Indus Domes, Deserts & Islamabad
Indus Domes, Deserts & Islamabad
17 Days Starting in Karachi, Karachi City, Sindh, Pakistan and ending in Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan
Visiting: Karachi, Hyderabad, Bhit Shah, Sindh, Manchar Lake, Larkana, Sukkur, Bahawalpur, Cholistan Desert, Multan, Harappa, Lahore, Wagah, Islamabad
Tour operator:
Tour code:
645
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
2 - 16
Age range:
12-85
Special diets catered:
Request dietary needs
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Explore a little travelled part of Pakistan with a tour that journeys from Karachi to Islamabad. Here you will be able to take in the sights, sounds and importantly tastes of Karachi and its bazaars, find yourself immersed in the 5000-year-old history of the Indus Valley, taking in the sights of the striking Derewar Fort in the Cholistan Desert, before having the opportunity to watch the flag lowering ceremony carried out on the Indian border. Our journey begins in Karachi where we'll have time to take in the sights, sounds and most importantly, the tastes of the city and its bazaars. As we head towards Hyderabad, we'll make time to visit Thatta and Makli Hills, which is perhaps the worlds largest necropolis. Once we reach Hyderabad, we'll have the opportunity to learn about some of the industries which the city is famous for, we'll see coloured pottery being made, woodwork, weaving and Ajrak production, a block printed cloth which this region is famous for. Moving on, we visit the sufi shrine of saint Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar and witness a sufi ceremony in Sehwan and join the Mohanas tribe for a boating experience on Lake Manchar. After stopping in Larkana, our next visit is to Mohenjo-Daro, located on the banks of the Indus River. The 5000 year old city was the centre of the Indus Civilisation and one of the largest in the world at its peak and we'll have time to explore the incredible ruins. As our journey takes us in the direction of Bahawalpur, we'll stop in Sukkur and the Cholistan Desert to visit Derawar Fort. As we pass through the former independant state of Bahawalpur, we'll visit the Nur Mahal and Bahawalpur mosques, along with the city museum and bazaar, before heading to Multan where we'll stay for 2 nights. Multan is known as the city of saints and our tour here will include the shrines of the great mystics, with their shimmering blue glazed tiles. We'll also visit the old walled city and the bustling bazaar, where we may spot local artisans at work. Next we'll head to Pakistans 2nd largest city, Lahore, stopping along the way in Harappa, which dates back to 3000 BC. Our time in Lahore will include a city tour, taking in some of the highlights of the city, such as the worlds largest mosque (the Badshahi Mosque), the Wagah Border with India and of course, 'food street' in the old town where you can try many different flavours and dishes. We visit Rohtas Fort en-route to Islamabad. Whilst in Islamabad we'll take time to explore the city along with the old city of Rawalpindi and nearby Taxila. Travelling in small air-conditioned vehicles with local guides, this journey gives you a unique experience of Pakistan which will last a lifetime.
Highlights
Itinerary
Welcome in Pakistan at Karachi airport. Transfer to our hotel and take a rest before starting with our city tour.
Our tour begins on a high with a full day's sightseeing in and around Karachi. The National Museum gives us a complete vista of Pakistan’s cultural heritage from Stone Age to the birth of the nation. After visiting the oldest Sufi shrine in Karachi, Mohamad Ali Jinnah Mausoleum, we can unwind at Clifton Beach or maybe take a soak in the Manghopir hot sulphur springs, that many believe to have curative powers (and just a few crocodiles!)
We are sure to enjoy some of the variety of restaurants in around the city.
OVERNIGHT:
Karachi hotel
MEALS:
None
EXTRAS:
Extra night in Karachi - pre-tour (EXPAKS)
Guide & Transport for extra day - Karachi (EXPAGK)
Single room supplement (CADD17N)
DAY 2: To Hyderabad via Chaukundi, Thatta & Makli Hills
Our destination today is Hyderabad, however we'll have a number of stops en-route to visit Chaukundi, Makli Hills and Thatta.
The Chaukundi Tombs are known for their elaborate and exquisite stone carvings and the style of architecture found here, is unique in that it can be found nowhere else in the Islamic world. Whilst in Thatta we'll visit the Shah Jahan Mosque, famous for its beautiful architecture, which was constructed during in the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan; better known as the visionary who created the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. Our final visit before heading to Hyderabad will be to the nearby Makli Hills. Makli Necropolis covers an area of around 10 kilometers and is thought to house up to 1 million tombs, built over a period of 400 years, it is perhaps the worlds largest necropolis We end our day in Hyderabad where we'll spend the night.
