In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Pakistan
Ziarat
Go for a 2-night escape from Quetta: juniper forest walks, the Quaid-e-Azam Residency and cool summer air. One day is enough for the main sights.
Ziarat is a hill station 133 km from Quetta, set in one of the world's oldest juniper forests. Its main draw is the Quaid-e-Azam Residency, where Pakistan's founder spent his final months. The town is a summer retreat with cool temperatures, simple accommodation and short walks. Most visitors come for one or two nights.
- Country
- Pakistan
- Best months
- Apr–Oct
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (heavy snow, roads may close)
- Stay
- 2 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 3,000–5,000 excl. bed · Mid Rs 5,000–8,000 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 |
|---|---|
| Tea at a local dhaba | Rs 30–50 |
| Simple meal (daal, roti, sabzi) | Rs 200–400 |
| Bottled water (1.5 L) | Rs 50–80 |
| Taxi from Quetta to Ziarat (one way) | Rs 3,000–5,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- UET · Quetta International Airport
- About 2–3 hours by road from Ziarat; taxis and private cars available.
Typical fares
- Taxi Quetta → Ziarat
- Rs 3,000–5,000, about 2–3 h (check)
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 small enough to walk. For the shrine (10 km (6.2 mi)) and forest trails, hire a taxi or arrange a driver through your hotel.The town is small enough to walk. For the shrine (6.2 mi (10 km)) and forest trails, hire a taxi or arrange a driver through your hotel.
See and do
Known for
- Quaid-e-Azam Residency
- Juniper forest (some trees up to 5,000 years old)
- Prospect Point viewpoint
- Shrine of Kharwari Baba
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Quetta | Car or taxi, about 2–3 hours | About 2.5–3.5 h |
Sleep
- Town centre
- PTDC Motel Complex and a few budget hotels; all within walking distance of the main bazaar.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | سلامsalaam |
| Thank you | شکریہshukriya |
| How much? | څومره؟tsomra? |
| Where is the hotel? | هوټل چېرته دی؟hotel cherta day? |
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
- Winter snow can block the road from Quetta; check conditions before setting out.
- No ATMs in Ziarat; bring enough cash from Quetta.
- Mobile data coverage is patchy; download maps offline.
Ziarat is considered safe for tourists within the town and main sights. The road from Quetta passes through areas where security can change; travel by day and check local advice. Theft is rare but keep valuables out of sight.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ziarat yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Quaid-e-Azam Residency
- Juniper forest (some trees up to 5,000 years old)
- Prospect Point viewpoint
- Shrine of Kharwari Baba
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: Ziarat, revision 4576800 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4576800
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/ziarat). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.