cloth.

Lucknow is a historically important city and for many centuries was at the heart of North Indian culture.

In particular, the city was famous for its Adab and Tehzeeb or manners and hospitality, intricate embroidery, beautiful gardens and dance forms such as Kathak.

It was also one of the sites of the 1857 Indian Mutiny or First War of Indian Independence.

The Hindi spoken in Lucknow is considered the most beautiful and gentle in the country.

The city has a population of around 2.5 million.

Lucknow is the heart of the art, cuisine, dance, culture and music of Northern India. It was the cradle of the Hindu-Muslim-Sikh symbioses that made India great.

It brought in the best of various cultures and accepted Western institutions like La Martiniere in her womb. It was made famous by the soft-spoken, and sweet tongued, Awadh-Lucknowai culture that was based on civilized behaviour toward fellow human beings.

Lucknow is the home of Urdu, Hindustani and Hindi languages. The city became known as a centre for Urdu poetry and courtly presence and diction, being the birthplace and city of residence for many poets.

The Mushaira, an event of poetry recitation forms the heart of Lucknow's nightlife where Mushairas go on into the wee hours of the night.

Lucknow's only rival in Northern India was Delhi, though Lucknowies were always embroiled in a healthy rivalry with Delhi, home of the famous poet Ghalib and others.

Lucknow is also famous for its sweetmeat, the sweet shops in the old city dates to 1850s. Awadhi and mughlai food is the delight of the visitors to Lucknow.

Another thing that may surprise visitors are the ubiquitous posters, billboards and signs boasting of great progress and bearing the picture of Mayawati.

She was the previous chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state and been quite controversial. Labeled by some as the Dalit Queen, she has come under fire for misuse of public funds and abuse of power.

She has spent millions upon millions of rupees on massive public works projects such as the Ambedkar Memorial which opposition leaders see as a waste.

No matter who you speak to in Lucknow, everyone will have an opinion about her. It's a great conversation starter.

Lucknow, much like the rest of the area from Amritsar to Patna, features a humid subtropical climate.

Winters have high temperature variations, ranging from 7°C (45°F) to 22°C (72°F) and therefore, a visitor should bring all kinds of clothing.

The city is occasionally affected by cold spells coming from the Himalayas and near freezing readings are reported almost every year.

During an extrordinary cold spell in winter 2012-2013 that affected much of northern India temperatures reached -0.1°C (31.9°F) for 2 consecutive days.

The record low is -1°C (30°F). During mid-spring the city is blistering with temperatures as high as 40°C (104°F) in April.

The record high is 47.7°C (117.9°F). By the beginning of July is usually when the indian monsoon arrives.

This however doesn't lower down temperatures a lot as they still top 34°C (93°F) and in combination with very high humidity the atmosphere becomes extremely unpleasant.

The monsoon ends around mid-September but it is still very hot and 30°C (86°F) stop occuring by the beginning of November.

Visiting Lucknow

There are daily flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Indore, Varanasi and Patna to Amausi Airport, Lucknow.

- Indian Airlines.

- Air India-Janata Travels, Hotel Clarks Awadh, 8, M.g. Road

- Lucknow International Airport has Direct flights to Dubai, Sharjah , Jeddah and Muscat.

Lucknow is on the Delhi-Gorakhpur railway route. Connections can be made from Agra and Allahabad.

A major railway junction, Lucknow is conveniently connected to many cities. Some of the important trains are : 12003/12004 Shatabadi Ex.

- Nainital Ex

- Sabarmati Exp

- Vaishali Exp

- Awadh-Assam Exp

- Neelanchal Exp

- Ganga-Yamuna Exp

- Lucknow Mail

- Gomti Exp

- Kashi-Vishwanath Exp

- Nauchandi Exp

- Bombay-Gorakhpur Exp

- Cochin-Gorakhpur Exp.

Lucknow is connected by road with all the major cities of the country. Some of the major road distances are:

- Agra 363 km

- Allahabad 210 km

- Ayodhya 135 km

- Kolkata 985 km

- Corbett National Park 400 km

- Delhi 497 km

- Dudhwa National Park 238 km

- Kanpur 79 km

- Khajuraho 320 km

- Varanasi 280 km.

The Bus Stations are situated at Alambagh, and Kaisar Bagh.

Buses from Sunauli-Bhairawa on the India/Nepal border stop on their way to Varanasi.

From Lucknow to New Delhi: There is a luxury air-conditioned sleeper bus from Quaiser Bagh Bus station. Route for this bus is Lucknow - Sitapur - Bareilly - Muradabad - Gaziabad - Delhi Anand Vihar ISBT.

Lucknow has excellent connectivity of AC Deluxe bus service operated by UPSRTC to cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Agra and Ballia.

These are safe and comfortable for tourists and women even during night journeys. These buses can be recognized by their distinctive colour Blue or Red with Platinum line written on it.

You can book tickets for these buses via internet and also from counter at Alambagh Central bus station.

Taxi and rickshaw drivers in Lucknow are of the more insistent type, although few of them will speak enough English to go to locations that are out of the way.

There are many car rental companies available. One should hire cars with local drivers, as traffic is dangerous for anybody not used to local traffic conditions.

City Buses are available on all major routes. These are a cheap, safe and reliable mode of transport.

Two types of three wheeler shared service is also available on most of city routes. Commonly known as Tempo and Auto. These can be recognized by their distinctive green colour and drivers with grey uniform.

These are a cheap and safe option to roam around. Whereas Tempo and Auto run on fixed specified routes, Auto can be hired as a taxi to your destination.

Prepaid Taxi and Auto Service is available at Charbagh Railway station.

Public Trans port in Lucknow is quite safe, however avoid travelling alone in odd hours.

Recently Radio Taxi service called Flash Cab has been launched in Lucknow. Though you won't find many of them around these can be booked or called. These are safe and better option for Tourists.

Places of interest are spread out over a large distance, therefore will require the use of taxis or rickshaws.

Cycle rickshaws contribute less pollution to this historic city than their motorised cousins and provide work to some who need it most.

Bara Imambara and Bhool Bhulaiya. A large and impressive tomb complex built in 1783. There is an interesting labyrinth too.

You could easily spend half a day wandering around these beautiful but crumbling examples of Mughal architecture.

If you hire a guide, do not expect him to know the way around. Guides are known to get lost in the labyrinth.

The ticket you buy lets you enter here, the Chhota Imambara, the Husainabad clock tower and picture gallery too, so do not lose your ticket. Please note that lone couples are not allowed to enter without a guide.

This prohibition is not brought to notice while buying the entry ticket. You will also have to pay a man 2 rupees to mind your shoes while exploring the complex, shoes are not allowed inside Bara Imambara.

500 INR for foreigners, 50 INR for Indian citizens. If you have Indian business visa, you can try to enter as Indian. Just be confident and stand your ground. In many cases it works.

Rumi Darwaza (Rumi Gate), Hussainabad Lucknow.

Chhota Imambara. An imposing mausoleum built by the third Nawab of Avadh in 1837. The ticket for Bara Imambara is also good for admission to Chhota Imambara.

La Martiniere College. Boys college. The building also known as Constantia, La Martiniere College is one of the oldest schools in the country. It was built in 1840 and started as a school in 1845.

The school building is still well maintained. The best time to visit is either in the morning at around 8 AM, when one can see the assembly, or after the school finishes at 1:30 PM.

This landmark building has also featured in several Bollywood movies.

Husainabad Clock Tower (Ghanta Ghar), Hussainabad Lucknow. A British landmark, set in a park with the somewhat poorly curated picture gallery, and a lake. A great place for sunset. The ticket for Bara Imambara also grants admission here.

Ruins of the Lucknow Residency and Museum. The bloody history of the demise of this Raj era compound is immortalised in the Museum in the Basement.

