Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is Pakistan's northwestern province, a mountainous region bordering Afghanistan that holds Peshawar, one of South Asia's oldest living cities, the Gandhara Buddhist ruins of Takht-i-Bahi, and the Himalayan, Karakoram and Hindu Kush valleys of Swat, Kaghan, Chitral and Dir. Travel conditions vary sharply by district, and official advisories advise against all or most travel to much of the province.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Peshawari chappal
Handmade leather sandal, the classic Pashtun footwear
Price: PKR 1,500-6,000 (approx USD 5.42-21.66)
Where: Dabgari, Qissa Khwani, Chowk Yadgar
Pakol and Chitrali cap
Rolled woollen cap from Chitral, worn across Swat and Chitral
Price: PKR 500-3,000 (approx USD 1.81-10.83)
Where: Chitral Bazaar, Mingora, Peshawar
Swati embroidery and shawls
Hand-embroidered shawls, fabrics and bedspreads from Swat
Price: PKR 2,000-20,000 (approx USD 7.22-72.20)
Where: Mingora Bazaar, Meena Bazaar
Dried fruit, nuts and honey
Walnuts, almonds, mulberries, dried apricots and Swat or Chitrali honey
Price: PKR 500-5,000 per kg (approx USD 1.81-18.05)
Where: Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Chitral, Abbottabad
Swat emeralds and local gems
Emerald and other gemstones mined in Swat, sold set or loose
Price: PKR 2,000-200,000 (approx USD 7.22-722)
Where: Mingora, Peshawar Andar Shehr jewellers
Swati and Kohistani woodcarving
Carved walnut and deodar wooden items, boxes and furniture
Price: PKR 1,000-30,000 (approx USD 3.61-108.30)
Where: Mingora, Madyan, Kalam
Chitrali woollen patti and chogha
Handloom woollen cloth (patti) and the traditional chogha cloak
Price: PKR 3,000-25,000 (approx USD 10.83-90.25)
Where: Chitral Bazaar
Kalash beadwork and dolls
Beadwork, cowrie-shell headdresses and handmade crafts made by Kalash women
Price: PKR 500-10,000 (approx USD 1.81-36.10)
Where: Bumburet and Rumbur bazaars
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Qissa Khwani Bazaar
The historic Qissa Khwani, or Storytellers' Bazaar, is Peshawar's best-known thoroughfare, once a halt for Silk Route caravans and now lined with tea houses, dried-fruit sellers and food stalls.
Where: Inner Peshawar between Kabuli Gate and Chowk Yadgar
Hours: Daily approx. 9AM-10PM; busiest 4PM-9PM
Chowk Yadgar
Chowk Yadgar is the central crossroads of Peshawar's Old City, with bazaars radiating out for footwear, textiles and general goods.
Where: Central square of the Old City, near Qissa Khwani and Meena Bazaar
Hours: Daily approx. 9AM-9PM
Namak Mandi Market
Namak Mandi, the salt market, is Peshawar's best-known food quarter, famed for mutton karahi, charsi tikka and chapli kebab, with spice and dried-goods dealers alongside.
Where: Behind Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Old City, Peshawar
Hours: Daily approx. 10AM-midnight (food area busiest at night)
Meena Bazaar Peshawar
Meena Bazaar is a long-standing Peshawar destination for women's clothing, bridal wear, embroidered fabrics and jewellery.
Where: Close to Chowk Yadgar and Qissa Khwani, Old City
Hours: Daily approx. 10AM-9PM
Karkhano Market
Karkhano Market on Jamrud Road in western Peshawar is known for imported goods, including electronics, clothing and household items.
Where: Karkhano, western Peshawar near Hayatabad and Jamrud Road
Hours: Daily approx. 10AM-9PM
Peshawar Saddar Bazaar
Saddar is the colonial-era cantonment bazaar of Peshawar, with shops, bookstores and restaurants in a more orderly setting than the Old City.
Where: Peshawar Cantonment, Saddar
Hours: Daily approx. 10AM-9PM
Andar Shehr Bazaar
Andar Shehr, the walled inner city of Peshawar, has dense lanes with goldsmiths, coppersmiths and traditional craftsmen.
Where: Walled Old City, Peshawar
Hours: Daily approx. 10AM-8PM
Saddar Bazaar Abbottabad
Abbottabad's central Saddar and Supply Bazaar area is the principal shopping zone for the Hazara region, with clothing, dry fruit and household goods.
Where: Abbottabad city centre
Hours: Daily approx. 10AM-9PM
Mingora Bazaar
Mingora Bazaar is Swat's commercial heart and a place to find Swati embroidery, gemstones, shawls and honey.
Where: Mingora city centre, Swat
Hours: Daily approx. 9AM-9PM
Chitral Bazaar
Chitral Bazaar is the main shopping street of the Chitral valley, known for pakol caps, woollen goods, dry fruit and gemstones.
Where: Chitral town, along the Chitral River
Hours: Daily approx. 9AM-8PM; many shops close Friday afternoon
Dabgari Bazaar
Dabgari is an old leather and footwear bazaar of Peshawar, associated with handmade Peshawari chappals and leather goods.
Where: Near Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Old City
Hours: Daily approx. 10AM-8PM
Shopping districts
Neighbourhoods known for retail.
Malls & modern shopping
Air-conditioned, international brands, and food courts.
Deans Trade Centre
Deans Trade Centre is a multi-storey commercial plaza in Peshawar Cantonment with clothing, electronics and retail units.
Hours: Daily approx. 11AM-9PM
Bargaining tips
Negotiate like a local.
Bargaining is standard in Qissa Khwani, Chowk Yadgar, Karkhano and the old bazaars; start at roughly half the first quoted price and settle around 60-70 percent
Prices in shopping centres, branded shops and food outlets are fixed
Tea offered by a shopkeeper does not obligate a purchase, but decline politely if not buying
Carry small PKR notes; many Old City stalls do not accept cards
Compare gemstone and jewellery prices from at least three vendors and have stones verified by a reputable dealer
Visit bazaars in the morning to avoid crowds and heat, and note that many close during Friday prayers
Customs & restrictions
What you can and can't take home.
Bargaining is expected in traditional bazaars of Peshawar, Swat and Chitral but not in malls or fixed-price shops. Dress modestly, greet shopkeepers with 'Assalam-o-Alaikum', and use the right hand to hand over money. Most shops pause for Friday congregational prayer and many bazaars open late on Fridays.