In the footsteps of Huen Tsang

Day 01: Arrive Kabul
Meeting on arrival assistance and transfer to hotel
Overnight

Day 02: Kabul
Full day sightseeing tour – Visit Arg Palace(Presidential Palaces), Jashen Grounds, Nadir Shah mausoleum – view panorama of the old city and the half destroyed Kabul Fort, Pul-I-Khishti, Shah du Shamshira mosques, Emperor Babur’s Gardens and tomb, Kabul Museum which has been devoid of its collection during the recent civil wars, we shall then visit the Bazar
afternoon short excursion to Baghe Bala which used to be a popular retreat but has been victim of constant civil war
Overnight

Day 03: Kabul/Bamiyan – Flt
Morning visit a local school of girls in Kabul to see the newly setup education for the girls so far being denied by the repressive regime of the clerics in the near past.
Afternoon flight to Bamiyan and on arrival transfer to your special accommodation Overnight

Day 04: Bamiyan
We shall visit the site of famous Buddhas which were shamelessly destroyed during the tyrant and illiterate regime of the clerics. It will be more of a exploratory tour to see the remaining sites and possible traces of frescoes.
Later in the afternoon we shall see the ruins of Share Ghalghola which is still witness to the destruction of Chengezid hordes.

Day 05: Bamiyan/Kabul – Flt
Morning flight to Kabul and on arrival transfer to Hotel
Afternoon short tour of the outskirts of Kabul
Overnight

Day 06: Kabul/Jalalabad/Peshawar – 275 kms
Early morning leave for the Pakistan frontier
enroute short stop at Jalalabad visit the Local bazar before continuing to Peshawar.
On arrival at the border change of vehicle and after the border formalities proceed via Khyber Pass.
On arrival transfer to Hotel
Overnight

Day 07: Peshawar
Full day sightseeing tour of Peshawar – visit Qissa Khawani Bazar, the story tellers street, the copper bazar, the spice street, cloth market, the shoe bazar, the fruit and vegetable market.
Then we enter the jewelry and antiquities bazar and visit the mosque of Mohabat Khan built in 1630 AD
afternoon visit Peshawar Museum known for its excellent collection of Gandharan Art and then later drive to the outskirts of Peshawar.

Day 08: Peshawar/Swat Valley – 180 kms
Morning departure for Swat enroute stops at Charsadda, the site of Gandharan capital Pushkalavati. Later we shall visit Takht Bhai Buddhist monastery ruins dating to 45A
Later continue to Saidu Sahrif and on arrival transfer to hotel
Overnight

Day 09: Swat/Islamabad – 275 kms
Morning visit Swat Museum and Butkara archaeological and the bazar of Mingora.
Later proceed to Islamabad enroute visit Taxila.
We shall visit the Museum and the sites of Sirkap city ruins and Jaulian Buddhist monastery ruins.
Later continue to Islamabad and on arrival transfer to hotel
Overnight

Day 10: Islamabad/Lahore – Flt
Morning sightseeing tour of the twin cities of Islamabad & Rawalpindi visit Folk Heritage Complex, then proceed to Shakerpaian view point. Later drive through the important Avenues of Islamabad with Govt. buildings of architectural interest.
Afternoon flight to Lahore and on arrival transfer to Hotel
Overnight

Day 11: Lahore
Full day sightseeing tour of Lahore – visit Badhshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens and Jehangir’s tomb
Afternoon visit Lahore Museum to see the famous fasting Siddharta(Buddha) and many other galleries with one of the best collection of art and antiguities.
Overnight

Day 12: Lahore/Exit – Flt

Day 01: Arrive Kabul
Meeting on arrival assistance and transfer to hotel
Overnight

Day 02: Kabul
Full day sightseeing tour – Visit Arg Palace(Presidential Palaces), Jashen Grounds, Nadir Shah mausoleum – view panorama of the old city and the half destroyed Kabul Fort, Pul-I-Khishti, Shah du Shamshira mosques, Emperor Babur’s Gardens and tomb, Kabul Museum which has been devoid of its collection during the recent civil wars, we shall then visit the Bazar
afternoon short excursion to Baghe Bala which used to be a popular retreat but has been victim of constant civil war
Overnight

