NEW TRIP
Cultural Exploration from Mohenjo-Daro to Harappa and Taxila
Southern Pakistan: Empires of the Indus
Overview
Southern Pakistan’s Indus Valley is a realm of incredibly ancient civilizations, vast deserts, Sufi tombs, glorious Moghul architecture, and stunning UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Makli Hill, Mohenjo-Daro, and Harappa. Some of the world’s oldest cities are found in these lands where the armies of the Moghul Empire and Alexander the Great once marched. From Karachi, we head to our first World Heritage Site, the Makli Hills, one of the largest necropolises in the world. At Larkana, we visit Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, a beautiful testament to a revered 13th century Sufi saint and poet. At ancient Mohenjo-Daro, we explore the largest Indus Valley Civilization settlement and the best preserved in South Asia, with 5,000 years of history. Further travels bring us to historic Bahawalpur, home to 17 Sufi shrines, and to the massive 9th century Derawar Fort in the Cholistan Desert. In Lahore, we’ll visit the old Walled City, and on the Pakistan-India border at Wagah, we’ll witness the famous daily flag-lowering ceremony, with its dance-like marches. We finish up in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, with a visit to Taxila, the pivotal archaeological site of three significant cities and ancient Buddhist monasteries. Join us for a truly unique cultural adventure!
Arrive: Karachi
Depart: Islamabad
Highlights
- Travel overland from Karachi to Islamabad, visiting seven spectacular World Heritage Sites
- Witness the famous flag-lowering ceremony at Wagah on the Pakistan-India border
- Explore Mohenjo-Daro, dating to 2,500 BCE, and Lahore's Walled City
- Visit the massive 7th century Derawar Fort in the Cholistan Desert
- Roam lively bazaars buzzing with activity
Itinerary
In Karachi, capital of the Sindh Province, we’ll explore the Mohatta Palace Museum, Empress Market, Muhammad Ali Jinnah Mausoleum, and other highlights.
Makli Hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the largest necropolises in the world, boasting tombs of kings and saints. At UNESCO-listed Thatta, the medieval capital of Sindh, we visit the Shah Jahan Mosque, built in 1647 during the reign of that famed Mughal emperor. At the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, we’ll learn about this revered 13th century Sufi saint and poet. The impressive World Heritage Site of Mohenjo-Daro was built around 2,500 BCE and is one of the earliest major cities of the world. We explore the great bath, granary, college square, and then enjoy a peaceful boat ride on the Indus at sunset.
We explore the Kot Deji archaeological area, the imposing Faiz Mahal Palace, and the city Bahawalpur, established in 1748 for the Abbasi family of nawabs (rulers), who were Muslim nobles. From Bahawalpur, we drive out to the Cholistan Desert, famous for its remote forts and traditional camel races. We spend a day at Harappa, a World Heritage Site and one of the world’s earliest cities, founded over 5,000 years ago. Along with Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa is one of the key sites of Indus Valley Civilization.
Exploring Lahore’s old Walled City is a rewarding experience. We’ll also enjoy a visit to the famous 17th century Badshahi Mosque, a massive World Heritage-listed monument, and the lovely Shalimar Gardens, dating from the time of the Mughal Empire. Heading to the Wagah border, we’ll witness the famous daily flag-lowering event as soldiers of India and Pakistan perform an elaborate drill full of flamboyant pageantry and cheering from the crowds on both sides of the border.
We continue to Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, exploring the ancient Hindu temples at Kitas and taking a day trip to Taxila, a pivotal archaeological site that boasts the remnants of three significant cities and numerous Buddhist monasteries dating from 600 BCE to AD 600. We depart Islamabad in the early morning of Day 18.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated Level 2, Easy to Moderate, according to our trip grading system. While the trip is not expected to be physically strenuous, the long travel days and transportation conditions may be demanding. Accommodations are in good city hotels, and overland travel is in minivans and small buses, depending upon the size of the group. Road conditions can be very basic, and trip members should be prepared for some long drives. We believe that the most important requirements are a spirit of adventure and the understanding that you are visiting a fascinating region. This is not designed as a hiking trip, but we do hope to have a few exploration walks of several hours during the journey.
The Indus Valley had a semi-arid to arid climate, with significant variation in precipitation. Temperatures fluctuate between the extremes, from near-freezing in the winter to extremely hot during the summer. Annual rainfall is scant. We plan our journey for the ideal month of January, when temperatures are cool but pleasant.
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.