Takht-i-Bahi: the Gandhara monastery day trip
- Peshawar, Pakistan
- Posted on
- 1 photo
Photo: Saadkhan12345 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
About this tip
Takht-i-Bahi, a UNESCO-listed Buddhist monastery near Mardan, is the classic day trip from Peshawar for Gandhara history. The hilltop complex has a stupa court, assembly halls, monastic cells and dark meditation cells, with structures from the first to fifth century. Staircases lead up the slope, so wear shoes with grip and start early. The fortified town of Sahr-i-Bahlol lies nearby. Confirm opening times with the KP Culture and Tourism Authority before you set out.
Where
Takht-i-Bahi: the Gandhara monastery day tripTakht-i-Bahi Buddhist monastery, Mardan
Open in Google Maps(opens in a new tab)More Tips & Traps in Peshawar
10 posts from Local Friends and travelers who know the city.
TipSport & OutdoorsWalk Wazir Bagh, the 1810 garden near the Durrani graves
Peshawar, PakistanWazir Bagh is a Mughal-style public garden built in 1810 in south Peshawar, with two large lawns, a pond with fountains and old trees. Next to it lie the Durrani royal graveyard and the tomb of Beejo Bibi. Parts of the garden have suffered from neglect and restoration has been under way, so go for a quiet walk rather…
TrapSport & OutdoorsMonsoon ban on swimming and boating in Peshawar waters
Peshawar, PakistanIn the 2026 monsoon, the Peshawar district administration banned swimming, bathing and boating in rivers and canals, including the Kabul River Canal, the Bara River and the Warsak canals. The order was issued under Section 144, applies to visitors too and runs until the monsoon ends. Tyre-tube boating and recreation…
ST TrapGetting AroundSkip the Zu Card: visitors use the app or a single ticket
Peshawar, PakistanOn the Zu Peshawar BRT, cards now need biometric registration with a Pakistani CNIC, and unregistered cards will be blocked from 1 January 2027. As a visitor, do not queue for a card. Foreign passengers can ride with the Zu App or a single-journey ticket bought at the station counter. The line runs east to west with…
NM TipMusic & NightlifeNishtar Hall: Peshawar's hall for Pashtun music
Peshawar, PakistanNishtar Hall is a 600-seat cultural hall set up in 1985 to promote the culture and music of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially Pashtun music. It has hosted shows such as a free Pak-Swiss fusion concert with sitar, saxophone and tabla, and in November 2025 it held a fine art exhibition during a literature festival…
PS TipPhotography & ViewsPhotograph Cunningham Clock Tower from its square
Peshawar, PakistanThe Cunningham Clock Tower, finished in 1900 and 26 metres tall, rises from Ghanta Ghar Chowk near Chowk Yadgar, a few minutes from Mahabat Khan Mosque. Frame it from the edge of the square rather than the traffic lanes, and visit early in the day when there are fewer vehicles. It fits neatly into a walk through the…
VN TipEventsVintage and Classic Car Show: each November
Peshawar, PakistanPeshawar hosts the Vintage and Classic Car Show each November, organised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority. The 15th show in 2024 and the 16th in 2025 drew 50 to more than 70 cars built between the 1930s and 1980, along with families and enthusiasts. The 2024 edition added Khattak dance and rubab…
TipArt & CultureGor Khatri: a 1641 caravanserai with a small museum
Peshawar, PakistanGor Khatri stands on one of the highest points of the walled city. The square complex was built in 1641 as a caravanserai by the Mughal princess Jahan Ara, and excavation trenches let you look down through layers of older settlements. A small City Museum inside shows pottery, coins, beads and seals, and the same…
NH TipEat & DrinkNamak Mandi grills: order by the cut and allow an hour
Peshawar, PakistanNamak Mandi, the food street behind Qissa Khwani Bazaar, is where Peshawar goes for mutton: karahi, tikka and lamb chops. At the busy grills you pick your cut and it is chopped to order, so nothing is pre-cooked and a meal can take close to an hour. Settle on a charpoy, drink green qehwa while you wait and ask for the…
Know Peshawar well?
Share a tip, or warn travelers about a trap. It only takes a few minutes.