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Tours
By Region |
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 THE
INDUS VALLEY TOUR
A cultural tour of Pakistan
Two of its main
centers of the Indus Valley, a cradle of Civilisation, are located in modern
day Pakistan. In addition, this region of the sub continent was also the
center of the Gandhara period and later, during the medieval times; Lahore
was the first Moghul capital. There is much to see and experience and our
12-day journey from the north to the south of this young and ancient country
covers the rich archaeology, culture,
and beautiful landscape.
|
Tour
Summary
|
Map
|
Day
|
Place
|
|
01
|
Karachi |
|
02
|
Karachi
/ Hyderabad |
| 03 |
Hyderabad |
|
04
|
Hyderabad
/ Sehwan / Larkana |
|
05
|
Larkana
/ Moenjodaro / Sukkur |
|
06
|
Sukkur |
|
07
|
Sukkur
/ Bahawalpur |
| 08 |
Bahawalpur
/ Multan |
| 09 |
Multan
/ Harappa / Lahore |
| 10 |
Lahore |
| 11 |
Lahore
/ Islamabad |
| 12 |
Islamabad |
|
|
Day 01: Arrive
Karachi
Khush Amdeed and we are welcomed at Karachi airport and transferred to our hotel.
Afternoon city tour of Karachi, which commences with a visit to the modern DefenseMosque
of Masjid-i-Toba to see the world's largest concrete shell dome. It thencontinues
to New Clifton Beach followed by visit to the Quaid-e-Azam Mausoleumwhere the
Father of the Nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, lies buried. Built entirelyof white
marble, the Mausoleum has an impressive dome housing a huge crystalchandelier
of Chinese origin. Next stop is the National Museum with its fascinatingdisplay
of ancient relics of the Indus Valley Civilization and an excellent collectionof
Gandhara art, before ending with a visit to a handicraft gallery.
Overnight: Mehran Hotel, Karachi (1 night)
Day 02: Karachi / Hyderabad (Drive)
Today we departure for the historical city of Hyderabad via the ancient townof
Thatta. Situated 100 Kms east of Karachi, Thatta is an ancient town with aninteresting
history dating back to the time of the Macedonian, Alexander theGreat, who used
the port to rest his weary troops. The present Thatta was foundedin the 15th
century. Under the Mughals it was a provincial capital and duringthis period
there were as many as 400 institutions of learning in the city. Someoutstanding
architecture left from the Mughal period remains in the religiousand historical
monuments. Makli Hill is a large necropolis of mausoleums, madeup of stone tombs
with geometric and floral carvings, which retain their indigenousbeauty of the
colored brick enamel and glazed tile used in their construction.The great Mosque
of Emperor Shah Jehan, built in the mid 17th century A.D., has99 domes with incredible
acoustic quality. Continue our drive to Hyderabad.
Overnight: City Gate Hotel, Hyderabad (2 nights) (B)
Day 03: Hyderabad
Today we will make a full day excursion to Bhit Shah & Hala. Bhit Shah is famousfor
the shrine of Shah Abdul Latif, one of the most famous Sufi poets of Indiansub-continent
during 18th century. Situated about 50 Kms from Hyderabad, theshrine of Shah
Abdul Latif is the hub of devotional activities including thesinging, folk music
and dancing by his devotees from all the corners of Sindh.The special events
are the evenings of every Thursday and his annual death festival,when Bhit Shah
becomes the capital of Sindh. Situated at another 05 Kms fromBhit Shah is Hala,
which is the most famous handicraft center of Sindh as wellas Pakistan. The New
city of Hala is located about 03 Kms from banks of RiverIndus as the old city
was destroyed during the disastrous flood. Even today thepotters in Hala produce
the best of blue lined white ceramics besides the otherspecialties of Hala, which
include pottery vases, birds & tiles, lacquer workchairs, beds and cots and wood
carvings. We will also visit the Mausoleum offamous Muslim Saint, Makhdoom Nooh.
The facade of his mausoleum is covered bysome of Hala's best blue and white tile
work in floral and geometric designs. (B)
 Day
04: Hyderabad / Sehwan / Larkana (Drive)
An interesting day ahead as we drive to Larkana via Sehwan. At Sehwan we visitthe
shrine of great Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, a famous Muslim Sufi Saint of10th
century. The main attraction of shrine is Dhamal (sufi's dance) with folkmusic
and colorful dress and this dhamal is at its full swing during the annualurs
(death ceremony), when his devotees from all around Pakistan get gatheredhere.
After visit to Sehwan, we will continue to Larkana and on arrival transferto
hotel.
Overnight: Sambara Inn, Larkana (1 night) (B)
Day 05: Larkana / Moenjodaro / Sukkur (Drive)
Morning drive to Sukkur with visit to Moenjodaro, enroute. Moenjodaro is thearchaeological
site of Indus Civilization, which flourished here some 5000 yearsago. This is
third oldest civilization in the world, being preceded only by thoseof Egypt
and Mesopotamia. Moenjodaro excelled in practically every conceivablefacet of
town planning. From the articles discovered here it is believed thatthe Iron
Age had not yet dawned on the Indus Valley civilization. The vesselsdiscovered
are of lead, silver, copper or bronze, whereas the weapons are madeonly of bronze.