OVERNIGHT:
Hyderabad hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 3: Learn about local industries in Hyderabad, Hala & Bhit Shah
Today is all about the industries which the region around Hyderbad is famous for. Hala is famous throughout the Indian Subcontinent for art, glazed coloured pottery (known as Kaashi), woodwork (Jandi), cloth printing and woven cloth (Sussi). Nearby Bhit Shah is best known for being the home to a shrine dedicated to the Sindhi Sufi Poet, Shah Abdul Latif-Bhittai, who also gave his name to the town. We'll take time to visit the shrine before moving on to learn about Ajrak; a traditional block printed cloth which was a hallmark of the Indus Civilisation.
OVERNIGHT:
Hyderabad hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 4: 'The Great Wall of Sindh' - Ranikot Fort. Drive to Sehwan.
A real treat is in store this morning as we visit Ranikot Fort, also known as the Great Wall of Sindh, due to its huge 32km circumference, making it the worlds largest fort. The ramparts of the fort have often been compared to those found along the Great Wall of China and we'll have time to explore and get some great photos of the walls straddling the nearby hillsides. Our day ends in Sehwan, a city famous for the shrine of the 13th century Sufi Saint, Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
OVERNIGHT:
Sehwan hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 5: Visit the Mohanas Tribe and incredible Mohenjo Daro
This morning we'll drive to Manchar Lake which is home to the Mohanas Tribe who are thought to be descendants of the first inhabitants of the Indus Valley. Entire families can be found living in houseboats on Manchar Lake, subsisting off of the lakes bounty of fish. Whilst the Mohanas people do use traditional fishing methods, they are also famous for fishing with the use of trained birds, such as cormorants and night herons.
After boating on the lake with the Mohanas, we'll visit their original settlement of Mohenjo Daro, be prepared to be impressed! Mohenjo Daro flourised as the centre of the Indus Civilisation for around 800 years, during the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC. The city was one of the largest in the old world and was the first city in South Asia to demonstrate urbanisation. The site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980, the first site in South Asia to be so designated.
OVERNIGHT:
Larkana hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 6: Exploring Larkana and Kot Diji Fort
Larkana is home to the famous Bhutto family, who have held the leadership of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) since it's inception in 1967. Two members of the family have gone on to be Prime Ministers of Pakistan, including Benazir Bhutto, who's widower Asif Ali Zardari also went on to be President of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013. Whilst exploring Larkana we'll make a stop at the Bhutto Family Mausoleum, an impressive building which attracts large crowds on a yearly basis, to commemorate the death of Benazir Bhutto.
As we leave Larkana behind, we'll make our way to Sukkur, with a stop en-route to visit Kot Diji Fort, an important Harappa site (3000–2600 BC), which is situated at the foot of the Rohri Hills where the fort stands majestically above us.
OVERNIGHT:
Sukkur hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 7: Sadhu Belo Temple, Sukkur River Boat Safari
This morning we'll visit the island of Sadhu Belo which is famous for the highly revered Hindu Temples located here, including Teerath Asthan which is the largest Hindu Temple in Pakistan. After our visit to the island, we'll enjoy a boat ride on the Sukkur River, keep your eyes peeled for sightings of dolphins. A local legend says that the Indus River Dolphin was once a woman who was cursed to be transformed into a dolphin, by a local holy man, who was angry that she forgot to prepare his food one day. The species was once thought to be extinct, however numbers are now on the rise, though they're not yet off of the endangered species list.
Our final visit of the day takes us to the Masoon Shah Jo Minaro Tower, which was once the highest point in Sukkur, after ascending the 84 steps, you'll be rewarded with views of Sukkur where we'll be spending the night.
OVERNIGHT:
Sukkur hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 8: Drive to Bahawalpur via Bhong Mosque
Our route today takes us to the city of Bahawalpur. The city of Bahawalpur was founded in 1748 and was the capital of the former princely state of Bahawalpur, which was ruled by the Abassi family. The state remained independant until the formation of Pakistan in 1947. En-route to Bahawalpur we'll visit the Bhong Mosque. With its unique design, taking stylistic elements from nearby Lahore as well as Iran, Spain and Turkey, the mosque won the Aga Khan award for architecture in 1986 after a construction period of around 50 years.
