SILK ROAD

Silk Road named in the middle of the 19th century by the German scholar,
Baron Ferdinand von Richthofen - the greatest East - West trade route and
vehicle for the cross cultural exchange. The early trade in silk was carried on
against incredible odds by great caravans of merchants and animals traveling at a
snail 's speed over some of the most inhospitable territory on the face of the earth
through waterless deserts and snowbound mountain passes. The journeys of
China's emissary, Zhang Qian , in the third century BC brought the Han Dynasty
( 206 BC - AD 220 ) into political contact with the many kingdoms of Central Asia
and opened up the great East - West trade route. The long route was divided into
areas of influence both political and economic. The Chinese traders escorted their
merchandise beyond the Great Wall to Loulan, where it was sold or bartered to
Central Asian middlemen - Parthians, Sogdians, Pakistanis and Kushans - who
carried the trade on to the cities of the Persian, Pakistan, Syrians and Greek
merchants. Each transaction increased the cost of end product , which reached
the Roman empire in the hands of Greek and Jewish entrepreneurs. At Kashgar
there were many choices. Some went westwards over the Terek Pass across the
Oxus River to Merv . Others crossed the high Pamirs to the south near
Tashkurgan and went over the Khunjarab Pass and down into Pakistan. Either
through land route crossing the desert of Cholistan and Tharr to port of Thatta or
through boats from different river ports of Pakistan. It takes 40 days river
journey from port of Lahore to reach Thatta for onward journey to Port of Aqba
( JORDAN )and to Rome (ITALY).
Once you have traveled the Karakorum Highway through Pakistan you
understand why it is often described as the 8th World's Wonder. Over 700 years
ago, Marco Polo traveled the Silk Road into China and wrote of his travels,
revealing to the world places most people didn't know existed. The Silk Road
opened up over 3,000 years ago. It traverses snow-capped mountains and
immense deserts.

Silk was only one item in the abundant and cultural exchange on the route, but it
was such a coveted, precious item the name Silk Road stuck. The route bustled
with activity from the 2nd century B.C. to the 12th century A.D. when it declined
as sea routes were opened.

ITINERARY:

DAY 1: ISLAMABAD:
Arrive at Islamabad International Airport. Welcome by our Company guide and
transfer to Hotel Pearl Continental ****. After welcome drink we move out at
1000 hrs for Islamabad.Pakistan is the seat of one of the world's oldest
civilizations. The artistic traditions to which it is heir are nowhere more apparent
than in the enormous diversity of its culture.There is plenty of evidence from
prehistoric and historic periods to support this arguments and this all we see at
Taxila Museum. e.g. fossil jaws of apes 14 million years old found from
Islamabad mountains .They belong to a species named " Sivapithecus Pakininsis "
said to be ancestor of man.Also a 2 million years old stone axe is on display
recovered from this area.This museum also houses the important finds of
Mehrgarh a glorious era of Indus Civilization over 9000 years old and than of
5000 years old of Mohenjodaro and Harappa era in respective galleries. First we
will have lunch in Afghan Restaurant in traditional style and than will move to
see the world biggest mosque "The Shah Faisal Mosque , Daman e Koh , Shakar
Parian and to super market to see real collection of oriental carpets gathered from
China, Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan , Kazakistan at bargaining rates. Dinner at
barbecue restaurant. Return to hotel for over night stay.

DAY 2: BESHAM:

