wander blog

Pakistan: a land of enchantment
and traditions

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By Sherazade Palma | 6 minutes read

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Wander Blog - Pakistan: a land of enchantment and traditions

Pakistan: a world heritage site

The name Pakistan derives from the Urdu words “Pak” meaning pure and “Stan” meaning
country. The country had a history of numerous battles to defend its lands.

Once part of India, Pakistan obtained its independence in 1947 when decided to become a
homeland for Indian Muslims. In 1956 adopted a constitution becoming an Islamic republic.
In 1971 Pakistan lost its eastern part which became the country of Bangladesh, while
nowadays the country is still in conflict with India for the land of Kashmir.
Pakistan is situated in the western part of India, sharing its borders with Afghanistan and Iran
on the West, India on the East and the Arabian sea on the south.
Pakistan counts 6 sites declared by UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the other 26 sites are on a
tentative list.

We might think of Pakistan as a dangerous country but in the past few years the situation has
improved. Thanks to recent government subsidies and economic stimulus, the country started open up to foreigners. Nowadays Pakistani people give more importance to tourism, and it became much safer to travel across the country. This year the country was ranked as the Best Holiday destination
and declared the third highest Potential adventure destination in the world (according to Pakistani government stats).
Underrated destination, Wander strongly recommend to visit Pakistan, an unknown wild
place where traditions kept their roots and landscapes are still uncontaminated.
So, don’t be afraid to travel all the way to this beautiful country because thanks to Wander
app you will be not alone in this adventure. Make great memories in the traditions of Pakistan
with your new Wander friend.

What to do and visit in Pakistan?

You and your Wander mate will be surprised knowing how many amazing and beautiful places
Pakistan has to show to its travelers.
First of all, 3 big cities situated in a different part of the country. They are very populated and
still keep their traditions and customs alive.

Among these are:

■ Islamabad, the current capital;

■ Karachi, the old capital;

■ Lahore, at the North.

Wander Blog - Pakistan: a land of enchantment and traditions

Islamabad was built in the '60s to replace the old Capital of Karachi. Islamabad has high
living standards, and it is considered a safe and really green city. If you take a trip to Islamabad with a Wander buddy, we recommend you to have a trip to Daman-e-Koh, a huge green mountain which will give you the possibility to enjoy a magical view.

Karachi was once the capital of Pakistan. Nowadays it is still the country's largest city in the country,
the most cosmopolitan, and it plays a primary role in the financial and economic network.

Lahore is one of Pakistan’s wealthiest cities, most social liberal and progressive. Lahore is also
the final point of the country, separating the border of Pakistan from India for a distance of
only 24 km.

Wander Blog - Pakistan: a land of enchantment and traditions

Get wild in Pakistan

Pakistan has also stunning natural landscapes.
The North of the country is famous for having green mountains, deserts, huge valleys and medieval forts.

Pakistan counts 29 National Parks and we strongly recommend to visit:

■ Deosai National park;

■ Hingol National Park;

The country has also beautiful and vast valleys amongst which Wander suggests you to
explore 3 of them:

■ Kaghan Valley;

■ Hunza Valley;

■ Neelum Valley;

Like beautiful paintings, with their mix of colours and shades, these valleys guarantee an amazing location to take the best pictures during your tour to Pakistan.

For the snow and ice lovers, Pakistan does not disappoint them either.

Karakoram Mountains with Baltoro Glacier is, in fact, a mountain range that separates Pakistan’s borders from China and India.

The tradition of Jaggery Tea

Not long time ago a friend of ours showed up at Wander’s office and told us about his homeland: Pakistan.
While he started preparing tea, we could already smell a different flavour. It wasn't the usual herbal tea that we simply make at home or drink in a coffee shop.
The taste brought us back to his memories. Ahram explained how important is this tradition for him and his family, and word by word we moved our imagination from our office to the lands of Pakistan.
We were so impressed that decided to dedicate an entire article to this country whose beauties are still hidden from the eyes of many travellers.
If you are visiting Pakistan with your Wander buddy you cannot lose the opportunity to sip a traditional Jaggery tea while sitting in a classic Pakistani house or in one of the many
Pakistani Bazaar.
Sipping this tasty tea is the best experience you can have in the country, especially after a long day spent between walking and exploring.
Also considered a wonderful help to promote weight loss, jaggery tea does, in fact, help the body’s metabolism. Above all, this hot drink works very well for digestion. If during your trip some food was heavy or stodgy do not worry! You will discover how jaggery tea will solve your problem.

Pakistani cuisine and its most recommended 11 dishes.

Pakistani cuisine has its origins in Pakistan’s ethnic and cultural diversity. It takes influence from Indian cuisine and Central Asia.

The eastern provinces have spicy and seasoned food while the northernmost provinces got milder foods.

Amongst the most used spices turmeric, black pepper, sesame, cardamom and mustard are the
most used. Since the arrival of Muslims, pork is out of the diet and the cuisine is concentrated on halal chicken, beef, fish, vegetables and additional fruits and sweets. The most popular dishes are:

■ Chicken Mutton Karahi;

■ Chicken Tikka;

■ Chapli Kabab;

■ Kabuli Palaw;

■ Channa Chaat;

■ Aloo Keema;

■ Samosas;

■ Sajji;

■ Haleem;

■ Nihari;

■ Kheer (the most famous traditional dessert in the country).

Pakistan is so a country whose traditions were not affected by modern times or technology. The Urdu language, the cuisine, the customs and the religion still keep their essence and give to this country an untouched aspect. Would you like to be lost in one of the Pakistani cities or get mesmerized by its natural landscape?
Wander is here to help you. Find your Wander friend and jump on your flight to Pakistan!