Undiscovered Southern Pakistan (Self-Launched)
11 days · Pakistan
Gypsy Traces and Tours charges £2,200
No-markup version: ~£660 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of Gypsy Traces and Tours' 11-day Karachi-to-Lahore journey through Sindh and southern Punjab: Sufi shrines, Indus Valley ruins at Mohenjo-daro, desert forts, and Mughal Lahore. Travel by local bus, shared van and train, stay in budget guesthouses and mid-range hotels, and book a driver/guide only for the trickier rural stretches. Costs are rough backpacker/mid-budget estimates and exclude international flights; a licensed guide is strongly recommended for Sindh's interior sites.
Day-by-day
Arrive Karachi
Karachi
Land at Jinnah International Airport, take a Careem/InDrive ride into Saddar or Clifton (roughly £3-5). Settle into a budget guesthouse, get a local SIM (Jazz or Zong, ~£5-8 with data), change money, and take an evening wander along the seafront. Note: many travellers arrange a Letter of Invitation or a licensed tour operator for the visa — budget for this separately.
🚌Airport taxi/Careem ~£4
🛏Budget guesthouse in Saddar/Clifton, e.g. a simple room near Embassy Inn area (~£20-28)
- →Airport transfer
- →SIM card and cash run
- →Clifton Beach sunset stroll
Karachi city highlights
Karachi
Self-guided day using Careem rides between sights: Mazar-e-Quaid (Jinnah's mausoleum), Frere Hall, the wonderfully chaotic Empress Market, Mohatta Palace and the National Museum of Pakistan. Finish at Clifton Beach for sea breeze and street snacks. Entry fees are tiny (often under £1 each).
🚌Careem/InDrive hops across town ~£6-8 total
🛏Budget guesthouse in Saddar/Clifton (~£20-28)
- →Mazar-e-Quaid
- →Frere Hall
- →Empress Market
- →Mohatta Palace
- →National Museum of Pakistan
- →Clifton Beach
Karachi to Hyderabad — Chaukandi, Bhambore and Makli
Hyderabad
Hire a car with driver for the day (or take the bus to Hyderabad and negotiate a local taxi) to cover Chaukandi Tombs, the Banbhore museum and heritage site, Makli Hill necropolis (one of the world's largest) and the Shah Jahan Mosque in Thatta. Overnight in Hyderabad.
🚌Private car with driver for the day ~£45-60 split between travellers; or bus Karachi-Hyderabad ~£3 plus local taxi
🛏Mid-range hotel in Hyderabad, e.g. Indus Hotel or similar (~£25-35)
- →Chaukandi Tombs
- →Banbhore Museum and Heritage Site
- →Makli Hill
- →Shah Jahan Mosque, Thatta
Hyderabad to Sehwan — Bhit Shah and Ranikot
Sehwan
Drive north via Bhit Shah to see the shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, detour to the vast walls of Ranikot Fort if time and daylight allow, then continue to Sehwan. In the evening attend the Sufi dhammal at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar — a genuinely powerful experience (dress modestly, ask before photographing).
🚌Hired car/van Hyderabad-Sehwan ~£50-65 split; or shared van to Sehwan and local taxi for Ranikot
🛏Simple hotel in Sehwan (~£18-25)
- →Shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Bhit Shah
- →Ranikot Fort
- →Sufi dhammal at Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine
Sehwan to Sukkur via Mohenjo-daro
Sukkur
Head north to the UNESCO-listed ruins of Mohenjo-daro, a 4,500-year-old Indus Valley city, plus its site museum. Continue to Sukkur for the night. Local site guides at Mohenjo-daro cost a few pounds and add a lot.
