Alexander the great foot steps (356-323 BC).

More than any other world

conqueror, Alexander III of Macedon, or ancient Macedonia, deserves to be
called THE GREAT. Although he died before the age of 33, he conquered almost
all the then known world and gave a new direction to history. Alexander was
born in 356 BC at Pella, the capital of Macedon, a kingdom north of Hellas
(Greece). Under his father, Philip II, Macedon had become strong and united, the
first real nation in European history. Greece was reaching the end of its Golden
Age. Art, literature, and philosophy were flourishing.. Alexander was handsome
and had the physique of an athlete. He excelled in hunting and loved riding his
horse Bucephalus. When Alexander was 13 years old, the Greek philosopher
Aristotle came to Macedon to tutor him. Alexander learned to love Homer's
'Iliad'. He also learned something of ethics and politics and the new sciences of
botany, zoology, geography, and medicine. His chief interest was military
strategy. He learned this from his father, who had reformed the Greek phalanx
into a powerful fighting machine. Philip was bent on the conquest of Persia
Alexander prepared to carry out his father's bold plan and invaded Persia. Two
centuries earlier the mighty Persian Empire had pushed westward to include the
Greek cities of Asia Minor--one third of the entire Greek world. In the spring of
334 BC, Alexander crossed the Hellespont (now Dardanelles), He had with him a
Greek and Macedonian force of about 30,000 foot soldiers and 5,000 cavalry. The
infantry wore armor like the Greek hoplites but carried a Macedonian weapon,
the long pike . Alexander himself led the companions, the elite of the cavalry.
With the army went geographers, botanists, and other men of science who
collected information and specimens for Aristotle. A historian kept records of the
march, and surveyors made maps that served as the basis for the geography of
Asia for centuries. . At the Granicus River he defeated a large body of Persian
cavalry, four times the size of his own. Then he marched southward along the
coast, freeing the Greek cities from Persian rule and making them his allies.
Alexander charged with his cavalry against Darius, who fled. Alexander then
marched southward along the coast of Phoenicia to cut off the large Persian navy
from all its harbors. Tyre, on an island, held out for seven months until
Alexander built a causeway to it and battered down its stone walls. Late in 332
BC the conqueror reached Egypt. The Egyptians welcomed him as a deliverer
from Persian misrule and accepted him as their pharaoh, or king. Near the delta
of the Nile River he founded a new city, to be named Alexandria after him . In
March (330 BC) he set out to pursue Darius. He found him dying, murdered by
one of his attendants. His men now wanted to return home. Alexander,
however, was determined to press on to the eastern limit of the world, which he
believed was not far beyond the Indus River. He spent the next three years
campaigning in the wild country to the east. There he married a chieftain's
daughter, Roxane. In the early summer of 327 BC Alexander reached Pakistan .
At the Hydaspes River (now Jhelum) he defeated the army of King Porus whose
soldiers were mounted on elephants. Then he pushed farther east. Alexander's
men ha now marched 11,000 miles (18,000 kilometers). Soon they refused to go
farther, and Alexander reluctantly turned back. He had already ordered a fleet
built on the Hydaspes, and he sailed down the Indus to its mouth. Then he led
his army overland, across the desert. Many died of hunger and thirst. Alexander
reached Susa in the spring of 324 BC. There he rested with his army. The next
spring he went to Babylon. Long marches and many wounds had so lowered his
vitality that he was unable to recover from a fever. He died at Babylon on June
13, 323 BC. His body, encased in gold leaf, was later placed in a magnificent tomb
at Alexandria, Egypt. The three centuries after the death of Alexander are called
the Hellenistic Age, from the Greek word hellenizein, meaning "to act like a
Greek." During this period, Greek language and culture spread throughout the
eastern Mediterranean world.

ITINERARY:
DAY 1 : ISLAMABAD
Reception on the arrival at Islamabad Air Port by our Representative in
traditional way by presenting a Chitrali woolen cap with a feather to each
member of group. Transfer to " Hotel Shalimar". Visit to century old bustling
Raja Bazaar famous for handloomed pure cotton cloth, carpets, jewelry Bazaar
for gold, silver ornaments and real antique utensils available at bargaining rate.
Move to " KABUL "restaurant for lunch to have a real taste of Afghan dishes
prepared on char coal. After lunch move to see world biggest " The Shah Faisal
Mosque", Daman e koh, Shakir Parian ( evening tea will be served here in a
restaurant over looking Rawal Lake ) and than to Super Market to see real
market of every type of carpets and rugs gathered from Iran, Afghanistan,
Kashmir, Uzbukistan, Kazakystan , China etc. (some are very cheap and other are
expensive but bargaining is must ) .Move for Bar b Q dinner in open air
restaurant . Rawalpindi is located in route through which Alexander troops
marched and camped here after crossing Marghala Pass.

