Trip to Pakistan in November 2024 ► History and tribal minorities

Trip from 15 to 29 Nov. 2024 (15 d. / 14 n.) / TRIP COMPLETED

This trip to Pakistan in November 2024 will start at the Afghan border and end at the Arabian Sea. We will visit places away from the tourist circuits without neglecting the iconic ones such as the Mughal Fort in Lahore or the Sufi Shrines of the south.

The route is designed to follow the trail of a large number of cultures that left their mark on Pakistan: the Persian Empire, the Macedonia of Alexander the Great and the Mauryan Empire are some of them. We will know cultures such as the Pashtun, the Gandhara, the Mughal, the Mohana and we will know the gypsy ethnic group in the Indus Valley, where they originate from.

The guide will be Begoña Fernádez-Colmeiro, an expert in Pakistan.

Download the itinerary for this trip to Pakistan in November 2024

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Discover the highlights of this trip to Pakistan in November 2024

► We will penetrate the bowels of mythical cities in Pakistan

Peshawar

Peshawar is a mythical ancient city where history is breathed everywhere. City tour to visit Bala Hisar Fort, Museum, Mahabat Khan Mosque, Shinwar Square, Khyber and Khawani bazaars. In the old storyteller street we will observe a large number of Afghan refugees, mainly recognizable by the burqa worn by the women.

Taxila

It is the political and cultural center of the Gandhara kingdom. It was built where the three main trade routes met: the Bactrian to Central Asia, the Kashmir to India and the Khunjerab Pass to China.

Islamabad

During this trip to Pakistan in November 2024, we will visit the Faisal Mosque of Islamabad, the most iconic monument in the Pakistani capital.

Lahore

It was the historical center of the Mughal Empire. Today, it is the most beautiful city and the cultural, intellectual and artistic center of Pakistan. Visit to the Badshahi Mosque (1647) and urban tour through the walled center of the city. We will also visit the Fort Complex with its palaces and tombs of Jaganhir surrounded by Persian gardens. We will end up getting lost in the bazaars of the walled city.

Multan

It is located on the banks of the Chena river. Its history dates back to 5,000 years ago, from the Harapian era. Zoroastrian pilgrimage center to the Temple of the Sun, conquered by Alexander the Great and under the Abassi Empire. Due to the pilgrimage of numerous Sufi mystics in the XI-XII centuries, it was renamed as City of Saints. Magnificent Mausoleums from that era still adorn the city. Rukn-ud-Din it was restored in 1980. Is the most famous because its splendor. It has remained a great commercial center since medieval times thanks to its bazaar.

Thatta

City of great importance from the XIV c. and during 4 Muslim dynasties. We will visit the Makli Hill Necropolis (World Heritage). It is made up of a multitude of funerary monuments from the 14th to the 18th centuries, exquisitely sculpted in sandstone with floral and geometric motifs and covered with tiles. The Mausoleum of Mirza Jani Beg stands out, who was the last sovereign of the Tarkhan dynasty.

► Visit Mohenjo Daro, the jewel of the Indus Valley

Between 3000 - 1500 BC, Mohenjo Daro was one of the earliest and most advanced planned urban settlements in the world. They lived in 2-story houses with a cooling system and bathrooms with running water. Also, they had a fleet for river and land trade with Mesopotamia, Persia and Arabia. They dominated the cultivation of cotton, grain and grapes. In 1980 Unesco declared it a World Heritage Site.

► We will meet different ethnic groups

During this trip to Pakistan in November 2024, we will learn about cultures such as the Pashtun, the Gandhara, the Mughal and the Mohana. In Karachi we will visit the 'African' neighborhood to learn about the Siddi. This community is originally from Africa and arrived as slaves from Zanzibar over the centuries. Currently, they are Sunni Muslims but have preserved their traditional music (percussion) and dances and are followers of the pre-Islamic cult of the crocodile.

Mohana tribe

The Mohana are a Dravidian group (the first inhabitants of the Indus River Valley). We will meet some traditionalist families who live in wooden boats.

Gypsies or Khana Badosh

The Gypsy people are originally from the Indus Valley of Pakistan, from where they spread to the East to India and to the West, reaching the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th century. There, they created a culture with a unique point of view. This is what continues to connect them with their relatives in the East.

► Amalgamation of ancient cultures

The route of this trip to Pakistan in November 2024 is designed to follow the trail of numerous ancient cultures that left their mark on Pakistan. The Persian Empire, the Macedonia of Alexander the Great, and the Mauryan Empire are some of them.

► We will enjoy the great diversity of architectural styles

Pakistani architecture is a mixture of different traditional types: Harappan, Gandharan, Hindu, Jain and Indo-Islamic. Throughout this trip to Pakistan in November 2024, we will be able to enjoy this great stylistic diversity.