An early morning departure after break fast toward North along the Grand
Trunk Road through terraced fields to Margala Pass some 28 kms which lies at
the real boundary between Central Asia and Sub continent. This is an ancient
route and first indicated at 516 BC. We will walk for it through a gentle climb to
see a section of the cobbled road as all most all the invaders used it including
Alexander the Great in 326 B.C. A tall granite obelisk erected in 1868 A.D to
commemorate General John Nicholson stand at the old pass on the left.
Nicholson was one of the great folk heroes of Victorian Britain , which saw him
as the archetypal Christian soldier,upright and righteous. Three kilometers from
here is Taxila which is one of the real archaeological treasure of Asia and the
world oldest existing city. The known history of Taxila span about 1000 years
( 516 BC to AD 600 ) .When the Gandharan Kingdom was absorbed by the
Achaemenid Empire of Persia in 516 BC , Taxila became the capital of its eastern
province.By the late fifth century BC , Taxila had become the site of the best
known university in the world. According to John Marshall the level of
knowledge was remarkably high , especially in the field of mathematics ,
medicine and astronomy.It is here that the great Sanskrit scholar Panini compiled
his Sanskrit grammar in 4th Century BC.In 326 BC Alexander the Great arrived at
Taxila from Pushkalavati and according to Arrian's second century AD text
Anabasis he held philosophical discussion with resident intellectuals and then
dined in the great hall. From Taxila Buddhism spread to central Asia, China,
Tibet, Japan and Korea . Gondophares one of the most famous Parthian king of
Taxila received St Thomas the Apostle who brought Christianity to Pakistan in
AD 30.We will spend two hours here and first visit the Museum which houses
one the best collection of Gandharan Buddhist art in the world. An interesting
coin collection , a display of artifacts detailing the daily life of the inhabitants of
ancient Taxila - utensils, weights, jewelry, toys and much more are here to see.
We now move to Dharmarajika Pakistan oldest Buddhist Stupa two kilometers
from here erected by Emperor Ashoka in third century BC. Main stupa was 15
meters high and 50 meters in diameter and the guide will explain it with help of
map. We will move to PTDC Motel to consume hot coffee or cold drinks with
local pizza and move to Abbottabad .It is some 150 kms of journey driving
through the Sikh's sacred town of Hassan Abdal and Moghals Garden at Wah.
For hot lunch in Western style we will stop at hotel Saraban in the center of
bustling city. We set off for Besham and enroute pass by Mansehra lies at
junction of four roads and the place was selected for inscribing the fourteen rock
edicts by the Buddhist Mauryan Emperor Asoka in 3rd century B.C. with his
capital in Patna ( India ). Than come Hazara Plains a country full of memory of
King Abhisares who kept Alexander the Great and his Greek forces away by his
supreme tactics. 6kms away comes the village of Pishora where over hanging
caves still preserved the hunting carvings and Buddhist painting of first century
B.C. ( Visit to cave is optional as it located above the village on a steep climb ). As
we descend down the Kat Galai Pass , we suddenly come to an opening which
brings into view the marvelous picture of the Indus river at Thakot.The hill of
Pirsar is just five miles away identified by Sir Aurel Stein as Aornos , the last
stronghold west of the river Indus , which was besieged by Alexander the Great
in order to haul the retreated soldiers of Swat .We cross the river Indus over a
Chinese bridge and enter into Kohistan. ( we now travel on real ancient silk road
which joins China to Europe ) .We reach Besham after enjoying spectacular
mountain scenery of Himalayan Mountain range.Tonight our stay is in
beautifully located PTDC Motel on bank of Lion river Indus.

