7-Day Balochistan Itinerary: Quetta, Ziarat and the Coast

A 7-day Balochistan itinerary that works in practice splits the province into two trips rather than one loop: four days in Quetta and Ziarat in the highlands, then a day on the Makran coast at Kund Malir and Hingol, all based from Karachi. Joining them by road through the Bolan Pass would add two long days on highways with night restrictions, so this plan flies between Karachi and Quetta and leaves Bolan out.

Balochistan is a province the UK government advises against travelling to, so the plan below is built around daylight driving, short distances and flexibility. Read the safety section before you book anything.

Why this is not a loop

The obvious idea is a circuit: Karachi to Quetta by road through the Bolan, Ziarat, then back down the coast. In practice that means long highway days, roads with night travel restrictions, and a coast with few places to stop. Karachi to Quetta is about 685 km by road. Our guide to the night travel ban lists the hours, and our Bolan Pass guide explains why that corridor has its own rules.

Instead, this plan flies between Karachi and Quetta (see Karachi to Quetta by air) and does the coast as a separate day. It spends more time at places and less on the road.

Day 1: Karachi to Quetta, Hanna Lake

Fly to Quetta in the morning, check in and rest. Quetta is high, at around 1,650 metres, so take the afternoon gently. Drive out to Hanna Lake, 17 km east of the city, for an hour or two by the water. The lake's level has varied a great deal over the years, and it was dry for several years in the early 2000s, so check the water level before you rely on it for boating. Our Hanna Lake guide covers the setting.

Return to the city before dark.

Day 2: Urak Valley, Hazarganji Chiltan and the bazaar

Start with Urak Valley, 28 km from Quetta in the Zarghoon range, known for its apple orchards and its waterfall at the entrance to the Wali Tangi dam. It is one of the most visited places in the province, so go early. Then continue to Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, about 20 km south-west of Quetta, which has Sulaiman markhor and Chiltan ibex. See our Urak Valley guide and Hazarganji Chiltan guide.

Finish in Quetta's bazaars and dry-fruit shops; our guide to Quetta's best-known food has ideas for dinner. Miri Fort is in a cantonment area, so ask about access first.

Day 3: Quetta to Ziarat

Ziarat is about 125 to 130 km from Quetta, a drive of 2.5 to 3 hours, and sits at around 2,543 metres. Leave after breakfast. The Quaid-e-Azam Residency is the main sight: it was burned in a militant attack in June 2013 and rebuilt and reopened in August 2014. See our guide to the Quaid-e-Azam Residency.

Spend the late afternoon walking in town and have an early night; nights are cold even outside winter.

Day 4: Ziarat's juniper forest

Ziarat is surrounded by one of the largest juniper forests in the world, covering around 110,000 hectares, with some trees said to be thousands of years old. Spend the day on the forest roads and at the viewpoints, including Prospect Point and the juniper forest. If you are visiting in winter, check road conditions before you leave town; our Ziarat itinerary has more on the highlands.

Day 5: Ziarat back to Quetta, fly to Karachi

Leave Ziarat in the morning so that you reach Quetta well before dark. Book a flight in the afternoon, with a buffer in case the drive is slow or a checkpost delays you. If flights are full or cancelled, keep a night in Quetta as your fallback.

Day 6: Kund Malir and Hingol from Karachi

The Makran Coastal Highway reaches Kund Malir, about 237 km west of Karachi, in 3.5 to 4 hours. It lies inside Hingol National Park. Kund Malir is the beach; further along, the Hinglaj Mata temple sits inside the park. After Zero Point there is no food or fuel on the route, so fill the tank and carry water and food. Our guides to the Kund Malir day trip and Hingol National Park have the stops.

A round trip is long, so leave very early and be back on the road before the afternoon heat fades. A sensible alternative is to stay a night nearby, which our Makran Coastal Highway itinerary covers.

Day 7: Buffer and departure

Keep this day free. Weather, a road delay or a flight change can use it up, and if nothing goes wrong it is a rest day in Karachi.

When to go

Ziarat has snow from roughly December to March, and winter nights in Quetta are cold. The coast is best from October to March, according to travel guides, and is very hot in summer. October, November and March work for both halves; see our best time to visit Balochistan.

Is this itinerary safe?

The UK government advises against all travel to Balochistan. Pakistani visitors do go to Quetta, Ziarat and the coastal highway, but security checks are frequent and conditions change. Check local news and police advice before you go, travel by daylight, carry your CNIC and avoid the highway after dark. Overseas visitors should know their government's advice may say not to go, and that it can void travel insurance. See our guide to whether Balochistan is safe to travel, and for what to carry, documents for Balochistan travel.

Is this the right itinerary for you?

It suits a group or family from Karachi who want the highlands and the coast without long road days. It does not suit someone who wants Gwadar, which needs its own days (see our Gwadar itinerary), or anyone hoping to cover the whole province. For other trips, see experiences.

Frequently asked questions