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| One of the world's oldest civilisations, a fabled high valley of vast glaciers and snow-capped peaks, the legendary gardens of Shalimar and a famed mountain pass whose name is synonymous with adventure are just a handful of The Silk Road attractions of Pakistan.
For centuries, part of The Silk Road wound its way south from Central Asia, across some of the highest mountains in the world, down through what is today Pakistan and then curved east into Hindustan or continued south to the Arabian Sea.
Pakistani authorities are reviving the old trade routes. These efforts received a boost with the opening two decades ago of the Karakoram Highway which joins the remote northern reaches of the country with the Chinese Muslim autonomous region of Xinjiang. It is popular with backpackers and well-heeled tourists alike.
Visitors to Pakistan seeking cultural attractions have much to see among the remains and ruins of Moenjedoro, Taxila and early Muslim or Mogul civilisations, while adventure tourists can enjoy jeep safaris, trekking, or mountaineering. |
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The Hunza Valley in Pakistan's far north was heavily travelled for thousands of years by traders making their way between China and the Indian subcontinent. Apart from its stunning beauty, the valley contains old forts and the Ganesh Rocks where travellers carved graffiti in half a dozen ancient tongues. Taxila, near Islamabad, is known as the 'Lost Link of The Silk Road' and once was home to a Buddhist seminary which attracted students from as far away as Greece and China. The city is a treasure house of art of the Gandara, or Greco-Buddhist style - considered among the great archaeological finds of the world. Peshawar and the nearby Khyber Pass, located in north-western Pakistan, form the gateway to South Asia for travellers from the mountains and steppes of Central Asia and were both key to Silk Road trade.Peshawar still boasts some of the most fascinating bazaars in the region and museums with many Gandaran pieces. A steam train safari operates monthly as a revival of the old train route which was envisaged to reach Kabul. Lahore is Pakistan's cultural heart, with a proud blend of Sikh, Mogul, British colonial and present-day architecture which perfectly reflects the city's rich past. Other attractions include the famed Shalimar Gardens, the Royal Fort, the Badshahi Mosque and the Tomb of Jehangir. Rawalpindi and Islamabad are twin cities, with the former dating from centuries past and the latter the modern capital of Pakistan. Rawalpindi was a leading trading centre in ancient times and today has many monuments, buildings and bazaars worth a detour. Skardu Valley is a gateway for trekkers and mountaineers heading for K2 and boasts the world's greatest concentration of high peaks. Swat Valley was a major centre of the Gandara civilisation and is a popular year-round holiday destination. Kaghan Valley is an unspoiled and picturesque valley famous for its Saiful-Maluk lake. Chitral Valley lies at the base of Tirish Mir Mountain in the Hindu Kush. The Salt Range offers a unique landscape in Punjab Province. |
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