Join us on a ride around the various Heritage sites in Taxila.

Taxila (meaning "City of Cut Stone") is an important archaeological site of the ancient Indian Subcontinet. It is located in Taxila city, Rawalpindi District of the Punjab, Pakistan, situated about 32 km (20 mi) north-west of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, just off the famous Grand Trunk Road.

Ancient Taxila was situated at the pivotal junction of the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia. The origin of Taxila as a city goes back to c. 1000 BCE. Some ruins at Taxila date to the time of the Achaemenid Empire in the 6th century BCE, followed successively by Mauryan Empire, Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian, and Kushan Empire periods.

Pl. Note: This is a self-drive trip. For the bicycle transport (Shahzore pickup truck) will be arranged from the gathering point. You can even drop your bicycle a day earlier at AeroCycling.

We will regroup at the Taxila Museum and get our bicycles for the truck. We will start our ride from the Taxila Museum and go to the different heritage sites ultimately returning back to the Taxila Museum. The ride would take min 4 hours with short stops at each site. We will be riding on and off road so choose your bicycle accordingly.

Bring along refreshments!

Join us for a ride to the historic Shah Allah Ditta caves and few more miles up to the Losar Baoli, which is a slightly tough but very scenic uphill stretch!

Archaeological evidence indicates that the caves and the platform-like formations surrounding the area were first used for meditation by Buddhist monks and later by Hindu sadhus before Muslim ascetics took over during the Mughal period.

Marked on the ground close to the caves is the location where Alexander arrived and was received by Raja Ambi, King of Taxila. The road next to the caves that leads to the main top of the mountain, Shah Allah Ditta Road, is said to be built on the exact path followed by Pashtun emperor Sher Shah Suri during his visit.

Moving up the mountain from the caves, there is a stepwell called Losar Baoli. The Baoli is thought to have been constructed by the Emperor Sher Shah Suri in order to facilitate the caravans moving towards Kabul via Taxila.

Those who do not want to attempt the last uphill part can wait or return from the Shah Allah Ditta caves. Do inform the coordinators if you are turning back!

Day Trip

Takht-e-Bahi Buddhist monastery is one of the most impressive and well preserved pieces of Gandhara architecture in Pakistan. It is situated 14 km northwest of Mardan on the road to Swat (2 ½ hour drive from Islamabad). The reputation of Takht-e-Bahi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is based partially on the extraordinarily good state of preservation and partially on its glorious location. The site itself is located on the northern flanks of a rocky spur rising 150 meters (500 ft) above the plains.

On a clear day you can see across the plains as far as Peshawar on one side, and the Malakand pass and the Swat hills on the other. The monastery and stupas were founded in the 1st. Century AD and abandoned in the 7th century AD. You may also enjoy the famous local cuisine of “Chapli Kabab & Tandoori Nan" from one of the famous kabab shops in Takht-e-Bahi bazaar!

Trip Itinerary

Departure from Islamabad at 08:00 a.m. (Assembly Point: In front of United Bakery, Supper Market F-6, Islamabad at 7:45 a.m.)

Travel on Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway.

Short stay on the way for a break and to buy water or snacks (if needed).

Take road to Mardan.

Arrival at Takht-e-Bahi

Visit historical site of Takht-e-Bahi along with local guide

Return to main road and stop at local restaurant.

Enjoy lunch of “Chapli Kabab & tandoori nan". (Your own refreshments).

Departure for Islamabad 3:30 pm

Arrival at Islamabad at around 6:30 pm.

Please note: Due to security reasons, unfortunately foreigners are restricted for this hike.

At 1800m, the Panjpir is among the highest and the most beautiful ridges in Kotli Sattian region. It is called Panjpir (Five Pirs/ Saints) due to a shrine at the top. Locals believe five saints came to this place and settled here. On a clear day, it offers stunning views of snow covered mountains of the Kashmir region. The specialty of the Panjpir is the remarkable rock formations and big boulders at the top. The track offers beautiful views of the valleys and the great Himalayas as well as the view of the Jhelum river passing through mountains.. Continuing on the trail will take you to Panjpir shrine. which can be spotted from the distance by a large group of jumbled up trees at the top. On clear days, from the top, you can see Makra and other mountains of Kaghan area on your north while different peaks of Kashmir are visible on the east.

