Karachi, Pakistan

The seventh largest city proper in the world, Karachi is Pakistan’s financial and commercial center. The city is located on the coastline of Pakistan’s Sindh province along a natural harbour on the Arabian Sea. Given the density, state of the infrastructure, and lack of traditional sidewalks, the best bets for running in Karachi are in select parks and some other designated running spots.

The best place to run in Karachi is in the Clifton Beach and DHA 8/Seaview area, where there are numerous parks, a long beach, and waterfront paths. Sandspit Beach is another runnable beach in Karachi. We’ve also put together routes that combine a few proximal parks: Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Park & Ibn-e-Qasim Park, Hill Park/Kidney Hill, and a route combining Aziz Bhatti Park, Safari Park, and Karachi University. For a ‘runseeing’ tour of some of Karachi’s historic buildings, start at Frere Hall. Athletes will love the running track and fields in the National Stadium and adjacent Coaching Center area. For a unique, scenic, and challenging trail run, hire a guide and head to Kirthar National Park.

A couple of notes about running in Karachi: the weather is hot year-round, oppressively so from April to October, and the air quality can be poor. Also, because the roads are chaotic and crowded, it’s best to find a designated running spot. It also might be advisable to run in a group of two or three.