Pakistan doesn’t provide visas on arrival for tourists. However, it is fairly easy to attain a tourist visa online from the official government website. Citizens from over 192 countries around the world can apply for this e-Visa. The time required to process, review, and authorize the visa might vary depending on your nationality and other factors. Similarly, the cost for a one-time entry visa valid for three months might take anywhere between USD 8.00 and USD 60.00 depending o your nationality. This fee is payable through debit and credit cards.
Here are the documents you are required for the online application to attain a Pakistan tourist visa: –
- Valid passport for the duration you will be saying in Pakistan.
- Passport-sized photos
- Hotel booking details
- Copy of the previous visa (if applicable)
- Travel itinerary
- Other identification documents
Culture and festivals
Pakistan has diverse culture and language. One can experience a change in lifestyle with different especially traveling through different provinces. Islam is the official religion of Pakistan with about 97% of the Pakistani Population being Muslim. You can still find pockets of Hindu, Christian, and Ahmadiyya settlements in different parts of the country. Salwar Kameez is the national dress of Pakistan with its different variations for both men and women. However, it is not surprising to see modern clothing and lifestyle in urban regions. Adding to that Pakistan has some of the oldest and most recognized forms of literature and Philosophy still admired thill this day.
Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha, and Ramazan are the biggest festivals in Pakistan. Apart from this, there are dozen more important national events and ceremonies representing significant historic and religious markings. Most of the religious festivals follow the moon date or ‘Chand ki Tarikh’ which is the Pakistani Lunar Calendar. Similarly, there are hundreds of local festivals celebrated in different regions and communities around Pakistan.
Climate
Pakistan lies in the temperate zone meaning its climate is generally arid. Hot summers with rain and cold winter period are the characteristics of an arid climate. However, there are wide variations of extremes depending on the locations in this country. There are four main seasons here. A cool and dry winter lasting till February from December. March through may represent dry and hot spring season. It is followed by the summer rainy season from June to September also known as the southwest monsoon period. Finally, the retreating monsoon period lasts in October and November.
Geography
Pakistan has a profound blend of geography ranging from deserts to high snow-capped mountains. It can be divided into three major regions. The northern part of the country is dominated by the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and Himalayas mountain ranges. Similarly, the eastern edge is Balochistan making up almost half of the country’s area. It is composed of dry deserts and rocky mountain ranges. In between these lies the Indus plain making the provinces of Punjab and Sindh. It is the fertile region of Pakistan and is home to most of the country’s population. The Highest peak of Pakistan is Mount K2 standing at 8,611 m (28,251 ft) elevation. The Indus and Sutlej are two of the longest and biggest rivers in the country. Lake Manchar is the largest freshwater lake in Pakistan.