Kabul: The capital of war torn Afghanistan is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. The history of Kabul dates back to the legendary times of epic Ramayana when Kubha is mentioned as the founder of the city. Lying at the crossroads Kabul was always victim of invasions and civil strife. During the reign of Kushanas the city must have been a place of importance since it led the way to their winter capital of Peshawar. In the vicinity of Kabul was the famous Begram which had attained its prominence of being an important centre of the eastern Hellenic Art.
Kabul rose to importance when Babur made his capital and since then it inter- acted with various ruling dynasties
The recent history of Kabul is painful being subjected to incessant civil war and lately under the wrathful rule of clerics.

Day 03: Kabul/Bamiyan – Flt
Morning visit a local school of girls in Kabul to see the newly setup education for the girls so far being denied by the repressive regime of the clerics in the near past.
Afternoon flight to Bamiyan and on arrival transfer to your special accommodation Overnight

Day 04: Bamiyan
We shall visit the site of famous Buddhas which were shamelessly destroyed during the tyrant and illiterate regime of the clerics. It will be more of a exploratory tour to see the remaining sites and possible traces of frescoes.
Later in the afternoon we shall see the ruins of Share Ghalghola which is still witness to the destruction of Chengezid hordes.

Bamiyan: The Buddhism in Afghanistan spread from 1st-7th AD from the northwestern parts of Pakistan from the area known in the Buddhist world as Gandhara.
The influences from Gandharan Art greatly contributed to the development of Indo-Afghan school of Art. The spread of Buddhist thought in Afghanistan is attributed to the Kushan dynasty which adopted Buddhism as the state religion which politically patronized the monastic establishments. The location of Bamiyan site must have particularly selected owing to the beautiful back drop of Koh-i-Baba, one of the intermediary range of Hindukush mountains.
The monastic establishment grew from 03rd AD in this region and one can see numerous cave dewellings which served as perfect place for the austere practices by Buddhist hermits.

Day 05: Bamiyan/Kabul – Flt
Morning flight to Kabul and on arrival transfer to Hotel
Afternoon short tour of the outskirts of Kabul
Overnight

Day 06: Kabul/Jalalabad/Peshawar – 275 kms
Early morning leave for the Pakistan frontier
enroute short stop at Jalalabad visit the Local bazar before continuing to Peshawar.
On arrival at the border change of vehicle and after the border formalities proceed via Khyber Pass.
On arrival transfer to Hotel
Overnight

Khyber Pass: Situated at the head of a crucial route that once gave access to many, Khyber Pass has played a pivotal role in the introduction of the great Indian plains. From the time immemorial a flow of migrations and invasions took place through this corridor, luring the onlooker to the green plains of sub-continent. This was the probable route taken by the Aryans in 1500 BC and then after the vedic periods we see many invaders from the times of Achaemenians, then some sections of Alexander’s army may have taken march through this pass. The continuos of invasions had great impact on the history of this region. It was then left to Babur the Great to enter through this famous pass and to establish his Moghul Empire.
During the reign of the Moghuls a regular highway from India to northern Afghanistan was built and strengthened with tax posts and caravan sarais at regular intervals. The pass seems to have risen to importance at the end of the Moghul era when Sikh armies fought their way to Afghanistan by building strongholds for protection of their empire from the tribal inroads. The western most extension of the British Empire saw Khyber Pass as of great strategic importance when the they entered an important phase of The Great Game. It took them quite a while to tame the local tribals who regularly caused inroads into their new dominions.

Khyber Pass is inhabited by the famous Afridi tribesmen whose history could be traced to the mentioning of Herodotus, the famous Greek historian. There are other sub-tribes like Shilmanis, Mullagories, Mohmands and the Shinwaris living in the occasional oasis in the barren and rugged pass defending their independence till todate with great chivalry.

