Taxila Tour from Islamabad: a Day Trip by Car with a Driver
Our Taxila tour from Islamabad gives you a car and a professional driver for the whole day, from your door in Islamabad or Rawalpindi. The museum and the ruins are spread out, so the driver takes you from site to site and waits at each. From Lahore or another city, we send the car and driver to you.
Taxila: when to go
Last checked
- Season
- October to March is the most comfortable time, and February and March are the greenest.
- Monsoon
- July to September. If storms are forecast, move the trip to a clearer day.
Islamabad to Taxila by road: the GT Road and the Margalla Pass
Taxila is about 35 km from Islamabad along the GT Road (N-5), around an hour in ordinary traffic. On the way, you can stop at Nicholson's Obelisk in the Margalla Pass if traffic allows. In summer, set off early to reach the open-air sites before the midday heat.
Taxila Museum first
Start at the Taxila Museum, whose Gandhara galleries put the ruins in order before you walk them. Allow an hour or more inside; tickets are sold at the counter and through the museum's online booking.
Dharmarajika, Sirkap and the climb to Jaulian
The main sites are Dharmarajika, the great Buddhist stupa; Sirkap, the ruined city; and Bhir Mound, the oldest settlement. Jaulian, a hilltop monastery, is the climb of the day. Mohra Moradu and the Jandial temple are quieter if you still have time.
Adding Khanpur Lake, or heading on west
Jaulian is close to the road to Khanpur Dam, about 50 km from Islamabad, so the lake makes an easy afternoon add-on. Boats are usually for hire by the hour, and dhabas by the water sell cooked fish. Heading on west along the GT Road towards Peshawar? Ask about carrying on with the same car and driver when you book.
Which car for a Taxila day trip
The GT Road is a main highway all the way, so a saloon such as the Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic suits up to four passengers. Larger families take the Toyota Prado or the seven-seat Changan Karvaan, and a school or university class the Toyota Coaster.
Cars for a Taxila day trip
| Car | Seats | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Toyota Corolla GLi / XLi | 4 passengers + driver | Couples, friends and small families |
| Honda Civic | 4 passengers + driver | A visitor who wants a little more space |
| Toyota Prado | 6 passengers + driver, 4x4 | Families of up to six |
| Changan Karvaan | 7 seats | A family that prefers a van |
| Toyota Grand Cabin | 14-seat listing, high roof; confirm layout | Groups who want one vehicle |
| Toyota Coaster | 22 seats; confirm layout | School and university classes |
Sample itineraries
From Islamabad (Taxila)
A sample Taxila day from Islamabad or Rawalpindi, on a date when the museum is open.
Early morning: Out along the GT Road
Pickup from your door and out along the GT Road through the Margalla Pass.
Morning: Taxila Museum
An hour or more with the Gandhara collection.
Late morning: Dharmarajika
The great stupa and the monastery remains around it.
Lunch: A break in Taxila
Lunch in Taxila town.
Afternoon: Sirkap and Jaulian
The ruined city at Sirkap, then the climb to the Jaulian monastery.
Evening: Back to the twin cities
The drive back along the GT Road to your door.
From Islamabad (with Khanpur Lake)
Taxila with Khanpur Lake added, a longer day.
Morning: Taxila Museum and Sirkap
The museum as it opens, then a walk round Sirkap.
Midday: Jaulian
The climb to the monastery, then back down to the car.
Afternoon: Khanpur Lake
On to the dam on the Haro River for a boat ride and a late lunch of fish.
Evening: Home
Back to your door in Islamabad or Rawalpindi.
Cars for the trip
Questions people ask
How long should a Taxila day trip be?
About eight hours. Leave Islamabad in the morning and you are back by early evening, with time for the museum, the Jaulian climb and a walk round Sirkap.
Can we bring a guide to Taxila?
Yes. A guide helps at Taxila, where ruins from different periods sit side by side. Arrange one before the day and tell us, so the car has a seat for them.
When is the Taxila Museum open?
From 8:30 am to 5 pm in summer and 9 am to 4 pm in winter. It is closed on the first Monday of each month and on Islamic holidays.
How hard is the climb at Jaulian?
It is the steepest part of the day: roughly 250 steps up to a monastery about 100 metres above the village. Take water. Anyone who would rather skip it can wait below with the driver and the car.
Can we do Taxila and the Islamabad city tour on the same day?
Better on two days. Taxila fills most of a day, and the Islamabad sights, from the Faisal Mosque to Rawal Lake, fill another. We can quote both together, with the same car and driver.
Is the driver's lunch part of the quote?
Yes. One quote covers the car, the driver and his lunch, plus his meals and overnight stay if the trip runs to a second day. Fuel and any parking are listed in it.
Can a Taxila trip start from Lahore?
Yes, as part of a longer trip. The car and driver collect you in Lahore and take the M-2 to Islamabad, usually four to five hours, and Taxila follows the next morning. Motorway tolls are extra.
How do we pay, and what if our plans change?
Use cash, card, bank transfer or online payment; companies may request a monthly invoice. You can cancel without charge up to 24 hours ahead of pickup. If the vehicle develops a fault, we send another.
Book your car
WhatsApp +92 311 2847167 with the date, your group size, your pickup city and whether you want Khanpur Lake too, and we will reply with the quote.
Related
- all our tours by car with a driver
- the Islamabad city tour on another day
- the Khewra salt mine and Katas Raj
- a day in Murree and the Galyat
- planning Pakistan as a foreign visitor
- car and driver hire in Islamabad
- a car with a driver from Rawalpindi
- a car with a driver in Peshawar
- the Toyota Corolla for small groups
- a Toyota Coaster for class trips