In winters there may be snowfall at the top, come prepared !

The hike starts at Danoi Rest House. There are two options of doing the uphill hike. It is recommended to do all the way but we will decide on the spot.

• The long one is 8Km to the top that includes some road portion as well
• The short version is around 4Km to the top which starts at the end of the road.

Walking time is about 3-4hours. Wear sturdy shoes and bring refreshments for a rest/picnic break at top of the hill.

The hike involves some hard sections and can be categorized as moderate to hard. It can be strenuous for novices or people who have not hiked before.

Director: Zhang Yimou

Screenplay: Wei Lu, based on the novel by Hua Yu

Cast: You Ge, Gong Li, Ben Niu, Wu Jiang, Denf Fei, Tao Guo,

Awards: Cannes Film Festival: Grand Jury Prize (Zhang Yimou) & Best Actor (You Ge)

A spirited melodramatic epic that covers three decades of Chinese history from the 1940s...

The film is seen through the eyes of an average couple who undergo tremendous personal changes in their life because of the changing political situation in their country. During the 1940s the wastrel son (You Ge) of a rich merchant gambles away the family fortune and loses the valued family mansion. His father dies of grief and his wife (Gong Li) becomes a beggar with her adolescent daughter and baby son. The family is reunited when he swears off gambling but he gets caught up in the civil war between Chiang Kai-Shek's nationalists and the winning Mao Zedong's communists. He survives the horrors of the battlefield and upon returning home learns that his impoverished daughter has lost her voice and the family has to learn to survive anew amongst the harshness of the new Communist regime. The family remains hopeful despite bizarre twists and tragic losses as they simply want to live and don't really care about the politics they are surrounded by...

The mouthwatering cuisine of the Pashtun tribes ( KPK province) is recognised by all "foodies''- the most famous is 'Shinwari' which has become a culinary phenomenon in Pakistan and internationally!

Largely based on meat dishes that include lamb, beef, chicken- rice ,vegetables.yogurt, whey, cheese , fresh and dried fruits- the menu includes the well known favourites : Peshawari Chapli Kababs , Shinwari Namkeen Tikka , Patta Seekh, Rosh and the delicious Mutton Karhai , Naan and Kishmish Pulao (rice with currants). For foreigners and persons nervous about '"Red hot spices"- rest assured the food is very healthy and quite spiceless!

Our guest presenter is Mr. Nowsherwan who runs a Shinwari restaurant in Rawalpindi.

Multimedia presentation/ Conversation

In Pakistan, the Indus is known by many names: the Father of the Rivers, the Blue Water, the Lion River... Ancient civilizations thrived around it, shrines to Sufi and Hindu saints dot its banks, and its waters irrigate the crops that feed Pakistan's 220 million people...

In 2022, Pakistani film maker and explorer Wajahat Malik led 'Expedition Indus', a six-member team that rafted the entire course of the river in Pakistan. For over 40 days, they moved through gorges of glacial melt, met fishermen who live on boats and got lost in some of the hundreds of miles of irrigation canals that branch off the river!

We will share - through the presentation- the incredible, occasionally harrowing, but always dramatic journey!

At the turn of the 19th century, Bibi Sahiba Kalan (1752-1803)-was recognized and exalted as a great female Sufi and scholar. Her network of thousands of disciples spanned from the Arabian Sea to Central Asia. The spiritual guide of scholars and kings, and the Khan of Bukhara, she was personally invited to his kingdom. Her travels took her to North India, Central Asia, and Arabia; She led a caravan from Mecca and built and managed colleges and shrines at Kandahar, Kabul, Yemen, and Sindh.Bibi Sahiba’s sons and grandsons – Sufi masters in their own right – defended Afghanistan against the invading British in the Anglo-Afghan Wars. Their stories are among the only available narratives of the wars from the perspective of the Afghan forces on the ground...

