Cultural Tour- Archaeological Sites Of Pakistan

Archaeological sites in Pakistan clearly reflect the fascinating and glorious heritage of the land. This voyage of discovery will take you to the 5000 year old Indus Valley civilization of Harappa, Moenjodaro, century's old Buddhist monasteries. and stupas of the Gandhara period.

Day 1: Islamabad - Arrival at Islamabad airport, where you will be met, then transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon take a city sightseeing tour of Islamabad. We will begin at the old city of Rawalpindi, at the Raja (King) Bazaar. A stop in the silver and gold bazaars will allow us to catch traditional craftsmen at work. We will then continue on the main street linking the Twin cities - Murree Road - before arriving at the gleaming new capital. We pass shining new buildings and thousands of park areas - a full 50 percent of the 350 square mile site is set aside for parks. We will then stop at the Shakar Parian, "Sweet Hills" to catch a bird's eye view of Islamabad. Our next stop will be Shah Faisal Mosque, which is the landmark of Islamabad. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: Swat - Breakfast at the hotel then drive to Swat, en route visiting Taxila, which is situated 35 miles from Rawalpindi, and was once the seat of Oriental culture. It was first mentioned as a satrapy of the Archemenian Empire in 6th century B.C. It was invaded by Alexander the Great and passed along to other rulers un till finally reaching the hands of Ashoka the Great, who moulded the city into a centre of learning. The creative Gandhara period followed shortly thereafter and Taxila remained the centre of learning, philosophy and art. It came to a disastrous and pathetic end when sacked by the White Huns. Today, Taxila is an archaeologist's paradise: there is a well maintained museum here and eight sites scattered around a very short radius. Amongst the best preserved are Sirkap, Jaulian (the University).Arrive at Swat and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3: Swat - Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning visit Jahanabad and Madyan/Bahrain. In the afternoon visit Butkara, Saidu stupas, museum, and the Bazaar. Butkara is home to the remains of one of the most important Buddhist shrines in the valley. This site consists of a main stupa around which jostle 215 votive stupas in apparently glorious disarray. The main stupa was believed to contain some ashes of Lord Buddha and to have been built by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. It is difficult to imagine it as it must have been once, all painted and gilded and topped by stone umbrellas. You can still see the statue of lions crouching on their haunches. They probably fell off the tops of the tall columns which once stood near the stupa. Then you will visit Mingora Bazaar, which is the commercial centre, and well worth visiting, for there you will find emeralds for which Swat is famous. Then continue to Murghazar here you will behold the old white palace constructed from white marble and adorned with ornate carvings. The Museum in Saidu Sharif has a large collection of Gandharan sculptures collected from some of the Buddhist sites in Swat. In the ethnographic section there is some local embroidery, carved wood and tribal jewellery. There are also a few coins on display. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4: Nimogram - This place is impressive, and the drive there both beautiful and archaeologically interesting. Nimogram is unique in that it has three main stupas, one of Buddha he teacher, one for Dharma (the Buddhist doctrine) and one for Sangha (the Buddhist Order), the three principles, or jewels, of Buddhism. Surrounding the main stupas is a number of votive stupas, and nearby is an unexcavated monastery site. Much superb sculpture was found at Nimogram, most of which is now in the Swat Museum at Saidu Sharif. In the afternoon visit Udigram. The site of countless battles fought or control of the Swat Valley. The town flourished from the 4th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D., and harbored the armies of Alexander the Great, Mahmud of Ghazni and Raja Gira. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 5: Peshawar - Breakfast at the hotel and proceed to Peshawar en route visiting Takhtbai. Shahbaz Gadi is 40 miles from Peshawar on the ancient route to India. Here lie the ruins of a Buddhist monastery dating back to the 2nd century B.C. A few miles further on lie the ruins of another monastery, Takht-Bahi, situated 500 feet high on a rocky spur. This site, dating back to 45 A.D. has produced sculptures in stone and stucco that are uniquely arranged on small shrines that surround the main stupa. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6: Peshawar - Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning enjoy a city sightseeing tour of Peshawar. We begin by visiting the rich museum of Peshawar, which houses treasures of the Gandhara period. Proceed to old Peshawar through the Kabuli Gate - one of the sixteen - to the Qissa Khawani bazaar, "the street of story tellers", and witness unusual and unforgettable sights. We will also visit the coppersmith's bazaar, which flourished from the 1st century B.C. to the 5th century A.D. Continue to Mahabat Khan's mosque, built in 1670 by the Governor of Peshawar under Moghal Emperor Shah Jahan. Our tour will pass by Balar Hisar Fort, built by Babar in 1526-30, and rebuilt by Hari Singh Nalva, under the guidance of French engineers in 1830. In the afternoon transfer to the airport for your flight to Lahore. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 7: Lahore - Breakfast at the hotel, then a full day city sightseeing tour of Lahore. Our tour includes visits to Lahore Fort, a marvel of Moghal architecture begun in the 11th century and completed by the end of the 16th century. Amongst the Emperors who contributed to its splendor are Emperors Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan. We will visit the beautiful palace of Mirrors, Shah Jahan's Quadrangle and the Pearl Mosque. Overlooking the Fort is the Badshahi mosque - the world's largest - and it is our next stop. It was constructed during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb. Pakistan's famous poet-philosopher, Dr. Mohammad Iqbal, lies buried outside the mosque. We will drive to the National Museum which contains one of the finest collections of Buddhist Art from the Gandhara period. Here one is able to view the original Fasting Buddha statue. In front of the museum is the Zam - Zama, the gun immortalised by Rudyard Kipling and the campus of the Punjab University. We will also visit the Town Hall, a yellow building with bulbous silver domes. We drive through Lahore's crowded streets to the Shalimar Gardens, designed by Ali Mardan of Persia and set out in the Persian style with marble pavilions, a marble waterfall and more than 400 fountains in an area of 42 acres. Emperor Shah Jahan ordered the construction of this "Garden of Heaven" in 1642. Next we proceed to the Anarkali Bazaar, named after a pretty dancer named Anarkali who was put to death by Emperor Akbar for having an affair with Prince Salim, who later became Emperor Jehangir. We will also visit Wazir Khan's Mosque, constructed under the stewardship of the Governor in 1643, and Jahangir's tomb. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 8: Harappa - Multan - Breakfast at the hotel and drive to Multan en route visiting Harappa. Harappa is on the bank of the Ravi River situated 140 miles from Lahore, and is a very important archaeological site. The houses unearthed were constructed with baked bricks set in mud or mortar. Every house had a well, and amazing sewage and drain facilities, indicating that the inhabitants were well versed in town planning. One building of particular beauty has six interconnecting halls approximately 52" x 17" wide, with a wooden floor and it was used to store grains. The famous Chinese religious historian, Hieun Tsiang, remained here for two months since Harappa had four Buddhist stupas and twelve monasteries. It also had over twenty Hindu temples. The city was destroyed during an 8th century Arab invasion. Continue to drive to Multan. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 9: Karachi - After breakfast, head off on a half day city tour of Multan. Visit the old Fort, Shrine of Hazrat Rukne Alam, and the colorful Bazaar full of local handicrafts. In the afternoon transfer to airport for your flight to Karachi. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 10: Thatta - Breakfast at the hotel, then proceed for full day Thatta excursion. Thatta is an ancient town whose history dates back to Alexander the Great, who used the town to rest his weary troops. Founded in the 15th century, it was used by the Moghuls as the capital of Sind. It is rumored that at this time up to 400 institutions of learning flourished. Some outstanding Moghul ruins, such as the Shahi Masjid, form the core of the religious and historical monuments preserved. The Makli Hills is an ancient necropolis containing up to a million graves spread over an area of six miles. The geometric and floral designs carved upon the stone tombs help identify the different eras and their dynasties, and reveal many a secret of the gone days. We will also visit the archaeological site of Bhanbore, whose network of streets and narrow lanes associate it with the legendary city of Debal. Drive back to Karachi, then overnight at the hotel.

Day 11: Mohenjodaro - After breakfast, proceed for a full day Moenjodaro Excursion. Moenjodaro, or the "Mound of the Dead ", is situated about 563 kms (350 miles) from Karachi on the Super Highway via Dadu. It is one of the world's oldest civilizations, dating as far back as 2000 B.C., and only the Egyptian and Mesopotanian Civilizations precede it in age. This archaeological wonder was discovered in 1922, and subsequent excavations show it to be divided into two parts: the upper & the lower. The Archaeological Museum in Moenjodaro is definitely worth a visit. Then it's a farewell dinner after all the fun and excitement, then time to say goodbye to each other with a wish to meet again at another Walji's tour program in future! Overnight at the hotel.

Day 12: Karachi - Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to airport for home bound flight.