OVERNIGHT:
Bahawalpur hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 9: Cholistan Desert, Derawar Fort and Tombs of the Nawabs of Bahawalpur
Today we drive into the Cholistan desert, where standing proudly we'll see the Derawar Fort, a famed hallmark of Bahawalpur. The Derawar Fort has around 40 bastions that stand 30 feet high and the walls have a circumference of approximately 1.5km. The Nawab of Bahawalpur, Sadeq Mohammad Khan I, captured the fort in 1733 and had it rebuilt into the design that you see today.
In front of the fort stands the Derawar mosque, which was constructed in 1844 AD. The mosque has three domes and two minarets built in the style of Moti Masjid at the Red Fort in Delhi.
We also visit the tombs of Nawabs of Bahawalpur, the royal graveyard of the Abbasi family. The Abbasi family was the ruling Nawab family of Bahawalpur and all of the previous Nawabs are buried here. The graveyard is still owned and controlled by the surviving family members of the Nawabs.
There is also an option to do camel safari in the Cholistan desert around Derawar Fort. Drive back to Bahawalpur, visiting Bibi Jaiwandi Tomb in Ucch along the way.
OVERNIGHT:
Bahawalpur hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 10: Exploring the former Princely State of Bahawalpur. Drive to Multan
Founded in 1748 by Nawab Bahawal Khan, the former state of Bahawalpur remained independant until the formation of Pakistan in 1947. The Nawabs left behind a wealth of culture and beautiful architecture and today we'll visit Nur Mahal, Bahawalpur Mosque, the Museum and the Bazaar. Later, we'll leave the city behind and make our way to Multan.
OVERNIGHT:
Multan hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 11: Multan, the city of saints, mystics and shrines
We have a full day of sightseeing ahead of us today, exploring the city of Multan. We'll start by exploring a number of shrines, dedicated to the great mystics Bahauddin Zakaria, Shah Rukn e Alam and Shams Tabrez which are decorated with beautiful glazed blue tiles. Later, we'll explore the old city of Multan, which has a bustling bazaar where you may see artisans making painted camel skin vases and lamp shades. We'll also visit the Eidgah Mosque which dates from the 16th to 17th century. Our evening will be spent in Multan.
OVERNIGHT:
Multan hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 12: Visit Harappa en-route to Lahore
The archaeological site of Harappa provides us with an interesting stop off, on our way to Lahore. The town flourished as a centre of the Indus Valley Civilization and dates back to 3000 BC. Later in the day, we'll arrive in Lahore where we'll have a free evening to settle in.
OVERNIGHT:
Lahore hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 13: Begin exploring the city of Lahore
We'll begin exploring Lahore today, making our first stop at Lahore Fort, a marvel of Moghul architecture which was constructed between the 11th and 16th centuries. Overlooking the Fort is the Badshahi Mosque (the Royal Mosque). the world’s largest, and our next stop. The mosque was constructed during the reign of Emperor Aurengzeb. Pakistan's most famous poet-philosopher, Dr Mohamad Iqbal, lies buried outside the mosque.
From here we move to Jahangir's Tomb. The Tomb was built by his son Shah Jahan (who is best known for constructed the Taj Mahal) in 1627. After making a stop at the Lahore Museum, we will enjoy the city’s love of food by visiting the ‘food street’ in the old town, where we can find many different dishes and flavours.
OVERNIGHT:
Lahore hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 14: Old Walled City of Lahore and the Wagah Border Ceremony
The Old Walled City is our next stop with its narrow and dimly lit alleys leading from Sarafa Bazaar to Kashmiri Bazaar. Brass inlay work, as well as local handicrafts can be found in abundance here. We visit Shahi Hamam (Royal Bath) and the Wazir Khan Mosque before heading to the Wagah border with India to watch the flag lowering ceremony. Each day there is an elaborate military drill which symbolizes the 2 countries’ rivalry over the last 60 years.
