Mardan

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa city on the Peshawar-Swat plain near the Gandhara ruins of Takht-i-Bahi.

Mardan is a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, about 70 kilometres northeast of Peshawar on the Peshawar-Swat road. It is the second-largest city in the province after Peshawar and serves as a commercial hub for the surrounding agricultural plain.

The main reason a traveller might stop here is Takht-i-Bahi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site about 15 kilometres northwest of the city. The ruins sit dramatically on a hilltop and date from the 1st century CE, making them one of the best-preserved Buddhist monastic complexes in the Gandhara region. The site gives sweeping views over the plain and is well worth a detour if you are travelling between Peshawar and the Swat Valley.

Guide

Getting There

Mardan is about 70 kilometres northeast of Peshawar on the main Peshawar–Swat road, and is easily reached by bus or minibus from Peshawar's main bus terminal. Journey time is roughly 90 minutes. Mardan also has a railway station on the Peshawar–Nowshera line, with several daily trains.

If you are heading to the Swat Valley, Mardan is a natural transit stop. Most Swat-bound transport from Peshawar passes through or near Mardan, and the Takht-i-Bahi monastery can be visited en route without needing to stay overnight in the city.

As with travel anywhere in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, check current security conditions before visiting. The area around Mardan is generally calm, but the situation can change.

Guide

Things to Do

Mardan's main attraction for travellers is the Takht-i-Bahi Buddhist monastery north of the city, one of the best-preserved Gandhara-era sites in Pakistan and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city itself is a working commercial centre with little in the way of tourist infrastructure.