This was the scene of the 1857 First Battle for Independence, referred to by the British as The Indian Mutiny.

Although you can still clearly see numerous canon ball marks in the ruined buildings, thankfully it is a peaceful place today.

So much so in fact, that you are likely to stumble across couples taking a little private time in the leafy shady groves.

The Residency is clearly recognised by the locals and tourists alike as a breezy haven to escape from the bustle and dust of a busy Indian city. The Residency will try to sell you a photo pass for an additional 25 INR.

The guard will also ask you if you have a camera. However, once you are inside, no one will say anything if you take photos. 100 INR for foreigners, 5 INR for Indian citizens.

If you have Indian business visa, you can try to enter as Indian. Just be confident and stand your ground. In many cases it works.

Dilkusha ruins.

Qaiserbagh complex.

Crocodile sanctuary at Kukrail, near munshi pulia. It is very good & nice place 15 km from railway station. Entry free.

The Ram Krishna Math, Nirala Nagar.

The Zoo/Museum, closed on Monday.

Botanical Gardens. 6AM-8:30AM.

Indira Gandhi Planetarium. Tu-Su Shows 1PM-6PM (45 min shows 1PM-1:40PM English, 2:30PM-4:00PM, 5:00PM Hindi). 25.00.

Buddha Park. A small park on the side of a noisy congested road in Lucknow. A statue of the Buddha gives the park it's name. Often filled with homeless people and boys playing sports.

Shaheed Smarak.

Cathedral School, Hazaratganj.

Farangi Mahal. The Oxford and Cambridge of India author/poet Shibli Naumani. For more details see book by Dr. Francis Robinson on the Ul Farangi Mahal.

Colvin Taluqdars College. A must see place it has great architecture built in 1896 named after Sir Auckland Colvin.

Deva Shariff, around 30 km from the city, is a place of worship and faith where people from all the religions gather, a symbol of unity and love.

Amrapali water park.

Ambedkar Memorial. A massive new 107 acre development to honor Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar who was the architect of the Indian constitution. Impressive stone work, dozens of statues and fountains intermix with carefully sculpted gardens.

There are statues of dalit icons as well as incredibly self-indulgent statues of Mayawati, the Ex-chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. A police force exists to prevent vandalism and may search you before entering some areas. free.

Rammanohar Lohiya park.

Globe park.

Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, Kanpur-Lucknow road in Uttar Pradesh.

Regional science center, Aliganj. nice place for all ages, so many items are exclusive.

Sahara Ganj Shopping Mall & PVR Cinemas, Shahnajaf Road.

East End Mall & Wave Cinemas, Vibhuti Khand, Gomti Nagar.

Fun Republic Mall & Fun Cinemas, Adjacent Eldeco Greens, Gomti Nagar.

River Side Mall & Inox Cinemas, Adjacent Taj Residency Hotel, Gomti Nagar.

Phoenix United Mall & PVR Cinemas, Behind Piccadilly Hotel , Alam Bagh Kanpur Road.

Hazaratganj, (center of the city. 6 day week. sepenceop.

NBRI (National Botanical Research Institute).

Haathi park. nice place 15.

Nepali kothi (Chowk, Old city), bagh tola, phool wali gali. Known for the traders from Nepal selling Saffron, Shilajeet & other herbs and herbal products.

Chikan dress, a cotton dress with hand-made embroidery, is a must-buy in Lucknow. These garments are both for men and women.

The cost is anywhere between Rs 250-5000 depending on the chikan work - hand embroidery work on cloth is of various types, Murri is the traditional handwork and is, therefore, a little more expensive.

In old Chowk and Aminabad, it is a small scale industry so it is cheapest to buy from there. There are a lot of shops next to each other, and for the obvious reason of close competition, you'll get the best bargain.

In Hazratganj or Ganj the same piece will cost some 200 rupees more but sunshine chikans there in janpat provide all wearings at best price.

Beware of the touts who will take you to shops near the Civil Hospital and Hussain Ganj where the prices are 500% higher!

Nishatganj.

Aminabad Market. Very old market, good for buying chikan or hand-embroidered clothes, leather shoes/bags and for chaat/sweets.

There's a pretty big book-market, a whole street. Gadbad-jhala is a ladies market to get cheap bangles and fashion jewellery but not gold.

Hazratganj Market. Very trendy and upscale. All recognizable Western brands will be available here.

Chowk, in the old city, just south of the Imambara complex and the clock tower. Lively market. This is the place to find bargains, and check out the locals. Visit in the evening.

Kapoorthala.

FUN Republic.

Inox. Movie multiplex and shopping mall

Sanatkada, 130, Jagdish Chandra Bose Road, Kaiserbagh. 11am-8pm. Sells wide variety of crafts, including woven and hand embroidered garments, short tops, sarees, dupattas, home furnishings, artefacts, silver jewellery and accessories, organic honey, jams, preserves and herbs.

Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal, Gomti Nagar.

The Tornos Studio, Indira Nagar, Tornos House, C-2016 Indira Nagar. They have great collection of book on Indian Mutiny. One can visit to read pr watch a film on Lucknow. They will offer tea/coffee free of cost.

But nothing is for sale, great place for evening. All this by appointment.

Aminabad. Aminabad is old market of lucknow

Everyone in Lucknow knows about the famous tikkas and kebabs. They are Mughal delicacies.

Lalbagh, many roadside hotels near Aminabad and old Chowk offer cheap and unique types of dishes.

Also, try out the street next to Tulsi thatre in Hazratganj for some exotic non-vegetarian delicacies. Alamgir Hotel in the Old Nazirabad Road in Aminabad serves Awadhi food in reasonable price.

You will also find the famous Kulfi shop Prakash Kulfi in the same area. The Kulfi is exceptionally good. Full kulfi with saffron and faloodah is 100 rupees and the half which is more than enough for one person is 50 rupees.

The Food Court at Sahara Ganj, near Hazrat Ganj, is the recent hot favourite with a number of fast food joints. If coffee and tea is something you like, you will find a huge variety at Capuccino Blast at Mall Avenue.

At Akbari Gate, during winters one can also enjoy Kashmiri Tea - a red coloured hot tea with cream and Makhan Malai a local variant of ice cream, saffron flavoured, made by hanging unsalted butter overnight in dew and then aerating it by beating it. Kashmiri Tea is much more available in the evening.

Alzaiqa, Near Novelty Theatre. You can find great non-vegetarian food here, specially chicken.

Dainik Jagaran Chauk. Cheap and delicious non-veg food

Dastharkwan, Near Tulsi Theatre.

Haji Sahib's Shop, Akbari Gate. 7AM-10AM. This is in the heart of Old Lucknow. Serves the juiciest Nihari or lamb shanks in gravy and Kulchha a traditional bread. This is the best in the city.

Tundey's Kebabs, Aminabad and Food Court, Sharaganj Mall. Has been serving kebabs for more than 50 years.The place offers wonderful kebabs with parantha and also sells biryani.

Bajpai Kachauri Bhandar, Leela Cinema Road, Hazrat Ganj Lucknow. Best kachauri from lucknow.

Ram Asrey Sweet Shop, (Baanwaali Gali,Chowk Lucknow). Very good sweets and snacks like Namkeen,Daalmonth etc.

Veg kabab, At Baba ka Dhaba, Chandar Nagar market, Alambagh.

Basket Chat, at Royal Hotel,hazratganj and at sahara ganj.

Dastarkhwan, The street next to Tulsi thatre in Hazratganj. Exotic non-vegetarian delicacies, specially the special chicken masala, shaami kebabs and rumali roti/mughlai parathaas.

Kewal's, Outside Maqbara Compound, Hazratganj. Famous for their tea and mouth watering samosas - potato stuffed pancake.

KFC, Saharaganj Mall.

Lalbagh. Famous for their tea and mouth watering samosas (potato stuffed pancake).

