For my final hurrah in Pakistan, I wanted to retrace the steps of emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan (both of whom reigned during in the Mughul period, although Shah Jahan is more famous given that he constructed the famed Taj Mahal), and in the process, bask in the glory of Pakistan UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites – both approved (Shalamar Gardens and Lahore Fort) as well as those still part of the tentative list (Jahangir’s Tomb and Hiran Minar)

If you’re interested to do the same, follow me for the most optimal route (if you’re coming from Lahore, like me!). Note, I rented a private car and driver to take me around. Each stop had an entrance fee (except for Lahore Fort) – roughly PKR 500 each; and I also had to pay a parking fee (which varied from place to place, but was roughly around PKR 20-50 per area)

First stop would be Hiran Minar – which was Emperor Jahangir’s favorite hunting ground. Later on, he would create a monument here for his favorite antelope called Mansiraj. Crazy eh? Imagine building a monument for your favorite pet… the crazy things rich kings use their money for, seriously!

I imagine you’ll spend maximum ~30-45 minutes here – there really isn’t much to see, although it’s lovely to walk through!

From Hiran Minar, it’s time to head to Jahangir’s Tomb – said to be the most magnificent Mughal edifice, second only to the Taj Mahal! Only way to make the comparison is for me to check out Taj Mahal myself #2020goals. The red sandstone and white marble certainly does make for an intriguing effect – something you’ll also note is used in the beautiful Badshahi Mosque found in Lahore

Before entering the inner sanctum, you’ll pass through these beautiful arches – this place is certainly fit for a king!

Ok, it’s now time to enter the inner sanctum – in all its full-blown glory!

At last, you reach Jahangir’s final resting place. Funny how we all end up at the same place in the end – death – regardless of whether we were born a king or a pauper. Of course, it does determine where you’re buried – with Jahangir’s tomb a testament to how big and grand you can go if you’ve got the money for it… but still, dead is dead

Anyhow, it’s now time to head to Shalamar Gardens – which was constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan and is an excellent example of a Mughal Garden. Alas, I didn’t find the Shalamar Gardens particularly awe-inspiring, probably because I have little to no appreciation for this type of nature…

Now from Shalamar Gardens, we head to our final stop for the day – the Fort of Lahore! Here you see the bustling Lahore Fort – busy day, busy people – with everyone bustling about, haggling for cheaper prices, or perhaps gossiping with a neighbor

But wait, there’s more! Within the Walled Fort of Lahore is the beautiful Masjid Wazir Khan – again commissioned during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan. This mosque is well-known for its exquisite tile work and Mughal-era frescoes, and believe me – it is STUNNING

And, that’s it! For each location – you’ll probably spend ~30-45 minutes each. To be honest, there isn’t much in each location that’ll cause you to linger – after all, you can admire the building all you want, but there’s a limit to how much you can admire a building… Only exception being Lahore Fort – I imagine you may want to spend some time shopping here (lots of cheap stuff!) Hope you feel extra kingly after retracing the footsteps of two of Mughul’s most prolific emperors,  Doesn’t it make you appreciate how Pakistan’s history, art, and culture are intertwined so much more?

Interested to know more? Read my other Pakistan blog, and enjoy!

• Pakistan: A logistics and travel guide for first-time travelers
• Lahore: Exploring Pakistan’s cultural capital
• Islamabad: Exploring Pakistan’s political capital
• Karachi: Exploring Pakistan’s business capital
• Day trips from Lahore and Islamabad: Exploring Pakistan’s North
• Wagah Ceremony: Celebrating Indo-Pakistani relations
• Taxila and Takht-i-Bahi: Tracing the footsteps of explorers