Faisal Mosque lit up at twilight below the Margalla Hills, Islamabad

Islamabad City Tour 2026: Private Half Day and Full Day Tours

Private city tours with car and driver, any day, on request

Our Islamabad city tours are private: one car and one driver for you, picking you up from your hotel, the airport or a house in Rawalpindi, on the day you choose. A half day covers Faisal Mosque, the Pakistan Monument, Lok Virsa and the view from Daman-e-Koh. A full day adds Saidpur Village, Rawal Lake or a morning walk on the Margalla trails, and the Gandhara ruins of Taxila fit into a long day as well. The city was planned in the 1960s below the Margalla Hills, and most of its sights are 10 to 20 minutes apart.

There is no fixed group departure and no set price. The cost depends on the car, the hours and add-ons like Taxila or Murree, so message us your date, the number of people and where you are staying, on WhatsApp or through the contact page, and we will send a plan and a quote. If you only need the car, our Islamabad rent a car page has the cars and daily rates.

Many guests do the city tour on the day before or after one of our northern trips, which pick up in Islamabad on the way from Lahore. The Lahore city tour page covers the same kind of day in Lahore.

Things to do in Islamabad

◆Visit Faisal Mosque in the late afternoon
◆Climb Trail 3 or walk Trail 5 in the Margalla Hills before breakfast
◆Watch the city lights from Daman-e-Koh
◆Spend two hours in the Lok Virsa museum
◆See the Pakistan Monument at sunset
◆Eat dinner in Saidpur Village
◆Take a day trip to the Gandhara ruins at Taxila
◆Walk around Rawal Lake and Lake View Park

Places on our Islamabad city tours

Islamabad is laid out in lettered sectors (E-7, F-6, G-9 and so on). Most of these stops are in the northern sectors near the hills or on the Shakarparian hill in the middle of the city.

Faisal Mosque

Faisal Mosque stands at the top of Shah Faisal Avenue, right against the Margalla Hills. The Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay won the design competition, and the mosque was finished in 1986, built largely with Saudi money and named after King Faisal. Its prayer hall is shaped like a desert tent, with four minarets of about 90 m at the corners, and it is one of the largest mosques in the world.

There is no ticket. Dress modestly: long trousers for men, arms covered and a scarf for women. Shoes are left at the entrance. Visitors of other faiths may walk the courtyard and grounds, but are usually not allowed into the main prayer hall, and the mosque is busiest around Friday prayers. Late afternoon is the best time.

The petal-shaped granite walls of the Pakistan Monument lit up at blue hour

Pakistan Monument and Museum

The Pakistan Monument, opened in 2007, sits on the Shakarparian hill. Its four large petals stand for the provinces and the three smaller ones for the territories, and the inner walls carry murals of the Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort, Minar-e-Pakistan and other landmarks. The museum beside it tells the story of the Pakistan Movement.

Both charge a small ticket, higher for foreigners, and the museum is closed on Mondays. Come for sunset if you can; the platform looks over Islamabad and Rawalpindi, and the monument is lit after dark.

Lok Virsa Heritage Museum

Lok Virsa, the national folk heritage institute set up in 1974, runs this museum at the foot of Shakarparian. Its halls show the dress, crafts, music and village life of every region, from Sindhi embroidery and Balochi silver to Kalash and Gilgit-Baltistan traditions, with life-size scenes and a craft shop by the entrance. It is the best single place in the country to see all of this.

Give it two hours. It is closed on Mondays, and on Fridays there is a break for prayers around midday.

Saidpur Village

Saidpur is an old village at the foot of the hills, next to the E-7 and F-6 sectors and older than the city around it. Its centre was restored, with a small Hindu temple, a courtyard and restaurants in old stone houses. The square can feel polished, but the lanes behind it are still lived in. It is the usual place for dinner at the end of a tour.

A dirt trail under pine trees in Margalla Hills National Park

Margalla Hills trails

The Margalla Hills National Park starts where the city ends. Trail 3, from F-6/3, is the popular one: a steep climb on steps and rocks to a viewpoint, about an hour up for a fit walker. Trail 5 is longer and gentler, through thicker forest. We drop you at the start, wait at the bottom or meet you at the far end, and take you to breakfast afterwards.

Start between 6 and 9 am, especially from April to September, carry water and finish well before dark. Monkeys and wild boar are common, and snakes come out in summer.