DAY 3: GILGIT:
After early breakfast in Motel we move North and first city we cross is Pattan
right on the bank of river.Here a chance discovery led to the find of a heavy
weight girdle of 16 kgs of pure gold having Scythian art engraved on it of Trans -
Pamir region. Next is Komila and Dassu on either side of river. Ahead of Komila
open up Kandia valley , where from Bronze Age material has been recovered .
Here we come across an extraordinary isolated and remarkable language "
BURUSHASKI " spoken by several ten of thousands of people in the Karakoram
mountains. Together with Basque, Ket, Nivkh, and Nehali Burushaski is one of
the last languages on earth to defy classification and even the most liberal
language classifiers allow Burusaski at least 10,000 years of independent
development ( The booklet written by Dick Grune and published by Joseph
Biddulph Publisher 1998 , ISBN 1 897999 12 7 U.K to know more details on this
language ) . A joint Pakistani German research project have so far founded about
30 sites on a stretch of 100 km to both sides of the River Indus bearing 30,000
petroglyphs and 3,0000 inscriptions in more than 10 writing systems. The carving
are pecked or chiseled into the dark brown varnished surface or the boulders
scattered on the river banks and the terrace of the valley.The earliest example of
Silk Road rock art are dating back to prehistoric times and executed by travelers
like merchants, warriors, pilgrims from Central Asia, China and Pakistan.
Majority of the inscriptions are executed in Indian script like Brahmi, Kharosthi,
and Proto Sarada. ( Sogdian 700, Chinese 13 and Hebrew 1 ) . This is one of the
wildest and most inhospitable stretches of the whole Karakorum Highway and
geologically the most unstable region on earth. It is here that the Indian
geological plate grinds against the Asian plate and exposes all the layers of
earth's crust and guide will point out green rocks of the bottom layers of the
oceanic plate normally 30 kilometers below the earth surface. After the decline of
the Roman Empire the Silk Road fell into disuse until the 13th and 14th centuries
when it was revived under the Mongols. Marco Polo came this way in 1273 AD.
At Shatial town we will take a short walk to observe most interesting rock
inscription and drawing in Sogdian script. For lunch we will move to Chillas Inn
.Ahead of Chillas for next 100 kms as the road curves round the foot of Nanga
Parbat mountain the area is plain being the bed of a lake came into being by a
land slide from the mountain in 1840. The lake was 135 kms long and when the
dam burst the resulting floods led to terrible destruction in the plains of Pakistan.
We will have a photo stop for fascinating Nanga Parbat view. It is 8125 meters
and ninth highest mountain on the western most bastion of the Himalayas and
also biggest lump of rock on earth. We will move to Hotel Riveria located on the
banks of River Gilgit for over night stay.

DAY 4 : GILGIT:

These flowers are a common sight along the highway

Gilgit is an old name derived from the original Girigitta that appears in the
Hatun rock inscription of seventh century A.D. The morning is free to explore
this only Northern Area pre- historic city for hundreds of kilometers in either
direction, bustling with Mongols, Tajiks, Kirghiz, Uygars, Chineses etc . The
markets are full of all sort of goods especially the Chinese stuff. During June,
August and November a polo tournaments are held here and it is similar to polo
played 500 years B.C in Persia.Gilgit remained under the influence of three great
powers i.e Chinese, Arabs and Tibetans. Morcopolo commented in 13th century
regarding Gilgit valley as "noisy with kingdoms". After lunch you are taken to
Kargah Buddha a rock carving at Kargah Nullah on way to Punial of seventh
century A.D. A monastery and three stupas are upstream from here. A script
about Gilgit was found here in 1939 written in Sanskrit given rich history of the
area. They are now housed in Museum of London and Rome. ( Darkot is on
the same road to Punial where came George Hayward in 1870 , a Royal
Geographical Society explorer in search of River Oxus source.) Evening is free to
stroll through the labyrinth of streets in old city and back to hotel for dinner.

DAY -5 : HUNZA:

After breakfast we will take a drive on 4 by 4 powered jeep on a 10 kilometers

road and cross the longest suspension bridge of Asia ( 650 foot ) . It sways and
undulates with the jeep's movement. We join the Karokoram High way at
Dainyor where our coach will be waiting. Hunza is 120 kilometers and takes two
hours to reach. We come across gorges upto eight kilometers long and are so
precipitous that you wander how the travelers on the ancient Silk Road managed
to negotiate them. The remnants of caravan route is still visible on Silk Road.
After crossing Nomal we reach Chalt .It is at interesting place as it lies on the line
of collision between two geological plates. The Indian subcontinent is still
pushing northward into the Asian land mass and a clear line of collision is
visible. Nine kilometer further on is the scene of " one of the most brilliant
campaigns in military history " The British war against Hunza in 1891 and three
Victoria Crosses were won in the action ( read book for more details "Where
Three Empires Meet" 1893 ). Mir 's Palace was than captured but the King ran
away to Kashgar ( China ). The Karakoram highway turn east at Chalt round the
north foot of Rakaposhi Mountain. At 7,788 meters this place is steepest on earth.
( 27th highest on the list ) We will have a photo stop here for this colour changing
mountain. About 21 kilometers ahead on the right side a shingle road lead to
Minapin Glacier " The shortest route between Asia and Europe " ( three days
trekking ). This afternoon we arrive in hotel Hunza View where we have three
nights stay and one night stay if package to China - Kashgar is taken. Remainder
of the day at leisure.

