Islamabad Capital Territory · Pakistan
Where to stay in Islamabad
Islamabad is a city in Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan, home to about 1,015,000 people.
- Best months
- October and November
- Nearest airport
- ISB26 km · Islamabad International Airport
- Currency
- PKRPakistani rupee
- Time zone
- Asia/Karachi
- Plugs
- C, D, G · 230 V
- Emergency
- 15
- Language
- English, Urdu
About
About Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's tenth-most populous city with a population of over 1.1 million and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital Territory — with a metropolitan population of over 2.3 million.
Although the majority of the population in Islamabad traditionally have been employees of the Federal Government, the wealth of the Musharraf years fuelled a boom in Islamabad and it has become an important financial and business centre. In the last decade there have been vast changes in the city's traditional reputation. From it being a typical 9-to-5 city, Islamabad has become more lively with many new restaurants and hotels springing up to service this new wealth.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Islamabad
See
- Lok Virsa Museum
- Golra Pakistan Railways Heritage Museum
- Pakistan Museum of Natural History
- National Art Gallery
- Daman-e-Koh
- Shakarparian
- Japanese Park
- Rawal Lake
- Fatima Jinnah Park
- Pir Sohawa
- Rose & Jasmine Garden
- Margalla Hills
Do
The Margalla Hills are effectively foothills of the Himalayas – and are very easily accessible from Islamabad. However these are quite big, steep hills, and shouldn't be underestimated – if you are planning on a walk up to the top of the first ridge (i.e. where the shuttered Monal restaurant is) then sturdy footwear, a large water bottle, and a change of t-shirt are necessary (good chance you'll be drenched in sweat by the time you get to the top). Between March and November it is best to start walking in the early morning (before 7:30AM, or 6:30AM in the height of summer) as it is uncomfortably hot during the day.
- Art & Craft Village
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Islamabad to stay in
Best quality for money hotels are in G-9. Budget accommodation in Islamabad is fairly lacklustre and of questionable cleanliness. There are many guesthouses around the city that make a nice alternative to a hotel.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Where the places to stay in Islamabad are
18 places to stay in this guide with known coordinates, grouped by straight-line distance from the city centre (the point Wikidata gives for Islamabad), nearest first. Distance on foot or by road is longer.
6 places
- The Riviera · 1.3 km
- The Centaurus · 1.5 km
- Hotel Crown Plaza Islamabad · 2.1 km
- Envoy Continental Hotel · 2.5 km
- boutique hotel in F-7 Markaz, Islamabad · 2.7 km
- Gofas Lodge · 2.8 km
12 places
- Islamabad Regalia Hotel · 4.4 km
- Islamabad Hotel · 4.8 km
- Roomy Signature · 4.9 km
- Hotel One Jinnah · 5.0 km
- Hotel One Super · 5.3 km
- Serai Boutique Hotel · 5.4 km
- Backpackers Hostel and Guesthouse Islamabad · 5.4 km
- Backpackers Hostel & Guest House Islamabad · 5.5 km
- Chalet Islamabad · 5.7 km
- Islamabad Marriott Hotel · 6.0 km
- Islamabad Serena Hotel · 6.3 km
- Ramada by Wyndham Islamabad · 6.8 km
Where to stay
Hotels in Islamabad
18 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| The Centaurus | 2013 | 1.5 km |
| Islamabad Marriott Hotel | 6.0 km | |
| Backpackers Hostel & Guest House Islamabad | 5.5 km | |
| Backpackers Hostel and Guesthouse Islamabad | 5.4 km | |
| boutique hotel in F-7 Markaz, Islamabad | 2.7 km | |
| Chalet Islamabad | 5.7 km | |
| Envoy Continental Hotel | 2.5 km | |
| Gofas Lodge | 2.8 km | |
| Hotel Crown Plaza Islamabad | 2.1 km | |
| Hotel One Jinnah | 5.0 km | |
| Hotel One Super | 5.3 km | |
| Islamabad Hotel | 4.8 km | |
| Islamabad Regalia Hotel | 4.4 km | |
| Islamabad Serena Hotel | 6.3 km | |
| Ramada by Wyndham Islamabad | 6.8 km | |
| Roomy Signature | 4.9 km | |
| Serai Boutique Hotel | 5.4 km | |
| The Riviera | 1.3 km |
All 18 hotels in Islamabad, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Islamabad
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Islamabad are October and November. June is the warmest month, with average highs of 35 °C; August is the wettest, with about 269 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Islamabad travel calendar 2027: every day with public and school holidays, sunrise and sunset and the typical high and low (also as JSON).
Public holidays in Pakistan, 2026
Shops and offices may close on these dates.
Getting there
Getting to Islamabad: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Islamabad International Airport (ISB), about 26 km from the city centre in a straight line; Bacha Khan International Airport (PEW, 144 km) is also within reach.
Getting around
If you want a paper city map (you'll love to have one, just to see the difference in map making), you can buy one in the bookstore in Centaurus Mall. Taxis in Islamabad are abundant and popular. They are generally safe, but you may be initially shocked by the lack of safety belts, or lack of habit of using them. Most characteristic taxi car is a small Suzuki Mehran (people say these don't break), without taxi signs. Taxi costs around Rs 200 (2025) per sector traveled, depending on your bargaining skills. Travel to and from airport is more expensive, you can bargain down to US$15.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
ISB · Islamabad International Airport
PEW · Bacha Khan International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Islamabad
Eat
At first glance the visitor may feel that Islamabad offers little to excite the taste-buds, however beneath the surface there is a thriving restaurant scene. There are many typical dhabbas (small restaurants) which offer traditional food. Many of the better restaurants are away from the main markets of F6 and F7. Most do not serve alcohol, but some allow you to bring your own. Call ahead to ask.
Drink
Drinking alcohol in public is nominally banned although most of the top end hotels have their own bars, as do some of the larger embassies if you befriend a diplomat. The windowless basement sports bar in the Marriott is probably the most frequented of the hotel bars. Most Pakistanis though would find it extremely rude and offensive if you show or drink alcohol in public. Night Life is exists, but it's not easy to find. There are no open 'night clubs' in the city - however periodic special events are organised in various venues about once every two months - spread by word-of-mouth.
Stay safe
The police have set up numerous checkpoints on roads to sensitive buildings and on the roads entering the city. These are usually harmless and they'll wave you through, but to access Constitution Avenue (including the Serena hotel) the police will want to look in the boot of your car. While travelling in city, you should keep your national identity card, passport, or driving licence with you to prove your identity. Crime-wise Islamabad is safe. Men can walk pretty much anywhere in the city day or night with little to fear. Lone women will attract male attention, particularly in areas of the city not often frequented by westerners.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Islamabad: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Islamabad?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Islamabad are October and November. June is the warmest month, with average highs of 35 °C; August is the wettest, with about 269 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Islamabad?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Islamabad International Airport (ISB), about 26 km from the city centre in a straight line; Bacha Khan International Airport (PEW, 144 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Islamabad?
Pakistani rupee (PKR).
Nearby
Destinations near Islamabad
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; public holidays from python-holidays (MIT); places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.