Pakistan has a history dating back to period of half a million years. This is the land that played a major role in introducing the concept of culture, society and civilization to this earth. The material collected from the glacial deposits of the Soan River is comprised of choppers, chopping tools, and axes and indicates the Stone Age in this region. The people of Paleolithic Soan survived in the region for a considerable period and transformed themselves gradually from the hunting stage to the conditions of a well-settled life. Excavations at Sarai Khola, Harrapa, Amri, Moenjodaro, Kot Digi, and other sites have established that in 2350 B.C. the pre-historic people of the Indus Valley developed a sophisticated society based on an agricultural economy.
Pakistan also has a rich culture because of its world-class heritage sites. Then the Indus Valley Civilization is an important subject to experience. Because the ancient Kingdom of Gandhara and the Moghul Empire are interesting heritage sites in Pakistan.
Karachi-Bahawalpur-Multan Cultural Tour: 04 Nights 05 Days
Itinerary
Day 01: Karachi – Bahawalpur
Pickup from Karachi Airport or your location in Karachi and departure for Bahawalpur (approx. 12 ½ hrs. drive). On route suggested lunch at Sukkur.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Bahawalpur.
Day 02: Bahawalpur
After breakfast depart for a city tour of Bahawalpur to visit the Jamia Masjid and Central Library of Bahawalpur is an old and worth-mentioning library of Pakistan located in Bahawalpur. It has a collection of 105000 books. It is the 2nd biggest public library in the province. It possesses, besides a vast collection of old newspapers since 1947 and even later than it, more than lac books and a fair number of manuscript Lunch in Bahawalpur
After lunch visit of Lal Suhanra National Park, which is one of the largest national parks in South Asia. It is also a UNESCO-declared Biosphere Reserve. Lal Sohanra is spread over 162568 acres and is notable for the diversity of its landscape, which includes areas of desert, forest and wetland.
Continue to visit The Noor Mahal a palace in Bahawalpur; It was built in 1872 like an Italian chateau on neoclassical lines, at a time when modernism had set in. It belonged to the Nawab of Bahawalpur princely state, during British Raj.
Later proceed for Dinner. Overnight stay at a hotel in Bahawalpur.
Day 03: Bahawalpur – Multan
After breakfast depart to visit Derawar Fort (approx. 02 hrs. drive), a large square fortress in Bahawalpur with forty bastions visible for many miles in the Cholistan Desert. The walls have a circumference of 1500 meters and stand up to thirty meters high. A previous fort had been built at that location by a Hindu Rajput of the Bhati clan of Jaisalmer; however, this fort was later destroyed. Visit King’s Tomb and enjoy local music and Camel rides in the Desert.
Lunch at the Food Club. After Lunch continues to drive for Panjnad, (approx. 02 hrs. drive), an agricultural area where all the five rivers of Punjab merge. Uch Sharif (approx 45 mins drive),
On arrival visit the shrine and Mosque of Jalal Uddin Surkh Bukharind the shrine of Bibi Jiwandi (RA).
Later continue drive to Multan (approx. 02 hrs. drive). Overnight stay at a hotel in Multan.
Day 04: Multan
After Breakfast visit Blue Pottery Factory. Later proceed for a city tour of Multan with the famous shrines of Shaikh Bahauddin Zakaria Multani, Shah Rukne Alam, and Shah Shams Tabrez. Multan has more tombs of saints and Sufis gathered in one place than anywhere else on earth and is probably one of the oldest surviving cities in South West Asia. Visit Multan Hussain Agahi Bazar for the local Sweat of Multan (Sohan Halwa).
Overnight Stay at a hotel in Multan.
Day 05: Mutan – Rahim Yar Khan
After Breakfast Departure for Rahim Yar Khan (approx. 03 ½ hrs. drive) on route to visit Jamia Mosque Bhong. Bhong Mosque is located in the village of Bhong, Rahim Yar Khan District, Punjab Province, Pakistan. It was designed and constructed over a period of nearly 50 years (1932–1982) and won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1986. The construction of the mosque was under the control of Master Abdul Hameed (Kamboh) who worked to make sure it was exquisite and a landmark for Pakistan. A postage stamp depicting it was issued on May 12, 2004, in Pakistan.
