Cultural Tour- In the Foot steps of Alexander the Great

Tread along the centuries' old route of Alexander the Great. The first leg of the journey takes you to the beautiful Swat Valley, en route visiting a city of ancient Buddhist stupas and monasteries. Then drive on to Chitral via Dir and witness the century's old, well preserved, and practical culture of the Kalash. Next you fly to Peshawar and visit the famous Khyber Pass, where every rock has a story to tell. Then you fly to Lahore to visit some of the spectacular sites of Mughal period. From there you will drive to the mystic city of Multan, and paying a visit to the ancient cities of Harappa. Then you fly to Karachi and visit Thatta.

Day 1: Islamabad - Arrival at Islamabad airport, where you will be met, then transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: Taxila - Breakfast at the hotel and 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 until 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).Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3: Swat - Breakfast at the hotel. Full day sightseeing tour of Swat valley. 35 miles north of Saidu Sharif is the charming town of Madyan, lying at an elevation of 4336 feet. The town borders the Swat River and trout fishing is a favourite pastime. 6 miles further north is the town of Bahrain, whose precarious wire bridge and fabulous woodcarving makes it a must. 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. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4: Chitral - Breakfast at the hotel and drive to Chitral via Dir. Arrive and transfer to the hotel. Little is known about the history of Chitral. Alexander the Great marched through here in 326 B.C., leaving behind Greek traditions which to this day are reflected in the customs of the indigenous population. An early Sanskrit inscription records that the country was under King Kaipal of Kabul, a Buddhist king. After various short lived regimes, the Mehtras came into power, and ruled the small kingdom for over 300 years. The last Mehtra, Saifur Rehman, strained relations with the neighbouring state of Dir by refusing to marry the princess. The Nawab of Dir threatened to march against the King, who thus turned to the Government of Pakistan for assistance. The state of Chitral was subsequently incorporated into the then new state of Pakistan. Chitral is a small valley that is overshadowed by the Trichmir mountain, 25,230 feet high, and divided into two sub sections by the rapid flowing Mastuj River. The city acts as a base for many trekking and hiking expeditions, and its pure mountain air attracts many who wish to relax. The Kafir valleys provide an interesting diversion for the locals who consider the Kafirs as heathen and totally unacceptable, for they are unbelievers. The hot sulphur springs close to the city are well known for their healing abilities and attract a good many who wish to be cured from varied ailments ranging from migraines to sterility. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 5: Chitral - Breakfast at the hotel. Full day excursion of Bomboret and Rambur valleys. Bamboret is the largest of three valleys about 2 hours jeep drive from Chitral. There used to exist two distinctive types of Kafirs (Infidels), the red and the Kalash (Black) until the end of the last century. The Red Kafirs were conquered by Amir of Afghanistan and converted to Islam. The Kalash were however not harmed and to this day maintain their pagan rites. Then it's onto Rambur, a picturesque valley only 10 miles from Bamboret. Our guide will show you the hamlets of Balanguru and Kalashgram. A short but trying walk up to the steep ridge is rewarded with an ancient Kalash temple decorated with wooden horses and human figures. The gay and jocand Kafirs are given to the lively dances and music, they worship and seek help from their gods only when they are in trouble. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6: Peshawar - Breakfast at the hotel then fly to Peshawar (flight is subject to weather conditions). In case of flight cancellation drive to Peshawar via Lowari Pass. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6: Peshawar - Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, take a half day excursion of Khyber Pass. This famous pass has been a silent witness to the countless number of invaders, pleasure seekers, adventurers and soothsayers that have filtered through its narrow gateway over the centuries. The historic Khyber Pass begins at a distance 15 miles west of Peshawar at the Babi - Khyber watchtower, which acts as a gateway to the Pass. You then begin a winding journey through a tribal area, passing the Jamrud Fort, and for 36 miles are another 'invader', witnessing the stark and severe beauty of this passage hewn through great rocks. The pass ends at the Torkham Border, passing the smugglers' bazaar, Landikotal, which at a height of 3518 feet straddles the top of this historical passageway. At Torkham, the Durand line separates Pakistan from Afghanistan. In the afternoon, enjoy a half day city sightseeing of Peshawar, the capital of the North West Frontier Province, strategically situated at the mouth of the Khyber Pass. Known as the ancient and historical city of Central Asia, Peshawar is a city of many secrets. Her story is the story of many cultures, people, traditions, and customs. It has seen countless epochs of invaders, conquerors and emperors. The inhabitants of this city - the legendary Pathans - have thus evolved into a daring and fearless race. The bazaar is known as the Qissa Khawani (Story Tellers) bazaar: Years ago, caravans used to travel from Russia and China into Persia, and Peshawar used to be the gateway. All kinds of people used to meet and exchange stories and brag about their exploits - hence the name. Until the mid fifties, Peshawar was enclosed within walls having sixteen gates. On the eastern approach to the city lays the mighty Bala Hisar fort, built by Babar, the first of the Moghals. On the eastern approach, lies the sombre Jamrud fort, which is still used as part of the second defense perimeter. In the heart of the city lies the Mahabat Khan mosque, built in 1680 by Mahabat Khan, the then Governor of the province. The architect attempted to copy the mighty Badshahi Mosque of Lahore, and constructed six small minarets in between two huge minarets towering 110 feet into the air. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 8: Lahore - Breakfast at the hotel then drive to Lahore, en route visiting Jalapur. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 9: Lahore - Breakfast at the hotel. Full day city tour of Lahore. Our tour includes visit to Lahore Fort, a marvel of Moghal architecture begun in the 11th century and completed finally 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 immortalized by Rudyard Kipling and the campus of the Punjab University. We will also visit the Town Hall, a yellow building with bulbous silver domes. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 10: Multan - Breakfast at the hotel and drive to Multan en route visiting Harappa, which lies 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 inter - connecting 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. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 11: Karachi - Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, take a city sightseeing tour of Multan visiting the old Fort, Shrine of Hazrat Rukne Alam, and the colorful Bazaar full of local handicrafts. In the afternoon transfer to the airport for your flight to Karachi. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 12: Thatta - Breakfast at the hotel and 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. Then you will have a farewell dinner after all the fun and excitement, then say good bye to each other with a wish to meet again at some other Walji's tour program in future! Overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast and Dinner).

Day 13: Karachi - Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the airport for your home bound flight. (Breakfast only).