Day 07: Peshawar
Full day sightseeing tour of Peshawar – visit Qissa Khawani Bazar, the story tellers street, the copper bazar, the spice street, cloth market, the shoe bazar, the fruit and vegetable market.
Then we enter the jewelry and antiquities bazar and visit the mosque of Mohabat Khan built in 1630 AD
afternoon visit Peshawar Museum known for its excellent collection of Gandharan Art and then later drive to the outskirts of Peshawar.

Gandhara: The present day north & south western of Pakistan including Khyber Pass to Jalalabad was once the territorial limits of a grand culture known in the historical annals as Gandhara. It was mentioned as a subject nation in the famous inscriptions of Dariu The Great at Behistoon. Alexander the Great annexed it laying claim over the lost provinces of Achaemenian empire. Alexander’s generals lost this region to Mauryans from India. It was during this dynasty when famous Ashoka the Great sent his Buddhist missionaries to this part. But the most important period Gandhara begins with the invasion of Kushans from Northern Afghanistan when Kanishka established Peshawar as hjs winter capital. It was during this period that Buddhism spread throughout Gandhara when he adopted Buddhism as state religion and patronised the related Institutions by constructing Buddhist monasteries, stupas, schools and hospitals. It was during his reign that established relations with the eastern parts of the Roman Empire thereby introducing the famous art masters who taught the locals creative arts thereby giving birth to Gandharan Art which in manifolds has greco-roman influence. The Chinese pilgrim Huen Tsang who visited Gandhara in 7th century AD mentioned about the decadence of Gandhara but says of the presence of more than 1400 hundred Buddhist stupas and monasteries constructed during the Kushan rule.

Day 08: Peshawar/Swat Valley – 180 kms
Morning departure for Swat enroute stops at Charsadda, the site of Gandharan capital Pushkalavati. Later we shall visit Takht Bhai Buddhist monastery ruins dating to 45A
Later continue to Saidu Sahrif and on arrival transfer to hotel
Overnight

Day 09: Swat/Islamabad – 275 kms
Morning visit Swat Museum and Butkara archaeological and the bazar of Mingora.
Later proceed to Islamabad enroute visit Taxila.
We shall visit the Museum and the sites of Sirkap city ruins and Jaulian Buddhist monastery ruins.
Later continue to Islamabad and on arrival transfer to hotel
Overnight

Taxila: Takshasila as was known to the Indians, the classical writers mention the place as Taxila for an easy pronunciation. Taxila was a large settlement which lay at the crossroads on the routes from India, Central Asia and Western Asia and also to Kashmir. It is mentioned as a settlement about two days march from the Indus river. It was under the Achaemenians who lived in the first city during 6th century BC. Alexander the Great after his Swat campaigns spent short time here and received the submission of the local raja. Being an important part of Mauryan kingdom, Ashoka sent the share of important Buddhist relics to Taxila. It was under the Bactrian Greeks foundation of a Greek city was laid and gave the place a mint with their famous coins to be produced. The Parthian king Gondophares is supposed to have converted to Christianity here after his discourse with St. Thomas. It was the period of Kushans, that Taxila was developed as great center of learning and became home famous Buddhist teachers who established a college of Buddhist learning. The invading hordes of White Huns in 5th century AD that destroyed the cities declining Taxila to oblivion.

Day 10: Islamabad/Lahore – Flt
Morning sightseeing tour of the twin cities of Islamabad & Rawalpindi visit Folk Heritage Complex, then proceed to Shakerpaian view point. Later drive through the important Avenues of Islamabad with Govt. buildings of architectural interest.
Afternoon flight to Lahore and on arrival transfer to Hotel
Overnight

Day 11: Lahore
Full day sightseeing tour of Lahore – visit Badhshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens and Jehangir’s tomb
Afternoon visit Lahore Museum to see the famous fasting Siddharta(Buddha) and many other galleries with one of the best collection of art and antiguities.
Overnight

Day 12: Lahore/Exit – Flt