Rawal Lake with the green Margalla Hills behind it

Rawal Lake and Lake View Park

Rawal Lake is a reservoir on the eastern edge of the city, off Murree Road, with the Margallas behind it. Lake View Park on its shore has lawns, boating and picnic spots, and is the best stop for families with children. Birdwatchers come in the cooler months for the waterbirds.

Daman-e-Koh

Daman-e-Koh is a terraced garden and viewpoint partway up the Margalla Hills, a short drive from the city. From the railing you see Faisal Mosque, the sectors laid out in a grid and Rawal Lake in the distance. Entry is free, and it is busiest at sunset and on weekend evenings. Monkeys live here, so keep food out of sight.

Pir Sohawa is higher up the same ridge, about 40 minutes by car. The Monal restaurant there closed in September 2024 after a Supreme Court order on restaurants inside the national park, so do not plan dinner up there without checking what is open.

Rawalpindi old city

Rawalpindi grew up long before Islamabad, and 30 minutes away it feels like another country: Raja Bazaar is a tangle of cloth, spice and copper shops, and the streets around Saddar are busy from morning to late night. It is a good add-on for anyone who finds Islamabad too neat. The car waits nearby while you walk.

How our Islamabad city tours work

You pick the start time and the plan, and the car stays with you until you are dropped back. The driver knows the sectors, the parking at each sight and which roads close on security days near the Red Zone. A sedan seats up to three adults in comfort, and families and groups get a bigger car or a van.

Entry tickets, meals and boating are paid on the spot, so carry some cash. If you want an English-speaking guide as well as the driver, ask when you book and we will tell you what is possible on your date.

Pickup: your hotel or house in Islamabad or Rawalpindi, or Islamabad International Airport
Car: a sedan for up to three adults; an SUV, Hiace or coaster for larger groups
Length: half day (about 4 to 5 hours), full day (about 8 to 9 hours) or an evening tour
Paid on the day: museum tickets, food, boating and parking
Days: any day; museums close one day a week, so Monday plans skip them

Islamabad city tour options

These are the plans guests ask for most. Each can be shortened, stretched or mixed with another.

Tour	Time	Stops
Half day city tour	About 4 to 5 hours	Faisal Mosque, Pakistan Monument and Museum, Lok Virsa, Daman-e-Koh
Full day city tour	About 8 to 9 hours	The half day stops plus Saidpur Village, Rawal Lake and dinner
Evening tour	About 4 hours from late afternoon	Faisal Mosque, Daman-e-Koh at sunset, the Monument lit up, dinner in Saidpur
Islamabad and Taxila	Full day	Taxila Museum and two or three sites in the morning, Faisal Mosque and Daman-e-Koh after lunch
Margalla morning	About 3 hours from 6 or 7 am	Trail 3 or Trail 5 with breakfast in F-6 afterwards
Rawalpindi old city add-on	About 2 hours	Raja Bazaar and the streets around Saddar
Airport layover	4 hours or more between flights	Faisal Mosque and the Pakistan Monument, back with time to spare

Full day Islamabad city tour: a sample day

This order keeps the museums in the morning, when they are quiet, and leaves Faisal Mosque and the hills for the softer afternoon light.

Time	Plan
9:00 am	Pickup from your hotel
9:30 am	Lok Virsa Heritage Museum, about 2 hours
11:30 am	Pakistan Monument and the Monument museum on Shakarparian
1:00 pm	Lunch in F-6 or F-7
2:30 pm	Rawal Lake and Lake View Park, or Fatima Jinnah Park in winter
4:00 pm	Faisal Mosque in the late afternoon
5:15 pm	Daman-e-Koh for the view over the city at sunset
6:30 pm	Dinner in Saidpur Village, then drop off

Islamabad and Taxila in one day

Taxila is about 35 km north-west of Islamabad, under an hour by car, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980. For more than a thousand years it was a city of the Gandhara region, ruled at different times by Persians, Greeks, Mauryans and Kushans, and a centre of Buddhist learning. The remains are spread over a wide valley, so the car is needed between them.

