January 2013

Volume 2, Issue I 1

S FP Bull STF B etin n

STFP promo otes tourism pract tices that are environmenta ally sustainable, economically y beneficial to the local commu unities, and educatio onal experience fo or tourists.

Day Tr rip to Rohtas R Fort an nd Rawa at Fort

Rohtas Fort is a symbol of o the determination and st trength of its builder, b Sher Shah Srui. The fort, 12 km in n circumferen nce, is located d 98 km from Islamabad in n a gorge 16 km North We est of Jelhum. This T huge for rt has 12 gates, 4 palaces s, 68 towers, , 3 deep wells and 12 18 meters high/ /3 5 meters thick fortifica ation walls. Th he constructio on of the fort started in 1543 and took ove er three year rs to complete e. The origina al intent in building the fo ort was to blo ock possible entr ry of the Mug ghal Emperor r Humayun, who w after his defeat had fled to Iran. The second objective was to punish and defeat d the tur rbulent Gakkh hars who had d control of the valley and were w allies of the Mughals. The fort could not ha ave been mo ore strategica ally located pro otected as it was w by ravine es and the riv ver Kahan. Ho owever, it lost t its importance as a frontier garrison when Akbar built the great fort t at Attock on the Indus in the t 1850s. Rawat Fort was w built in ea arly 16th cent tury by the Gakhars, a trib be of the Poth hohar plateau. It is 17 km ea ast of Rawalp pindi on the Grand Trunk k Road. The fort was sce ene of a bat ttle between the Gakhar chie ef Sultan Sara ang Khan an nd Sher Shah h Suri, the bu uilder of Roht tas Fort. The for rt is almost in square form and has two gates and co ontains a mos sque. There a are many graves s inside includ ding Sultan Sa arang Khan and a his 16 son ns. anuary Date: 13 Ja Days: Sund day Duration: 10 1 hrs
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Ne ewsletter Hig ghlights:

Day trip to Ro ohtas and Rawat Forts Day trip to Ta axila Weekend trip p to Lower Swat Day trip to Kh hewra Salt Mines What we can n do as a Responsib ble Tourist 3 2 1 2

Departure Time: T 0900 hours h Base: Islam mabad Per head Fee: Rs. 1600/eadline: 10 January J Booking De To register for f this trip please send us s an email at: stfpak.info@ @gmail.com For further information i co ontact: Arif Tu ufail at 051-26 612448

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DAY TR RIP TO EXP PLORE THE E LOST CITIES OF GANDHARA G A

Taxila was s an important city in the e Kingdom of f Gandhara and a its history y spans 1,00 00 years. It was w a cultura al melting pot t, developing the best kno own universit ty on the sub bcontinent where w Alexan nder the Grea at held philos sophical discu ussions in 326 6 BC. Ashoka a, the great Mauryan leader, was Vic ceroy at Taxila. He becam me a Buddhis st and interre ed some of th he Buddhas ashes at Dh harmarajika Stupa. S From Taxila T Buddhism flourishe ed and sprea ad to Centra al Asia and on to Tibet, China and Japan. Bac ctrian Greeks s, Parthians, Scythians an nd Kushans ruled r the area a in turn, dev veloping a unique art fusin ng east and west, w until th he White Hun ns burned the e city and monasteries in n 455. We ar re organizing g a day trip to explore the remains r of some of the lost cities of Gan ndhara. Date: 20 January J Day: Sund day Duration: 9 hours Departure e Time: 0900 hours Base: Isla amabad Per head Fee: Rs. 150 00/Booking Deadline: D 17 January To register for this trip please p send us u an email at: stfpak.info@ @gmail.com For further r information contact: Arif Tufail T at 051-2 2612448

Gand dhara Art

The World is a bo ook, and those t who do o not trave el read only a page.
St. Au ugustine

