Taxila Museum is located at Taxila, Punjab, Pakistan. The museum is home to a significant and comprehensive collection of Gandharan art dating from the 1st to the 7th centuries CE. Most objects in the collection were excavated from the ruins of ancient Taxila. There are many historical sites nearby the museum

The second city at Taxila is called Sirkap and was founded by the Bactrian king Demetrius, who conquered this region in the 180s BCE, and rebuilt by king Menander. Taxila's sanctuaries reflect the multicultural nature of the Indo-Greek kingdom, which consisted not only of the Punjab, but also of Gandara, (i.e., the valley of the Kabul and Swat), Arachosia, and a part of the Ganges valley. "Contact between religions is good": this maxim of the Mauryan king Ashoka, which can be found in the twelfth of his famous rock edicts, was certainly a guideline to the rulers of Taxila, whether they were Indian, Greek, Parthian, Sacan, or Kushan. There were sanctuaries of several religions inside the city; only the Zoroastrians preferred to stay outside, at Jandial - but this may be accidental. In spite of this religious tolerance, the Buddhists always were the main religious group, and we find many stupas in Sirkap.

Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city with a population of 1,108,872 people and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital Territory. Night Stay at Islamabad

Takht-i-Bahi, is an Indo-Parthian archaeological site of an ancient Buddhist monastery in Mardan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The site is considered among the most important relics of Buddhism in all of what was once Gandhara. The monastery was founded in the 1st century CE, and was in use until the 7th century

The Peshawar Museum, situated in Pakistan, is renowned for its extensive collection of artefacts from the Gandhara civilisation, an era of great significance in the history of Buddhism. This esteemed institution proudly showcases an impressive array of Buddhist sculptures, stone carvings, and reliefs. With its wealth of exhibits, the museum offers an invaluable resource for scholars and enthusiasts, shedding light on the evolution of Buddhist art and providing a deeper understanding of the cultural heritage that thrived within the region during this illustrious period. The Peshawar Museum serves as an essential cultural and educational institution in the region, attracting tourists, scholars, and history enthusiasts from around the world. It provides valuable insights into the area's ancient history and diverse cultural heritage.

There is such romance associated with the very concept of Qissa Khawani Bazaar -- translated literally it means Story-tellers bazaar -- that one conjures up images in one's mind of old people huddled together and sharing tales of yore over hot tea. That is undoubtedly how the bazaar did get its name and how one would have found it many generations ago, but alas no more. Now a busy market place with narrow streets, it is divided into different sections where one can purchase dry fruits, tea and spices. Worth a visit, nonetheless for its history, some landmarks of Peshawar, and of course, shopping, one should visit it prepared that it is nothing out of the Arabian Nights, but a tourist attraction, never the less.

The Butkara Stupa is an important Buddhist stupa near Mingora, in the area of Swat, Pakistan. It may have been built by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, but it is generally dated slightly later to the 2nd century BCE. The stupa was enlarged on five occasions during the following centuries, every time by building over, and encapsulating, the previous structure. The stupa was excavated by an Italian mission, led by archaeologist Domenico Faccenna from 1956, to clarify the various steps of the construction and enlargements. The mission established that the stupa was "monumentalized" by the addition of Hellenistic architectural decorations during the 2nd century BCE, suggesting a direct involvement of the Indo-Greeks, rulers of northwestern India during that period, in the development of Greco-Buddhist architecture. An Indo-Corinthian capital representing a Buddhist devotee within foliage has been found which had a reliquary and a coin of Azes II buried at its base

The site at Panr spans three distinct terraces, each offering a unique glimpse into the past. On the lower terrace, the remnants of a monastery have been found. This area was divided into a dining hall and living quarters, though only the foundations of the base platforms remain visible today. The middle terrace, often referred to as the "Sacred Area," is home to the remains of the main stupa. This stupa, with its square base and a mound that once topped the drum, stands as a testament to the architectural prowess of its time. On all four sides of the main stupa, one can observe the foundations of standalone columns. Additionally, scattered throughout this terrace, one can find the foundations of small votive stupas.

The museum was conceived in 1959 under the aegis of the Italian Archaeological Mission to Swat and the Wali of Swat to contain his personal collection of artefacts. It was later expanded with the assistance of the Japanese government. However, it was badly damaged in the Kashmir earthquake in 2005. With the war between the Pakistan government and Taliban in 2007, the museum was closed and its contents were moved to Taxila, this proved lucky as a bomb exploded nearby in February, 2008 that killing many people and damaged the museum severely. The 2,700 objects were returned to the museum in July 2011, and a new seismic-resistant museum was opened on December 11, 2014.

The Saidu Sharif Stupa, excavated under the name Saidu Sharif I, is a Buddhist stupa located near the city of Saidu Sharif, at the foot of the mountains that separate the river valley Saidu from that of the river Jambil, in the Swat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The sacred area consists of two terraces built on the slope of the hill, through a cut in the rock on the north side. Artificial terracing includes one stūpa, surrounded by smaller monuments, and a monastery. The excavations were initiated by the Italian Archaeological Mission in 1963 and ended in 1982, with a pause between 1966 and 1977. The first excavation campaign investigated the lower terrace with the main stūpa, while the upper terrace with the monastery it was brought to light during the second campaign.

Ghalegay Buddha This stupa is one among the thousands of old monuments in Swat Valley, and it dates back to the Buddhist era. The Buddha statue is located near the village of Ghaligay, 18 kilometres from Mingawara, at the foot of steep slopes on the left side of the main route to Mardan. About a kilometre from the left bank of the Swat River lies a Buddha facing west. At the end of the Gandhara era, it was built between the 7th and 8th centuries. The lower half of the statue is still fair, but the upper half has been extensively damaged.

The stupa was first recorded by A. Stein in 1930 in which the main stupa and the votive stupas were identified. Later, other archaeologist also excavated the area. Gumbat Stupa is now marked as the Balo Kalay Stupa of Swat. The remains of the stupa are scattered over a range of 1500 m wide and 1000 m breadth. The ruins was restored in 2011-2012 and about 25% of the terrace was excavated in 2011. The radiocarbon dating estimates the shrine and buildings were built in 2nd century. The main stupa is located in the lower zone which has a plinth with length of 17 m in each side and a projection of about 3.7m. Above the dome exists remains of Harmika and umbrellas. The stupa has two terraces and a monastery and the dome is a double-domed cupola and surrounded by more than 20 smaller stupas

It is a high rock carving, the image of the seated Buddha. It is a reddish-brown coloured cliff that rises on the hillside to the southwest of Janabad (Shakhorai) village. It is at a distance of 5 kilometres from Manglawar. This huge illustration of the Buddha can be seen from the road, on the way to Malam Jabba. Due to its high position above the narrow terrace, it is well preserved except the nose seems to have been damaged by the vandals. The Buddha figure is about 7 metres high and is certainly the most impressive sculpture in the Gandhara region. This excellent figure of the Buddha is seated on a high throne in the attitude of meditation. The snail shell curls of this Buddha are very carefully rendered. His eyes are more than half closed, there is a prominent Ushnisha and long ear lobes. The folds of the robe are stringy, with a planned alteration of high and low ridges. Though the figure exhibits the Gandhara style in the drapery with pleats and the hair.

Drop Tourist From we picked them on Day-1 or at point of their choice. End of tour