Tour Itinerary
DAY 1
Islamabad – Taxila – Islamabad
Arrival in Islamabad before dawn, transfer to the hotel, where there will be time to settle in and get some rest. Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Taxila. On the UNESCO list since 1980, it is one of the most important archaeological sites in Asia and consists of four different settlements: the prehistoric mound of Saraikala; the older city of Bhir, founded in the 6th century B.C. and later conquered by Alexander the Great during his advance towards India in 326 B.C.; the fortified ramparts of Sirkap (2nd century B.C.) and the city of Sirsukh (1st century A.D.). Located along one of the Silk Road routes that linked China to Europe, from the 5th century BC to the 2nd century AD it was also an important centre of Buddhist study that attracted scholars from all over Asia. Return to Islamabad for a city tour that will include the Faisal Mosque, the Daman-E-Koh viewpoint and Saidpur village (the ancient village of Islamabad). Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 2
Islamabad – Takht-i-Bahi – Barikot – Swat
After breakfast, depart for the mountainous region of Swat, north-west of Islamabad. En route, stop for a visit to the unmissable Buddhist complex of Takht-i-Bhai, a UNESCO site since 1980 whose name in Urdu means ‘Throne of the Spring’. In terms of size and type of structure, it is the most complete Buddhist monastic site in Pakistan, whose foundation dates back to the 1st century B.C. and remained in use until the 7th century A.D. Lunch and continuation of the journey, with a stop to visit the site of Barikot, where, amidst structures from different eras, the remains of the wealthy city of Bazira, conquered by Alexander the Great’s Macedonians in 327 BC, have been identified. The excavation in this area is entrusted to the Italian Archaeological Mission in Pakistan (MAIP) founded in 1955 by Giuseppe Tucci, the famous Tibetologist and Orientalist. It will be possible to make the acquaintance of the Mission’s archaeologists. Arrival in Swat, dinner and overnight stay in a hotel.
DAY 3
Swat
After breakfast at the hotel, we will visit the numerous sites of interest in the Swat region, focusing on the period when Buddhism flourished there, represented by evocative ‘stupas’ dating from the 2nd century BC onwards. We will visit the Swat Archaeological Museum, founded by Tucci and reconstructed in 2013 by MAIP as part of a joint Italian-Pakistani archaeology and social mobilisation project (called ACT); the Buddhist sanctuary of Butkara I and the necropolis of Butkara II. In the evening, it will be possible to visit the Mingora bazaar or the weaver’s village of Islampur. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 4
Swat – Rohtas Fort – Lahore
Early in the morning, after breakfast, depart for Lahore. En route, stop to visit the imposing Rohtas Fort (Qila Rohtas), a UNESCO site since 1997. The complex is situated on a rocky hill near the town of Jhelum, was built during the rule of Pashtun King Sher Shah Suri between 1541 and 1548 with the aim of subduing the tribes loyal to the Mughal rulers and remained in use until 1707. It is an outstanding example of Islamic military architecture, with its dozens of fortified bastions and striking monumental gateways. Lunch and on to Lahore, the capital of the Punjab. Hotel accommodation, dinner and overnight.
DAY 5
Lahore
After breakfast, visits to Lahore begin. We will begin at the majestic Badshahi Imperial Mosque, built in 1671, one of the largest in the world, in whose courtyard is the tomb of Sir Allama Mohammad Iqbal, a poet and philosopher recognised as the ‘spiritual father’ of Pakistan. Visit the Lahore Fort (Shahi Qila) on the edge of the Old City, a UNESCO site since 1981 and a masterpiece of the Mughal era. The complex, reconstructed several times, whose layout dates back to the 11th century A.D., is a succession of stately palaces, sumptuous halls and gardens built by the emperors Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb from 1566 until the 17th century. Also nearby is the great Wazir Khan Mosque. Lunch will be at a local restaurant. After lunch, we will also visit Shalimar Gardens, built by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1641-42, which represent the apogee of Mughal artistic expression, combining the medieval Islamic garden tradition with Persian influences. Dinner will be served at the Havali Restaurant, with a typical menu and a beautiful view. During the evening, there will be an opportunity to visit the Anarkali bazaar. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 6
Lahore – Harappa – Multan
After breakfast visit to the Lahore Museum, the largest and richest in the country. Depart in the direction of Multan and stop for a visit to Harappa. Here excavations since 1921 have unearthed the remains of a large city, second in size only to Mohenjo-daro and belonging to the Indus Civilisation (also known as the Harappa Civilisation), the oldest urban culture in the subcontinent, among the earliest in history (c. 3300-1500 BC and flourished between 2600-1900 BC). Visit to the small Harappa Museum. Departure and arrival in Multan, one of the country’s major political and economic centres. The city has ancient origins and is believed to be the capital of the Malli (an indigenous population), conquered by Alexander the Great in 326 AD. In the Middle Ages, it was an important mercantile city and attracted a multitude of ‘Sufi’ mystics between the 11th and 12th centuries, so much so that it earned the nickname ‘City of Saints’. It is still rich in bazaars, mosques, shrines and mausoleums. On the way to Multan, you can stop to visit the Hussain Aghai bazaar. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 7
