Visit Karimabad

The base for K2 and the Baltoro expeditions, cold desert dunes and Shangrila lake.

Apricot orchards and forts beneath 7,000-metre Karakoram peaks.

Visit Lahore, the cultural heart of Pakistan. Explore the Lahore Fort (a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Mughal-era palaces and gardens), see the Badshahi Mosque (one of the largest mosques in the world, built in the 17th century), stroll through the Walled City (historic old town with bustling bazaars like Anarkali), and sample local dishes like nihari and halwa puri at Food Street.

Visit Karachi, Pakistan's largest city and economic hub. Explore the historic Quaid-e-Azam's Mausoleum (white marble tomb of Pakistan's founder), wander through the bustling Empress Market (Victorian-era market with diverse food and goods), and relax at Clifton Beach (popular seaside promenade with camel rides and food stalls).

The Qissa Khwani storytellers bazaar, Gandhara art in the museum and the road to the Khyber Pass.

The city of saints: blue-tiled Sufi shrines and the hottest summers in the subcontinent.

Explore Carcassonne, a fortified medieval city in southern France. Walk the double ring of ramparts of the Cité de Carcassonne (a UNESCO World Heritage site with 52 towers), admire the Basilica of Saints Nazarius and Celsus (known for its 12th-century stained glass and Gothic choir), and cross the Pont Vieux (a 14th-century stone bridge offering panoramic views of the city).

Red-sandstone castle ruin above the old town of Heidelberg and the Neckar valley.