GT Road Heritage: Stops Between Lahore and Islamabad

The Grand Trunk Road, or GT Road, is the old highway between Lahore and Peshawar that the M-2 motorway now bypasses. Driving it between Lahore and Islamabad takes longer, but its GT Road heritage sites sit directly on the route, from a Sikh-era haveli in Gujranwala to a Mughal fort near Jhelum, in a way the motorway skips entirely.

This is a route for travellers who have a full day rather than an afternoon, and who would rather stop often than arrive quickly. If speed matters more, our Lahore to Islamabad motorway guide covers the M-2 instead.

Why drive the GT Road instead of the motorway?

The M-2 was built to move traffic quickly between Lahore and Islamabad, and it succeeds: most of the towns along the old road are simply bypassed. The GT Road runs through the middle of Gujranwala, Wazirabad, Gujrat and Jhelum instead, which is exactly what makes it slower and, for a heritage-minded driver, more interesting. Expect to share the road with buses, trucks and local traffic the whole way, so this is not the route to choose if you are short on time or driving at night.

Gujranwala: Sikh-era capital

Gujranwala was Maharaja Ranjit Singh's first capital, before he took Lahore in 1799. He was born in the city's Purani Mandi market area in 1780, and the haveli traditionally identified as his birthplace and early residence still stands there. Hari Singh Nalwa, one of Ranjit Singh's generals, built the wall and grid street plan that still shapes the old city. It is a working city rather than a museum piece, so the interest is in walking the old quarter and seeing the haveli itself rather than a formal sightseeing circuit. For food along the way, see our guide to famous food of Gujranwala.

Wazirabad and the Alexandra Bridge

Wazirabad, a short drive north of Gujranwala, was granted to Ranjit Singh's Italian general Paolo Avitabile in 1809 and grew as his headquarters. The town is still known nationally for cutlery manufacturing. On its outskirts, the Alexandra Bridge across the Chenab, completed in 1878 to carry the Punjab Northern State Railway, is a substantial piece of colonial-era railway engineering and one of the older river crossings on this stretch of the road.

Gujrat: the Mughal fort

Gujrat's fort was built on the order of the Mughal emperor Akbar in the late 16th century, after he found a ruined settlement here on the road to Kashmir and resettled it as a fortified town. Of its original five gates, only the Shahdaula Gate on the eastern side has survived. The town is also known for pottery and, more recently, for ceiling fan manufacturing, so the old town and the surviving gate sit alongside a working industrial city rather than a preserved heritage quarter.

Rohtas Fort, near Jhelum

Rohtas Fort is the heavyweight stop on this route. It was built from 1541 by the Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri, supervised by his engineer Todar Mal, to block the deposed Mughal emperor Humayun from returning to India and to control the local Gakhar tribes. The fort covers a large hilltop site with walls up to 80 feet high, 68 bastions and 12 gates, most of them still standing, and it was never taken by force. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1997. It sits about 16 km northwest of Jhelum, near the town of Dina, a short detour off the main GT Road.

Rawat Fort, before Rawalpindi

Rawat Fort lies on the GT Road about 18 km east of Rawalpindi. Despite the name, it began life in the 15th or 16th century as a rabat, a caravanserai offering lodging to merchants and travellers, with small cells that were rented out around a central mosque. Its best-known feature is the tomb of the Gakhar chief Sarang Khan, built by his brother in the mid-16th century after Sarang Khan and his sons were killed fighting Humayun's forces. It is a quick stop, easily combined with the final approach into Islamabad.

Planning the drive

Do this route as a full day, not a quick alternative to the motorway. A reasonable pattern is Lahore to Gujranwala or Wazirabad for a mid-morning stop, Gujrat around midday, Rohtas Fort in the early afternoon (add 30 to 45 minutes for the detour off the main road and the walk around the site), and Rawat Fort as a last stop before reaching Islamabad in the evening. Carry cash for any site entry fees, since these change and are best confirmed on the day, and start early: none of these towns are set up for driving through after dark in the way the motorway is.

Is this route worth it?

For most journeys between Lahore and Islamabad, no: the motorway is faster, safer at night and just as comfortable. This route is worth it specifically if the drive itself is part of the trip, if you have a full day rather than an afternoon, and if seeing Rohtas Fort, a UNESCO site rarely visited on its own, appeals more than saving two hours. Families with young children or anyone pressed for time are better off on the M-2 with a stop at Kallar Kahar instead.

Frequently asked questions