Last Updated on: 23rd May 2026, 10:09 am
Peshawar, the largest city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province with a population of nearly 2 million, sits at the edge of the Khyber Pass – the historic mountainous route connecting Pakistan with Afghanistan. The city’s strategic location has made it a crossroads of empires for millennia. Accordingly, there are plenty of things to do in Peshawar for history and culture lovers.
Peshawar served as the former capital of the Kushan Empire, which stretched as far east as Pataliputra in India (modern Bihar) and as far north as parts of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
Over a thousand years later, it became capital of the Durrani Empire, which controlled parts of Central Asia, modern-day India, and Iran. And even today, visitors can witness a fascinating blend of South and Central Asian influences.
Most Peshawar residents are ethnic Pashtuns who are globally renowned for their hospitality. On that note, while this guide mainly focuses on the historical attractions, a major highlight for most visitors will be interacting with the locals.
I happened to be dealing with both phone and camera malfunctions during my time in Peshawar, and I spent a large portion of my stay at various local repair shops and markets. After having long chats over chai and food with various people that I encountered, I soon realized that my technical troubles couldn’t have occurred in a better city!
A Note on Security
Peshawar has some unique rules that I’ve never encountered anywhere else. Basically, local officials don’t really want foreign tourists to wander around on their own due to security concerns.
The Pakistani Taliban (TTP) was carrying out numerous attacks throughout the 2010s, and things sadly seem to have picked up again at the time of writing. (The Afghan Taliban, in charge there as of 2021, officially deny association with the TTP, though the Pakistani government sees things differently).
It’s also worth noting that the notorious Al Qaeda group was formed in Peshawar back in 1988, though they are no longer concentrated in or focused on this region.
As a result of these issues, most hotels around the area are obligated to immediately notify the police once a foreign tourist checks in. The police will then accompany the tourist during their outings, which is completely free of charge, and the tourist can decide where they want to go.
But even though it may be free, a lot of potential visitors (including myself) don’t like the idea of exploring the city with chaperones.
But there are some workarounds – or at least there were when I visited. And throughout my five-day stay, I was able to walk the streets of Peshawar freely on my own with no hassle. Learn more at the end of the article.
The Peshawar Museum
If you find yourself with limited time in Peshawar, the Peshawar Museum and the Sethi House Museum should be your top priorities.
The Peshawar Museum was founded in 1907 during the British Raj and originally known as Victoria Hall. The building itself is noteworthy, as it took inspiration from British, Mughal, and classical Hindu architectural styles.
The museum is open daily except Fridays from 9:00-17:00. It costs PKR 500 for foreigners, plus an additional PKR 500 for photography.
Its collection consists of around 14,000 artifacts, with most dating to the period when Peshawar was a major center of Buddhism.
In fact, the museum hosts one of the world’s finest collections of Gandhara Art, along with museums like the Taxila Museum, the Lahore Museum, the National Museum of India in Delhi, and the Government Museum & Art Gallery in Chandigarh.
But what is Gandhara Art?
Gandhara refers to a geographical region covering parts of modern-day Pakistan and Afghanistan.
And when many of these pieces were created, Gandhara was part of the Kushan Empire (1st-5th centuries AD), a vast empire that encompassed large parts of India and Central Asia.
In fact, Peshawar was even the Kushan Empire’s capital! (And its second capital was Mathura.)
Fascinatingly, the world’s oldest dateable Buddha images come from the Gandhara region. While the Buddha himself lived in the 6th century BC, during the first several hundred years of Buddhism, depictions of him were considered taboo.
But after the descendants of Alexander’s generals settled in the region, all that changed. While Gandhara art’s subject matter is undoubtedly Buddhist, the artistic style is unmistakably Greek-influenced.
And it was in cities like Peshawar and Taxila that Gandhara Art reached its zenith.
Many of the sculptures on display come from Takht Bhai (also known as Takht-i-Bahi), a prominent ancient monastery situated about 70 km from Peshawar, along with a site called Sari Bahlol.
