Karachi Travel Guide and Tourist Attractions
City of Quaid-e-Azam
Karachi is commonly known as city of Quaid (Mohammad Ali Jinnah). Karachi is birth place of Mohammad Ali Jinnah (Quaid/ the founder) and has several buildings associated with his life. Wazir Mansion rented by Jinnah’s father when he moved in the early 1870 is now converted into museum possessed with Quaid’s personal belongings.

Quaid’s Tomb
The tomb of the Quaid e Azam shows a neat fusion of traditional and modern Islamic architect. Standing on a 54 square meters platform, the white marble mausoleum has high arches filled with copper grills, a North African style. The cool and airy interior is decorated with Japanese tiles, a four tiered Chinese crystal chandelier and an Iranian silver railing around the cenotaph. There is a spectacular garden around the mausoleum.

Beaches and Harbours
An almost uninterrupted line of beaches leads for several hundred kilometers west of Karachi, along Balochistan’s Makran coast into Iran. Few foreign tourists would like to take Pakistan or Karachi for beach holidays; however Clifton beach, the nearest beach to the city is very popular picnic resort for the local Karachites and for Pakistanis as well. Several beaches like Sandspit, Hawkes Bay and paradise point can be reached by car in 45 minutes – local buses are also available from Lea market but take one and half hour. French Beach at the center of the Hawkes bay is 40 km from Karachi, is for exclusive use for foreigners and privileged Pakistanis.
Keamari Harbour is strategically placed on the Arabian Sea. Karachi has taken full advantage of this fine natural harbor to become the key port in Pakistan. Nowadays it has become a economic hub for Pakistan. It is also a main source of entry for the transit goods to Afghanistan and then to central Asia.

Bazaars and Markets
Being the largest city of Pakistan Karachi gives a touch of new fashion arrivals and a very popular city for the shoppers. Saddar Bazaar is one of the old bazaars in Karachi and has numerous carpet shops, jewelry, and handicraft centers. Bohri Bazaar is famous for cloth markets whereas Empress Market is for vegetables and fruits. Jodia, Khajour and Sarafa Bazaars are famous for gold, silver and other precious jewelry.

National Museum
This is a quite big museum covering all segments from Stone Age to today’s modern culture and life style. It starts with Pre and proto-historic gallery, Ghandaran gallery, Hindu sculptures and takes you to Islamic gallery and then to Freedom movement gallery and at the end also see Ethnology gallery. One can easily spend one to 2 hours visiting this remarkable museum.

Mosques and Churches
Tooba Mosque in Defense area of Karachi is a kind of a great symbol in the field of Islamic architect. It attracts lots of domestic and foreign tourists. The single minaret of this mosque is 75 meter high. Memon mosque near Boulton market is equally traditional and impressive. There is also number of Anglo-Indian churches in the city. St Andrew’s church on Liaqat Rd, St Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral church on Shahrae Iraq, and Holy Trinity on the south of Saddar.

Karachi Zoo and Dhobi Ghat
Karachi Zoo on Nishtar road is not maintaining the international standard but to some extent it is an opportunity for the local animal lovers. Wednesday is a ladies-only day and is full of colors. About one kilometer of the Zoo, on the Lyari River is Dhobi Ghat; a fascinating and one of the largest outdoor laundries in the world. It is stretching about one kilometer along the river bank of Lyari and is a great tourist attraction in Karachi (no entry fee).

Shopping in Karachi
Thomas & Thomas in Saddar and Ferozsons in Main Clifton and Sam Bookshop in Saddar are the best book shops in Karachi. The larges carpet seller is Afghan carpet warehouse in Clifton.
Zainab market in Saddar, Defence and Clifton markets are famous for clothing shopping. Asian Leather Kraft, Dice Gifts and Mr Leather in Sheraton hotel, English Boot House in Zaibun Nisa street are the famous leather garment shops. Karachi travel guide suggest the following tours:

Sightseeing & Excursions

1. Full day Sightseeing tour of Karachi visiting Quaid’s tomb, Dhobi Ghat, Chaukunddi, Defence Mosque, museum, and Clifton beach.
2. Full day excursion for Thattha to see the historical mosque Shah Jehan and Makli tombs.
3. Half day excursion for Bambhore.
4. Full day excursion to Moenjo Daro (BY AIR/ 30 minutes flight).
5. Half day excursion to Chokundi, also visit Quaid’s tomb.