🚌Hired car Sehwan-Mohenjo-daro-Sukkur ~£45-60 split; or bus to Larkana then local taxi
🛏Mid-range hotel in Sukkur (~£25-35)
- →Mohenjo-daro ruins
- →Mohenjo-daro Museum
- →Sadhu Bela island temple if time allows
Sukkur to Bahawalpur — Uch Sharif and Derawar Fort
Bahawalpur
A long drive into Punjab with stops at the Seven Sisters shrine and the ornate shrines of Uch Sharif, then out into the Cholistan Desert to the immense Derawar Fort (a 4x4 or high-clearance vehicle is needed for the last stretch). Overnight in Bahawalpur.
🚌Full-day hired car/4x4 ~£55-75 split; long bus Sukkur-Bahawalpur as the cheaper option (~£7) plus local jeep for Derawar
🛏Mid-range hotel in Bahawalpur (~£25-35)
- →Seven Sisters Shrine
- →Shrines of Uch Sharif
- →Derawar Fort and Cholistan Desert
Bahawalpur to Multan — City of Saints
Multan
Morning at the lovely Noor Mahal palace, then bus or van to Multan. Spend the afternoon and evening walking the old town: Farid Gate, the shrines of Shah Rukn-i-Alam, Bahauddin Zakariya and Shams Tabrez, and the buzzing bazaars. Locally booked rickshaw tour is a cheap and fun option (£4-6).
🚌Bus Bahawalpur-Multan ~£4; rickshaw hire in old town ~£5
🛏Budget-to-mid hotel in Multan (~£22-32)
- →Noor Mahal
- →Farid Gate
- →Shrines of Shah Rukn-i-Alam, Bahauddin Zakariya and Shams Tabrez
- →Old bazaar walk
Multan to Lahore via Harappa
Lahore
Stop at Harappa archaeological site and museum en route (best done with a hired car, otherwise day-trip it from Sahiwal), then continue to Lahore. Take the train for comfort: Multan-Lahore on a business-class seat is cheap and pleasant. Evening at Food Street near Fort Road.
🚌Train Multan-Lahore ~£8-12; or hired car via Harappa ~£50-65 split
🛏Budget-to-mid hotel in Lahore (~£25-35)
- →Harappa archaeological site and museum
- →Lahore Food Street dinner
Lahore's walled city
Lahore
A full day on foot and by rickshaw through the walled city: Lahore Museum, Lahore Fort, Badshahi Mosque, Shahi Hammam and Wazir Khan Mosque. A local guide for the fort and mosque costs around £10-15 and is well worth it. Sunset from a rooftop cafe overlooking Badshahi Mosque.
🚌Rickshaws and short Careem rides ~£5-8
🛏Budget-to-mid hotel in Lahore (~£25-35)
- →Lahore Museum
- →Lahore Fort
- →Badshahi Mosque
- →Shahi Hammam
- →Wazir Khan Mosque
Mughal gardens and Wagah Border
Lahore
Morning at Jahangir's Tomb and the Shalimar Gardens (UNESCO), then head out to Wagah Border for the famous flag-lowering ceremony — arrive early for a good seat, bring ID/passport, and take a Careem or shared van (£3-5). Return to Lahore for dinner.
🚌Careem/shared van to Wagah ~£4-6
🛏Budget-to-mid hotel in Lahore (~£25-35)
- →Jahangir's Tomb
- →Shalimar Gardens
- →Wagah Border ceremony
Depart Lahore
Lahore
Final morning for Anarkali Bazaar souvenir shopping or a last breakfast of halwa puri before heading to Allama Iqbal International Airport.
🚌Careem to airport ~£3-4
🛏—
- →Anarkali Bazaar
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Gypsy Traces and Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Gypsy Traces and Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£660 | £2,200 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,540 per person (70%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Gypsy Traces and Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£660
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Undiscovered Southern Pakistan (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £660 per person for 11 days in Pakistan. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Gypsy Traces and Tours?+
Yes — Gypsy Traces and Tours charges around £2,200 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £660 — a saving of roughly £1,540 (70%) per person.
How long is the Pakistan trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through Pakistan.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, adventure, backpacker trip through Pakistan, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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