After the battle of Gaugamela defeating Darius III, Alexander the Great expanded his control over Persia and beyond into the greater territories of Achaemenian empire. He continued his march, claiming the lost provinces of the Achaemenian empire one after another. After capturing Bactria and his campaigns against Sogdians, Alexander the Great entered Kapisa(Bagram) and the valley of Kubha(Kabul). He then moved to the fertile land of Nangrahar (Jalalabad) and here starts his Indian campaign capturing the northern parts of Gandharan province and it was here he decided to subdue some tribes in Hindukush valleys while sending his trusted General Hepaestian to follow the regular course into Peshawar valley. After subduing the rebel tribes, Alexander circumvented Khyber Pass and entered into Swat Valley through the passes of Bajaur to Timurgarh(Massaga) into Chakdara plains, fighting one of the fiercest battles of his times defeating the defiant Assakenois. After the fall of capital city of Massaga, Alexander dispatched Koinos to Bazira, the strategic city identified with present Barikot town, capturing the fortress which continued to serve as a bastion for the later invaders through centuries. The next to fall in line with no fight practically was the town of Ora (Udegram) whose citizens had left for the higher safer mountain refuges. But stung by the stiff resistance of the Assakenoi(Swatis) Alexander decided to defeat them into complete submission. However the rebels had taken refuge on an impregnable rock of Aornos at a considerable height. Alexander had to employ his tactics with the help of an old man into a narrow gully piling it up with hundreds of pine trees forming a huge staircase for his army men. His soldiers kept the Assakenoi busy on the other side but once the Macedonian army had started climbing in large numbers, rebels got so terrified that they started jumping from the high rock to their ultimate demise while some hurled huge boulders in vain. Alexander the Great celebrated this accomplishment with attainment of the spirit of Dionysus who is identified with mountain onions which grew in large numbers on the hill.

He then marched towards plains crossing Kabul river and then was received by Raja Ambhi(Omphis) with a large tribute of elephants and horses. This marked the submission of Raja Ambhi who escorted the army to Takshasila(Taxila). After spending few days at Taxila and joined by local armies, Alexander the Great had set his eyes on the Mauryan Kingdom of India. The next was to defeat Raja Porus(Pacorus) who had a large army equipped with elephants and horses asserting his power on the neighboring rulers. Macedonian army moved towards River Hydaspes(Jhelum river) to face the formidable army of the enemy across the river. Alexander the Great devised his strategy by engaging the enemy into decoy of camps by burning the light in the night while a strong column of his army had moved down stream to an appropriate crossing point waiting for the rain the banks into muddy trap. His scouting army in the night crossed over the small island directing the main column into full scale attack. The army of Raja Porus rushed towards the point with such a force that the chariots of the enemy got stuck into the muddy banks of the river causing a formidable loss of attacking army but the Macedonian plan had worked successfully. The regular war fare began with huge elephants into the battle but Alexander the Great had devised a plan by attacking the trunks of the animals injuring them into madness and the stampede was so great that the army of Porus was itself crushed. He lost his son in the battle while he himself was injured. But looking at the brave fight Raja Porus had put up, Alexander the Great decided to restore the honor of the submissive Indian King to continue ruling. The victorious army continued further southwards into what is today central Pakistan where the five rivers meet the mighty Indus. Here Alexander the Great met mutiny of his home sick army and abandoned the idea of Mauryan Empire of India, after the capture of an Indian fortress. He decided to return taking the southern most course as far as Pattala(Thatta) where he deployed his Admiral Nearchus for finding the mouth of Indus. From here the Macedonian army moved into the most inhospitable terrain of Gedrosia following the coastal regions of present day westwards. The heat and lack of fresh water resulted in the loss of many soldiers and their children. When they saw an oasis many died of over drinking water. These hardships continued till the entry again into Persian mainland to Mesopotamia, where he was joined by Nearchus who had sailed across the Persian Gulf to reach River Tigris.

Our tour shall follow in the foot steps of Alexander the Great during the course of our travel it will be our desire to show you maximum routing of the great army. This will be a memorable tour for our valued guests going through different places of the past and present times.

Itineraries

Gallery

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