Pakistan is a destination of special interest for travellers and tourists. Its main attractions include adventure tourism in the Northern Areas, cultural and archaeological tourism as found at Taxila, Moenjodaro, Harappa, Swat, Along the Karakoram Highway and early Muslim and Mughal heritage of Multan, Lahore, Thatta and Peshawar. From the mighty Karakorams in the North to the vast alluvial delta of the Indus River in the South, Pakistan remains a land of high adventure and nature. Trekking, mountaineering, white water rafting, wild boar hunting, mountain and desert jeep, Camel and Yak safaris, trout fishing and bird watching, are among a few activities that entice the adventure and nature lovers to Pakistan.
The Northern Area of Pakistan, spread over 72,496 sq. km is the most fascinating region of the country. Amidst towering snow-clad peaks with heights varying from 1,000 to 8,000 m, the valleys of Gilgit, Hunza and Baltistan recall Shangri-La. The cultural patterns of these regions are as interesting as their geography. The people with typical costumes, folk dances, music and sports like polo and buzkashi, provide the tourist an unforgettable experience. Nowhere else in the world is such great concentration of high mountains, peaks, glaciers and passes except Pakistan. Of the 14 over 8,000 meters high peaks on earth, 04 occupy the amphitheater at the head along the ancient Silk Road(KKH) we have a well recorded history of Gandhara. Lying in Hiro river valley near Islamabad, Taxila, the main centre of Gandhara, is over 3,000 years old. Taxila attracted the attention of the great conqueror, Alexander in 327 BC, when it was a province of the powerful Achaemenian Empire. It later came under the Maurian Dynasty and reached a remarkable matured level of development under the great Ashoka. Then appeared the Indo-Greek descendants of Alexander’s warriors and finally came the most creative period of Gandhara. The Kushan dynasty was established in around 50 AD. During the next 200 years, Taxila, Peshawar and Swat became a renowned centre of learning philosophy, art and trade. Pilgrims and travellers were attracted to Gandhara from as far as China and Greece. In 5th century AD, the White Huns snuffed out the last of the successive civilizations that held unbroken sway in this region for several centuries.
Gandhara region, the hollowed centre of Buddism, had once been the cradle f the world famous Gandhara art, culture and knowledge. The archaeological remains found in Taxila, Peshawar, Charsadda. Shabaz Garhi, Jamal Garhi, Takht Bahi, Swat and rock carvings of Pakistan claims its own special jars and jugs, from sturdy terracotta to paper-thin ceramics.
A holiday in Kaghan Valley, the Himalayan hide-away in the north West Frontier Province (NWFP) is an unforgettable experience. Its peaks, dales, lakes, water-falls, streams and glaciers are still in an unbelievable pristine state. The valley extends for 155 km rising from an elevation of 2,134m to its highest point, the Babusar Pass at 4,173 m. The lush green valley of Swat, has a rich historical past. This is “Udayana” (the garden) of ancient Hindu epics; the land of enthralling beauty, where Alexander of Macedonia fought and won some of his major battles. This is the “valley of the hanging chairs” as described by famous Chinese pilgrims, Fa-Hien and Hsuan Tsang in the 5th and 7th centuries.
Azad Kashmir rivals the Kaghan and Swat valleys in natural beauty. It extends from the plains of Mirpur at the northern edge of the Punjab through the outlaying foothills of the Himalayas, to the mountains in the north at 6,000 meters above sea level. It is blessed with three major rivers, the Jehlum, the Neelum and Poonch.
Chitral valley is like a crown on the Hindukush mountains with its high peaks, green pastures and unique culture. Chitral has attracted mountaineering, trekkers, naturalists and anthropologists alike. One of the major attractions of Chitral are the Kalash Valleys- the home of the Kalash “wearers of the black robes”, a primitive pagan tribe.
