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Voykit pocket guide · Pakistan
Pakpattan
Pakpattan is a pilgrimage town, not a general tourist stop: go for the shrine of Baba Farid during the urs (September) or as a day trip from Lahore; one night is enough.
Pakpattan, 184 km southwest of Lahore, is the seat of Pakistan's Chisti Sufi order. Its main draw is the shrine of Baba Farid, which draws 2 million visitors during the annual urs. Outside the festival, the town is quiet and most travellers pass through in half a day.
- Country
- Pakistan
- Best months
- Oct–Mar (cooler weather); September for the urs
- Avoid
- May–Aug (extreme heat, 40°C (104°F)+)May–Aug (extreme heat, 104°F (40°C)+)
- Stay
- 1 night
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 2,000–4,000 excl. bed · Mid Rs 4,000–8,000 excl. bed · High Rs 8,000+ excl. bed (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 |
|---|---|
| Chai at a dhaba | Rs 30–50 |
| Simple meal (daal, roti) | Rs 200–400 |
| Tosha sweet (per kg) | Rs 400–600 |
| Rickshaw ride (short) | Rs 50–100 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LHE · Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore
- About 3 h by road to Pakpattan
Typical fares
- Lahore → Pakpattan by bus
- about Rs 500, 3 h (check)
- Rickshaw from bus stand to shrine
- Rs 50–100
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
The town is walkable; rickshaws cover short distances for Rs 50–100. For the shrine, most visitors walk from the main bazaar.
See and do
Known for
- Shrine of Baba Farid (Baba Farid Ganjshakar)
- Annual urs festival (September)
- Tosha sweet
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lahore | Bus or car via M2 motorway, about 3 h | 3–3.5 h |
| Multan | Bus or car via N5, about 3.5 h | 3.5–4 h |
Sleep
- Near the shrine
- Basic guesthouses and hotels; closest to the main sight.
- Main bazaar area
- More options for food and transport; 10–15 min walk to the shrine.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام علیکمassalamu alaikum |
| Thank you | شکریہshukriya |
| How much? | کتنا ہے؟kitna hai |
| Where is the shrine? | مزار کہاں ہے؟mazar 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 urs in September draws huge crowds: book accommodation weeks ahead.
- Summer heat is intense; carry water and a hat.
- Non-Muslims may be restricted from entering the inner shrine during certain times: check locally.
Pakpattan is generally safe for pilgrims, but non-Muslims should be discreet and avoid the shrine during peak festival times. Petty theft can occur in crowds.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Pakpattan yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Shrine of Baba Farid (Baba Farid Ganjshakar)
- Annual urs festival (September)
- Tosha sweet
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: Pakpattan, revision 5229006 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5229006
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/pakpattan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.