Continue drive to Pattan Minara is believed to be a 2,000-year-old Buddhist monastery situated eight kilometers from Rahim Yar Khan City, located in Pakistan. Patan Minara was built during the Hakrra Valley Civilization around 250 BC. It was once the capital of a kingdom in 10 AD as mentioned by Colonel Toy. Some archeologists believe that the structure was built by Alexander the Great when he passed through this area on his way to India for a military expedition. As was his practice, Alexander set up a cantonment here under a Greek governor and the tower served for keeping a watchful eye on the local tribes. There is a mystery behind it that there was once treasure hidden in that historical building.
Later Back to a hotel. Overnight stay at Hotel in Rahim Yar Khan.
Lahore–Khewara–Islamabad-Murree Cultural Tour
06 Nights 07 Days
Day 01: Lahore
Pickup from Lahore Airport or your location. On arrival check-in at the hotel.
Later Proceed to visit Badshahi Mosque, or the ‘Emperor’s Mosque’, which was built in 1673 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore. It is one of the city’s best-known landmarks, and a major tourist attraction epitomizing the beauty and grandeur of the Mughal era.
Capable of accommodating over 55,000 worshipers, it is the second largest mosque in Pakistan, after the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. The architecture and design of the Badshahi Masjid is closely related to the Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, which was built in 1648 by Aurangzeb’s father and predecessor, Emperor Shah Jahan.
Continue the drive for the Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila, located in the northwestern corner of the Walled City of Lahore. The trapezoidal composition is spread over 20 hectares. Origins of the fort go as far back as antiquity; however, the existing base structure was built during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar (1556-1605) and was regularly upgraded by subsequent rulers. Thus the fort manifests the rich traditions of the entire Mughal architecture. Some of the famous sites inside the fort include Sheesh Mahal, Alamgiri Gate, Naulakha Pavilion, and Moti Masjid. In 1981, the fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Shalimar Gardens (Lahore).
Greater Iqbal Park and Mausoleum of Dr. Iqbal and Minar e Pakistan. Later visit Bara Dari and Anarkali Bazar for Shopping.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Lahore.
Day 02: Lahore
After breakfast visit Hiran Minar. Continue the drive to visit the Tomb of Jahangir, the mausoleum built for the Mughal Emperor Jahangir who ruled from 1605 to 1627. His son Shah Jahan built the mausoleum 10 years after his father’s death.
It is sited in an attractive walled garden and has four 30-meter-high minarets. The interior is embellished with frescoes and pietra dura inlay and colored marble. Enjoy the beautifully laid-out Shalimar Gardens the Shalimar Garden is a Persian garden and was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Construction began in 1641 A.D. and was completed the following year. The project management was carried out under the superintendence of Khalilullah Khan, a noble of Shah Jahan’s court, in cooperation with Ali Mardan Khan and Mulla Alaul Maulk Tuni. After lunch visit of Wahga (Pak-India) border to watch the flag-lowering ceremony between Pakistan and India Wagah, the only road border crossing between India and Pakistan lies on the Grand Trunk Road between the cities of Amritsar, India, and Lahore. Wahga itself is a village where the controversial Radcliffe Line was drawn. The village was unified before partition in 1947. Today, the eastern half of the village remains in India whilst the other half is in Pakistan.
The Wagah border is a ceremonial border where each evening, there is a ceremony called the ‘lowering of the flags’. At that time there is a very energetic and thrilling parade done by Border Security Force (B.S.F), Indian and Pakistan Rangers soldiers.
Later visit Liberty Market for shopping. Overnight stay at a hotel in Lahore.
Day 03: Lahore
After breakfast visit Old City, Shahi Hamam, Wazir khan Mosque, Golden Mosque or Sunehri Masjid a relative latecomer to Lahore’s traditional cityscape, having been built in 1753 during the waning years of the Mughal empire by Nawab Bhikari Khan, the Deputy of Lahore during the tenure of Governor Mir Mu’in al-Mulk Mir Munoo. It stands on a small plot of land where one street diverges into two. When Nawab Bhikari Khan acquired the property, it was a vacant parcel of land at the chowk (square) of Kashmiri Bazaar. He was required to obtain a special fatwa from Muslim scholars to construct the mosque, as the local authority has been concerned that the construction of a building in the square would interrupt the flow of traffic and visit many old streets in the Old City.