McDonalds, Saharganj Shopping Mall, Fun Republic ,East End Mall and Phoenix mall.

Mint, Arif Castle. Offers alcoholic beverages and great food. Food festivals are common.

Paani Batashe, Sadar Cantt, Near chappan Bhog.

Pizza Hut, East End Mall and opposite Raj Bhawan.

Sakhawat, In a narrow lane next to Gymkhana Club, near Gemini Hotel, Hazratgunj. 5PM-10PM. A lesser-known but good joint for connoisseurs. Operating since 1911, it has a limited stock and little seating space, with a select clientele.

Sharma Tea House. Famous for their tea and mouth watering samosas or potato stuffed pancake.

Ultra Violet, Mall Avenue. Offers non-alcoholic beverages , great food and has a great ambience. Food festivals are common.

Aryan's, Hazratganj. is also located at many various parts of the city.

Royal Cafe.

Cassia.

Finding alcohol is not a problem, but most bars are seedy and are to be avoided, except for those in five-star restaurants.

A safer drink alternative is the famous local lassi yogurt drink.

Not all retail shops of wine/liquor are authorised to serve so it's always suggested to drink in a bar or at your home or hotel.

- Hotel Levana features an upscale bar with covered outside seating, including happy hour specials before 6pm. Wide selection of cocktails and some limited beer and wine options.

- Hotel Buddha Residency Hotel Buddha Residency situated only Approx. distance from all prime locations from Charbag 1.5 KM, Hazratganj 1KM, Vidhan Sabha 0.5 KM, Kaisarbagh 2.5 KM, Airport 11 KM , guests are well located to enjoy the town's attractions and activities.

- Hotel APSARA
New Sharma Hotel Opposite charbagh railway station. There are two Sharma Hotels there, One is 30 years old.

Sharma Hotel Opposite charbagh railway station. Contact person Shujat Hashmi.

- Hotel D D International

- Hotel Ganpati

- Hotel Asha

- Hotel Basant Vihar

- Hotel Park Avadh

- Hotel Raj

- Hotel Mera Mann

- Hotel Ganga Maiya

- Hotel Sunrise

- Deep Hotel

- Hotel Diamond

- Hotel Naznin Palace

- Hotel Dileep

- Hotel Ankit Yadav from NIEC

- Hotel Ashirwad

- Hotel Mansi Ganga near charbagh railway station.

- Hotel Manglam. Close to Aminabad. It is close to Husainabad Clock Tower, and Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, not close to any of those, by Lko's distant standards this is another self-promotion attempt and this isn't a budget hotel. Rates start at India Rupees 1,290.00.

- Lucknow Homestay, 110D Mall Avenue. Has WiFi, home cooked meals and boasts of space. Just off The Mall. The hosts are super friendly and a mine of information.

- Hotel Gomati near Hazratgunj and Sharagunj mall is run by Uttar Pradesh Tourism and offers decent rooms at moderate cost.

- Hotel Gemini Continental' Hazaratganj, Lucknow

- Hotel Sagar International Opposite Butler Palace

- Comfort Inn Vibhuti Khand, Gomti Nagar

- Park Inn Laplace

- Arif Castles Rana Pratap Marg

- Carlton Rana Pratap Marg

- Hotel Simla Palace, 6 Gautam Budh Marg, Latouche Road, Lucknow 226001. Hotel Simla Palace is strategically located 1 km from the railway station and 13 km from Lucknow Airport.

- Hotel Taj Residency Gomti Nagar. One of the landmark hotels of Lucknow

- Clarks Avadh Parivartan Chowk, Mahatma Gandhi Marg is one of the more centrally located hotels in Lucknow. Clean, well-kept and very smart.

The restaurant named Falaknuma at the ninth floor has the right ambience to enjoy a Mughlai dinner with awesome views of the city.

The Murg Malai Tikka is recommended. The service at the restaurant leaves much to be desired however and the alcohol selections are in no way on par with what would be expected from an upscale hotel elsewhere. Wifi is available for a price.

- Piccadily Hotel Airport Road. It is new addition to the luxury hotels of Lucknow. Just 3 Kms from Lucknow Airport.

- Hotel Golden Tulip 6, Station Road. It is new addition to the luxury hotels of Lucknow. Just 2 Kms from Charbagh Railway Station and 16 kms from Lucknow Airport.

- Dayal Paradise, Gomti Nagar. checkin: noon; checkout: noon. 2400 INR.

Health Facilities Lucknow boasts of international standard health facilities, with world class hospitals like SGPGI, KGMC, Sahara Hospital etc. Besides these, there are the number of good private hospitals and diagnostic centres all over the city.

Considering the size of the city and its mini metro nature, Lucknow is quite safe to visit. Just adhere to basic safety rules as applicable to any foreign city and you will enjoy your stay in Lucknow.


Tourism Observer

INDIA: 16 Tourist Pilgrims Dead, 27 Injured In Bus Accident

At least 16 Hindu pilgrims were killed and 27 others injured Sunday after a bus carrying them skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The accident took place in Ramban district, about 107 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

This afternoon a pilgrim bus skidded off the road and fell into Nashrana Nallah on Srinagar Jammu highway, a police spokesman said.

At least 16 pilgrims were killed on spot, while 19 are seriously injured and eight others have suffered minor injuries.

Following the accident police and locals rushed to the spot to carry out rescue work and retrieve bodies.

The critical ones have been airlifted to Jammu, while as others with minor injuries have been referred to the nearest hospitals.

The annual pilgrimage to Hindi shrine of Amarnath began on June 29. More than 100,000 pilgrims have so far paid obeisance at the cave shrine perched high in the Himalayas.

Deadly road accidents are common in India often caused by overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving.

Rescuers transfer the injured near the site where a bus skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Ramban district, Indian-controlled Kashmir, July 16, 2017.

At least 16 Hindu pilgrims were killed and 27 others injured Sunday after a bus carrying them skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.




Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com

PAKISTAN: One Nation One Belief One God, But Airport Staff Will Demand A Bribe

Travel Warning: Don't trust or believe anyone. Corruption is widespread in Pakistan, and behind that smiling face is more likely than not a scam artist who will try to con you out of your money. Also, the police are just as corrupt or more than the townspeople. Be careful, they are most likely working with the scam artist.
Avoid going out at night especially in the city of Karachi that is notorious for its high crime rate, though it has decreased significantly in the past few years.

Pakistan is a large country in South-Central Asia at the crossroads of Central Asia, East Asia and South Asia and is a part of the Greater Middle East Region. Located along the Arabian Sea, it is surrounded by Afghanistan to the west and northwest, although Tajikistan is separated by the Wakhan Corridor, Iran to the southwest and also shares maritime boundary with Oman, The Republic of India is to the east, and China to the northeast. It is strategically located astride the ancient trade routes of the Khyber and Bolan passes between the countries of South-Central Asia and rest of Southern Asia.

The name Pakistan means Land of the Spiritually Pure in both Urdu and Persian languages. Many South-Central Asian states and regions end with the element -stan, such as Afghanistan, PAKISTAN, Baluchistan, Kurdistan, and Turkistan. This -stan is formed from the Iranian root *STA "to stand, stay," and means "place (where one stays), home, country". Iranian peoples have been the principal inhabitants of the various geographical region of the Ancient Persian Empires now occupied by the states for over a thousand years. The names are compounds of -stan and the name of the peoples living there.

The Indus Valley Plain is an alluvial plain in Pakistan, most of it lies within the PUNJAB province. The plain is the western part of the Northern Plains of Pakistan formed by the National river of Indus River and its tributaries. The plain is extensively farmed for Cereals, Rice and Cotton. The high plain of the Indus Plain is also called Pothohar plateau and is located near the foothills of Himalayas e.g. Margalla Hills. The deserts located in the Indus plain of Pakistan are Thal Desert, Indus Valley Desert, Thar Desert and Cholistan Desert.