Dr. Ziad’s book “Sufi Masters of the Afghan Empire: Bibi Sahiba and Her Spiritual Network (Harvard, exp.2023)” overturns our understanding of women’s spiritual and religious leadership in the Muslim world before the 20th century. One of many similar female scholar-saints in what is today Pakistan and Afghanistan, her story is critical for the region. It provides an indigenous model for women’s empowerment and leadership and highlights lived traditional Islam.The book is based on original research in seven languages, and fieldwork across 20 towns in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Tracing her footsteps, this is the first time her story has been told in English...

Dr. Waleed Ziad is Assistant Professor and Ali Jarrahi Fellow in Persian Studies in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Prior to this, he was an Islamic Law and Civilization Research Fellow at Yale Law School. He completed his PhD in the Department of History at Yale University, where his dissertation won the university-wide “Theron Rockwell Field Prize”, one of two most prestigious awards across disciplines. In the last decade, he has conducted fieldwork on historical and contemporary religious revivalism and Sufism in over 120 towns across Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan. His forthcoming books include

· Hidden Caliphate: Sufi Saints beyond the Oxus and Indus,

· In the Treasure Room of the Sakra King: The Native Copper Coinage of Northern Gandhara,

· Beyond the Khutba and Sikka: Sovereignty and Coinage in Sindh,

· The Arch-Saint of the Afghan Empire, her teacher, and her son (in progress).

His articles on historical and ideological trends in the Muslim world have appeared in the New York Times, International Herald Tribune, the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy, Christian Science Monitor, The Hill and other major international dailies.

Immerse into the rhythm!

Persian music relies on both improvisation and composition.

This is a rare opportunity for you to participate in an exclusive percussion workshop with Moez Aryan,and experience the mesmerizing sounds of ancient persian instruments!

The upcoming session will focus on the biggest common denominator between all genres of music: percussion. Different beats and rhythms will be demonstrated /discussed- followed by an exciting hands-on practice with drums and the 'Duff' (Persian instrument) by the participants!

Moez is a self taught multi instrumentalist, playing various strings and percussions . He currently divides his time between teaching and performing music, and running his business. He has been a regular performer at solo events and fusion works all over the country since 2001.In 2020 founded Parvaaz ensemble with his friends. Parvaaz is a musical expression of Middle Eastern mystical, divine and devotional literature.

Join us for a truly rare and entralling evening of music with Fatima Rakisheva!

Originally from Almaty, Kazakhstan, Fatima Rakisheva received her Superior Diplomas as a concert performer in chamber music and violin at the École Normale de Musique de Paris Alfred Cortot. She has been principal violinist of the Camerata de Paris and of the Astana Philharmonic Orchestra.

She lives between Paris and Islamabad.

Throughout her career, she has been honoured with awards:

· 1st Honor Prize in trio formation at the UFAM International Music Competition (2009),

· 1st Prize at the Normandy International Music Competition (2010)

· Grand Prix of Honor in chamber music at the Léopold Bellan International Competition (2012).

The Presentation incudes:

1. Silence speaks - Rolf Lovland

2. Ladies in Lavender - Nigel Hess

3. Cinema Paradiso - Ennio Morricone

4. Song from a Secret Garden - Rolf Lovland

5. Tosca remix - Giacomo Puccini

6. Winter 1 - Max Richter

7. Remembrances - John Williams

8. Concert for Violin and Orchestra n° 5 A Major 1st mouvement without cadenza - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

9. Sonata for Violin and Keyboard No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1016: III. Adagio ma non tanto -Jean Sébastien Bach

10. Poeme - Rolf Lovland

11. Hoedown - Aaron Copland

12. Prelude and Allegro “In the style of Pugnani” - Fritz Kreisler

13. Chaconne - Tomaso Vitali

(Violins are important instruments in a wide variety of musical genres. They have been incorporated in many non-Western music cultures, including Indian Subcontinental music.They are most prominent in the Western Classical tradition, both in ensembles -from chamber music to orchestras- and as solo instruments. They are also important in many varieties of folk music including country and bluegrass and in jazz.

Electric violins with solid bodies and piezoelectric pickups are used in some forms of rock music and jazz fusion with the pickups plugged into instrument amplifiers and speakers to produce sound ).