WCLA opens Lahore Fort for tourists at night

LAHORE: Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) is launching “History by Night” tour from today, which will be held on regular basis on every Friday and Saturday night.

These unique tours are introduced as a regular feature of WCLA Tourism, officials said, adding this will increase night tourism in the provincial metropolis. Giving details, they said the tour will start from Fort Road Food Street at 7:30 pm and tourists will be taken to Tomb of Allama Iqbal, Badshahi Mosque, Huzoori Bagh, Mughal Era’s Roshnai Gate, Alamgiri Gate of Lahore Fort, Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, Picture Wall Lahore Fort, Sheesh Mahal and Summer Palace.

All these locations have been illuminated by WCLA for the first time and now these are being opened up for tourists at night, said Tania Qureshi, Deputy Director Media & Marketing WCLA. She said History by Night tour is a unique concept in Pakistan and it is happening for the first time here in Lahore. “So far the tourism in Pakistan lacked night tourism and I am glad that WCLA has stepped up with this kind of tourism showing the history of this region to the tourists in a different and unique manner. I think it will be a learning and recreational experience for everyone who comes in this tour,” she said.

The tourist guides have been specially trained for this “History by Night” tour and they would be guiding the tourists while narrating the stories of the past. Dramatic light has been set up in Lahore fort and Huzoori Bagh for this tour and I hope this becomes a big success. I think such initiatives will lead to the positive image building of our country and also will create more influx of tourists at our heritage sites, she said.

She revealed that trained tourist guides will lead each group of tourists while costumed guards and Chobdars of Mughal, Sikh and British Era will be placed at different locations for the tourists. Musical performances and refreshments will be arranged for the tourists during this tour, she maintained.

WCLA DG Kamran Lashari said that these kinds of tours were launched for the first time inside the Walled City of Lahore and especially at the Lahore Fort. “Internationally the tourism is at its peak when it comes to night tourism and I think this part was lacking here in Lahore despite it has so much to show,” he said. Lashari said WCLA has illuminated all the locations for the tourists and hoped that this new trend of tourism will attract people to come and visit the heritage sites at night. This will highlight the history before the tourists in an attractive way.

WCLA Director Marketing and Tourism Asif Zaheer said that tourists can purchase a ticket of Rs 1,000 from WCLA and Food Street offices for this tour. “We will be serving cultural and traditional refreshments to the tourists during this tour and they will have a chance to see the grand fort by night,” he revealed, adding the tourists will also be given a ride in Rangeela Rickshaw during the tour which will take them from Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh to Sheesh Mahal showing them the world’s largest picture wall.

“Tourists will have a very dramatic experience of Lahore Fort and Huzoori Bagh in this tour as many characters depicting the past eras have been placed at different locations for welcoming the tourists. The tourists will also be given souvenirs at the end of this tour as a token of goodwill gesture by the King of Lahore Fort. Characters of King and Queen have also been placed in this tour for the attraction of tourists,” he concluded.