Ancient Gandhara Cultural Tour

Welcome at Lahore airport transfer to hotel. After refreshment, you will start your exploration to Delhi Gate, one of the thirteen gates of Lahore, then walk to the old Spice Market from the Mughal Empire era to experience the mesmerizing colors and aromas of the spices.

Stop for lunch and then continue to Wazir Khan Mosque which is built with a beautiful mosaic. We will stop at Shahi Hammam, designed hundreds of years ago as a public bathhouse to service both the visiting travelers as well as the inhabitants of the city. Enjoy the majestic Lahore Fort citadel which is a Unesco World Heritage Monument. After the Citadel Shish Mahal, you will cross over to the Badshahi Mosque. The mosque was constructed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb between 1671 and 1673 and was the largest mosque in the world from 1673 to 1986. It was built with red sandstone with white marble inlay and can accommodate 100,000 worshippers.

After breakfast, you will continue your adventure to Data Darbar Shrine, the largest Sufi Shrine in South Asia. It was built to house the remains of Ali Hujwiri, commonly known as Ganj Baksh, a Sufi saint from Ghazni in present-day Afghanistan, who is believed to have lived on the site in the 11th century CE.

You’ll then proceed to the Tomb of Jahangir. Construction of the mausoleum lasted 10 years from 1627 to 1637. It occupies a vast quadrangle measuring 600 gaz (approximately 500 meters) to a side and is subdivided into four chahar baghs (four-part gardens). A fountain occupies the center of each of the chahar baghs and in between the avenue, creating a ring of 8 fountains around the central tomb.

You will proceed to the Unesco World Heritage site of Shalamar Garden, covering 16 hectares and is arranged in three terraces descending from the south to the north.

Drive to Islamabad, en-route stopping at Katas Raj Temple. The Katas Raj Temples, also known as Qila Katas, are several Hindu temples connected to one another by walkways. The temples form a complex surrounding a pond named Katas which is regarded as sacred by Hindus.

You’ll eat dinner in the open air at Monal Restaurant Islamabad.

Drive to Peshawar and enjoy lunch and a city tour of Peshawar, which includes Bala Hisar Fort, Kissa Khani bazaar, Peshawar Museum, and Mohabat Khan Mosque.

Peshawar is the capital of the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and also serves as the administrative center and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Situated in a broad valley near the eastern end of the historic Khyber Pass, Peshawar's recorded history dates back to at least 539 B.C.E., making it the oldest city in Pakistan and one of the oldest in South Asia. Peshawar is the largest city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and according to the last census is the ninth-largest city of Pakistan.

After breakfast, depart for Swat, and on the way, visit the well-preserved monastery of Takht-e-Bahi. In the afternoon, visit Swat Museum with its nice collection of Gandhara sculptures collected from some of the Buddhist sites in the valley. A few coins and weapons are also displayed as well as local embroidery, carved wood and tribal embroidery.

After breakfast, drive to Islamabad, stopping at Taxila to explore this fascinating Buddhist university town, dating back to the Gandaharan era of Alexander the Great. Most of the archaeological sites of Taxila (600 BC to 500 AD) are located around the museum. For over 1000 years, Taxila remained famous as a center of learning Gandhara art of sculpture, architecture, education and Buddhism in the days of Buddhist glory. There are over 50 archaeological sites scattered in a radius of 30 km around Taxila.

This morning you will visit some of the famous sights of Islamabad, including the Faisal Mosque, the 5th largest mosque in the world. You will also take time to visit the Lok Virsa Museum and Pakistan Monument.

After lunch you will proceed to visit Rawalpindi, a lively, bustling city with crowded streets and colorful bazaars, which should appeal to anyone with the desire to see the real Pakistan. The buzzing Rajah Bazaar is a kaleidoscope of people and merchandise spreading in every direction from chaotic Fowara Chowk. You could spend hours exploring the colorful, crowded streets and buy anything from batteries to a new set of teeth. Dotted around are crumbling stone towers marking old Hindu temples.

Your tour ends after breakfast with a ride to the Islamabad airport to depart.