The museum displays interesting relics found during excavation,such as engraved
seals, utensils, ornaments, weapons, sculpture, and pottery.Once the tour is
finished in Moenjodaro, then we will resume our journey to Sukkurand on arrival
transfer to hotel.
Overnight: Interpak Inn, Sukkur (2 nights) (B)
Day 06: Sukkur
Full day sightseeing tour of Sukkur. Morning we will make an excursion to KotDiji,
which is a magnificient early 19th century fort built by Talpurs, the formerrulers
of Sindh from 1789 to 1843. It is a well preserved fort perched on theridge of
a steep narrow hill and is an interesting place to visit. At Kot Diji,we will
also visit the pre-historic site located at the foot of the hills. Archaeologistsbelieve
that Kot Dijians were the forerunners of the Indus Civilization and eventhe Indus
Civilization borrowed or developed some of the basic cultural elementsof the
Kot Dijians in about 2800 B.C. However, no when is sure about the originand destruction
of Kot Diji Civilization. Afternoon, we will make a sightseeingtour of Sukkur,
which has become a famous town in 10th century when Aror, theformer capital of
Upper Sindh was destroyed due to earthquake. At Sukkur, wewill visit Minaret
of Masum Shah (16th century), Faiz Mahal, an octagonal brickbuilding with a glazed
brick dome. From here we will continue to banks of RiverIndus to see Mohana boat
people who either live on their boats or in temperorymud huts on the banks of
Indus. If time allows then we will visit various forts,tombs, shrines and mosques
in the city. (B)
Day 07: Sukkur / Bahawalpur (Drive)
Today we drive to Bahawalpur via National Highway, which runs through irrigatedfarmlands
and rich cultural countryside of Lower Punjab. On the way we stop atBhong, which
boasts an extraordinary modern mosque started in the 1960s and winnerof the Aga
Khan Award for Architecture. It is built in traditional style withextravagant
use of gold leaf, mirror work and onyx; it is particularly famousfor its stylized
Arabic calligraphy. A rich merchant Rais Ghazi sponsors themosque. After our
visit of Bhong, we again take our way to Bahawalpur and onarrival transfer to
hotel.
Overnight: PTDC Motel, Bahawalpur (1 night) (B)
 Day
08: Bahawalpur / Multan (Drive)
After a short drive through the Bahawalpur city, we will drive to Multan, whichis
a historical city and is known as city of Saints. On arrival at Multan, transferto
hotel.
Afternoon city tour of Multan that commences with visit to Old Fort, which isan
eloquent example of the proud history of this city. Among the attractionsinside
the fort are the elaborately decorated shrines of Sheikh Bahad-ud-dinZakriya,
Shah Shams Tabriz and Shah Rukn-e-Alam. Damdama, the highest point inthe fort,
provides a bird's-eye panoramic view of the city, which has survivedthe destructions
of invaders since Alexander the Great in the 4th century B.C.Among the other
places to visit are Eidgah Mosque and Hussain Agahi Bazaar.
Overnight: Sindbad Hotel, Multan (1 night) (B)
Day 09: Multan / Harappa / Lahore (Drive)
Today is our drive to Lahore via Harappa. Harrappa is the site of an ancientand
important settlement of the prehistoric Indus Valley Civilization (3rd to2nd
millennium B.C.) and stands witness to the 5000 years old cultural continuityof
civilization in Pakistan. Harrappa was the cradle of one of the earliest civilizationsknown
to man and conjures up images of fifty centuries ago, a period about whichvery
little is known. An interesting and well maintained museum at the Harrappasite
houses artifacts found in the area. Harrappa is located about 175 km fromMultan
and about 30 km (19 miles) from Sahiwal. At the end of the visit to Harappawe
drive to Lahore.
Overnight: Gulberg Kabana / Ambassador Hotel, Lahore (2 nights) (B, D)
Day 10: Lahore
Today is our journey into the cultural center of
the Sub Continent. In just onecorner of Lahore
is a heterogeneous example of Mogul, Sikh, Colonial
and Contemporaryarchitecture. The historic Lahore
Fort, built in the 11th century A.D., is theonly
place where one can see different phases of Mogul
architecture, as a longline of rulers made additions.
Inside the Fort you visit many of the rooms, includingShish
Mahal, the Palace of Mirrors. Overlooking the Fort
is the Badshahi or RoyalMosque, beside the tomb
of the philosopher and poet Iqbal, who infused
the ideaof Pakistan among the Moslems of British
India. Another interesting complex ofnearby buildings
are the Samadh of Maharaja Ranajit Singh and Guru
Arjun Dev,both solid gold tombs dating back to
the Sikh era. The tour concludes with avisit to
Shalimar Gardens, which were laid out during the
reign of Shah Jehanin the early 1640's and are
a tribute to the aesthetic and artistic sense ofthe
Moguls.