Notice how many of the Buddha statues depict him with a mustache and long hair – a much different look from Buddha images produced in Buddhist countries today.
The subject matter of the art here largely includes Bodhisattva sculptures, the Maitreya Buddha (the Future Buddha), and Avalokiteshvara. Of course, Prince Siddhartha – the Buddha before his enlightenment – also appears frequently.
One room even features models of Buddhist stupas, including one gifted by Thailand – a major patron of archaeology in Pakistan these days.
Also on display is a Fasting Buddha image similar to the one at the Lahore Museum – arguably that museum’s most famous piece. But this one has unfortunately not survived intact.
A lot of the detailed relief carvings on display depict scenes from the Jataka tales, or stories of Siddhartha Gautama’s past lives.
The collection also includes non-Buddhist deities like Panchika and Hariti (protective deities), Cupids or Amorini (Greco-Roman love gods), Garuda (the Hindu bird deity), a four-armed Shiva, and a three-faced lingam.
The collection reveals what a cosmopolitan place Peshawar was in ancient times.
Notably, despite modern Peshawar being a highly conservative and religious city, the locals seem proud of the region’s past. And there are no restrictions here on displaying various sculptures and idols – something forbidden according to some interpretations of Islam.
This is in stark contrast to the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul. Afghanistan also has a rich history of ancient Buddhist sculpture, yet today under Taliban rule, you won’t see a single full-bodied sculpture in that museum.
The Peshawar Museum isn’t entirely dedicated to Gandhara Art. You’ll also find an ethnological gallery dedicated to the Kalash region in Chitral, a district in northwest Pakistan.
Ethnically, the Kalasha are quite close to Europeans, and they claim to be direct descendants of Alexander the Great’s soldiers. Some of them even have blonde hair and blue eyes.
And to this day, they also practice a form of paganism, though it doesn’t resemble the traditional Hellenic religion. Rather, some scholars suggest that their practices are more similar to very ancient Vedic traditions, before standard ‘Hinduism’ emerged.
For example, they typically carve wooden effigies to commemorate great warriors or soldiers. And during the funeral, the effigy is placed near the body of the deceased with the intention of it becoming a vessel for the soul. That way, the dead can continue to protect the tribe.
Also on display in the gallery are various traditional costumes and crafts from around northwest Pakistan.
Another section of the museum displays a collection of Hindu miniature paintings depicting scenes from the legends of Krishna and the Ramayana.
Another significant section of the Peshawar Museum is dedicated to Islamic art. Many of the pieces here date from the Mughal era, while there’s also a collection of artwork and calligraphy from Iran.
Other highlights ancient handwritten Qurans, some dating back to the 11th century. You’ll also find other artwork from the time the Ghaznavid Empire controlled Peshawar from the 11th-12th centuries.
Chowk Yadgar & The Clock Tower
Many of the landmarks featured in this guide to Peshawar can be found within the old walled city – even landmarks from the British Raj era.
One of them is Chowk Yadgar, originally known as the Hasting’s Memorial and erected in 1883 in honor of Colonel C. Hastings.
Today, however, the dome-shaped monument is said to be dedicated to victims of the victims of the 1930 Qissa Khwani Bazaar massacre.
A bit further east, in the middle of a busy market (Ghanta Ghar Chowk, or ‘Clock Tower Square’), is the Cunningham Clock Tower. Erected in 1900, it was designed by British architect James Strachan.
It was named after the Commissioner of Peshawar, Sir Alexander Frederick Douglas Cunningham. Interestingly, he was the son of Alexander Cunningham, the founder of the Archaeological Survey of India.
The Sethi House Museum
Walking through the narrow alleyways of Peshawar’s Old City, you should eventually come across the entrance to the Sethi House Museum, one of Peshawar’s must-visit attractions.
At the time of writing, the museum is open from Saturday to Thursday at 9:00-17:00. It costs PKR 500 plus another 500 rupees for photography (this seems to be the standard in KPK province). All visitors will be accompanied by a guide.