Pakistan is one of those few countries in the world which has every kind of geological structure. It has the sea, desert (Sindh & Punjab), green mountains (North West Province), dry mountains (Balochistan), mountains covered with ice, rivers, rich land to cultivate (Punjab & Sindh), water resources, water falls, forests etc. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan contain the mountain ranges of the Himalayas, the Karakoram, and the Hindu Kush.

Pakistan's highest point is K2, at 8,611m which is the second highest peak in the world. The Punjab province is a flat, alluvial plain whose rivers eventually join the Indus River and flow south to the Arabian Sea. Sindh lies between the Thar Desert the Rann of Kutch to the east, and the Kirthar range to the west. The Balochistan Plateau is arid and surrounded by dry mountains. Pakistan experiences frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe, especially in north and west.

Mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north. Flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August). Fertile and sub humid heat in the Punjab region. Seasonal climate and daily weather

Holidays

Eid-ul-Fitr - the largest holiday of the year, it celebrates the start of the holy month of Shawwal. Food is the highlight, and if you're lucky you'll be invited into a private home for a feast. Businesses close for at least a couple days if not a week.

Eid-ul-Azha - the festival of sacrifice, commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son

Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi - Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W), varies according to Hijera calendar

Pakistan Day - March 23

Labour Day - 1 May

Independence Day - 14 Aug

Defense Day - 6 Sep

Quaid-e-Azam's deathday - 11 Sep

Quaid-e-Azam's birthday - 25 Dec

Ramadan - the 9th and holiest month in the Islamic calendar. Muslims fast every day for its duration and most restaurants will be closed until the fast breaks at dusk. Nothing including water and cigarettes is supposed to pass through the lips from dawn to sunset. Foreigners and travellers are exempt from this, but you should still refrain from doing it in public.

Pakistan's International borders are the external boundaries of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It borders the People's Republic of China in the north (Xinjiang Autonomous Region), and the north-east (Tibet Autonomous Region), the Disputed territory of Occupied Kashmir which was part of the British Indian territory until 1948 is also included, that borders the People's Republic of China to the east.

Pakistan borders the entire eastern length of the country with the Republic of India and on the south towards the Arabian Sea, to the north-west Pakistan is separated by fourteen Kilometres of a narrow strip of the Afghan-occupied Gorno-Badakhshan territory called the Wakhan Corridor which extends between Northern Pakistan and Southern Tajikistan.The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is to the west and north, and Persia is to the southwest. Pakistan also shares to the extreme South-west a marine border with Oman.

It has a total area of 379,309 Square miles or (982,413.1 Square Kilometres) in terms of area the Nation of the Indus Valley Region as a whole including Occupied Kashmir, is greater in area than Tanzania but smaller than Egypt or is slightly smaller to the two EU Member states of France and Germany combined. Pakistan is in comparison to the U.S. states of Minnesota and Texas put together, Kashmiristan is another Minnesota added to it or slightly larger than twice the size of California, which is similar on terms to its geographical in size of relation to the Greater Pakistan region in the total Disputed territory area claimed by Pakistanis. Pakistan is the eighth largest country in Asia and the thirtieth largest country in the world.

Regions Of Pakistan

Azad Kashmir

Pakistan-administered portion of the Kashmir region

Balochistan

Largest and most remote province, its lack of infrastructure can make for rough traveling. Most foreign visitors here are just passing through from Iran, stopping briefly in Quetta

Federally Administered Tribal Areas

This area is mostly off-limits to foreigners, and is not under the control of Provicial Government instead affairs are federally administered through Governor of NWFP. Home to the legendary Khyber Pass, and the gun making city of Darra Adam Khel.

Gilgit-Baltistan

Home to some of the world's tallest mountains, it's brimming with dramatically fantastic landscapes and can easily compete with Nepal for trekking opportunities

Islamabad
The capital area encompasses Islamabad, the Margalla Hills and the ancient ruins of Taxila

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Home of the rugged Pashtuns, for some it's forbidding and mysterious yet below the surface are some of the most hospitable people in the country

Punjab

The most populous and agriculturally fertile region in the country and home to many historical shrines and mosques

Sindh

Most visitors head for Karachi or the ancient ruins of Moenjodaro.

Cities

Pakistan has many cities and towns with the most significant as below:

Islamabad - The Federal capital, a relatively new planned city with a much more laid-back feel than the rest of the country's cities

Karachi - the Financial capital and the largest city of the country, it's an industrial port city and the provincial capital of Sindh

Lahore - City of the Mughals, bustling and a very historical city that shouldn't be missed.

Faisalabad - A major city in Punjab, famous for its textile industry

Multan - The City of Saints, famous for blue pottery, ornamental glasswork, and Khussa,a type of shoes

Quetta - a large, beautiful and slightly unruly city in the southern state of Balochistan, you'll pass through here en route to or from Iran

Muzaffarabad - Capital of Azad Kashmir and a very picturesque city

Peshawar - Capital city of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it is the gateway to the Khyber Pass and is one of the ancient walled cities of Pakistan. It used to be the capital of Gandhara civilization at one stage and the civilization stretched till Japan

Sialkot - The city of sports goods, famous for its exports industry, one of the oldest cities in the region

Attractions

Karakoram Highway – part of the historic Silk Road, it's the main artery running north to China.

Hunza Valley – one of the more stunning and popular parts of the high mountain areas, some liken it to paradise on Earth. Supposedly the setting for James Hilton's Shangri-La, and the valley lives up to that reputation.

Skardu - Popular for its Shangrila resort.

Murree - a popular Himalayan hill station, one hour drive from Islamabad

Mountain peaks and glaciers – Gilgit-Baltistan is home to some of the highest mountains in the world, including K2, Rakaposhi and Nanga Parbat, and offer incredible trekking opportunities. In an area of about 500 kms in width and 350 kms in depth, is found the most dense collection of some of the highest and precipitous peaks in the world, boasting more than 700 peaks above 6000 metres, and more than 160 peaks above 7000 metres.

Kalasha Valleys – witness the decline of a truly unique culture in Chitral District

Deserts – Pakistan is home to the Thar desert in Sindh and the Cholistan desert in the Punjab, which it shares with neighboring India.

Beaches – Pakistan is home to some of the worlds most beautiful beaches located between Karachi and Gwadar along Makran coastal highway. French Beach, Hawksbay to name a few.

Archaelogical treasures – the country's rich history has left many things to explore; Taxila, Moenjodaro, Thatta and Harappa are some of the more famous

Visas

The Government of Pakistan derives its economy of foreign currency revenues by requiring visas from almost all nationalities. These 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, which should help in getting applications turned around quicker.

Nationals of Iceland and the Maldives may enter visa-free for stays of up to 3 months. Nationals of Nepal and Samoa may enter visa-free for 1 month. Nationals of Tonga and Trinidad and Tobago do not need a visa, and can stay for an unlimited amount of time.

Recently, a list of "Tourist Friendly Countries" (TFC) was announced that are eligible for one month visas on arrival if they travel through a designated/authorised tour operator who will assume responsibility for them while in the country. Any extensions of this type of visa must also be done through the tour operator. They include: Austria, Belgium, Canada, China (PRC), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States.

Nationals of Turkey with valid visa for the Schengen Area, United Kingdom or the United States can obtain a visa on arrival.

Nationals of most other countries and those not wanting to travel with a tour operator and group need to apply in advance for a visa, which is usually issued for 30-90 days depending on nationality and where you apply. Double-entries are sometimes given, but be clear and persistent that you need this when applying.

Indian nationals can apply for 30 day tourist visas but must travel in a group through an authorised tour operator. Visitor visas to meet relatives or friends are more easy to obtain, and come with some restrictions. Religious visas are granted for groups of 10 or more for 15 days.

