Visit Balochistan

The Balochistan Explorer

from
$3,685

A ten-day trip into the heartland of Pakistan’s largest and least-visited province, Balochistan. A region previously very difficult to access but that’s now possible.

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  • Vacation Style Holiday Type
    Culture
  • Activity Level Moderate
    3/8
  • Group Size Small Group
    8
All about the The Balochistan Explorer.

A ten day trip into the heartland of Pakistan’s largest and least visited province, Balochistan. A region previously very difficult to access but now possible. We begin with 4 days journeying along the Makran Coastal Highway between Karachi and Gwadar, with a feast of contrasting experiences. From the apocalyptic ship breaking yards of Gaddani to spotting dolphins in mangrove swamps via mud volcanos in Hingol National Park and beautiful desolate beaches.

From there we head into the hinterland of Balochistan. The subcontinent turns to a Sparsely populated arid Central Asian landscape. Highlights of this journey include a train journey through the Bolan Pass and the Oasis of Moola Chatok.

Finally you spend a night next to Jinnah’s residency in the world’s largest Juniper forest in Ziarat.

Start point – Karachi
End point – Karachi
Maximum number of people: 8

Please note permission for Balochistan takes a LONG time. We ask you submit all documents and book the trip at least 120 DAYS in advance.

The tour package inclusions and exclusions at a glance
What is included in this tour?Items that are included in the cost of tour price.
  • All accommodation
  • Breakfast
  • All ground transport
  • Guiding
  • One internal flight (Quetta – Karachi)
  • Permission to visit Balochistan
  • Visa support
What is not included in this tour?Items that are not included in the cost of tour price.
  • Any necessary visas
  • Insurance
  • Other flights
  • Entrance fees
  • Lunch & Dinner
  • Drinks
  • Tips
  1. Day 1 Karachi - Uthal

    Early morning departure from Karachi towards Uthal. First stop is a visit to the famous Gaddani Ship Breaking Yard.

    After lunch we stop at the fishing village of Damb and take a boat trip to explore the mangroves and hopefully seeing the local dolphins.

    Overnight in Uthal at government resthouse.

  2. Day 2 Uthal - Hignol NP - Ormama

    On route to Ormara today and we hit the Makran Coastal Highway in earnest. Following the route taken by Alexander the Great back from India over 2300 years ago. We will visit Hingol National Park, the largest in Pakistan. Time to stretch the legs a little, the park is famous for the mud volcanoes, rugged rock formations and it’s Hindu temple.

    From there we will continue on past the beautiful beach at Kund Malir.

    Overnight in simple hotel in Ormara

  3. Day 3 Ormama - Gwadar

    A morning drive to Gwadar.

    Once in Gwadar we will visit the bazaar and the Corniche where we may get to see some traditional ship building.

    Overnight stay in Gwadar at Hotel

  4. Day 4 Gwadar – Jiwani Beach - Ormara

    Visit Jiwani Beach via the coastal road to Ganz. In Jawani we will see fisherman and the bazaar and may be permitted to visit the colonial era “Victoria Hut” – currently managed by the Paistani Coastguard.

    Then drive back to Ormara in the afternoon.

    Overnight in Ormara at a hotel.

  5. Day 5 Ormara – Khuzdar

    A long days driving.

    Return along the Makran Coastal Highway, then turn inland to Khuzdar.

    En route we will visit the Gondari caves.

    Overnight in Khuzdar at government resthouse

  6. Day 6 Khuzdar – Moola Chatok - Khuzdar

    Baluchistan is an arid place so a trip to Moola Chatok is a huge contrast. The  beautiful clear blue waterfalls create a green oasis in this harsh environment.

    It is a three hour drive each way from Khuzdar followed by a 45 minutes walk in which you will need trainers you do not mind getting wet.

    Overnight in Khuzdar

  7. Day 7 Khuzdar – Quetta

    Today we will travelling over 300 kms to our final stop, the City of Quetta. En route we will stop in the city of Kalat famous for the Meeri Fort which overlooks the city. Once in Quetta we will talk a walk through possibly the most friendly bazaar in Asia.

    Overnight in Quetta at Hotel

  8. Day 8 Quetta - Bolan Pass – Quetta

    We will take a train trip to through the famous Bolan Pass, the southern counterpart to the Khyber Pass to the town of Sibi, then return to Quetta. The train track drops 1000 metres in altitude through the length of the pass.

    Overnight in Quetta at Hotel

  9. Day 9 Quetta – Ziarat

    A morning drive to the mountains and hills outside of Quetta and stopping at the town of Ziarat, famous for the Quaid-e-Azam Residency and it’s ancient Juniper forest.

    Overnight in Ziarat.

  10. Day 10 Ziarat – Quetta – Karachi - End

    Transfer to Quetta airport for flight to Karachi

    End of trip in Karachi.

Accommodation

We do not and cannot offer a uniform accommodation standard on our itineraries. Even if we wanted to, the reality is that standards in Quetta cannot be compared to a remote government resthouse in a small town. We consider comfort, location, design, character, historical interest and whether the money we spend will go into the pockets of the local community when we make our choices of where to stay.

The accommodation will be based on guests sharing a twin room. We will pair guests of the same gender.
Optional single supplement is available upon request for an additional US$400.

The tour package inclusions and exclusions at a glance.
Included in the price:
  • All accommodation
  • Breakfast
  • All ground transport
  • Guiding
  • One internal flight (Quetta – Karachi)
  • Permission to visit Balochistan
  • Visa support
Not included in the price:
  • Any necessary visas
  • Insurance
  • Other flights
  • Entrance fees
  • Lunch & Dinner
  • Drinks
  • Tips

We do not directly arrange international flights to Pakistan. We can suggest routes and operators.

Pakistan now has an e-visa system. We will provide visa support in the form of letters of invitation to assist in your Pakistan e-visa application.

We include breakfast every day. We also include some other meals in remote areas when trekking as stated on the itinerary. In our experience people sometimes want to eat different things in different places at different times and when there is an option we will be happy for you to have your say. We know some great places and will also happily show you some of our favourite restaurants and tea houses. Some are luxurious, some are more earthy but all have character. However, we do not pretend to be the arbiters of good taste and are equally happy for you to go off and find your own favourites. However, when restaurants are unavailable we ensure that food is provided.

When we choose our vehicles and drivers we take into consideration the road conditions, the length of journey and the competence of the man behind the wheel. Most of the roads on this trip are paved although the state of the surface can vary. Your comfort and enjoyment of the journey is the top priority.
Note that we may well have a police escort at times and will not be permitted to travel at night.

On this trip you will be accompanied by an English speaking guide from Untamed Borders for the whole time you are in Pakistan. This allows for greater flexibility and means that there will always be someone on hand to help or assist you.

Balochistan has a bad reputation and can often appear on blacklists by the foreign office. However, we know these areas well and our guides are used to accompanying small groups to all parts of Pakistan. We may well be issued with an armed escort at times. However, we monitor the situation closely and we listen very carefully to advice from the foreign office and from our friends in the areas we visit. Our client’s safety is our primary concern. We must state that the tour leader has the final word with regards to changes in the itinerary for safety reasons. Whilst the route we have chosen passes through areas which we consider to be stable things can change and we may have to alter the route or cancel sections of the trip at short notice.

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Package Confirmed Dates Trip Status Trip Status Price (PP) Excluding Flights Price (PP) Including Flights  
November 16, 2023 - November 25, 2023
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