Pakistan is a treasure house of exquisite handicrafts, made by the craftsmen who devoted their life to cloth weaving, pottery, metal work, wood work, stone carving and decorating items, big or small. Pottery here is a living history, a traditional craft that became an art, with its origins going back 5,000 years BC. Today, each region of Baltoro glacier in Karakoram range. These are; K-2 (8,611 m, world’s second highest), Gasherbrum-I (8,068 m), Broad Peak (8,047) and Gasherbrum-II (8,035 m). There is yet another which is equally great, Nanga Parbat (8,126 m), located at the western most end of the Himalayas. In addition to that, there are 68 peaks over 7,000 m and hundreds of others over 6,000 m. Northern Pakistan has some of the longest glaciers such as Siachan (74 km), Hispar (59 km). Biafo (59 km). Baltoro (58 km) and Batura (52 km) outside the polar region.
The Murree Hills and the Gallies, 55 km from Islamabad, at an altitude of 2,286 m are the most popular summer resorts in Pakistan. With a perfect Himalayan atmosphere and equipped with al modern facilities like good communications network, resort hotels, golf course and chair-lift cars, Murree and Gallies are a wonderful retreat.
For centuries, the Silk Route remained the main trading route between the South Asia and the Central Asia. After the completion of the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in 1978 along the same route, joining Pakistan with Chinese Muslim autonomous region Xinjiang, the ancient trade link has been revived. The KKH has provided a great opportunity for international travelers to explore the un-spoilt natural beauty, unique culture and ancient traditions of Northern Pakistan together with other Silk Road countries like China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
The Indus Valley Civilization was at its peak from the 3rd till the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. Discovered in 1922, Moenjodaro, was once a metropolis of great importance, forming part of the Indus Valley Civilization with Harappa (discovered in 1923) Kot Diji and Mehrgarh (discovered in 1984). Moenjodaro is considered as one of the most spectacular ancient cities of the world. It had mud baked bricks buildings, an elaborate covered drainage system, a large state granary, a spacious pillared hall, a College of Priests, a palace and a citadel. Harappa, another major city of the Indus Valley Civilization, was surrounded by a massive brick wall fortification. Other features and plan of the city were similar to that of Moenjodaro. The Kot Diji culture is marked by well-made pottery and houses built of mud bricks and stone foundations. Mehrgarh, the oldest Civilization (7,000 BC), remains of which were discovered in the district Kachhi of Balochistan in 1984, was the pioneer of the Indus Valley Civilization. The evidence of crop cultivation, animal husbandry and human settlements have been found here. The inhabitants of Mehrgarh were living in mud-brick houses and earned to make pottery around 6000 B.C.
The Early Muslim and Mughal Heritage, Pakistan is a treasure-house of Muslim art and architecture, Lahore, the cultural capital of Pakistan, is situated along the bank of River Ravi. The city has witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties like Ghaznavids (1021-1186 AD), Ghoris (1186-1202 AD) and Slaves (1206-1524 AD) before arrival of the Mughals. The city was conquered by Babur of Ferghana (situated in Uzbekistan), the founder of the Mughal dynasty (1524-1764 AD). All the important monuments like the Royal Forte, Badshahi Mosque, wazir Khan’s Mosque and Tombs of Emperor Jehangir, Asif Khan, Queen Noor Jehan and the Shalimar Gardens, Hiran Minar etc., were constructed during this period. On the other hand, the shrines of Shaikh Bahauddin Zakaria, Shah Rukan-e-Alam, Hazrat Shams Tabrez at Multan and Tomb of Bibi Jiwandi at Uchh Sharif near Bahawalpur. The Tombs at Chaukundi, 27 km out of Karachi, the remains at Banbhore (64 km from Karachi) and the greatest necropolis of the world with more than a million graves scattered over an area of 10 sq. km on Makli Hill near Thatta together with Shahjehan Mosque of Thatta, are exquisite specimens of Muslim architecture, with stone carving and glazed decorations.
Come and see Pakistan, it truly is “Asia’s Best Kept Secret”