DAY 6 : HUNZA – KHUNJARAB:

Hunza have been ruled by the same family since 11th century. A legend relates
that the Hunzakuts are descendents from five wandering soldiers from
Alexander the Great's army settled here with their Persian wives. Hunza was the
model for James Hilton's Shangri-La in Lost Horizon also National Geographic
article that claimed that in Hunza people lived longer than any where else on
earth being free from social stress. Hunza is only one place on earth surrounded
by four peaks over 7,000 meters i.e. Passu, Shishpar, Ultar, and Rakaposhi. This
morning after breakfast we travel on KKH toward north to Khunjerab Pass at
4,733 meters is the highest border crossing on a paved road in the world. Our
first stop will be at Ganesh village six kilometer guarded by an old watch tower
and fort. We will take a walk to Silk Route guest book which is in form of
inscription on the Ganesh Rock. The inscriptions are in Kharoshthi, Brahmi,
Gupta, Sogdian and Tibetan with portraits of Kings like Kushan, Gondophares,
Chandra Gupta . Our second stop will be at Gulmit to have hot black tea with
milk and also to have a look at Boreet lake . During late summers this lake is full
of migratory birds from Siberia as 70% of the world bird migration take place
through this route. After crossing Ghulkin and Passu glacier observe the jagged
line of seven peaks over 7,500 meters mostly virgin.We will have a photo stop at
Batura Glacier and do a short trekking on it. We will pass by Sust which is a
custum post on Pakistani side 34 kilometers from Passu. Khunjarab Pass which
was opened in 1982 has a remarkably different scenery on either side. On
Chinese side Tajiks herders are seen with their sheeps, goats , yaks and two
humped Bactrian camels. Tajiks are smiling and friendly and woman are happy
to be photographed in their colorful costumes. We will come back to Sust to
consume late hot lunch in Hotel Sust Lodge. From May to November we add
five days tour which goes to Kashgar in China and enjoys its Sunday Bazar .You
only require Chinese visa which you may get from Pakistan also after paying US
$ 30 . We will be back to hotel and enjoy bar b q dinner to night.

DAY 7: HUNZA – HOPPER;

A fascinating journey of 18 kilometers this morning through the hanging bridge
of Nagar. We will move in 4 by 4 powered jeep to moving glacier of Hoppar to
view this awe-inspiring natural wonder . A magnificent bowl , terraced and
fertile , with views up to Miar Peaks, Golden Peak and Malubiting and down on
to the Hopar which is racing forward at about 20 centimeters a day. On way back
we will stop at caves or mines dug into the rocks full of rubies and garnet and
you can collect them in raw form. After lunch we take a one kilometer walk
through a village to 400 years old Baltit fort i.e old palace of mirs of Hunza
stands guard over the entire valley . It has 53 rooms and will be explained to you
with the help of a map . Optional walk of two kilometers take us to Altit Fort 600
years old which is more impressive palace perched on a rocky cliff that falls 300
meters sheer into the Hunza River. It has all carved wooden doors and windows
and a room where Mir murdered his two brothers in a struggle for accession
three generations ago. Back to hotel for dinner and over night stay.
DAY 8 : HUNZA – GILGIT:

Today after breakfast you are free to relax or take optional wonderful walk to
Altit to Sarhath to Sihishkot Bridge or walk along the irrigation channel to the
Ultar Glacier to the summer pastures , where you can stay with the shepherds
and watch them making butter and cheese. After lunch in the hotel we move
back to Gilgit on the same KKH to our Hotel Rupal Inn for over night stay.

