Few places reward curious travelers like Pakistan. Karachi powers the country’s economy from the Arabian Sea, a mosaic of neighborhoods where colonial-era facades meet bold street art and a legendary food scene. Lahore, the nation’s cultural capital, is where Mughal emperors built gardens and palaces and poets gave the city its voice.

Fun fact for aviation buffs: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was founded in 1955 from a merger with Orient Airways, later earning a reputation in the 1960s as a world-class carrier and becoming the first non-communist airline to fly to China. You’ll feel that aviation heritage in Karachi, the historic base of PIA, and at the Pakistan Air Force Museum with its classic aircraft.

Practical notes: Many travelers can apply for an e-visa; dress modestly for mosques (headscarf recommended for women), and avoid photographing sensitive sites. Expect cash and cards in cities; ride-hailing apps are common. Fridays and prayer times can affect opening hours—plan mosque visits around the schedule.

Karachi

Karachi is a sprawling port city defined by sea breezes, open skies, and a talent for feeding the masses well. From Empress Market stalls to modern cafés, you’ll snack your way through history. Save time for Clifton Beach sunsets and the buoyant energy of Boat Basin and Do Darya.

Top highlights include Mazar-e-Quaid (Jinnah’s mausoleum), Frere Hall’s gardens, the Pakistan Air Force Museum, and the resplendent State Bank Museum. Food lovers shouldn’t miss Burns Road—arguably Pakistan’s most storied food street.

Where to stay: Browse stays on VRBO Karachi or compare hotels on Hotels.com Karachi. For first-timers, Clifton and DHA offer easy seaside access and dining; Saddar puts you near colonial-era landmarks.

How to get here: Fly into Karachi (KHI). Search flights on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. Airport to Clifton/DHA is ~30–60 minutes by car depending on traffic.

Day 1: Arrival, Seaside First Bites, and a Karachi Sunset

Morning: In the air. If you arrive early, pause at your hotel and hydrate.

Afternoon: Check in and stretch your legs at Frere Hall’s gardens—colonial Gothic architecture ringed by banyans and bookstalls. Swing by the State Bank Museum (currency, art, and design in a beautifully preserved building) if time allows.

Evening: Head to Do Darya for dinner over the water; book a table facing the waves at Kolachi or Kababjees and try grilled pomfret, malai boti, and karahi. Nightcap with cardamom chai and pistachio kulfi at Boat Basin, where Karachi’s love affair with late-night snacks never sleeps.

Day 2: Karachi’s Icons—From Mazar-e-Quaid to Clifton

Morning: Pay respects at Mazar-e-Quaid, the marble mausoleum of Pakistan’s founder—serene, geometric, and photogenic. Coffee at Espresso (Shahbaz) or Coffee Wagera (Seaview) to fuel up with a cappuccino and an almond croissant.

Afternoon: Explore Saddar: Empress Market’s high-vaulted hall and the neo-Gothic grandeur of nearby St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Then the Pakistan Air Force Museum—vintage aircraft, a DC-3 you can peek into, and engaging galleries that aviation fans adore.

Evening: Stroll Clifton Beach at golden hour. Dinner at BBQ Tonight (try seekh kebab and boneless handi), or Xander’s for gourmet flatbreads and burrata. Sweet ending: rabri or jalebi from Fresco Sweets.

Day 3: Street Food, Markets, and Old Karachi Stories

Morning: Brunch at N’eco’s (healthy bowls and parathas) or Jade Garden’s dim sum if you’re craving variety. Browse curated crafts at Sunday Bazar (if timing aligns) or the boutiques along Zamzama.

Afternoon: Dig into Karachi’s layers in Saddar’s lanes—bookshops, antique stores, and chai dhabas. If you’re a museum fan, add the Pakistan Maritime Museum’s submarine and naval exhibits.

Evening: Join a guided food crawl for the best of Burns Road—nihari, bun kebab, and lassi with local context and safe pacing: Old Karachi Street food Tour with Private Transfers.

Prefer a daytime overview? Consider a private city circuit: Full Day Private City Tour of Karachi.

Day 4: Day Trip—Thatta’s UNESCO Heritage

Morning: Depart early for Thatta (roughly 1.5–2 hours). Stop at Chaukhandi tombs, famed for intricately carved sandstone graves that recount centuries of Sindh’s artistry.

Afternoon: Explore Makli Necropolis, one of the world’s largest funerary sites, then marvel at the acoustics and blue tilework of Shah Jahan Mosque—built by the Mughal emperor known for the Taj Mahal. Go with a driver/guide who knows the best sequences and photo spots: Full Day Karachi to Thatta Unesco Sites Tour.

Evening: Return to Karachi for a relaxed seafood dinner—grilled prawns and karahi at Kolachi, or a casual fish fry at Ghaffar Kabab House in DHA.

