# Punjab: places and tours

> Punjab holds most of Pakistan's people and a great share of its history: the Mughal monuments of Lahore, the fort at Rohtas, the cities of Taxila and Harappa, and the shrines at the centre of Sikh pilgrimage.

- **Page:** https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/punjab
- **Best time to visit:** October to March; summers are very hot except in the hills
- **Main city:** Lahore
- **Landscape:** Flat farmland, river plains, the Potohar plateau, Salt Range
- **UNESCO sites:** Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens, Rohtas Fort, Taxila
- **How you arrive:** Flights to Lahore, Islamabad and Multan; the M-2 motorway between them

## History you can walk through

Lahore is the reason most people come. The Walled City, the Badshahi Mosque, the Lahore Fort and the Shalimar Gardens are all Mughal work, and the old bazaars between them still sell spices, kites and brass. Beyond Lahore, Punjab's history goes both further back and further out. Harappa was a city of the Indus civilisation more than four thousand years ago, Taxila preserves Buddhist and Greek-influenced ruins, and Rohtas Fort, built by Sher Shah Suri in the 1540s, is one of the largest and least visited forts in South Asia.

## A holy land for Sikhs

Guru Nanak was born at Nankana Sahib, and Punjab holds many of the gurdwaras that Sikh pilgrims travel to Pakistan to visit, including Panja Sahib at Hasan Abdal and Dera Sahib in Lahore. Large pilgrim groups come in April for Vaisakhi and in November around Guru Nanak's birthday.

## Food and pace

Punjab is the best place in the country to eat. Lahore is known for its breakfasts of halwa puri and its evening food streets, and the roadside dhabas along the Grand Trunk Road are worth stopping at. It is also flat and easy to drive, which makes it a good first stop before the mountains.

## When to go

October to March is comfortable. From May to August the plains are very hot. If you travel in summer, plan to be in the hills at Murree or in the north.

## A note on Islamabad

Islamabad is administratively a separate territory, not part of Punjab. We list it here because it sits on the Potohar plateau next to Rawalpindi and is the base for most of the Punjab and north-west itineraries.

## Places in Punjab

- [Lahore](https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/punjab/lahore.md): The Mughal capital, and Pakistan's city of food and festivals
- [Rohtas Fort](https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/punjab/rohtas-fort.md): Sher Shah Suri's immense fort, built in the 1540s
- [Taxila](https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/punjab/taxila.md): Buddhist monasteries and Greek-era streets near Islamabad
- [Harappa](https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/punjab/harappa.md): A city of the Indus civilisation, 4,000 years old
- [Murree](https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/punjab/murree.md): The nearest hill station to Islamabad, pleasant midweek
- [Nankana Sahib](https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/punjab/nankana-sahib.md): The birthplace of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism
- [Hasan Abdal and Panja Sahib](https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/punjab/hasan-abdal-panja-sahib.md): A Sikh shrine built around a handprint on a rock
- [Islamabad and the Margalla Hills](https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/punjab/islamabad.md): A planned capital at the foot of green hills
- [Multan](https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/punjab/multan.md): The city of saints, with blue-tiled shrines
- [Bahawalpur and Cholistan](https://hunzaexplorer.com/destinations/punjab/bahawalpur-cholistan.md): Palaces of the Nawabs and the Derawar Fort in the desert

## Tours in Punjab

- [Lahore City Tour](https://hunzaexplorer.com/tour/lahore-city-tour.md): 5 days, City Tours
- [Murree, Ayubia & Nathiagali Tour](https://hunzaexplorer.com/tour/murree-ayubia-nathiagali-tour.md): 5 days, Sightseeing Tours
- [Sikh Pilgrimage Tour](https://hunzaexplorer.com/tour/sikh-pilgrimage-tour.md): 7 days, Pilgrimage Tours
- [Rohtas Fort Heritage Tour](https://hunzaexplorer.com/tour/rohtas-fort.md): 3 days, Heritage Tours
- [Harappa Heritage Tour](https://hunzaexplorer.com/tour/harappa-heritage-tour.md): 3 days, Heritage Tours
- [Gurdwara Panja Sahib](https://hunzaexplorer.com/tour/gurdwara-panja-sahib.md): 10 days, Pilgrimage Tours
- [Nankana Sahib](https://hunzaexplorer.com/tour/nankana-sahib.md): 4 days, Pilgrimage Tours
- [Gurdwara Dera Sahib](https://hunzaexplorer.com/tour/gurdwara-dera-sahib.md): 3 days, Pilgrimage Tours
- [Islamabad City Tour](https://hunzaexplorer.com/tour/islamabad-city-tour.md): 1 days, City Tours

## Frequently asked questions

### How many days do I need in Lahore?

Two full days cover the Walled City, Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens at a relaxed pace. A third day lets you add the Wagah border ceremony or a day trip to Nankana Sahib.

### Can foreign visitors enter Sikh gurdwaras in Pakistan?

Yes. Pilgrims and visitors are welcome at Nankana Sahib, Panja Sahib and Dera Sahib. Cover your head, remove your shoes and follow the guidance of the staff. We handle bookings for pilgrim groups, including the festival periods.

### Is Punjab worth visiting in summer?

It is hard going on the plains from May to August. We usually suggest Lahore and the heritage sites between October and March, and the hill station of Murree or the northern valleys in summer.