Quetta is the provincial capital of Baluchistan. It is the divisional and district Headquarter and is considered to be an important marketing and communication center located at the north end of the Shal valley. The city is still locally known by its ancient name of Shal or Shalkot.

Often called as Pakistan's fruit bowl, it has a dramatic setting with a mountainous backdrop on all sides, which can be easily walked in a day. Quetta’s climate is dry and well suited for the cultivation of different fruits like, grapes, peaches, plums, apricots, apples, almonds, pears, pomegranates and crops like, Wheat, barley and corn. Saffron grows very well on mountains around 5000 feet high. It is being cultivated on a commercial scale.

Quetta is located at a hefty distance from any other major town, for example it is at a distance of whopping 1000km from Islamabad. In addition to the geographic obstacles, the frontier mentality thrives in the isolated conditions: general lawlessness, intertribal frictions and guns make for a volatile mixture. However, tourists are allowed to travel anywhere in Quetta, but in practice local authorities cannot guarantee your safety. Quetta is a planned city of Pakistan with places of tourist interest.

Flora and Fauna :

There are about 225 species of some pretty exotic plants, such as Pistachios, Juniper, wild Olives, wild Ash and wild Almonds. A wide range of shrubs is also found like, wild fig, barberry, wild cherry and herbs like, Ephedra intermadia, gerardiana etc. There is a splash of colours during springtime when most of the plants bloom.

You can also meet a wide variety of mammals like Markhors, Wild Sheep, Leopards, Wolves, Hyena, Hares, Wild Cats And Porcupines, while birds may contain species of Partridge, Warblers, Shikras, Blue Rock Pigeon, Rock Nuthatch, Golden Eagle, Sparrows, Hawks, Falcons and Bearded Vultures etc.

Markets and Handicrafts :

For shoppers, Quetta offers some good markets as Shahrah-e-Iqbal (Kandahari Bazaar) and Shahrah-e-Liaquat (Liaquat Bazaar and Suraj Gang Bazaar). Here tourists can buy souvenirs like colorful handicrafts, particularly Balochi mirror work embroidery, famous all over the world. While Felts, Rugs, Silk Embroidery and Copper Vessels are Quetta's major handicrafts. Carpets, with their pleasing and intricate designs, fur coats, jackets, waistcoats, sandals and other creations of traditional Balochi skills.