Nationals of Afghanistan are refused entry if their passports or tickets show evidence of transit or boarding in India.

Holders of Taiwan passports are refused entry except in airport transit.

Business visas are now being issued for up to 5 years, multiple entry, as soon as 24 hours before arrival.

The Pakistan Consulate in Istanbul does not issue visas unless you are a resident of Turkey, although it may be possible in Ankara.

The consulate in Zahedan in Iran no longer issues visas, head for the embassy in Tehran.

The High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi issues visas with varying degrees of difficulty, taking at least 1 day and sometimes several to process the application. Applications are only accepted in the mornings c. 09:00-11:00. Arrive early and expect the process to take a few hours and possibly a few return visits. Window 5 is for foreign tourist and business visas.

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).

Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad are the main gateways to Pakistan by air. However, there are 134 airfields in Pakistan. Six other international airports are in Quetta,Gawadar, Peshawar, Sialkot, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan and Faisalabad.

Jinnah International Airport in Karachi is served by many 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 . It's also the main hub of the national carrier "PIA"and 2 private airlines Air Blue and Shaheen Air.

Allama Iqbal International Airport in 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 Airport,Islamabad International Airport is currently in review to be expanded and modernized to meet the needs of the future passenger numbers as demand for air travel has increased dramatically. There are many airlines operating into Islamabad including many of the above with Ariana Afghan Airlines, Kam Air, Kyrgystan and China Southern Airlines. The only problem is that the airport is also used by Government officials as well as arrivals from foreign diplomats so the airport may shut down as security is increased so flights are delayed. Despite the no-smoking signs, smokers puff way freely in the departure lounge.

Whatever airport you arrive or even depart, airport staff are certain to demand a bribe, especially from foreigners. Beware of anyone who insists on helping you- they won't be so friendly when demanding you pay them. Furthermore, there is NO special airport tax due at check-in, despite what your check-in clerk might tell you.

Pakistan has train links with India and Iran, though none of these trains are the fastest or most practical way to enter Pakistan. Should speed be a priority it is better to take the bus, or if you are really in a hurry, to fly, however the trains are sights in their own right.

From India:The Samjhauta Express runs on Tuesdays and Fridays between Delhi and Lahore via the Attari/Wagah border crossing. This is the most common option chosen by travellers, however, tourists should be aware that after recent terrorist attacks on the train, which caused many a casualty and strained relationships between the two neighbours, it is strongly advised that you take taxis or buses to and from the border instead.

The Thar Express runs from Bhagat ki Kothi in the Indian state of Rajasthan to Karachi in Pakistan's Sindh province. This route restarted in February 2006 after 40 years out of service, but is not currently open to foreign tourists.

From Iran: There is only one link, from Zahedan to Quetta. Pakistan has train links with India and Iran, though none of these trains are the fastest or most practical way to enter Pakistan. Should speed be a priority it is better to take the bus, or if you are really in a hurry, to fly, however the trains are sights in their own right. Nowadays Pakistan Railways is going through recession. The number of trains has been lessened and trains don't usually reach the destinations in time.

From ancient times people have been travelling through Pakistan using the Grand Trunk Road and the Silk Road that run through Pakistan and into the Indian subcontinent. It's a rewarding but time consuming way to see this part of the world. New highways have been developed and the country is due for an expansion in its highway network. A world-class motorway connects the cities of Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, and Faisalabad.

From China:Pakistan is connected to China by the Karakoram Highway, a modern feat of engineering that traverses a remarkably scenic route through the Karakoram and Himalayan mountains. Plans are in place for this highway to be expanded from its current width of 10m to 30m as a result of the increase in trade traffic due to Gwader port opening.

From Afghanistan: The Khyber Pass connects Peshawar to Jalalabad and Kabul and requires an armed escort and a permit to travel through the tribal regions between Peshawar and the border. Onward travel from the border to Kabul is of questionable safety, check the current situation locally.

The Bolan Pass connects Quetta to Kandahar and is considered very dangerous. This route is not currently open to foreign tourists, and is only open to locals and aid workers.

From India By Bus: While there is international service running from Delhi to Lahore it is just as fast, much more flexible, and much cheaper to take the journey by stringing together local transport and crossing the border on foot. You cannot buy the ticket on the spot, rather you will need to show up a few days before at Delhi Gate with photocopies of your Pakistani and Indian visas. The bus leaves at 6 a.m. but you will need to be at Delhi Gate at 4 a.m. to check in for it.

From China by Bus: You can take a bus from Kashgar over the Karakoram Highway to Pakistan.

From Iran By Bus: Via the Mijva border in Iran which is half an hours drive from Zahedan. The Pakistani border town is called Taftan and has facilities of immigration, customs, hotels etc.

Touring

Getting around the country has become much easier in recent years with the completion of some motorways, and an increase in private airlines.

There are three good online maps for Pakistan; OpenStreetMap, Naqsha, and Google Maps. Whilst the cities are well covered, roads in rural areas are not, with many minor roads missing,Google Maps in particular has a worrying habit of marking dried up river beds as minor roads, so if exploring out in the sticks it is a good idea to use Google Earth to double check your route.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) serves numerous domestic destinations and is the only airline to serve the three airports in the north of interest to trekkers or climbers: Chitral, Gilgit, and Skardu. There are usually two flights from Islamabad to these cities daily, but they are often canceled due to bad weather, and often over-booked — show up early to guarantee a seat.

Other domestic carriers include Shaheen Air International and Airblue.

Pakistan Railway provides passenger rail service. The stations tend not to have their timetables in English, but sales agents can usually explain everything to you. There are several different classes of fares depending on amenities. Foreign tourists and students with an ISIC card can get 25% and 50% discounts, respectively, by first visiting the PTDC (Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation) office, getting q verification certificate there, and bringing it with them to the train's commercial ticket office.

A large portion of travel between cities in Pakistan is carried out by bus. Travelling between Karachi and any of the country's other major cities by bus may take days, travel by bus is often the cheapest and most convenient alternative. The Daewoo Sammi company runs a regular bus service between several major cities, with air-conditioned buses and seats booked one day ahead. While rather unexpensive, they are still almost five times as expensive as the cheap and uncomplicated rides offered by minibuses or larger buses between the major bus stations of the cities.

Northern Areas Transport Corporation (NATCO) runs buses between Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan region. Fares are often though not always paid directly on the bus, there is no aircondition, and sometimes very little knee space, but you get where you are going all the same, and I have never met with anything but kind interest and friendly conversation on my many rides. Buses leave almost incessantly from the major bus stations for all the major cities, and many smaller locations, so booking ahead is neither possible nor necessary on the simpler buses. When travelling between major cities, smaller buses are to be preferred over the larger ones, as the larger ones tend to take up passagers along the way, and therefore travel more slowly.

The situation is similar for local transport. While the organization of local transport may look a little different between cities, there is usually an active bus service running through the city, with varying levels of government control.

For local transport within cities, auto rickshaws are a cheap and flexible alternative. A development of the bicycle rickshaw, the auto rickshaw is a small vehicle powered by a two-stroke or four-stroke engine. The original gasoline versions constantly emit a stuttering noise and foul blue-black smoke, but many are opting for the CNG (compressed natural gas) versions, which are less polluting and a little quieter. Blue-and-yellow auto rickshaws take passengers, other colors tend to be privately owned. Always negotiate a price before entering the rickshaw.

Rickshaws are banned in the capital Islamabad.

Highly Persianised form of Urdu is and shall be the National language and is spoken throughout Pakistan as a lingua franca. In addition to Urdu most Pakistanis speak their regional languages or dialects such as Punjabi, Pothohari, Sindhi, Pashto (Pushtun), Balochi, Saraiki, Shina, Burushaski, Khowar, Wakhi, Hindko etc.

