Ancient Cultures of Pakistan

Begin your journey in the city of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Next, travel to the rich archaeological site of Taxila, at the center of Asian culture for a thousand years. Masterpieces of Buddhist Gandhara art are displayed in its museum. Continue to the scenic Swat Valley — known as the Switzerland of the East.・
Visit Peshawar, located near the famed Khyber Pass, and still a center for the tribal culture of this rugged region. Fly to Lahore, the heart of Moghul culture. Magnificent gardens, mosques and palaces are testament to the glorious heyday of this majestic empire. Travel to Multan, which dates back some 4,000 years and is considered by many archaeologists to be the oldest surviving city on the Indian subcontinent. Visit Sukkur and the impressive Mohenjodaro, the greatest site of all the Indus Valley civilizations. Conclude your journey in the southern port city of Karachi.
Badshahi Mosque, one of the largest in Pakistan. Built in 1674, it is an example of some of the finest Moghul architecture. Beside it, the massive walls of Lahore Fort tower over old Lahore. You’ll visit several of the pavilions, including Shish Mahal, the “Palace of Mirrors”, built by Shah Jahan in 1631 as private apartments for his empress. Surrounding a main hall are many smaller rooms where intricately latticed windows look out over the riverbed. In the afternoon visit the beautiful Shalimar Gardens, also built by the Moghuls but still much enjoyed and appreciated today, and the museum, which houses the famous statue of the Fasting Buddha. In front of the main building is Kim’s Gun. Immortalized by Rudyard Kipling, this was the gun he used to play on as a young boy when his father was the director of the museum. Also take in a visit to the Anarkali Bazaar.