Charles A. Barker
Hospitality Support & Consultancy Services
Hospitality & Tourism Sustainable Development - HSCS
Our meeting point is usually outside: Syeed Book Bank, F7 Markaz, Islamabad
Google Map ref. 33.722421, 73.058673
You should wear casual, discreet clothing suitable for the season and practical walking shoes.
Please provide copies of your passport/NIC and Covid vaccination certificates when booking; there will be strict adherence to Covid SoPs. Refreshments will be provided with lunch.
Bookings are payable in advance and non-refundable from 72 hours prior to departure.
For further details about prices, bookings and all other queries, please contact us here.
Day Forays
Cruising The Capital
We will begin our tour at Lok Versa, where we will be treated to a talk on the history of the Capital by Prof. Talha Ali Kushvaha and then see the Heritage Museum. From there we will visit Shakarparian, now just a monument dedicated to the memory of the people that lived there before the capital, Islamabad, was established in 1969.
Heading next to Saidpur Village, home to a small 16th century temple called "Rama Mandir" or "Ram Kund Temple". This was dedicated to Hindu God Rama, who Hindus believe lived in the area with his family. We will have lunch in the grounds of the temple at Des Pardes before going to see the Faisal Mosque. From there we will climb into the Margalla Hills and view the sun setting over the city from Daman-e-Koh, where our tour will conclude.
RoamingThrough Rawalpindi
Our special expedition will explore the places where the best deals can be found to buy household goods, gifts and other unusual things. We will head straight off to the centre from which lorries and cabs are luxuriously decorated with ‘truck art’. We will be guided through the area, where they also paint many other curios and items which are fun to see and buy. We will then proceed to Raja Bazaar, one of the oldest markets in Rawalpindi, where bargains may be struck for all ranges of goods.
After the mornings’ exertions, we will need to settle down for a good lunch in Saddar. Suitably re-energised, we will the head for Subzi Mandi, the largest fruit and vegetable market in the region. If time permits, our trip will conclude with tea at the British era Rawalpindi Railway Station before heading back to Islamabad.
The Secrets of Peshawar
Leaving early, we will travel to Peshawar and first visit the Peshawar Museum. A tour around Sethi Street will follow, where we will explore a labyrinth of small shops, haggle and barter good-naturedly with shopkeepers for regionally mined fine gems and precious stones and see the famous Peshawar gunsmiths at work. After building up an appetite, we will a lovely lunch of the local classic dish, ‘Chapli Kabab’.
After lunch we will visit Khatri Caravanserai (inn) that was used by the ancient caravans as they travelled the Silk Road. Close by is the Hindu temple of Gorak Nath, dedicated to Guru who founded the Kanphata Jogi order at Tilla Jogian in the first century BC. We will later meander through the fabled Qissa Khan Bazaar and end our explorations at the magnificent 17th century, Mughal-era,Mahabat Khan Mosque. Before departing for Islamabad, we will have dinner in the famous Namak Mandi Food St.
Tales of Taxila
The modern town of Taxila is 35 km from Islamabad. Most of the archaeological sites of Taxila (600 BC to 500 AD), of which there are many, are centrally located. For over 1000 years, Taxila remained famous as a center of learning for the Gandhara Civilisation. It later became a focal point from which Buddhism spread. We will visit the highly regarded Taxila Museum and a number of the more ancient and important archaeological sites nearby. We will also pay a visit to the ancient Greek city of Sirkap, which along with Taxila, has World Heritage Site recognition.
From there we will travel the short distance to visit the magnificent Sikh Temple of Panja Shaib, founded by Guru Nanak at Hasan Abdal. This is the location of huge annual pilgrimages to this day.