Pakistani English is designated as the Official language used in all government and most educational purpose and business entities, and is also understood and spoken at varying levels of competence by many people around Pakistan, especially the upper classes and people who have gone through higher levels of education, and those residing in the larger cities.

Attractions

Karachi. Observe the wonders of Karachi, Pakistan's former capital and its largest city, situated on the shores of the Arabian Sea. The magnificent Quaid-e-Azam's Mazar, the mausoleum of the founder of Pakistan, is made entirely of white marble with impressive north African arches. Other places to visit are the National Museum, Dream world (Amusement & Water park, hotel & golf), Alladin (Amusement & Water Park), Hill Park, Port Grand (Food Street), I.I. Chandrigar Road, PAF Museum, Maritime Museum, Arena and the beach at Clifton & DHA.

Shah Faisal Masjid (Mosque), Islamabad. A majestic white building comprises four 88m (288ft) minarets and a desert tent-like structure, which is the main prayer chamber and can accommodate 1 hundred thousand worshippers. is closed to the public for inside view these days, but you can enjoy its outside view .

Mountains, including K2, Nanga Parbat. Pakistan boasts some of the highest mountains in the world in Kashmir, including the famous Nanga Parbat and the second-highest mountain in the world, K2. The Baltoro Glacier and the Batura Glacier are the largest outside the polar regions.

Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The city was in ancient times surrounded by high walls with 20 entry gates. Much of the surrounding area is still under the jurisdiction of tribal law. These areas can only be visited with a permit from the relevant authorities.

The Khyber Pass, Afridis. Visit the legendary 1,067m- (3,501ft-) high break in the sheer rock wall separating Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Chitral, Hindu Kush Mountains north of Peshawar. Visit this wild and beautiful area of Pakistan. It is inhabited by the Kalash people, the last of the non-Islamic tribes of Kafiristan. This valley is noted for its hot springs and trout-filled rivers.

Swat Valley, East of Chitral. An area of wild mountains and fantastic alpine scenery. In ancient times, it was home to the famous Gandhara school of sculpture, a manifestation of Greek-influenced Buddhist forms. The ruins of great Buddhist stupas, monasteries and statues remain. It also boasts popular mountain retreats such as Miandam and Mingora.

A Cricket or Polo Match. Some of the most popular sports in Pakistan. Polo is particularly popular in the northern towns of Gilgit and Chitral.

Khewra Salt Mines, Lahore - Islamabad Motorway cuts through the centre of the Salt Range, with exit points at Kallar Kahar and Lillah). Located near Kallar Kahar about 160 kilometres from Islamabad and 260 kilometres from Lahore on the Islamabad-Lahore (M2) Motorway, Khewra Salt Mines are the world's second largest salt mine. A tourist train runs inside the mine tunnels and passes through some incredible sculptures & structures made up of salt. There is also a twelve-bed therapy centre inside the mine called the Khewra Asthma Clinic, which have the reputation of having healing powers owing to health benefits of its micro-climate. Shops inside the mine sells crafted lamps, sculptures and ornaments made up of salt.

Activities

Pakistan is a world class destination for trekking and hiking. Horse riding is also very affordable, cycling opportunities abound. You can also shop to your heart's content, in massive range of markets and bazaars without worrying about your budget, as a recent survey by Times Newspaper (UK) found Karachi as the world's cheapest city.

Tour de Pakistan. Participate in Tour de Pakistan. Its a bicycle race held every two years covering more than 1,648 kilometres (1,024 mi) from Karachi to Peshawar. It is the longest cycling race in Asia.

Helicopter Tours, 5-A The Mall, AWT Plaza, Rawalpindi. Enjoy the scenic beauty and mountain valleys of Pakistan through a helicopter. Askari Aviation provides aviation services of helicopter and aircrafts for adventures and safaris. They have several itineraries on their website and each trip starts from Islamabad.

Sightseeing in Pakistan (Hunza Explorers), Islamabad. Hunza Explorers is leading tour company in Pakistan, they organize tours, treks, Safaris and Expeditions throughout the country.

Shopping

The national currency of Pakistan is the rupee (PKR). Coins are issued in 1, 2, and 5 rupee denominations while banknotes come in 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000, and 5000 rupee values.

ATMs exist in most areas and accept major credit cards.

- Buy very cheap garments, bed sheets, shirts, T-shirts, It is to be mentioned that many world renowned brands like Adidas, Levis, Slazenger, HangTen, Wal-Mart etc get their products prepared from Faisalabad which has got one of the largest textile industries of the world. You can find cheap products of these brands at local stores. You can get a pair of Levis jeans or any other good brand for that matter at a very reasonable price ranging between 1400-2500 PKR (16-29 USD).
- Buy leather goods like shoes, jackets and bags.
- Buy sports goods like cricket bats, balls, kits, footballs, sports wear and almost anything related to sports you can imagine. You will not find such high quality equipment at such low cost anywhere else. To mention, Sialkot produces 90 percent of the world’s sports goods and is the largest provider of sports equipment to FIFA for the World cup.
Pakistan produces economical and high quality musical instruments. You can even get an acoustic guitar for as low as 2000 PKR (23 USD).
- Buy surgical instruments
- Buy computer accessories
- Buy Chinese goods especially Electronics & Cameras which are re-exported from Pakistan and is cheaper than other parts of the world.
- Buy Arabian, Afghan, Iranian and Pakistani carpets
- Buy Wood Carvings such as decorative wooden plates, bowls, artwork, furniture, and other miscellaneous items.
- Buy Jewellery such as necklaces, bracelets etc are very inexpensive in Pakistan.
- Buy gems, handicrafts,Ajrak from Sindh, Blue pottery from Multan, Clay pottery from Karachi, glassware, brassware, marble products, crystal works and antiques Also buy pashmina, rugs, wool-shawls or wraps, which can cost anywhere between $15 to as much as $700. Remember to bargain.
- Buy Books
- Buy souvenirs such as decorative items from Sea Shells.
- For food stuffs go to any super store like Dmart, Makro, Metro, Hyperstar. Good Quality and inexpensive local products include Swat honey, Biscuits, local made chocolate.
- Buy home accessories
- Buy Kitchen Utensils and Cutlery
- For art lovers, get in touch with a local to take you around. There are so many art galleries in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad that are worth visiting and each will offer a completely different range of artwork, style and pricing. All the facilities should be visited if you are an art lover.

Meals

Pakistani food mainly consists of various kinds of kebabs eaten with either flatbread or rice. Food tends range from mild to spicy depending on where you are and who your cook is. So state your preference before beginning to eat. In general, most of the food that you find in the high end hotels is also available in the markets but European-style food is generally reserved for the former. Note: your definition of spicy may easily vary from the restaurant you order your food from, so be careful when you make your orders.

Types of flatbread collectively referred to as Naan are:

Naan - A soft and thick flat bread that often requires special clay ovens (tandoor) and cannot be properly made on home stoves.
Roti/Chapatti - A homemade bread, much thinner than naan and usually made out of unrefined flour, and which is ready in minutes.
Paratha - An extremely oily version of the roti. Usually excellent if you're going out to eat, but beware of health concerns; often it is literally dripping with oil because it is meant to be part of a rich meal. Paratha is more declicious if you cook it in pure oil like "desi ghee".
Sheer Mal - This is a slightly sweetened, lightly oiled bread that has waffle-like squares punched in it. It is often considered the most desirable bread and is a delicacy to most people. Often paired with nihari. Another breakfast version of sheermal is very much like the Italian Panettone with added dried fruits and candy.
Taftan - Much like the 'sheer mal' but with a puffed-up ring around it.
As you might have noticed, 'Naan' is usually used to pick up liquid and soft foods like shorba and beans. Forks and knives not commonly used during meals in Pakistan unless someone is eating rice or is dining out. Attempting to cut a naan with a knife may elicit some amusement around you. Watching others may help.