The elaborate house was built in 1884 by the Sethi Family, a prominent family of merchants. According to my guide, they were from Tajikistan, but most online sources indicate that they were actually Punjabi.
To make matters more confusing, different sources seem to disagree on whether they were Hindu or Muslim.
In any case, outside of Peshawar, the Sethis had offices in Bukhara, Tashkent, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kabul, and even Russia. Accordingly, this house takes on a wide variety of architectural influences.
Centered around a large courtyard, the house features architectural and decorative elements from Uzbekistan, India, Kashmir and Persia.
My guide led me to the basement, which was where most of the family’s money was stored. And it was also here that people could take respite from the heat.
(On that note, Peshawar is easily one of the hottest cities I’ve ever visited, with temperatures soaring above 40°C even in May!)
One of the top highlights is the rooftop area, home to many different styles of woodwork, including intricately carved doors and balconies. From here, you can also look down into the courtyard below.
The Sethi family left Peshawar in the early 20th century, after which the house was occupied by British authorities. And later, this house actually became the headquarters of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government upon independence in 1947.
It was only in 1990 that it finally opened as a museum to the public.
Having been to numerous house museums throughout South Asia, the Sethi House stands out as one of the most unique and one of the most beautiful.
Mohabbat Khan Mosque
One of Peshawar’s most elaborate mosques is the Mohabbat Khan Mosque, constructed in the 17th century during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. And it was named after the Mughal governor of the area at the time, Nawab Mahabat Khan.
It’s known for its beautiful white marble facade (Shah Jahan was certainly a fan of marble), and its towering minarets reach up to 30 m high.
When the Sikh Empire controlled the region, however, some of the decoration is said to have been looted.
As a children’s seminary was taking place in the courtyard during my arrival, I wasn’t able to get good shots of the mosque, but it is indeed worth a quick visit. It’s also located within Peshawar’s Jeweler’s Bazaar – a worthy destination in its own right.
On the topic of religious architecture in Peshawar, I also attempted to visit St. John’s Church – the city’s oldest, having opened in 1860. But I found it closed to the general public.
I also attempted to find Ratan Nath Jee Temple, a local Hindu temple, but was never able to locate it.
Bala Hisar Fort
When looking up the top things to do in Peshawar, Bala Hisar Fort is often featured near the top of the list. But it shouldn’t be. There’s no denying its historical importance to the region, but currently, the fort can’t be accessed by the general public.
As far as I’m aware, only those with some kind of local military connections are allowed to go inside – and that’s after applying for prior permission. So most locals haven’t even been inside, either.
But why is it important? The fort dates all the way back to Peshawar’s early days, with the Chinese monk Xuanzang mentioning it in his journals (as a side note, Xuanzang also observed that Peshawar’s Buddhist monuments were mostly already in decay).
Much later, the fort served as a royal residence during another fascinating period: the Durrani Empire (1738–1834 AD).
As mentioned earlier, Peshawar served as the capital of this mighty Afghan kingdom that controlled parts of Central Asia modern-day India and modern-day Iran.
Reaching the front of the fort, I didn’t expect to be allowed in, but I asked a guard if I could simply photograph the facade. He said no.
So the picture shown here of the front of the fort was actually taken from my taxi as we rode along the nearby flyover.
Gor Khatri
Thus far, we’ve talked about Peshawar’s ancient past and historical significance. But are there any ancient archaeological sites within the city proper? Though small, the answer is yes.
The Archaeological Excavation at Gor Khatri is a relatively small trench in the center of the city. But this one dig site consists of no less than 27 layers belonging to 13 distinct historical eras, with the oldest dating to the 2nd century BC.
The full list of eras is: Indo-Greek (190–85 BC), Scytho-Parthian (85 BC–1st century AD), Kushan (1st–4th century AD), Kidarites (457–558 AD), White Huns (558–666 AD), Hindu Shahi (822–1098 AD), Ghaznavid (1098–1186 AD), Saltanat (1205–1525 AD), Suri (1535–1555 AD), Mughal (1526–1738 AD), Durrani (1738–1834 AD), Sikh (1834–1849 AD), and British (1849 AD).