OVERNIGHT:
Lahore hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 15: To Islamabad via the Rohtas Fort & Khewra Salt Mine
Drive to Islamabad, en-route visit the Rohtas Fort and Khewra Salt Mine. Rohtas Fort was built in 1540 by Sher Shah Suri. It is one of the most imposing historical monuments in Pakistan especially attractive for anyone with a taste for castles in the most romantic tradition. Sher Shah Suri built this fort to keep the Ghakkar tribe in check and kept around12000 men here. The fort also guarded his famous Grand Truck Road on which you will travel. Next we'll stop at the Khewra Salt Mine where we'll take a guided train ride into the mine complex. Explore various chambers highlighting different salt colors and formations. We'll also visit the underground mosque. After arriving in Islamabad you'll have a free evening.
OVERNIGHT:
Islamabad hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 16: Tours of Islamabad, Taxila and Rawalpindi
Islamabad is a city of many contrasts with green avenues, splendid views of the surrounding hills and busy city life. We have a full day's guided tour around the major sights, including the old city of Rawalpindi, Daman e Koh view point and the huge structure of Shah Faisal Mosque.
A short drive away is the museum of Taxila and the remains of Jaulian Monastery. We have time to browse in the museum at the artefacts, many dating back over 2000 years.
OVERNIGHT:
Islamabad hotel
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
EXTRAS:
None
DAY 17: Transfer to Islamabad Airport for departure
You'll have some free time in Islamabad today until you are transferred to the airport for departure.
OVERNIGHT:
N/A
MEALS:
Breakfast
EXTRAS:
Extra night in Islamabad - post-tour (EXPAIE)
Guide & Transport for extra day - Islamabad (EXPAGI)
What's Included
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Accommodation - twin share - simple hostels/hotels
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Karachi city and surroundings tour (1 full day)
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Manghopir Sufi Shrine and hot sulphur springs
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Ajrak factory visit (traditional block printed cloth)
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Boating with the Mohanas tribe on Manchar Lake
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Boat safari to Sukkur island
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Sadu Bela - Hindu Temple
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Derawar Fort
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Multan city tour
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Harappa archaeological site
What's Not Included
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Visas
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Optional Excursions as listed in the Pre-Departure Information
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Flights
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Airport Taxes & Transfers
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Travel Insurance
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Drinks
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Tips
Mode of Transport
A/C car/landcruiser
Accommodation
3 to 4 star hotels and guesthouses
Check out our Q&As
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Is travel insurance compulsory?
Yes! Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our tours and needs to cover personal accident & liability, medical expenses and repatriation, travel delay & abandonment. We also strongly recommend that you take out cover against cancellation and lost/stolen baggage. Personal medical insurance does not normally provide sufficient cover and is generally not suitable for travel on our tours. You will not be able to join your tour if you have not provided us with details of your insurance or if you arrive without cover in place (no refunds will be due in this event).
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
You are always able to change your travel date. However, some charges may apply depending on how long before your departure you make the change. Our flexible booking conditions and reduced charges will apply if you are changing date because of a Covid-19 reason or because your government is advising against travel to your destination. Please check our detailed booking conditions for full details.
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When is my balance payment due?
60 days prior to departure
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
On most of our group tours, solo travellers may choose to form a temporary 'tour bubble' and share a room with another traveller of the same sex in the group. If a room share is not available then a single room supplement may be payable, with the costs for these kept as low as possible. We have also removed compulsory single supplements from many of our tours, and are reducing the cost by 50% on s
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Can I transfer my booking to someone else?
Customers may transfer their booking or any Credit on File to another person who satisfies all the relevant conditions to the tour, provided that we are notified not less than 7 days before departure, and the transferee agrees to these booking conditions and all other terms of the contract between us. The Client and new booker are jointly and severally responsible for any outstanding payments and a transfer administration fee of GBP50 / USD75 / CAD100 / AUD100 / NZD100 / EUR75 / ZAR1000 / INR5000 or GBP100 / USD150 / CAD200 / AUD200 / NZD200 / EUR150 / ZAR2000 / INR10,000 if the transfer is made less than 60 days before departure. Important Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended or transferred after they have been confirmed (for example flight tickets, Gorilla Permits) and any alteration could incur a cancellation and rebooking charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Encounters Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform encounters travel, 60 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Encounters Travel requires a minimum deposit of 150 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of encounters travel charges.
Up to 61 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 35% of booking price.
At 41 days before tour starts: Forfeit 70% of booking price.
At 27 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.