Start at the Taxila Museum, which holds the stone and stucco Buddhas found on the sites, then pick two or three of the ruins: the Dharmarajika Stupa, the grid streets of Sirkap with its double-headed eagle stupa, and the Jaulian monastery on its hilltop. Each site has its own small ticket. Back in Islamabad by mid-afternoon, there is time for Faisal Mosque and Daman-e-Koh before dark.

Jaulian monastery

Jaulian is a climb of a few minutes up a hill, and it rewards it: monks' cells around a courtyard, a main stupa ringed by smaller ones, and some of the carved stucco figures left in place under shelters. It is the site most guests remember.

Day trips from Islamabad

The same car and driver can take you further out for a day. Murree is about 60 km away, around an hour and a half on the Expressway, and our Murree tour packages cover Patriata, Bhurban and the Galiyat. Khanpur Dam, about an hour north-west, has turquoise water for boating in summer.

Rohtas Fort, the 16th-century fort of Sher Shah Suri near Jhelum, is about 110 km south-east on the GT Road, roughly two and a half hours each way. It fills a full day; the Rohtas Fort guide covers the gates, the stepwells and what to see.

Best time for an Islamabad city tour

October to April is the most comfortable time. October and November are dry and clear, December and January have cool days and cold nights, and February to April brings flowering trees. March and April are also the worst months for pollen allergy in Islamabad, so bring medicine if you suffer from hay fever.

May and June are hot, often above 40 °C, and the monsoon in July and August brings heavy afternoon storms. In those months we start the tour early, keep the middle of the day for the museums and the car, and save the hills for the evening.

Tips for your Islamabad city tour

Islamabad is one of the safest cities in Pakistan and easy for families and women travelling together. Police checkpoints are common, so carry your CNIC, or your passport and visa if you are a foreign visitor.

Museums close on Mondays; Faisal Mosque and the hills are open every day
Dress modestly for Faisal Mosque, and carry a scarf
Keep food out of sight at Daman-e-Koh and on the trails, because of the monkeys
Expect road closures near the Red Zone on government and security days
Carry cash for tickets, boating, stalls and parking

Islamabad at a glance

Region: Islamabad
From Lahore: About 380 km, 4.5 hours on the M-2
To Murree: About 60 km, 1.5 hours
Days needed: 1 to 2
Airport: Islamabad International, near Fateh Jang
Getting around: Ride-hailing apps and the metro bus
Faisal Mosque entry: Free
Northern tours: Pickup on our group tours at no extra charge
Best season: Oct to Apr

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Islamabad photos

Islamabad city tour FAQs

What does an Islamabad city tour include?

A private car with driver for the hours you book, pickup and drop-off at your hotel, house or the airport, and a plan for the day. Entry tickets, meals and boating are paid on the spot.

How long does an Islamabad city tour take?

A half day takes about 4 to 5 hours and covers Faisal Mosque, the Pakistan Monument, Lok Virsa and Daman-e-Koh. A full day of 8 to 9 hours adds Saidpur Village, Rawal Lake and dinner.

How much does an Islamabad city tour cost?

It is priced per car, not per person, so a family sharing one car pays much less each than a solo traveller. The car, the hours and add-ons like Taxila set the price. WhatsApp us your date and group size for a quote.

Can non-Muslims visit Faisal Mosque?

Yes. Visitors of all faiths may walk the courtyard and grounds if they dress modestly and avoid prayer times. Non-Muslims are usually not allowed into the main prayer hall.

Can you combine Islamabad and Taxila in one day?

Yes. Taxila is about 35 km away, under an hour by car. Spend the morning at the museum and two or three of the ruins, and the afternoon at Faisal Mosque and Daman-e-Koh.

Show 3 more questions

Is the Monal restaurant at Pir Sohawa open?

The Monal at Pir Sohawa closed in September 2024 after a Supreme Court order on restaurants inside Margalla Hills National Park. Check what is open before planning a meal on the hill road.

Can you pick us up from Islamabad airport?

Yes. The airport is about 25 km from the centre, near Fateh Jang. With four hours or more between flights, there is time for Faisal Mosque and the Pakistan Monument.

What is the best time of year for an Islamabad city tour?

October to April. May and June are often above 40 °C, and July and August bring monsoon storms, so summer tours start early and save the hills for the evening.

Plan your trip with Pakistan Travel Diaries

Tell us your dates, group size and budget and our Lahore travel desk will tailor a package for you. Call +92 311 1696777 or send an enquiry.

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