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Voykit pocket guide · Pakistan
Khewra Salt Mine
Half a day is enough: the mine tour takes 2–3 hours. Go as a day trip from Islamabad (2–3 h drive) or en route to Lahore.
Khewra is the world's second-largest salt mine and a major tourist attraction in Northern Punjab. A guided tour takes you 750 m inside on a small train, past salt-crystal chambers, a mosque built of coloured salt bricks, and a café. The site is compact: most visitors spend 2–3 hours inside and leave the same day.
- Country
- Pakistan
- Best months
- Oct–Mar (cooler weather)
- Avoid
- May–Aug (extreme heat)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PKR
- Money
- Pakistani rupee (PKR, Rs) in cash for almost everything outside big-city hotels and malls; carry US dollars as backup.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rs 1,500–3,000 (entry + transport from Islamabad) · Mid Rs 4,000–8,000 (entry + taxi + meal) · High Rs 8,000+ (private car + resort stay) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jazz, Zong, Telenor and Ufone sell SIMs with passport and biometric registration at franchise shops (not usually at the airport).
- Emergency
- Police 15 · Rescue 1122 · Edhi Ambulance 115
- Plugs
- Types C, D · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two- and three-pin sockets; power cuts (load-shedding) are common, especially in the north.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 5–10%.; Driver / guide: Rs 1,000–3,000 a day.; Hotel staff: Rs 200–500.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; bottled water everywhere.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels; squat toilets with a water jug or hose elsewhere.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Entry fee (foreigner) | US$6 (approx Rs 2,000) |
| Entry fee (Pakistani) | Rs 150 |
| Student entry (50% discount) | US$3 / Rs 75 |
| Train ride inside mine | Rs 20 per person / Rs 250 per group |
| Resort side room per night | Rs 300 |
| Resort VIP suite per night | Rs 500 |
| AC surcharge | Rs 100 per night |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ISB · Islamabad International Airport
- 2–3 h drive from the mine; hire a car or taxi.
Typical fares
- Taxi Islamabad → Khewra (one way)
- approx Rs 4,000–6,000, 2–3 h (check)
- Train ride inside mine
- Rs 20 per person
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Inside the mine you ride a small train (Rs 20 per person, Rs 250 per group of up to 12). Outside, you need a hired car or taxi.
See and do
Known for
- World's second-largest salt mine
- Salt-crystal mosque and carvings
- Underground train ride
- Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Islamabad | Hired car or taxi, 2–3 h | 2–3 h |
| Taxila | Hired car, about 1.5 h from Khewra | 1.5 h |
| Lahore | Hired car, about 3.5 h | 3.5 h |
Sleep
- Khewra Salt Mine Tourist Resort
- Basic guesthouse at the mine site; VIP suite Rs 500/night, side room Rs 300/night, AC extra Rs 100.
- Islamabad
- Most visitors stay here and day-trip; 2–3 h drive.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام علیکمas-salamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شکریہshukriya |
| How much? | کتنا ہے؟kitna hai? |
| Where is the entrance? | داخلہ کہاں ہے؟dakhila kahan hai? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Assalam o alaikum', right hand on heart; handshakes between men; avoid: Offering a hand to a woman first
- Hospitality: Accept tea; let hosts pay the first time; avoid: Refusing all offers
- Dress: Shalwar kameez is comfortable and appreciated; avoid: Shorts and sleeveless tops
- Shrines: Cover heads, shoes off, sit quietly at qawwali; avoid: Filming without permission
- Conversation: Cricket, food and family are safe topics; avoid: Religion, India and the army with strangers
Scams and watch-outs
- The mine is open daily 9AM–6PM; last entry likely earlier – check.
- Entry fee: US$6 for foreigners, Rs 150 for Pakistanis; 50% discount for students.
- Wear comfortable shoes; the mine floor can be damp.
- No official website – call +92 544 231137 to confirm hours.
The mine is safe for tourists; the main risk is heat outside in summer. Inside it stays cool. Keep valuables secure in the car park.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Khewra Salt Mine yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- World's second-largest salt mine
- Salt-crystal mosque and carvings
- Underground train ride
- Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Khewra Salt Mine, revision 5250596 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5250596
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/khewra-salt-mine). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.