HISTORICAL EXPL LORATION N TRIP TO LOWER SW WAT

w described as Udyana (the garden) in Lower Swat valley has a rich historical past. It was indu epics an nd where in 327 3 BC, Alexa ander the Gr reat fought an nd won some e of ancient Hi his major battles befo ore crossing over to the e plains of the five river rs. The famo ous Gandhara Buddhist Civ vilization later flourished in this valley. There are many m remains s of Buddhist stupas, s mona asteries and old o settlemen nts in the are ea of lower Sw wat. During t this two days trip t we will vis sit more than 10 important archeologica al sites in lowe er Swat. Date: 26-2 27 January Days: Sat turday and Su unday Duration: two days Departure e Time: 0800 hours Base: Isla amabad Per head Fee: Rs.8,90 00/Booking Deadline: D 22 January To register for this trip please p send us u an email at: stfpak.info@ @gmail.com r information contact: Arif Tufail T at 051-2 2612448 For further

Remains of a monas stery in Swat

Field trip ps are also open o for your r family mem mbers and fri iends, so you u are welcom me to invite th hem on these e trips with prior p intim mation to the concerned staff s of STFP P at the time of signing g up. Minimu um group siz ze for each tr rip is 8 perso ons.

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DAY TRIP TO KHEWRA SALT MINE

STFP Bulletin

Khewra Salt mine is the largest salt mine in the world and the second biggest producer of rock salt. In terms of area it contains 140 Km (88 miles) of tunnels. Currently, only a minute proportion is mined. If mining continues at the present rate, it is estimated that there will still be enough salt for the next three hundred years. It is said the Janjua tribe first began mining there in the 13th century and it was further developed during the Mughal and British rule. Visitors are taken straight to the heart of the mine in a small train. Inside the mine there is a small mosque built of transparent salt bricks. The lights concealed in the walls aid in highlighting the colors of the rock salt. In some areas salt stalactites hang from the ceiling. In the old part of the mine, salt excavated in enormous sections has created large chambers up to 25 meters high. Date: 27 January Day: Sunday Duration: 12 hours Departure Time: 0900 hours Base: Islamabad/Lahore Per head Fee: Rs. 1800/Booking Deadline: 23 January To register for this trip please send us an email at: stfpak.info@gmail.com For further information contact: Arif Tufail at 051-2612448 or Rauf Ahmad at 0300-4550435

To travel is to take a journey into yourself.

Danny Kaye

STFP Bulletin
WHAT CAN WE DO AS A RESPONSIBLE TOURIST?
Sustainable Tourism Foundation Pakistan
Islamabad House # 5, Street # 11, Main Road, Banigala Islamabad Ph # 051-2612448 Cell # 0345-8566048 Lahore House # 117/J, Sabzazar, Multan Road, Lahore Ph # 0300-4550435 Karachi House 53/3, Maqbool, C.H.S, Alamgir Road, Karachi. Ph # 0300-8216787

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We're passionate about the places we visit and want to protect and preserve them for future generations to enjoy. Were sure its a passion you share so here are some ideas:Look after the natural environment: Leave anywhere you visit even better than when you found it. Dispose of litter carefully (fire is a serious hazard in hot, dry countries so be careful with that cigarette bud!) and recycle where possible. Respect local traditions and people: Observe any dress codes and behave appropriately. It may be your holiday but it's their home. Try using a few words of the local language. Always ask before taking someone's photograph: Some people find this intrusive while others may ask for money for this small service. Bargain with humor: Do bargain it's part of the fun. But remember that what may be a small sum to you may be significant to the local seller, so try to be fair, too. Resist giving money or gifts to begging children: It may give you that feel-good feeling but you may be adding to other problems behind the scenes. Give to a local charity or school to ensure the money goes where it is most needed. Buy locally made products and use local services: Eat at local cafes. Ask about excursions using local guides and drivers they have insider knowledge! Putting money into the local economy helps local people and gives your holiday an extra dimension. Reduce the use of natural resources and energy: Take a quick shower instead of a bath; re-use towels; switch off lights and air-conditioner when out; try the local bus service, hire a bike or walk you'll see more that way! Please don't take 'natural' souvenirs away: Wild flowers and plants, pebbles and sea shells, should all be left where you found them for others to enjoy. Don't buy products made from endangered plants or animals: This includes hardwoods, corals, shells, starfish, ivory, fur, feathers, skins, horn, teeth, eggs, reptiles and turtles. These are just some of the simple things that can be done but there are many more. To find out more about responsible travelling please contact Sustainable Tourism Foundation Pakistan at stfpak@gmail.com

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