Types of 'kababs' (mainly made of Beef or Lamb):
Seekh Kabab - A long skewer of minced beef mixed with herbs and seasonings.
Shami Kabab - A round patty of seasoned beef and lentils, softer than seekh kababs.
Chapli Kabab - A spicy round kabab that is a specialty of Peshawar.
Chicken Kabab - A popular kabab that is found both with bone and without.
Lamb Kabab - The all lamb meat kabab is usually served as cubes.
Roasted Chicken - A whole chicken roasted. Very famous around Pakistan. You'll see them on the rotisserie while driving on Lahore streets. Also known as 'charga' locally.
Biryani - A dish with mixed pieces of chicken and rice. It smells nice from the saffron and other seasonings added.
Chicken Tikka - Barbequed chicken with a spicy exterior. Looks like a huge, red chicken leg and thigh. For all meat lovers. Is available most anywhere.
Haleem - Thick stew-like mix of tiny chunks of meat or chicken, lentils and wheat grains.
Nihari - Thick gravy made from local spices. Is made with both chicken and beef. Is oily and spicy. Available mostly everywhere.
There are too many shorbas, or sauces/soups, to enumerate. However, you should know of the most common ones.

Vegetarian

Daal - Yellow,made of yellow/red lentils or brown slightly sour lentil soup. Usually unspiced. Common to all economic classes.
X + ki sabzi - A vegetarian mixture with 'X' as the main ingredient.

With Meat
Meat is a major ingredient in most dishes. The variety is endless, but here are a few examples:

Aloo Gosht (Potatoes and Meat) - Chunks of potato and goat meat in gravy. Levels of spice vary. One example of a generic dish that includes most things + Gosht(meat).
Nihari- Beef simmered for several hours. A delicacy often eaten with Nan, Sheer Mal, or Taftan. Few people will have this available without spice. Eat with lemon, fried onion and caution: it is one of the spiciest curries.
Paye - or 'Siri Paye' is a stew of goat/beef/mutton bones,typically hooves, skull and bone marrow. Extremely nutritious and generally eaten for breakfast with naan.

Desserts

Enjoy a variety; ice cream can be found in an abundance of flavors such as the traditional pistachio flavoured Kulfi;
Falooda is tasty rosewater dessert. Traditional ice-cream known as 'kulfi' mixed with vermicelli, pistachio nuts and flavored with rose-water. Most ice-cream shops have their own versions.
Shirini or Mithai: is the generic name for a variety of sweet treats in Pakistan. The sweets are extremely popular in Pakistan and called different things depending on where you go. Eat small chunks at a time, eating large pieces can be rude and will generally be too sweet.
Kulfi is a very traditional made ice-cream mixed with cream and different types of nuts.
If you want to go to some ice-cream parlors, there are some good western ice-cream parlors in Lahore like "Polka Parlor" "Jamin Java" "Hot Spot". For traditional ice creams, the 'Chaman' ice cream parlor across town is quite popular.
A part from local restaurants, international fast food chains have also popped up throughout Pakistan. They include, KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Subway, Nandos, Mr.Cod, Papa Johns, Dominoes etc. You are also prone to finding more European chains than North American.

Drinking
The legal drinking/purchasing age of alcoholic beverages is 21

Tap water can be unsafe for drinking. However, some establishments have water filters/purifiers installed, in which case the water is safe to drink. Packed drinking water normally called mineral water in Pakistan is a better choice.The taste of the water is said to be very good in the north-eastern side of Pakistan, especially in Swat, Kaghan and Gilgit. Ask for bottled water wherever possible, and avoid anything cold that might have water in it.

Tea or Chai as it is referred to in Pakistan, is popular throughout the country.
Both black and green tea (Sabz chai or qahvah) are common and are traditionally drunk with cardamom and lots of sugar. Lemon is optional but recommended with green tea.

Kashmiri chai is a milky tea with almonds and nuts added to give additional flavour. This tea is very popular during weddings and in the cold season.
Coffee is also available in all cities.
In the warmer southern region, sweet drinks are readily available throughout the day. Look for street vendors that have fruits real or decorations hanging from their roofs. Also, some milk/yogurt shops serve lassi. Ask for meethi lassi for a sweet yogurt drink and you can also get a salty lassi which tastes good and is similar to the Arabic Laban if you are having "bhindi" in food or some other rich dish. There is also a sweet drink called Mango Lassi which is very rich and thick, made with yogurt, mango pulp, and pieces of mango.

Being a Muslim country use of alcohol both imported and local is not allowed openly in the country. It is available to non-Muslim foreigners at licensed bars in most top end hotels. The local alcoholic beer is called 'Murree Beer. It is illegal for Muslims to buy, possess or consume alcohol in Pakistan.

Accomodation

Pakistan, as a middle income country with a sizeable middle class and significant domestic tourism industry has a decent range of hotels covering all price ranges. International tourists often are disappointed by the cleanliness of Pakistani hotels - bedding is often clean but bathrooms can be a bit grungy. Currently Pakistan is facing a significant slump in international tourist numbers, in the northern areas in particular you'll find yourself the only guests.

Budget The cheapest hotels are usually found around busy transportation hubs like bus and train stations. Don't be fooled by an impressive lobby - ask to see the room and check the beds, toilets, lights, etc before checking in. Hot water and air conditioning will be luxuries in this class.

Mid range covers a wide spectrum of hotels - often listed in your guide book or online. All mid-range places will have a/c and hot water - although check if they have a working generator - air conditioning isn't of much use without electricity! Always check the room before handing over any money - ask for a no smoking room away from the street - and haggle to get a better rate. PTDC (government run) hotels fall in to the mid range section and warrant a special mention - often these places are the oldest hotel in town, in an excellent location, but the facilities will be showing their age. They are still a good option however, and discounts can be negotiated. Mid range prices are around Rs2,000 - Rs6,000 per night.

Top end covers the Serenas, Pearl Continentals and Marriotts . The Serena hotels are almost always excellent, whilst the Pearl Continental hotels are more patchy (eg the one in Rawalpindi is a bit grungy whilst the one in Muzaffarabad is very nice. At top-end places security is very visible, with small armies of security guards stationed around the perimeter. Prices are from Rs6,000 and up, with the big city luxury hotels charging at least Rs10,000 a night.

Government rest houses are mentioned in numerous guide books and are located in rural and mountainous areas for local civil servants to use on their travels, with many built pre-independence and exuding a quaint English charm. Back in the day the adventurous tourist could book these places for the night for Rs1,000 or so, and have a lovely time. But the tourist slump means that the forestry departments who run these places don't bother any more - phones will go unanswered - tourist information offices won't have any details etc. so count yourself lucky if you manage to arrange to stay in a Government rest house.

Solo female travelers are at a disadvantage when it comes to hotels. All budget and many mid-range places will be the sole reserve of men, in particular in the cities - and hotel owners may be uncomfortable with the idea of an unaccompanied women staying at their hotel. Hence you may be forced to stay at the upper-mid range and top end places - which will eat through your budget that much quicker.

Note that in some places the term "hotel" in Pakistan is reserved for simpler establishments, with "Guest House" referring to medium-sized establishments where the standard is typically higher. Also note that restaurants are also called "hotels", creating a fun potential for confusion.

Employment

Many Pakistani companies are looking for sales representatives and usually all manner of companies will be happy to speak to a well-dressed Westerner about business.

Many tourists are known to buy leather goods and other curios in Pakistan and sell them in Goa, India or somehow get them shipped back to the West.

Otherwise, your best way of working is to contact the numerous aid agencies that work out of Peshawar, Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Pakistan has endured several bomb attacks over the last few years against security forces, so called western institutions (e.g the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad) and has seen the public assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto upon her return from exile. Attacks typically increase when there is military action against the Taliban and the ordinary traveller should not venture into the tribal areas.

