Things to Do in Islamabad

October 31, 2026

Travel advisory, 31 October 2026. The US State Department lists Pakistan at Level 3, Reconsider Travel (page dated 16 June 2026), and advises against or to reconsider travel to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The UK FCDO page, updated 27 October 2026, does not name Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree or Taxila, but it advises against all or all but essential travel to other parts of the country, including parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Islamabad has seen serious attacks, among them a district-court bombing in November 2025 and a mosque bombing at Tarlai on the city edge on 6 February 2026. Read travel.state.gov and the UK travel advice before you book. Expect checkpoints, protest road closures and mobile-network shutdowns, stay away from crowds and demonstrations, and carry your original passport.

Islamabad at a glance

Islamabad is a planned capital, laid out from the 1960s on a Doxiadis plan on the Pothohar Plateau at the foot of the Margalla Hills. Its sectors are lettered E, F, G, H and I, and each sub-sector has a Markaz, a small central market. It forms a twin city with Rawalpindi. The Red Zone and the Diplomatic Enclave have heavy security, and photographing government buildings, checkpoints and embassies is illegal.

Hiking the Margalla trails

Margalla Hills National Park has marked trails that start along Margalla Road. Trail 3 begins opposite Sector F-6 and is steep, about 1.5 hours up. Trail 5 begins near F-5 and is easier. The district administration closes trails for rain from time to time, so check the CDA adventure page or wildlife board notices on the day.

Leopards live in the park, along with macaques and wild boar. Hike in daylight and in a group, stay off the trails at dawn and dusk, and be down before sunset. The park trails have no waterfalls.

Daman-e-Koh viewpoint

Daman-e-Koh is a free viewpoint above the city with views of Islamabad and Faisal Mosque. Macaques snatch food, so keep snacks zipped in a bag. Guides quote hours of 09:00 to 23:00, so check on the day.

Lake View Park and the Bird Aviary

Lake View Park sits on Rawal Lake. The Bird Aviary charges about PKR 100 for adults and PKR 50 for children, and park entry is reported at about PKR 20 to 50. District orders have banned motorised boating on the lake more than once, so do not plan around motorboat rides. Pedal and rowing boats run when the park allows them.

Museums at Shakarparian

The Lok Virsa Heritage Museum and the Pakistan Monument Museum both close on Mondays. Foreign adults pay about PKR 2,000 at each, local adults PKR 200 and students PKR 100, and children under 7 go free. The Pakistan Monument Museum opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 20:00. Prices are on Lok Virsa .

Cafes and street food

Kohsar Market in F-6/3 and Jinnah Super Market in the F-7 Markaz are the usual places for cafes and street food. Walk around and pick a busy counter.

Closed places

The Monal restaurant at Pir Sohawa closed in September 2024, and a Monal branch now operates in a city mall. Marghazar Zoo closed in December 2020. Its site is now a wildlife rescue centre run by an NGO and is not open to visitors, and a safari park at Malpur is only a plan.

Getting around

The Metrobus Orange Line runs between Peshawar Morr and the airport at PKR 100 per trip, and the Green, Blue and feeder routes also cost PKR 100. Careem, Yango and inDrive are the ride-hailing apps. The airport is 25 to 30 km southwest of the centre at Fateh Jang.

Most visitors need a paid e-Visa from visa.nadra.gov.pk , because the free Visa Prior to Arrival scheme has been suspended since January 2026. Fees depend on nationality and processing is quoted at 7 to 20 working days, so use the fee calculator on the portal.

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