The Hinglaj Yatra is the annual Hindu pilgrimage to the Hinglaj Mata shrine in Hingol National Park, Balochistan, usually held in April. In 2026 the main three-day mela ran from 17 to 20 April and drew an estimated 300,000 pilgrims, most travelling from Karachi and interior Sindh along the Makran Coastal Highway. This guide covers when the yatra falls, how people get there, what the Chandragup stop involves, and how the crowds and the road are managed.
The shrine itself, a natural cave holding a stone image of the goddess, is open year-round and is not only a pilgrimage-season destination. Our separate guide to the Hinglaj Mata temple covers a quieter visit outside the mela.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| What | The annual Hindu pilgrimage to Hinglaj Mata shrine, Hingol National Park |
| Usual timing | April; exact dates vary each year, confirm closer to the time |
| 2026 mela dates | 17 to 20 April, per Dawn's coverage |
| 2026 attendance | About 300,000 pilgrims over the mela |
| Main route | Karachi to Hingol via the Makran Coastal Highway (N-10) |
| Distance from Karachi | About 250 km to the Hingol turn-off |
When is the Hinglaj Yatra held?
The main mela is timed to the Hindu calendar and is usually held in April, though the exact three or four days move from year to year. In 2026 it ran from 17 to 20 April, according to Dawn's reporting on the event. Treat any specific date you read, including this one, as last year's example rather than a fixed booking, and check with a local temple committee or the Pakistan Hindu Council closer to your travel dates. Outside the main mela, a smaller Aani Mela is also held later in the year; the shrine's caretakers are the best source for its dates.
How pilgrims get to Hinglaj
Most pilgrims travel from Karachi along the Makran Coastal Highway, the same paved road used by day visitors to Kund Malir and the mud volcanoes. Cars, hired coasters and buses cover the roughly 250 km from Karachi to the Hingol turn-off in about four to five hours in normal traffic, though the mela itself brings heavy congestion on the approach roads and at the site.
A smaller, older tradition still sees some pilgrims from Tharparkar, Umerkot and Sanghar in Sindh walk the route on foot, a journey reported to take around 20 days for those who do the whole distance this way. If you are driving rather than walking, our guide to Karachi to Kund Malir by road covers the same route in detail, including where the last fuel stop is.
The Chandragup stop
Almost every pilgrim's route includes a stop at Chandragup, the active mud volcano beside the highway that is treated as sacred to Shiva. Climbing the cone and looking into the bubbling crater is considered an act of penance, and it is traditional to carry a coconut to leave at the top. During the mela the short track up to Chandragup gets very busy, and queuing to reach the crater rim can take a while; if your priority is the shrine rather than the crowd experience, aim to stop there early in the morning. Our guide to Chandragup mud volcano has more on the climb and what to expect at the top outside the mela.
Crowds and how the mela is managed
At 300,000 pilgrims over three to four days, congestion is the main practical challenge rather than anything you need to plan around alone. In 2026, the Lasbela district administration ran the event with security details from the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps, police and Levies, alongside free medical camps staffed by the Pakistan Coast Guard, PPHI and the Lasbela health department, and a round-the-clock community kitchen (langar) run by a Hinglaj Mata welfare committee that distributed food, water and tea. Ration bags were also handed out through the provincial disaster management authority.
Practically, that means:
- Expect slow-moving traffic on the highway itself in the days around the mela, and build extra time into any journey.
- Basic medical help, food and water are available on-site during the mela in a way they are not for a normal day trip.
- Toilets and shade are limited relative to the numbers present; carry your own water and expect queues everywhere, including at Chandragup.
Security and travel advice
Balochistan, including this route, is an area foreign governments advise against visiting; the UK government's Pakistan travel advice recommends against all travel to the whole province. Large numbers of Pakistani pilgrims, including from religious minorities, still make this journey every year, and the mela is run with a visible security presence for exactly that reason. If you are travelling from overseas, check your own government's current advice before booking, since it can also affect travel insurance. Whoever you are, check recent local news before setting out and avoid driving the coastal highway after dark; public transport on the route has been restricted to daylight hours since 2025 because of security incidents elsewhere on the road.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Hinglaj Yatra in 2027?
Dates are set closer to the year and move with the Hindu calendar; there is no fixed date yet. Check with a local Hindu temple committee, the Pakistan Hindu Council, or Lasbela district administration nearer the time.
Do non-Hindu visitors attend the Hinglaj Yatra?
Yes. The shrine and the mela are open to visitors of any background, and Pakistani media regularly describe it as a symbol of interfaith visits, though the crowding and heat during the mela suit a determined visitor more than a casual one.
Is it safe to travel to the Hinglaj Yatra?
Balochistan carries a UK government advisory against all travel. Large numbers of Pakistanis travel to the mela safely each year under a heavy security presence, but you should check current local news and traffic conditions before setting out, and overseas visitors should check their own government's advice first.
How long does the journey from Karachi take?
By road, allow four to five hours each day in normal conditions, more during the mela itself when traffic on the approach is heavy. Pilgrims walking from parts of Sindh report journeys of around 20 days.
What should I bring for the mela?
Water, sun protection, comfortable shoes for the Chandragup climb, and cash, since facilities are basic. A first-aid kit and any personal medication are worth carrying given how far the site is from a hospital.