It's a fairly hospitable country but social protests tend to turn violent and political demonstrations are always sensitive. Before travelling you should check with your embassy about off-limits areas, the latest political and military developments and keep a close eye on current issues with independent news sources.

Stay away from military convoys as they are a potential target for suicide bombing. Similarly, going near military or intelligence facilities can be dangerous.

Carrying firearms can land you in police custody, except if you get a special permit from a relevant authority.

Use common sense and a healthy dose of courtesy when in conversation with Pakistanis. Kashmir is a particularly sensitive topic and best avoided altogether. Discussion about religion and Islam should remain respectful and positive — some Pakistanis are not tolerant of other religions, and if theirs is spoken about negatively, it could result in violence.

The line of control between Azad Kashmir and the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir is off-limits for foreign tourists, though domestic tourists can visit Azad Kashmir without any restriction,but should keep their identity cards with them.

The Federally Administered Tribal Areas & all regions near the sensitive Afghan border should not be visited at any time by foreign tourists, as the Pakistan government has little to no authority in these areas and cannot aid you in an emergency. If you do have reason to visit, seek expert guidance, including that of your embassy, who can advise you on the special permissions required.

Peace has returned to Swat Valley and the army holds full control with lots of Foreign Nationals working in the form of NGOs. Road infrastructure was destroyed due to the 2010 floods but the army does massive efforts to restore the infrastructure. Balochistan is considered dangerous and not fit for travellers due to increased kidnappings of foreigners.

Prostitution has no legal recognition in Pakistan. Moreover despite growth of male prostitution, homosexuality is outlawed in the nation. Under Section 377 of the Pakistan Penal Code, whoever voluntarily has "carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal" shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than two years nor more than ten years, and shall also be liable to a fine.

Penetration is sufficient to constitute the carnal intercourse necessary to the offence described in this section. Arrests for homosexuality are inevitable - at least until bribes are paid in rural areas and capricious in many metropolitan areas- as evidenced by a vibrant gay nightlife existing in some places.

Finally, be aware of sensitive areas. You may see road signs in English saying 'no foreigners allowed beyond this point' - for example on the road to Kahuta near Islamabad. If you see and need to pass one of these signs at the very least stop at the nearest police station and see if they will let you pass (speaking Urdu is an advantage here), or turn back and find another route. Typically, restricted areas are those with nuclear or military installations nearby. Kahuta, southeast of Islamabad, and the Sakesar hill station near the Amb temples in the Salt Range are two restricted areas the visitor may stumble across. Getting caught in a restricted area will mean a lot of wasted time, embarrassment and the possible involvement of your embassy.

Protests can occur without warning in the country. As a result, there is heavy security present in the larger cities. Avoid the protests at all costs as they can turn into riots which can sometimes end up deadly.

Hygiene

Visitors are strongly advised to refrain from drinking tap water; many Pakistani locals themselves drink boiled or purified water. Take every precaution to drink only boiled, filtered or bottled water. Tap water is known to contain many impurities. Ice is usually made from regular tap-water, and may be even harder to avoid. Fresh milk from the carrier should be boiled and cooled before consumption. Non-pasteurized dairy can spread tuberculosis so be careful of people with hacking coughs. Haleeb Milk and Olpers are trusted brands and are available at most grocery stores.

Take precautions against malaria spread by mosquitoes. Avoid getting bitten and if you plan to stay in a place where malaria is common take prophylactic medication. The risk of getting Malaria decreases with higher altitudes.

Summers are very hot, so be careful to stay hydrated. Temperatures range between 40 and 50°C in June and July, but as soon as the monsoon rains set in during August and September, things cool to around 30°C but with high levels of humidity.

Do not eat food that has been lying out for some time, as high temperatures speed up deterioration. Avoid posh restaurants with only a sporadic clientele.

Some Pakistani dishes can be very spicy! Always notify your host, cook or waiter if you can not stomach very spicy food.

Beware of the dengue fever in the summer, especially during the monsoon (Jul-Sept). It is caused by mosquitoes and can be fatal. The most widespread outbreaks of dengue are expected in the Punjab province.

Pakistanis pride themselves on their tradition of hospitality to guests. When entering a house, you will often be showered with tea, sweets and gifts — it's considered ungrateful to refuse these. Finishing a meal involves a delicate balance,cleaning your plate will invite more to be served, while leaving too much may be a sign you didn't care for it. Aim for leaving just a little, announcing you're full, and heavily praise the food.

Most of the Pakistani women don't usually interact with strangers. So, don't get embarrassed if they avoid communicating with you.

Business tends to move slowly, and will often be preceded by a lot of socializing, tea drinking, and meeting of the family. Rushing to the point may be considered rude, and even sour the deal.

Pakistan is a conservative country and it is advisable for women to wear long skirts or trousers in public,Pakistani women wear the traditional shalwar kameez. But in the big cities, women wearing jeans and khakis is not very uncommon sight, especially in casual settings, shopping malls and around picnic spots. Dress codes for men are more lax, though shorts are uncommon. Men should never shake hands with or touch a woman they don't know very well.

As with most of South Asia, you should use your right hand for eating, shaking hands and giving or receiving everything including money, and reserve your left hand for handling shoes and assisting in toilet duties.

The country code for Pakistan is +92 if you are calling from outside Pakistan. Phone numbers are seven digits long with two digit city code in larger districts, and six digits long with three digit city code in smaller districts, for a total of nine digits as a standard nationwide,except for Azad Kashmir.

All mobile numbers, however, are seven digits long and begin with a four digit city code "03XX", where XX indicates the cellular provider. Thus Pakistani mobile numbers are linked to one particular cellular provider, NOT one particular city as in some other countries. Therefore the city prefix should not be dialled in addition to the cellular prefix. As in many countries, omit the initial zero when dialing a city or cell code from outside Pakistan and prefix the '92' country code after dialling your country's international access code.

Thus Telenor™ cell number 7654321 dialled from the USA/Canada would be 011-92-345-7654321 and Peshawar landline 2345678 dialled from France or the UK would be 00-92-91-2345678. The international access code for outgoing calls from Pakistan is 00.

PTCL offers landline and wireless phone services.

Public Call Offices can be found all over the country. You will find a PCO in nearly 50% of the general stores where there is usually someone who operates the phone and fax. Fees will be charged according to the time spent, and you will pay when you have finished your call.

Major providers of mobile phone service (GSM) are:

- Mobilink
- Telenor
- Ufone
- Warid
- Zong - China Mobile
One very convenient feature is that all Pakistani cellular operators use the GSM platform, so that cellular handsets nationwide are freely interchangeable between providers.

Cybercafes can be found on virtually every street corner and the rates are as low as Rs 15-20 per hour. They usually don't have a very fast operating system, so don't be too impatient! 14 inch monitors, Windows XP are usually installed and most of the cafes have an internet connection with a decent speed (usually 6Mbps to 10Mbps).

3G mobile services have recently been launched in Pakistan by four operators (Mobilink, Ufone, Zong, Telenor). 4G has also been launched on trial basis. Normally a 3G enabled SIM card will give you 1.5MBPS speed and will cost your around 20$ per month for unlimited data plans. If you need higher speeds while on the go, try the PTCL EVO USB modem; it will cost around 30$ per month for unlimited data at 9MBPS but be sure to check the coverage map on PTCL's website before you buy. Its available in almost all cities but the quality of service may vary.

There are Wi-Fi hotspots all over Pakistan, in hotels, malls, cafes and restaurants.

Postal & Courier companies can easily be found across Pakistan. Some popular postal & courier companies include TCS, Leopards , Pakistan Post, DHL, Fedexetc. For money transfer, you can use Money Gram or Western Union, both have partnered with local banks and money exchange companies to ease transfer of money and you can go to any bank branch to avail their services.



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