Continue the drive to visit the Lahore Museum, established in 1894 and one of the major museums of South Asia. Rudyard Kipling’s father, John Lockwood Kipling, was one of the famous curators of the museum and the novel Kim was set in the vicinity of the Lahore Museum. It is located opposite the old University Hall, a Mughal-style building on the Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam. The Museum contains some fine specimens of Mughal and Sikh doorways and woodwork and contains a large collection of paintings dating back to the Mughal, Sikh and British eras.
The Museum has also a collection of musical instruments, ancient jewelry, textiles, pottery and an armory. There are relics from the Greco-Bactrian times as well as some Tibetan and Nepalese work. The museum has a number of objects of Greco-Buddhist sculptures, and Mughal and Pahari paintings on display.
Later Proceed for the sightseeing of Lahore with the Double Decker bus. Suggested dinner at Food Street Lahore.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Lahore.
Day 04: Lahore – Khewra – Islamabad
After breakfast departure for Khewra Salt Mines; (approx. 03 ½ hrs. drive).
Visit Khewra Salt Mines (approx. 01 hr. drive) a salt mine located in Khewra. It attracts up to 40,000 visitors per year and is the second-largest salt mine in the world. Situated in the foothills of the Salt Range, the Khewra Salt Mines are the oldest in the sub-continent. Salt has been mined at Khewra since 320 BC, in an underground area of about 110 sq. km. Khewra salt mine has an estimated total of 220 million tons of rock salt deposits. The current production from the mine is 325,000 tons of salt per annum.
The mine-head buildings have 17 stories, with 11 below ground. The salt mine is 945 feet above sea level and extends around 2,400 feet inside the earth from the mine mouth. There are 17 working levels and the cumulative length of all tunnels is more than 40 km.
Salt occurs in the form of an irregular dome-like structure. There are seven thick salt seams with a cumulative thickness of about 150 meters. In places the rock salt is 99% pure and the Salt is transparent, white, pink, and reddish to beef-color red. There are beautiful alternate bands of red and white color salt.
Later visit Katas Raj (approx. 1 hr. drive), is a Hindu mandir or temple complex situated in Katas Village near Choa Saidan Shah in the Chakwal district of Punjab. Dedicated to Shiva, the temple has existed since the days of Mahābhārata and the Pandava brothers spent a substantial part of their exile at the site. The Pakistan Government is considering nominating the temple complex for World Heritage Site status. In 2007, it also proposed to restore the temple complex. In 2012, the temple pond is drying up due to the heavy use of groundwater for industrial purposes.
Continue driver to Islamabad (approx. 03 hrs. drive). In the evening suggested dinner at Pir Sohawa.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Islamabad.
Day 05: Islamabad – Murree
After breakfast departure for Murree (Approx. 02 hrs drive). On arrival sightseeing of Main Murree, Kashmir and Pindi point.
Later visit Nathia Gali a mountain resort town and a part of the Galiaath which are the hill stations in that area it is known for its scenic beauty, hiking tracks and pleasant weather, which is much cooler than the rest of the Galiaath due to it being at a greater altitude. From Dunga Gali you can hike 4 km on the Dunga Gali Pipe Line Track and see animals, trees and rare species of birds in this beautiful forest. The hike takes approximately 40 to 45 minutes.
Later drive back to Islamabad. Overnight stay at a hotel in Islamabad.
Day 06: Islamabad
After breakfast visit Shah Faisal Mosque; this beautiful mosque was designed by a renowned Turkish architect, Vedat Dalokay and named after the King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. The main courtyard has space for 40000 people.
Afterward see Lok Virsa, also known as the National Institute of Folk & Traditional Heritage, which works towards preserving the living folk and traditional culture of Pakistan located near Shakarparian hills.
See the National Monument in Islamabad, a national monument representing the four provinces and three territories of Pakistan. After a competition among many renowned architects, Arif Masood’s plan was selected for the final design. The four main petals of the monument represent the four provinces while the three smaller petals represent the Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. The Monument has been designed to reflect the culture and civilization of the country.
From the air the monument looks like a star (center) and a crescent moon (formed by walls forming the petals); these represent the star and crescent on Pakistan’s flag.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Islamabad.
Day 07: Islamabad
After breakfast Day free Leisure. Later drop at Islamabad Airport or your location in Islamabad.