Southern Pakistan: Journey Through The Indus Valley
Southern Pakistan: Journey Through The Indus Valley
12 Days Starting in KARACHI and ending in LAHORE
Visiting: Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Bahawalpur, Multan, Lahore
Tour operator:
Tour code:
IND
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
4 - 12
Physical rating:
Low, Low
Age range:
1-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Please contact Wild Frontiers with any specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Private Available:
Request A Private Tour
From:
$4200 (USD)Tour Overview
Enigmatic, edgy and intriguing, Pakistan often makes the headlines for all the wrong reasons. However, it is a land filled with colour and contrast, offering the adventurous traveller a stunning wealth of culture, tradition and natural beauty.This remarkable journey travels through the Indus Valley encompassing everything from Sufi tombs and desert fortresses, to bustling bazaars and lively cities, as we travel from the streets of Karachi and deep into the Punjab.Beginning in Karachi we’ll have a chance to explore one of Pakistan’s most exciting and historic cities, discover the tombs of some of the country’s most revered mystics and poets, visit the UNESCO World Heritage ruins of Mohenjo-daro and travel into the deserts of Cholistan to see the imposing fortress of Derawar. In Multan we explore the renowned City of the Sufis, before moving on to Lahore, the cultural heart of the Punjab. The second largest city after Karachi, it offers a backdrop of the traditional walled city and the chaos and clamour of one of the most vibrant cities in the country, where we discover the historic and religious reminders of the Moghul, Sikh and British Empires.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Tour Starts In Karachi
Location: Karachi
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner,
This afternoon we will begin our tour of the city with a visit to the Shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi. Born in Medina in 720 AD and widely revered throughout Pakistan, he was considered the patron saint of Karachi. Later we will have an opportunity to visit Clifton Beach, the National Museum and the Mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Day 2 : Karachi – Hyderabad
Location: Karachi, Hyderabad
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Departing Karachi after breakfast this morning, we'll drive on to the city of Hyderabad. The journey takes us by way of the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Makli Hill, home to one of the largest necropolises in the world, and the Shah Jahan Mosque at Thatta, built during the golden age of Mughal architecture. Time permitting, we can also enjoy brief stops at the Chaukhandi tombs and the ancient port city of Bhanbore.
Day 3 : Hyderabad – Larkana
Location: Hyderabad, Larkana
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
From Hyderabad the adventure continues through the north-west regions of Sindh province, towards the historic city of Larkana. Stops en route at the shrines of the famous Sufi saints of Lal Shahbaz Qalander and Abdul Latif Bhittai provide a chance to discover more about these revered mystics, philosophers and poets, before continuing on to our overnight stop in Larkana, on the banks of the River Indus.
Day 4 : Larkana – Sukkur
Location: Larkana, Sukkur
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Larkana is home to one of the largest and oldest settlements of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation. The site at Mohenjo-daro (Mound of the Dead) was abandoned as far back as the 19th century BC. Here we will have the chance to visit this impressive UNESCO World Heritage Site. We continue in the afternoon to the village of Ranipur to the archeological and historical site of Kot Diji Fort, formally known as Fort Ahmadabad. Built between 1785 and 1795 by Mir Sohrab Khan Talpur, founder of the Upper Sindh Kingdom in 1783, the fort was strategically placed on the edge of the desert to intercept any enemies approaching from the east before they could refresh their supplies after a long journey through the desert. Our journey today ends in Sukkur where we can admire the impressive Sukkur Barrage, an engineering marvel of this region.
Day 5 : Sukkur – Bahawalpur
Location: Sukkur, Bahawalpur
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
A full day's drive takes us north on to Bahawalpur, once part of an independent princely state that was founded in 1802 by Nawab Mohammad Bahawal Khan II. The road passes by the city of Uch Sharif, which was believed to have been founded by Alexander the Great in 325 BC at the confluence of the Indus and Chenab Rivers. Here we stop to visit the beautiful tomb of Bibi Jawindi, one of the five monuments in Uch village which today is a pilgrimage site for Muslims visiting Sufi shrines. From here we then complete the journey on to Bahawalpur.