In the afternoon continue the city tour of Lahore. Lahore Museum houses a richand
varied collection of historical objects. This is the oldest museum in Pakistanand
has many galleries displaying artifacts from the Gandhara, Buddhist, Jain,Mogul
and Colonial periods. The famous statue of the fasting Siddhartha (Buddha)is
also on display here. Next, you will visit Emperor Jehangir's mausoleum thatwas
built in the 1630's and is another example of the talented Mogul architecture.Nearby
is the tomb of Empress Nur Jehan, wife of Emperor Jehangir. In Old Lahore,the
walled city of narrow, dimly lit alleys leading from Sarafa Bazaar (JewelersBazaar)
to Kashmiri Bazaar, you'll find bargains in the local handicrafts, includingbrass
inlay work. You will also visit the Golden Mosque and Wazir Khan's Mosque,which
reflect the nobility of Persian design with floral designs, superb calligraphyand
lofty minarets. (B, D)
 Day
11: Lahore / Islamabad (Drive)
Morning we drive to Islamabad via Motorway and with visit
to Khewra Salt Mines,enroute. Khewra Salt Mines, the 2nd
largest Salt Mines in the world and whichwere discovered
long way back in 326 B.C. when Alexander the great had
a battlewith Raja Porus on the bank of river Jhelum. However,
Dr. Warth introduced thescientific mining at Khewra in
the year 1872 during the British Empire in thisregion.
On arrival meet with the management of the Khewara mine
and start yourtour with local guide. Most interesting part
of the visit is to see the modelsof Badshahi Mosque, Mall
Road and Lake Saif-ul-Muluk. Moreover it would be ascintillating
experience to come across a small pound of the crystal
water inthe mine. Later resume your drive to Islamabad
and on arrival transfer to hotel.Afternoon we visit the
old garrison town of Rawalpindi followed by a scene intomodernity
at Islamabad. Visit Shakarparian (sweet hills) Garden,
which givesyou a panoramic view of Islamabad before driving
past various modern streetsand buildings - graceful with
a touch of Islamic architecture. Your tour culminatesat
one of the world's largest mosque - Shah Faisal Mosque,
which also housesa University specializing in Islamic Philosophy
and Law. During the tour we willalso drive past various
Government Buildings, which are blend of modern and traditionalIslamic
architecture.
Overnight: Regency / Marina Hotel, Islamabad (1 night)
(B)
Day 12: Depart Islamabad
After an unparalleled insight into an ancient culture,
transfer to airport foryour departure flight. (B)
Departure
Dates
|
|
2008
English Speaking Departures
Jan 14, Feb 18, Mar 10, Apr 07, May 05, Jun 02, Jul 07, Aug 18, Sep 08, Oct 27, Nov 17, Dec 15
|
Inclusions
|
| Tour
Price Includes |
Tour
Price Does Not Include |
| Accommodation using Tourist Class
Hotel as mentioned or similar, including
hotel taxes |
International
Airfare |
| Meals as mentioned (B=Breakfast,
D=Dinner) |
Departure/Airport
Taxes |
| All
Sightseeing and Transfers |
Visa
Fees / Insurance |
| Entrance
Fees to Museums and Sites |
Beverages/Tips |
| Services of local English speaking
guide |
|
|
Tour
Price
|
|
We
accept payment in US $ (US Dollars), CA
$ (Canadian Dollars) or equivalent
EURO (for clients outside North America).
Bestway
Tours & Safaris offers conversion
rate protection. Once full payment
has been received, and no modification
has been made to the tour itinerary,
we will honour that rate.
For
complete payment procedures, please download  Bestway_Payment_Info.pdf
Note: to read this file you must have Adobe
Acrobat.
|
| Departure |
Double
Occupancy |
Single
Room Supplement |
| 2008 |
US
$ 2360 • CA $ 2360 |
US
$ 290 • CA $ 290 |
|
Estimated
International Airfare - International
airfare is NOT included in this tour
|
| Canada
- West Coast |
CA
$ 1600 |
USA
- West Coast |
US
$ 1400 |
| Canada
- East Coast |
CA
$ 1400 |
USA
- East Coast |
US
$ 1200 |
|
Participants
|
| This
tour operates on a minimum of 02 and a maximum
of 15 participants. |
Notes
|
Customised
Itinerary
If you would like to have a tour on dates
other than the above ones or with a customised
itinerary, please contact us and we will be
happy to work out an exclusive program for
you.
Foreign Language Departures
Please contact us for information on French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking
departures.
You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com or
call us at 604.264.7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us
toll free at 1.800.663.0844. |
|
|
|
| © Copyright 1999-2008 Bestway
Tours & Safaris |
Site last updated May 02,
2008 |
| Photographs by Peter
Langer & Mahmood
Poonja |
Site by antoinette |
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