DAY 9 : GILGIT – ISLAMABAD;

Today after breakfast we take one of the most scenically contrasting routes by
flying in PIA Fokker air craft from Gilgit to Islamabad. What all we had seen on
ground look totally different now .On the left is the fascinating view of Nanga
Parbat with its cup like successive ridges which has so far engulfed 62
mountaineers and on the right are lush green valleys of Palas Kayal Valleys. It is
one hour flight and on arrival at Islamabad International Air port transfer to
Hotel Shalimar. Rest of day at leisure.

DAY 10 : LAHORE:

Departure to onward destination or departure to Lahore via motorway for Delhi

flight or for flight by Singapore Air, Thai air etc.

TOUR EXTENTION TO KASHGAR ( CHINA )

AFTER DAY 6.

DAY 6 : HUNZA – SUST;

We begin with early morning breakfast in our coach for Sust and our first stop
over will be at Ganesh village gaurded by an very old watch tower and fort on
Silk Route. Until British came in 1891 , the men of this village use to keep a
sword,shield and a loaf of bread and run toward the fort after hearing the drum
beat on approach of raiders.This was a staging post on the ancient Silk Road and
was heavily travelled for thousands of years by traders going back and forth
between China, Pakistan and the West over the Kilik, Mintaka, Parpik and
Khunjarab passes. Ganesh rocks is a real guest book on Silk Route. There are
clear inscription of five languages a portrait of the first century Kushan king of
Gandhara, "Gondophares".The date of the inscription corresponds to AD 419 the
greatest of the Gupta emperors who ruled over most of Pakistan in the early fifth
century AD. Our next stop will be at Gulmit where people are very friendly and
warm hearted and also the Karakorm Highway is at its most spectacular between
Ganesh and Gulmit.We cross barren Hisper Range which has six peaks of more
than 7,000 meters. After crossing the Shiskot Bridge the people speak Wakhi , a
Turkish language till Tashkurgan in China. At Gulmit we will visit a private
museum of ex - ruler Raja Bahadur Khan which is full of intresting ethnic
artefacts- wooden bowls, spoons, farm implements, woolen coats, embroided
hats and shawls. One optional recommended walk is across Ghulkin Glacier to
Boreet Lake or we will make a photo stop at the snout of the Glacier which comes
upto the road. About five kilometers from here comes Passu Glacier which gives
a real look of white and shining ice with deep crevasses which is another 14
kilometers from here. Passu is a small farmers village but setting off point for
mountain expeditions to Batura, Passu, Kuk and Lupgar group of peaks and
excellent trekking trip to Shimshal Valley and Batura Glacier. The post of Sust is
another 34 kilometers from here. Our stay will be in PTDC Motel .After lunch
time at leisure to explore the surroundings areas where Chinese and Pakistani
stuffs are lying in huge dumps for export to each other countries. Many general
stores for shopping and tea stalls are scattered all around. Do enjoy hot cup of
black tea with milk and sugar from these stalls.

DAY - 7 : SUST – TASHKURGAN;

We take a hearty breakfast as today we sail through the stunning scenery on

either side of Khunjarab Pass which is at 4,733 meters the highest border crossing
on a paved road in the world. Just eight kilometer from Sust on KKH a jeep road
leads left for ten kilometers to Mintaka pass known to be shortest land route
between Asia and Europe from earliest time. Next twenty kilometers we pass
through a barren and narrow valley till we reach Khunjarab National Park . We
stop for a hot cup of tea at Dih check post and than another 35 kilometers easy
drive to Khunjarab top but with no sign of human being . A red sign announces "
CHINA DRIVE RIGHT " . The water from this top flows to Indian Ocean on
Pakistani side and on Chinese side being swallowed up by the Taklamakan
Desert. On Chinese side also you will see clourful Tajiks herders who live in
Yurts and children and dogs play around the camps. Crossing a Chinese check
post after five kilometers we will stop at Pirali a custom and immigration houses
after 30 kilometers. We will also consume our pack lunch with hot cup of tea.
Travelling of another 96 kilometers are intresting as we pass by small dwellings
and clourful dressed Tajiks working around. Tashkurgan is a small town at 3180
meters above sea level and can be explored in two hours. Ptolemy wrote about
this town in his 2nd century AD as last town of China. Tajiks are regarded as
pure " HOMO ALPINUS" stock , the occupiers of high Asia since earliest time.
There is a stone fort of 6th century AD in the North and a dirt road passes near it
is remanent of real ancient silk road.Chinese archeologist found tomb near the
town that date to the fifth century BC. Tonight we will stay in Pamir Guesthouse
or similar. Our dinner will be delicious Chinese noodles with steam dumpling in
soup.