Day 6 : Bahawalpur
Location: Bahawalpur
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Following breakfast we will drive into the remote landscapes of the Cholistan Desert to pay a visit to the imposing setting of Derawar Fort. With the increasing irrigation from the Indus the desert has receded and been replaced by cultivated fields now quite close to the fort which is surrounded by scrubland. Built by the Rajput Bhati, the fortress dominates the desert around it, with 40 towering bastions that stand over 30 metres in height. A visit to the fort and the royal tombs of the Bahawalpur Nawabs is followed by a visit to a local village and also a bustling market, before returning to Bahawalpur for a second night.
Day 7 : Bahawalpur – Multan
Location: Bahawalpur, Multan
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
A morning tour of Bahawalpur today provides an opportunity to discover a little something of its historic and cultural highlights relating to the local Nawabs, along with modern day local market. Departing the city after the visit, we'll then head on towards Multan, located on the banks of the Chenab River.
Day 8 : Multan
Location: Multan
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Multan (Madinat-ul-Auliya) is known as the City of the Sufis, or the City of the Saints, largely due to the abundant number of Sufi shrines that lie scattered across the city. Amongst the monuments that we will visit today are included the shrines of Shah Rukn-i-Alam, Bhahuddin Zikria and Shams Tabraz. We'll also have an opportunity to spend some time exploring the Old Bazaar.
Day 9 : Multan – Lahore
Location: Multan, Lahore
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
From Multan the journey next takes us on to the capital of the Punjab, as we drive to Lahore, the largest Punjabi city in the world and the country’s cultural and artistic capital. Stopping en route at the famous archaeological site at Harappa, we'll have a chance to discover the remains of a Bronze Age fortified city whose origins have been dated back to 2600BC. This afternoon we continue our journey to the colonial city of Lahore where we stay for the next three nights.
Day 10 : Lahore
Location: Lahore
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
The historic capital of both the Moghul and Sikh empires, the city also played a significant part in the British governance of the Punjab. Home to a remarkable collection of cultural and historic highlights, our tour over the next two days includes visits to the Lahore Museum, the Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort along with several local shrines and mosques. Along with visits to the old town, we will also head out east to the Wagah Border to witness the dramatic flag lowering ceremony.
Day 12 : Tour Ends Lahore
Location: Lahore
Meals Included: Breakfast
This morning the tour ends in Lahore.
What's Included
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GROUP SIZE
Maximum: 12
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ACCOMMODATION
All accommodation as outlined in the itinerary
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EXPERT TEAM
The full services of a Wild Frontiers Tour Leader with local guides where appropriate
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ENTRANCE FEES
All entrance fees for sights mentioned in the itinerary
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TRANSPORT
On this tour we will use minibuses or coaster buses depending on the group size.
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CARBON CONTRIBUTIONS
Contributions to carbon offset & tree planting projects for all bookings
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MEALS
11 x Breakfasts, 11 x Lunches, 11 x Dinners
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FITNESS RATING
Low
What's Not Included
We believe in a completely transparent approach to pricing with no hidden extras. As such, please note that the following are not included in the cost of the tour.Visas & Travel Insurance: Visas will always be tour/nationality dependent but travel insurance is mandatoryTips: Always optional but some guidance will be given in the pre-departure information documentsInternational .Flights: Please ask us for an obligation-free quote for flights which originate in the UK.Beverages & any costs of a personal nature: This will include items such as laundry and souvenirs
Visas
Visas are necessary for many of the destinations we travel to and while we aim to provide you with the most up-to-date information, requirements frequently change and as such for the latest advice we advise that you check with the relevant embassies or contact our recommended visa agency, Travcour www.travcour.com For this tour UK passport holders currently require a visa for Pakistan. Non-UK passport holders or non-UK residents should contact the relevant embassies for individual requirements. Further details will be sent out to you on booking, however ensuring that correct and valid visas are obtained remains the sole responsibility of the client.