DAY 2 : RAWALPINDI TO PESHAWAR

After breakfast move to Margala Pass 28 kms from Rawalpindi and walk on the
the foot steps made by cutting the rocks through which whole Alexander's Army
marched. Visit a tall granite obelisk erected in 1868 to commemorate General
John Nicholson some few yards away . Six kilometers North world oldest
existing city of Taxila. In 327 BC Alexander send his half army under
Hephaestion to capture Taxila after crossing River Indus at Hund by making
boat bridge.He stayed in Taxila with Raja Ambhi and planned a war against Raja
Poras .Visit Museum and the world biggest fifth century B.C university famous
for mathematics, law,history, medicine, social science , art,astronomy and
military tactics. Move to road side restaurant on junction of River Kabul and
Indus to consume fresh fried fish with tea. Continue to Peshawar and transfer to
Hotel Greens. After lunch visit the Historic city of Peshawar where history goes
back to 5000 years but recorded history is 2000 years old when King Kanishka
moved his capital here from North of Kabul. It is a labyrinth of mysterious
narrow lanes , colorful bazaar,mosaic of traders,travelers , Pathan and Afghan
tribes men. Peshawar is famous for its brass and copper handicrafts the world
over. Bar b Q dinner in Afghan Restaurant.

DAY 3 : PESHAWAR TO KHYBER PASS

After breakfast visit the Peshawar Museum has one of the best collection of
Gandhara art in the world and sculpture illustrating the life of Buddha are laid
out in chronological order. Move to legendaryKhyber Pass 56 kms from here
passing by .Jamrud Fort, Shagai Fort Sphola Stupa, British soldier's Cemetery of
1878. From Torkham observe the plains of Afghanistan. By pass a place called
Katta Kushta where a section of Alexander 's army was butchered after a feast by
local tribesmen.Traditional Afghan lunch of roasted lamb in Landicotal Bazaar.
On schedule dates observe world most adventures Steam Train Safari build by
Britisher in 1920 on 92 bridges and 34 tunnels at the than enormous cost of more
than US $ 4 million. ( This laying of Railway track was the part of strategic plan
to stop Russian invasion on United India in search of warm water coast ) Back to
Hotel .Evening free at leisure to explore the cheapest carpet market of the world.(
These carpets are made in refugee camps by Afghans to earn their livelihood )

DAY 4 : PESHAWAR TO CHITRAL

After breakfast move to Chitral .We stop at Damkot Hill or Churchill Picket .The
Aryans settled here in 1700 B.C They built stone houses, elegant grey and black
pottery , stone and wooden tools for cultivating the land, copper and gold for
making jewelry. They composed the Rigveda the oldest religious text in the
world. Alexander passed this way in 327 B.C with his 50,000 man army 35,000 of
whom had come from Europe.He captured the town of Massaga now Kat Kala
and terrified the defenders with war engines,moveable towers and giant
catapults that he had dragged over the mountains with him .His men took four
days to overrun the town defended by 30,000 infantry, 2000 cavalry and 30
elephants. Winston Churchill served here in 1897 and had numerous encounters
with local tribes . To know more about him read his book "My Early Life"
Published 1930. We again stop at Balambat the route from which Alexander enter
from Afghanistan into Pakistan and see excavated graves of Aryans of 1500 B.C
The most spectacular section of the journey is Lowari Pass at 10,230 feet . Reach
Chitral and move to Hotel Mountain Inn for over night stay.

DAY 5 : CHITRAL TO KALASH VALLEY

We will move in a jeep after break fast to Kafir Kalash Valley where live the
descendents of Alexander Army's soldiers, still follow their own religion a
mixture of animism and Ancestor and fire worship and retained their original
culture.These 3000 Kafir Kalash are pale skinned fair hair and blue eyes live in 20
small villages of three valleys of Barir,Bumburet and Rambur. The Kalash
women wear magnificent red and white bead necklaces and superb black dresses
which flow down their back. These women are open and friendly and you can
photograph them. If intimated earlier the head man will arrange for them to
dance for you but it is more enjoyable to watch the Kalash woman during their
own festival when they drink and dance. There are four annual festivals when
there is dancing, singing, drinking and feasting and sacrificial goats are offered
on smoke blackened wooden altars.The Kalash graveyards are quite startling
where the dead are left in open coffins above the ground and many of the lids
have fallen off so that the bones lie exposed to view.After lunch move back to
Chitral .Evening free at leisure to explore bazaars for jewelry, semi precious
stones, handloomed pure woolen cloth and woolen hats.