Multan – Uch Sharif- Derawar Fort – Rahim Yar Khan
After breakfast, we depart in the direction of Rahim Yar Khan. On the edge of the desert, along the way, we will be able to admire the mighty Derawar Fortress. The structure, characterised by its striking geometric brick decorations, originates from the 9th century A.D. and was later renovated until the 18th century. Visit to Uch Sharif, an ancient city believed to have been founded in 325 BC by Alexander the Great at the confluence of the Punjab and Indus rivers. It is famous for its numerous 13th-15th century mausoleums and shrines dedicated to venerable Muslim mystics, true masterpieces of Islamic architecture. Arrival in Rahim Yar Khan, dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 8
Rahim Yar Khan – Mohenjo-daro – Kot Diji – Larkana
After breakfast, an early departure for a transfer to Larkana, the fourth largest city in Sindh province, known as the ‘Eden of Sindh’. The surrounding areas of Larkana include many archaeological sites such as Mohenjo-daro, the largest city of the Indus Civilisation, built almost five thousand years ago and flourished between 2500-1500 BC, at the same time as the civilisations of Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and Minoan Crete. Excavations, which began in 1922, soon revealed evidence of the technical, artistic and administrative skills of its inhabitants. Mohenjo-daro, a UNESCO site since 1980, is divided into two sectors: a citadel, on which a Buddhist ‘stupa’ was built in the 2nd century AD, and the lower town. Then visit to the Kot Diji fort, known as Fort Ahmadabad, built on the edge of the Thar desert at the end of the 18th century on the ruins of a site from before the Harappa civilisation, dating from between 2500 and 2800 BC. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 9
Larkana – Hala Shahi Bazar – Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Shrine – Hyderabad
After breakfast, an early departure for the transfer to Hyderabad. During the long drive, we will visit the Hala Shahi Bazar, a huge and labyrinthine traditional covered market that has existed for 300 years. Visit to one of Sindh’s most important Sufi shrines, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, dedicated to the greatest national poet of the Sindhi language, in the town of Bihit Shah, decorated with the region’s renowned glazed tiles and built in the 18th century. Arrival in Hyderabad, dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 10
Hyderabad – Thatta – Makli Necropolis – Chaukhandi – Karachi
After breakfast, depart in the direction of Karachi. En route, visit the historic city of Thatta, the medieval capital of Sindh province, and the splendid Shah Jahan Mosque, built at the behest of the Mughal emperor of the same name between 1644 and 1647, in a style clearly showing Uzbek and Persian influences. Afterwards visit to the gigantic necropolis of Thatta, Makli, a UNESCO site since 1981, one of the largest funerary complexes in the world, housing up to one million monuments built between the 14th and 18th centuries AD. Continue to the Chaukhandi necropolis, built mainly during Mughal rule between the 15th and 18th centuries, characterised by funerary monuments with typical and elaborate decorations. If there is time, on the way we can also visit the site and museum of Bhambhore, a city dating back to the 1st century B.C., an ancient port on the Indus River, and its mosque, one of the first built in the country (727 A.D.). In 2004, the Pakistan Department of Archaeology and Museums nominated the site as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Arrival in Karachi, capital of the Sindh province, dinner and overnight stay in a hotel.
DAY 11
Karachi
After breakfast, visit Karachi, a populous metropolis and the undisputed heart of the nation’s economy. Although the region has been populated for millennia, the city was only founded as a fortified village (Kolachi) in 1729. It is thought that, in antiquity, the area may have been the site of Krokola, where Alexander the Great camped to fit out a fleet for Babylon. Visit to the Pakistan National Museum, which houses some of the finest artefacts attributable to the Indus Civilisation. Afterwards, visit to the modernist mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam, the burial monument of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. Other planned visits include the Frere Hall and the Empress Market, which date back to British rule. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 12
Home Flight
Transfer to the airport in time for your departure flight. Arrival in Italy and end of our services.