Lahore

Lahore is poetry in brick and tile. Within the Walled City, the restored Shahi Hammam and the frescoed Wazir Khan Mosque glow at sunrise; by evening, dhabas simmer with haleem and kebabs, and rooftop restaurants gaze at the floodlit Badshahi Mosque and Lahore Fort.

Must-sees include the UNESCO-listed Fort and Shalimar Gardens, Lahore Museum (of Rudyard Kipling fame), and the rousing Wagah Border ceremony. Food pilgrims flock to Lakshmi Chowk, Gawalmandi, and Fort Road Food Street.

Where to stay: See options on VRBO Lahore and Hotels.com Lahore. Gulberg and Mall Road are central with café culture; the Old City charms if you like atmospheric lanes and quick access to landmarks.

Getting from Karachi to Lahore: Fly KHI–LHE (~1 hr 45 min; ~$60–120 one-way). Compare on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. Trains exist but take ~18–20 hours; browse schedules on Trip.com Trains.

Day 5: Fly to Lahore, First Look at the Fort and Food Street

Morning: Morning flight to Lahore; airport to Gulberg/Mall Road is ~30–45 minutes. Drop bags and refresh at your stay.

Afternoon: Head straight to Lahore Fort—look for Sheesh Mahal (the mirror palace) and the Naulakha Pavilion’s scalloped arches. Cross the square to Badshahi Mosque, a red-sandstone masterpiece where marble domes meet endless courtyards.

Evening: Dinner with a view on Fort Road Food Street: Andaaz (refined Punjabi plates and tandoori prawns), Haveli (mutton karahi, kebabs), or Cooco’s Den (arts-and-antiques vibe). End with kulfi falooda at Baba Ji Kulfi Wala.

Day 6: Lahore’s Walled City, Museums, and Mughal Gardens

Morning: Join a guided exploration to get the stories behind the frescoes and havelis: Lahore Heritage and Sightseeing Guided Tour.

Expect Wazir Khan Mosque’s tilework, Delhi Gate, Shahi Hammam, and street-side tastings.

Afternoon: Visit Lahore Museum (Buddhist Gandhara sculptures, miniature paintings) and then Shalimar Gardens, where terraced pools and chenar trees recall Mughal leisure. Coffee fix at Mocca (Gulberg) or Second Cup on MM Alam—both reliable for espresso and pastries.

Evening: Lakshmi Chowk for Lahore’s soul food: Butt Karahi (spicy chicken karahi in iron woks), Waris Nihari (slow-cooked nirvana with garnish plates of ginger and chilies), and tandoori roti hot from the clay oven. For dessert, jalebi hot from the kadhai or kheer with crushed pistachios.

Day 7: Morning Markets and Departure

Morning: Browse Liberty Market for pashmina-style scarves, khussa shoes, and embroidered kurtas. Breakfast at English Tea House (parathas, omelets, and tea service) or Rina’s Kitchenette (shakshuka and sourdough). If timing allows, catch the Wagah Border ceremony’s preparations or a quick walk in Bagh-e-Jinnah.

Afternoon: Early lunch—try “paye” with naan at Phajja in the Old City or a lighter chicken tikka with mint raita. Transfer to the airport; if you prefer a pre-arranged ride, book Chauffeur: Lahore International Airport Transfer. Fly onward via Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com.

Evening: If your flight is later, squeeze in a final tea stop at Chaaye Khana (MM Alam) or Common Man Coffee Roasters (for a perfectly pulled flat white) before you go.

Dining cheat sheet (local favorites):

• Karachi breakfasts: N’eco’s (organic bowls, desi omelets), Espresso (Shahbaz), Coffee Wagera (Seaview).
• Karachi lunches/dinners: Kolachi and Kababjees (Do Darya), BBQ Tonight (grill classics), Student Biryani (iconic rice and raita), Xander’s (continental).
• Lahore breakfasts: English Tea House (eggs and parathas), Rina’s Kitchenette (shakshuka), Café Aylanto (continental).
• Lahore lunches/dinners: Andaaz, Haveli, Cooco’s Den (views + Punjabi standards), Butt Karahi, Waris Nihari, Phajja Siri Paye; dessert at Baba Ji Kulfi Wala.

Getting around and safety: Use ride-hailing cars for convenience; carry small bills for tips. Dress modestly for religious sites, remove shoes in mosques, and time your visits around Friday prayers. Heat can be intense in summer—start early and hydrate.

With a week in Karachi and Lahore, you’ll taste the sea air, hear Sufi echoes in old courtyards, and stand beneath domes that have witnessed empires rise and fall. It’s a journey stitched together by hospitality and history—from PIA’s mid-century ambitions to the living heritage of Pakistan’s streets and sanctuaries.