Key Aspects to Consider
Anyone in a reasonable state of health, with an open mind and a sense of adventure should be perfectly able to cope with this tour. However, please note that this is Southern Pakistan and has long been off the tourist trail due to political strife and unrest. As such we may have police escorts during certain parts of the tour. Vegetarians should be well catered for but please note that food will tend to be quite spicy and more akin to India that the gentler cuisine in the North of Pakistan. There will also be some long driving days on the tour so come prepared for an adventure.
Check out our Q&As
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
We include complimentary transfers if arriving/departing on the suggested group flights
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What is the maximum group size?
12
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
We have a complete Covid-19 hub here: https://www.wildfrontierstravel.com/en_GB/covid-hub
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 70% of passengers on our group tours are solo adventurers. Unlike many tour operators, we don’t believe in charging solo travellers a premium, so if you are happy to share a room with a fellow traveller of the same sex, you will pay exactly the same as a couple..Occasionally you may even end up with your own room. You can travel as a single traveller on any of our holidays, from our escorte
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 2002
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Do I need to be double-vaccinated against Covid-19 to travel with you?
In most cases, yes. Not only are many destinations making double-vaccination a requirement of entry to the country and/or access to restaurants, museums etc., but additionally on all our group tours for the foreseeable future, for everyone’s peace of mind, we are asking that all clients be double vaccinated.
Reviews from Travellers on this Tour
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Dates & Availability
Sunday - Thursday
Oct 27, 2024 - Nov 07, 2024Sunday - Thursday
Nov 10, 2024 - Nov 21, 2024Sunday - Thursday
Jan 26, 2025 - Feb 06, 2025Sunday - Thursday
Feb 09, 2025 - Feb 20, 2025Sunday - Thursday
Oct 19, 2025 - Oct 30, 2025Sunday - Thursday
Nov 09, 2025 - Nov 20, 2025Book with Confidence
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Free Date Changes
Wild Frontiers allows you to make 2 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 90 days before the start of the tour.
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Low Deposit
Wild Frontiers requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 70 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of wild frontiers charges.
Up to 71 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 51 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Wild Frontiers' COVID Promise
You will have the right to transfer without any transfer fee, from any of our trips at ANY time if your trip is not Covid Viable (see below).*
We will not ask you to pay your final balance if your trip is not yet Covid Viable.
If your trip is not Covid Viable, by 30 days prior to departure at the latest, we will cancel your holiday and you can either transfer your funds to another departure or have a refund.**
We will only consider a trip Covid Viable*** if pre-departure it meets all of the following criteria:
There is no national lockdown or ban on foreign travel for the period when your trip is due to depart.
Destinations on the tour must not be on the UK’s Red List. ****
No destinations visited on the tour have in place any significant COVID-19 restrictions for travellers.
Tourist visas (if required) are available.
There is reliable airline access to/from the start/end of the trip.
Following an assessment by both Wild Frontiers and our local partners we are confident that your trip is able to run in both a safe and enjoyable manner.*****
** If you were originally booked to travel before 30 April 2020 and transferred to a later date, or if you have a tailor-made booking, there may be some irrecoverable costs which we cannot refund. Please speak to us and we will be able to advise you if this is the case for your booking.
***Since our HQ is in London, Covid Viable status for our Group Tours will be assessed on UK-based travellers. However we are fully aware that many of our clients live in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and beyond. As such, when we deem a trip to now be Covid Viable, everyone booked will have a chance to review their own personal situation before deciding whether or not to remain booked on the trip. Anyone wishing to, will have the option to transfer without fees to another trip at this time. For tailor made bookings, we may also able to consider additional countries’ travel advice when deciding if a trip is Viable. Please discuss this with us at the time of booking.
**** This relates to bookings from UK clients only. We may operate trips to destinations which the British FCDO advise against travel for Covid reasons. If this is the case, anyone wishing to will have the option to cancel with a refund or transfer to another trip. In some cases we may choose to offer a tour to a Red destination but these will be at both clients’ and Wild Frontiers’ discretion and will be subject to alternative conditions to be discussed on an ad hoc basis.
*****If a destination, that we have deemed to be Covid Viable, subsequently fails any aspect of the criteria for two consecutive weeks, you will have the right under our Covid Promise to transfer without any fees.