Main image: Habib Ullah Afridi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting There
You can easily travel to Shagai fort fort by Car by Daewoo Coach,
By roads: Khyber Pukhtankhwa (KP) is different province and cities of Pakistan by a large network of roads. You can reach KP by Bus, Car, Coaches, and Daewoo from different parts of the country. It is mainly connected with capital of Pakistan (Islamabad) by Motorway M-1 and Via National Highway.
By Train: Peshawar is the last stop on the national rail system. Peshawar Cantonment railway station is more convenient for tourists than Peshawar City Station.
By Private Transport: The most direct and recommended route is the M1 Motorway (155 kilometers, two hours). Another is the old Grand Trunk Road route via Attock and Nowshera (167 kilometers, three hours). The most historically interesting is via Tarbela Dam, Swabi, Mardan and Charsadda (242 kilometers, five or six hours) Tarbela Dam may be off-limits for security reasons check for the latest information.
Finally, the most attractive drive is through Fateh jang, Kohat and Darra (232 kilometers, five or six hours). Darra is in the tribal territory and foreigners need a permit to stop there, though they are usually allowed to drive through.
What to Expect
What to see : ChowkYadgar, Mahabat Khan Mosque, Andershehr Bazaar, Meena Bazaar, Gor Khatri, Balahisar Fort, Tomb of NawabSayid Khan, All Saint Church, Nishtar Hall, Peshawar Museum, Saddar Bazaar, Polo Ground on Shami Road, Khalid bin waleedbagh, Peshawar zoo.
Where to Eat In Peshawar: Combining the flavors of Central Asia, colors of the Indus and sweetness of Persia, Peshawar is famous for its cuisines. It has many specialties, which are peculiar in taste and aroma. The most famous is Chapli Kebab, which is the diet, made from beef, herb and corn flour. These taste best when served from a hot large frying pan. Safron Rice is another aromatic dish that is consumed for any meal including breakfast.
A variety of grilled meats and freshly baked flat bread called ‘Nan’ is readily available. The favorite beverage of Peshawar is green tea that is always served with style and ceremony. It carries a faint aroma of cardamom. Peshawar food is readily available in all restaurants, big or small. Chicken, mutton, beef, lentils, vegetables and a wide variety of freshly baked breads are on the menu. There is plenty of fresh and dry fruits available almost everywhere in Peshawar.
Drinking water is not safe unless it is bottled and sealed.
History
Shagai Fort, fort round the next corner, was built by the British in the 1920s and is now manned by the Frontier Corps. The road then descends down a small valley in which stand fortified Afridi houses and the Ali Masjid (Mosque). Perched high above the mosque on a commanding spur is the Ali Masjid Fort, which guards the narrowest point of the gorge and commands the entire length of the pass.
The road through the gorge is one-way, and hugs a narrow ledge beside the riverbed, overshadowed by high cliffs. Before the way was widened, two laden camels could not squeeze past each other at this point. The return road, and the railway, follow separate ledges higher up on the opposite cliff and offer less exciting views of the gorge.
In the cemetery here are the graves of British soldiers killed in the Second Afghan War of 1879-80 Regimental insignia are carved and painted on the rock faces at several places besides the road, with the Gordon Highlanders, the South Wales Borderers, and the Royal Sussex, Cheshire and Dorset regiments standing in one doughty group.
After the gorge, the pass opens out into a wide fertile valley dotted with fortified Pathan villages and houses surrounded by high crenelated mud walls with watchtowers at the corners and pierced with narrow gun holes round the top.
Facilities Available
- Local guides are available
- People of Peshawar are very hospitable
- PC Hotel, Shelton’s Rezidor Peshawar,Fort Continental Hotels, Hotel Gateway, Emaraat Hotel, Green’s Hotel Restaurant
- Shagai Fort can be easily accessible thought local transport and can book a car on rent.
- Tourism Department helps the Tourist/ Visitors through providing broachers in both Urdu and English languages. The local Police and the local Guides can speak multi languages (i.e local languages, Urdu, English and some of them can speak Chinese also).
- There is a bus stand in Shagai Fort for public transportation.
- Filling stations are available in Shagai Fort which includes Petrol and Diesel.
- Taxis are available in on daily rent basis.
- Shops are available in Shagai Fort
