Travel Through History

Visit the historic walled city of Lahore
Explore ancient Mohenjodaro
Take a desert Safari
See ancient Greek cities in Taxila
Take a desert Safari
Eat your way through diverse Pakistani cuisine

19 DAYS FROM

Physical Rating 2

Best time to visit: October - April

On arrival in Karachi you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Depending on your time of arrival the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture. We get together as a group for dinner where your guide will discuss the itinerary.

We start our day with a visit to the mausoleum of Abdullah Shah Ghazi, the patron saint of Karachi. We continue to National Museum of Pakistan Museum the largest and covers the history of the region from the bronze age. We end the day at the Shrine of Mangho Pir, the patron saint of the African diaspora. The Shrine is known for its crocodiles who are considered sacred.

Today we take a two hour drive to Thatta the medieval capital of Sindh. We will visit the Necropolis of Makli a UNESCO world heritage site; a city of mausoleums built between 14th and 18th century. Our next stop is the 16th century Shah Jahan mosque considered to have the most elaborate tile work in South-Asia. Our day ends in Hyderabad where we will spend the night.

We drive two hours to explore Ranikot fort, considered the largest fort in the world with walls covering 32 km. Later we continue to the shrine of Lal Shahbaz the most eccentric and popular saint in Sindh. At sunset we will experience Dhamal, the ecstatic whirling dance of Sufis.

Drive to Mohenjo-daro, largest city of Indus Valley built around 26th century BC and a UNESCO world heritage site. After a detailed visit of the site and museum we continue to Sukkur stopping at the 18th century Kot Diji Fort on the way.

In the morning we take a boat trip to see the boat houses of the Mohana people, descendants of the first inhabitants of the Indus valley. The wooden boats they live in are identical to the outlines etched onto the five-thousand-year-old seals of the Mohenjo-daro city civilization. We continue to visit the island of Sadhu Belo, famous for its highly revered Hindu temples.

Our first stop is Uch; founded by Alexander
the Great in 325 B.C. as Alexandria on the Indus. Uch today is known for its
Sufi Shrines from 12-15th centuries. Spend the day with the locals, listening to the stories and legends of these mystics. Later we will visit the Palace of the former Nawab of Bahawalpur.

Venture on through the Cholistan Desert to Derawar. Here, enjoy a camel safari to the local villages and meet the local people. Spend the night in a tented desert camp. Enjoy the evening with live folk music.

Travel to the vibrant town of Multan, dominated by its Sufi Shrines and culture. Multan is famous for its handicrafts and traditional sweets, we will visit some of the famous places as we walk through the streets to the old city fort, and visit Sufi mausoleums covered in white and blue tile work. In the evening experience Sufi music at the shrine.

Discover Lahore, the cultural heart of Pakistan. Drown in national fervor at the Wagah Border for the flag lowering ceremony. Experience historic Lahore fort complex and many ancient sites. The next day return to the walled city to enjoy a walking street food tour that takes us to historic Haveli’s, cultural museum, music schools and folk performances. End your evenings with a live music or cultural performance.

We drive to the 2,000 year old city of Peshawar. Along the way we will stop at Katas Raj Temple complex. Once in Peshawar, we will visit the historic Qisa Khawani Bazar (story tellers bazar), you will have an opportunity to roam the streets before we settle in for a meal before returning to our hotel. The next day visit the Bala Hisar Fort in continuous use since the 7th century. Explore the Peshawar museum with the largest collection of Gahdhara art in the world.

Drive to Swat, stopping at the 1st century UNESCO world heritage site of Takht-Bhai. Visit the Swat Museum with its collection of Gandharan statuettes and treasure from the valley of Swat. We will visit the remains of 2nd century Butkara stupa, believed to contain the ashes of Buddha. Later visit Udegram village where you will have the option to hike to Raja Gira’s castle, site with a history stretching from 1,000 BC to 14th century.

Our first stop is the UNESCO world heritage site of Taxila. The origins of Taxila as a city go back to 1500 BC
and it was an important Buddhist
Centre from 5th century BC to 6th Century AD. Taxila Museum is famous for its magnificent collection of Greek influenced Gandhara Art.
After Taxila we will head over to our hotel in Islamabad. The afternoon and evening are free to relax or join an organized shopping trip.

After a relaxed morning, you will have a chance to visit some of sights in Islamabad, including Faisal Mosque and the national institute of folk heritage. You will have an opportunity to buy local handicrafts and we will arrange a tour of carpet shopping.
After relaxing at the hotel, we will head to the Margala hills for a celebration dinner to end an amazing experience.

Our private transport will take you to the airport.

Is this Trip for you?

All our tours feature a physical rating to help select the right vacation. Every one of tours require the ability to walk around sights unaided, while more active tours include longer walks or multi-day treks.

Level 1: A reasonable level of fitness is required but its more about spending time on your feet than covering large distances. You will be getting on and off vehicles, walking around sites and climbing steps.

Level 2: The typical day is busier and involves more steps or multiple sites visits every day. The trip might involve day hikes of 2-3 hours.

Level 3: You should enjoy hiking and feel comfortable hiking 3–6 miles with elevation with elevation gains/losses of up to 300m(1000 ft) per day. We suggest beginning a regular exercise regimen at least 2–3 months prior to departure.

Level 4: You should be comfortable with hiking 5-8 hours each day, up to 18km (11 miles) with as much as 3,000’elevation gain and loss or high altitude.

Level 5: Challenging for fit hikers with experience in multi-day treks in high altitude. These tours are not appropriate for novice hikers or even for experienced but unfit hikers.

If you have any questions, please reach us at info@thewander.travel