The extreme cold of a Quetta winter is hard on many residents, but there are hundreds who come from outside the city to experience the city’s scenic landscape and food.
Surrounded by mountains on all sides, the city experiences a harsh winter with temperatures often falling to below ) degrees, especially in January. The city also sees a high amount of snowfall and sharp biting winds.
However, many tourists, especially those used to the warm temperatures of the plains, want to experience the cold and Quetta is a perfect place.
“The cold here is delightful,” a tourist from Karachi told Aaj TV.
The provincial capital relies on warm foods to fight the cold, especially in breakfast where foods such as halwa puri are popular.
“I was really interested in trying out the traditional breakfast here,” another tourist said.
Many visitors said that they would go on from Quetta to Ziarat, which is 130km away towards the north of the city. Other than a higher altitude and dense Juniper forests, Ziarat also has the Quaid-e-Azam residency where the founder of Pakistan spent his last days.
Another attraction is Hanna Lake, a quick getaway near the capital. The lake is surrounded by hills, and . Only 24km away from Quetta, it can be reached in less than an hour.