DAY 6 : CHITRAL TO SWAT

( Domestic Flight available daily to Peshawar and to Islamabad.) Move to Swat
on the same route till Chakdara and than to Saidu Sharif along the River Swat
and stop at Birkot Hill .It is the site of the ancient town of Bazira which was
sacked by Alexander in 327 B.C .He took the town with difficulty and left a
garrison here to keep the inhabitant confined in the citadel and him self moved
North to capture the town of Ora. Mount Alam 9222 feet high which is sacred
since prehistoric times Southeast of Birkot. It took seven days to evict the Swatis
off the rocky pinnacle. Alexander himself was present to superintend. A good
account of this battle is given in Arrian,Anabasis( second century AD ). Move to
next site the village of Udegram on the site of ancient site of town of Ora where
Alexander fought one of his battle in 327 BC.The massive ruins of the castle
scattered up the hill side and excavated area is of bazzar of Ora dated back to
fourth century BC ( Italian excavators who worked very actively here in 1950s
deduced this as the most of the buildings are shops ) Lunch in road side resturant
. Move to Hotel White Palace ( Palace of 1st Ruler of Swat now converted into
hotel ). Evening free at leisure to explore the town of Saidu Sharif

DAY 7 : SWAT TO ISLAMABAD

After breakfast it is an exciting journey to Kwazakhela along river Swat and than
a two hours drive on a scenic road through steeply terraced hills and pine forest
across the Shangla Pass with view down back to the Swat Valley to Besham.
Khwazakhela town is worth exploiting for silver tribal jewellery, locally woven
and embroided fabrics, carved wood work, semi precious stones , real ancient
coins and arrow spear heads. Besham is located on the greatest wonder of the
modern world The Karakoram Highway . It connect Pakistan with China
twisting through three great mountain ranges of the world - the Himalayas,
Karakoram and Pamirs and follow the ancient Silk Route. The highway is an
incrediable feat of engineering and an enduring monument to the 810 Pakistanis
and 82 Chinese who died forcing a road through what has reasonable claim to be
the world's most difficult and unstable terrain.Move to Abbottabad along the
highway through the off shoots of Himalayan range and stop over for lunch at
Hotel Royal. Continue to Islamabad in a two hour journey covering 121
kms.Overnight in Hotel Best Western.

DAY 8 : ISLAMABAD - LAHORE

After breakfast departure for Chakwal via Great Trunk Road which was
constructed on ancient caravan route by Sher Shah Suri in 16th Century from
Kabul to Calcutta .Chakwal is the gateway to Eastern Salt range came into being
600 million years ago when Tethys Ocean eveporated due to collision of Indian
plate with Asian plate leaving behind trillion of tons salt in form of mountain
range. Ten million years ago the common ancestor s of men roamed here and two
million years ago started making stone tools and eating meat. Forts , temples and
Buddhist monestriesc thousand of years old are scattered all along the
road.Alexander the Great passed through Nandana the traditional pass through
the range on his way to do battle with Poras on the bank of Jehelum River in 326
BC.Poras The Great Indian Ruler was waiting on far side of River with a smaller
force but hundred of elephants. Poras was defeated badly near village
Chillanwalla. Alexander famous horse Boucalifalios was killed here and burried
in a stupa still to be found. Alexander personally led the funeral procession. He
than entered the great beautiful city of Healcopolis was of striking sight the
ceiling were of sold gold embeded with precious stones Hanging from this vast
ceiling were 100 chandilers. Alexander stayed here for one year for rest.( The site
of this city still not excavated) and from here he sailed to Thatta a famous sea
port at the delta of River Indus in a specially prepared fleet . The group than
move back to Kallar Kahar for lunch in PTDC Motel and than through the most
mordern six lane motorway to Lahore. Over night in Hotel Ambassador.

Day 9 : LAHORE
Departure to home or to Delhi, Singapore, Bangkock (4 times a week by air),
Khatmandu, New York , Paris etc ( 32 destinations ) by direct flights. INCLUDED
: FULL BOARD, ALL THREE MEALS,HOTEL STAY TWIN SHARING, ALL
ENTRANCE FEE , PARKING FEE, ENGLISH SPEAKING LOCAL GUIDE.

HISTORICAL TOUR

GRADE: EASY
LAND COST: US $ 351 P.P
DURATION: 9 Days.
SEASON: JAN-DEC
GROUP SIZE: 6 &ABOVE

TOUR PRICES INCLUDES

1. HOTEL_ACCOMMODATION
2. ALL THREE MEALS
3. ENGLISH SPEAKING GUIDE
4. PORTERAGE_OF_20_KGS_OF_BEGGAGE
5. ENTRANCE/CAMPING FEE
6. ALL LAND TRANSPORTATION

TOUR_PRICES_DOES_NOT_INCLUDE

1. AIR FARE AND AIRPORT TAXES

 2. OPTIONAL EXCURSION
3. SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
4. PERSONAL RESCUE
5. VISA FEE/MEDICALCHECKUP
6. ALL ITEMS OF PERSONAL NATURE

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