Siam Society is holding a study trip to explore the fascinating history of the Mughals and Gandhara civilisation in Pakistan, from April 12-23.
The 11-day trip will start in the Punjabi capital Lahore, once part of the Mughal Empire from 1524 to 1752. The city flourished under Babur and reached its architectural peak during Akbar's rule.
Participants will visit historic Lahore Fort and Badshahi Mosque, or Royal Mosque, which held the title of the world's largest from 1673 until 1986 when Faisal Mosque in Islamabad was built.
Other sites of interest in the itinerary will be Lahore Museum, the Wagah Border to see the flag-lowering ceremony between Pakistan and India, Wazir Khan Mosque which stands out for its unique architectural design with minarets at each corner, Jahangir's tomb, and Taxila and its archaeological museum.
The trip is also an opportunity to witness the best collections of Gandhara art at Peshawar Museum and visit the traditional bazaars of Peshawar including Qissa Khawani Bazaar, Copper Bazaar, a local shoe bazaar and a vegetable market.
Participants will also journey along the renowned Karakoram Highway leading to Hunza Valley with many beautiful stops in different mountains above 7,000m, namely Rakaposhi, Diran Peak, Golden Peak, Ultar Peak and Disteghil Sar Peak.
The trip will conclude with a stop in Islamabad to visit Faisal Mosque, which is named after the late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. The mosque houses an Islamic university specialising in philosophy and law.
The fee is 129,000 baht (125,000 baht for members) excluding international air tickets (Bangkok-Lahore and Islamabad-Bangkok) and visa fees.
Email studytrips@thesiamsociety.org or call 02-661-6470--3 ext 205.
