Islamabad - Post Report Question and Answers
What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
There are reasonably decent gyms. In big hotels and in the Islamabad Club there are swimming pools too. Sex segregation is implemented (with separate timetables, etc). - Oct 2023
The Embassy compound has an amazing gym with state of the art equipment and a beautiful lap pool, free to all Embassy employees. You can reserve overnight lockers if you live off-compound and want to exercise before work in the morning. There are running and cycling groups that meet on weekends for long group runs and bike rides. It seems there is a more realistic attitude toward the security situation in Islamabad, so those groups are able to run and bike to parts of the city that were off-limits even a couple of years ago. There are some fancier personal training-focused gyms in town that are popular with other expats and diplomats (Metafitnosis and Omifarious Fitness are two) and the Marriott and Serena offer memberships to their gyms and pools, but since the Embassy gym opened I haven’t heard of anyone joining those. There are also nice, relatively well-maintained tennis courts at the Embassy and a team of tennis coaches. I took up tennis while I was there once I realized that I’d probably never again have the opportunity to take private tennis lessons for $15/hour. - Jun 2022
New gym at Embassy, massive with new equipment, heated outdoor pool, tennis courts, indoor basketball court, and many classes taught by other employees. - Feb 2019
On Embassy compound. $10 per month. - Jan 2017
There is a decent gym at the U.S. embassy which was enough for me but there are other pricier options around town. Many non-U.S. diplomats and U.N. employees also take advantage of personal trainers or the gym at the Serena Hotel. Membership at the Serena is more expensive than most U.S. gyms but you can also get a day pass which allow you access to the gym, saunas and pool and is a nice 'mini-break.' - Sep 2016
Surprisingly, there are plenty. The most refined (featuring a pool (something very rare in Pakistan) is at Serena Hotel (about US$100 a month). But for the best workouts and personal trainers go to Metafitnosis. it is more expensive, maybe US$ 300 a month, but it is worth it. - Sep 2015
The US Embassy's gym is sufficient. Snobs can pay to go to Serena, so they can sit by the pool and feel important or classy. - Aug 2015
Embassy has a decent gym, tennis courts and inexpensive lessons, some exercise classes - Aug 2015
There is a gym on compound and I know there are some gyms in the city. Also, there is a group of men who beat tires as a workout. I don't know why they hate tires so much. - Apr 2014
U.S. Embassy and other diplomatic missions have gym facilities and these are free for staff accredited to these embassies or missions. I know there are private gyms in Islamabad but I am not familiar with the services offered or membership rates. - Feb 2014
Expats mainly use their embassy facilities; the French Club 21 (in front of the U.S. Embassy) has a small club with pool; and there are several quality private gym clubs. Why pay for a private club when iT's free at the Embassy? In case of the French club, to avoid seeing the same people and increase chances to meet other people, in the case of the private club: because it is close to home and you can walk there from home at different hours than around the working hours. People work out a lot in the U.S. Embassy. - Dec 2013
Expats mainly use embassy gyms, but there's several private gyms, and even a rock climbing wall. - Mar 2012
On the embassy compound. It's a popular hobby here. Kinda like in prison. - Aug 2011
Embassy has a large facility. There are 1 or 2 western style gyms in the city that I am told are not too bad - May 2011
Yes, there are quite a few. The Serena Hotel probably has the nicest in town, but there are others available. - Jan 2010
Yes. There is also an indoor 50m swimming pool at the sports complex which has ladies-only swimming sessions. - Oct 2009