DAY 8 : TASHKURGAN - KASHGAR :

Today we will travel in Chinese transport to Kashgar "THE PEARL OF SILK

ROAD" after breakfast ,a total of 295 kilometers road journey in seven hours. It is
the westernmost city in China and certainly ,one of the most remote urban
settlement on earth at an elevation of 1,289 meters. The road climbs up across
another pass at 4,100 meters than to Mustagh Mountain and Kongar Mountain
with Lake Kalakuli nestled between them. The last portion of 80 kilometers road
is flat irrigated farm land . We will move to Kashgar Guest house or similar for
the night stay. Kashgar is full of small faimly run Uygurs restaurants with spicy
kebabs, smosa, noodles, mutton and fresh vegitable and so we will have our
dinner in a local restaurants.
DAY 9 : KASHGAR:

Kashgar or Kashi a vibrant Islamic centre within Chinese territory with 90 per
cent of its population of over 200,000 are Uygur. It is a triumph of commerce over
both nature and ideology. Kashgar's important derives from its strategic position
at the foot of the Pamir Mountain" Roof of the World" on the west and on the
East by the formidable Taklamakan Desert commanding access to the high
glacial passes of the Silk Road routes into Central Asia, Pakistan and Europe . Its
history span over 5000 years , the earliest reference appeared in Persian
documents referring to an alliance of Tushlan tribes who founded their capital
here. Hinayana Buddhism flourished here in second century till tenth century
came here from Gandhara in Pakistan. Marco polo wrote in the 13th century that
the Kashgaris have very fine orchards and vineyards and flourishing states with
some Christian and churches in the town. Today we will visit the Sunday Bazaar
when hundred of country Tajiks ride into the town on their donkey carts laden
with vegitables, fodder and fire wood for sale.From market you can buy
saddles,bridles, silk, cotton, knives, hat, pots, pan,mountain fragrants,
melons,basket of peaches and apricots, uncured sheep skin, boiled and dry eggs,
red twig baskets etc. The other attraction of the town are Eidgah Mosque the
biggest among 130 mosques and 18th century Tomb of Abakh Hoja . We will
have our lunch from the Sunday bazzar and dinner from a Pakistani Ashkana
restaurant opposite the Chini Bagh. Over night in hotel.

DAY 10, 11 12 AND 13: Tashkugan, Sust, Gilgit and Islamabad

We will trace back our route to Tashkugan, Sust, Gilgit and Islamabad. We also
have options to stay more days in Kashgar, Fly to Urumchi - Bejing , Drive to
Samarkand and Bokhara.

CULTURAL TOUR

GRADE: MODERATE

LAND COST: US $ 390 P.P

DURATION:10 Days.

SEASON: JAN - DEC

GROUP SIZE: 6 & ABOVE

TOUR PRICES INCLUDES

1. HOTEL_ACCOMMODATION

2. BREAK FAST

3. ENGLISH SPEAKING LOCAL GUIDE

4. PORTERAGE_OF_20_KGS_OF_BAGGAGE

5. ENTERANCE/CAMPING FEE

6. ALL LAND TRANSPORTATION

7. ALL TAXES
 TOUR_PRICES_DOES_NOT_INCLUDE

1. AIR FARE AND AIRPORT TAXES

2. SINGLE SUPPLEMENT

3. OPTIONAL EXCURSION

4. PERSONAL INSURANCE/MEDICAL CHECHKUP

5. VISA FEE

6. MEDICALCHECKUP

7. ALL ITEMS OF PERSONAL NATURE

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