And in addition to just looking in the pit, you can visit the neighboring museum – situated in a Mughal-era caravanserai – which houses various artifacts. Most of them are pottery and coins, so don’t consider this a substitute for the Peshawar Museum mentioned above.
Visiting the museum costs PKR 500 (+500 for photos) which includes a guide. And after the museum, my guide walked with me through the adjacent Tehsil Park.
Standing in the park is Gorakh Nath Temple, a rare surviving Hindu temple in Peshawar (see our guide to Katas Raj to learn more about Hinduism in modern-day Pakistan).
Furthermore, the area is also home to a preserved fire station from the British era, complete with an early 19th-century fire truck!
Additional Info
Most travelers will probably be coming to Peshawar via bus from Islamabad. The ride lasts about 2.5 hours, and the main company running the route is Daewoo. You can book tickets online on sites like Bookme.pk.
On that note, you could also technically visit Peshawar as a day trip from Islamabad and avoid some of the hassle regarding accommodation and police escorts. Just be sure to time things right and get a really early start.
In terms of getting around town, the InDriver app works fine in Peshawar, but I also sometimes hailed taxis on the street. I found most local drivers to be fair and honest.
Peshawar, of course, is located near the Torkham Border with Afghanistan. So for people entering Pakistan from that direction, Peshawar will be their first stop.
I did experience that notorious border crossing, albeit in the other direction. There’s so much to write about that I can’t possibly include all of the important details here. But stay tuned for an upcoming article detailing the full experience of entering Afghanistan from Pakistan.
As a side note, the Afghan consulate in Peshawar is widely regarded as the easiest place in the world to obtain an Afghan tourist visa, and I got mine there with ease.
One could also theoretically do a loop involving traveling from Islamabad to Gilgit-Baltistan before heading west to Chitral. And then there are supposed to be direct buses from Chitral to Peshawar.
But there are MANY variables involved in such a journey (weather, road conditions, security issues), so you’ll have to do lots of research to keep yourself up-to-date on the situation.
Before going further, note that all of this info could change at any time, so be sure keep yourself up to date on the situation by following relevant online forums or Pakistan travel-related Facebook groups.
As mentioned above, due to various security concerns and local rules, tourists aren’t always able to explore the city independently. Furthermore, a lot of local hotels – especially the budget ones – will outright deny foreign guests, probably because they don’t want to deal with the hassle of informing local authorities.
First of all, the common hotels in Peshawar are the ones you’ll find on Booking, such as Shelton House Peshawar, VIP House Peshawar, Peshawar Barracks Hotel Estb-1867.
While I can’t say for sure, these hotels are likely to inform the local police who will chaperone you around town (see this recent Yes Theory video for an example.)
But what if you just want to explore Peshawar on your own?
There is a hotel in town that hosts foreigners and (allegedly) doesn’t immediately inform the authorities. It’s called Al Ibadat Hotel and it’s a simple budget hotel located in the center. But though I contacted them well in advance through WhatsApp, they claimed to not have any availability at all for my dates. I found that a bit odd, and wondered if they were perhaps just softly rejecting me due to the situation at the time.
Supposedly, foreign travelers can come to Peshawar as a day trip, and since they’re not staying at a local hotel, the authorities won’t immediately be informed. As mentioned above, you could technically visit from Islamabad as a day trip if you time things right.
But what if you want to stay multiple days?
They key is to stay a little bit outside of town, but still within easy taxi distance from the city center. That’s what I did, and I made sure to contact my Airbnb host in advance with various questions so that I was clear on the police situation before my arrival.
(I won’t post the link for privacy reasons, but contact different hosts and you should be able to figure it out.)
And so, as mentioned, I was able to enter the city and walk around freely. Despite sticking out like a sore thumb, the police never stopped and questioned me. But I was told that if they did, it’s best to just say you’re visiting Peshawar as a day trip from another city.
It’s also possible that I was just lucky, as I have heard some reports of the police still wanting to chaperone day trippers. So the situation seems to be changing constantly.