Gorakh Hill Station

by Umair Ahmed Shaikh

Ever wanted to have an environment, atmosphere and weather like Murree in Sindh? You would think that I have surely gone nuts to say that such a place really exists, but the truth is, it actually does. If you can reach Gorakh Hill you will agree with what I have written above.

Gorakh Hill lies in the Kirthar range that spreads along the border of Sindh and Baluchistan. At 5,500 feet, it is one of the highest peaks in that range. The mountain range has provided the natural geographical distribution for the two provinces. Gorakh Hill is situated in the Johi tehsil of the Dadu district while at the other end lies Wadh in Baluchistan. The weather at the hill in summer is very pleasant, with moderate temperatures during the day, dropping to slightly chilly at night. In winter, however, the temperature goes down to almost -8 to -12 degree centigrade. Being the highest peak in a region, the hill offers a beautiful view of a valley from the top. The area is surrounded by arid mountains with small green pastures at certain points. During the rainy season, one can see various streams of water flowing throughout the area.

Gorakh Hill is accessible from Karachi via either Dadu town or Sehwan Shareef. However, it is best to go to Johi through Sehwan Shareef via Bhan Saeedabad, as this is a shorter route than going through Dadu. Johi is situated at a distance of 40 kms from Sehwan Shareef, while Sehwan Shareef is about 137 kms from Jamshoro. The Indus highway from Jamshoro to Sehwan Shareef is in very good condition. One can enjoy the pleasant drive on this scenic route with the Indus river flowing on the right and a view of the barren mountains on the left. The road condition from Sehwan Shareef onwards is quite poor and one can reach the top only in a 4×4. If you need to rent a 4×4, I recommend you do so in Hyderabad, as we faced problems in arranging a vehicle from Sehwan.

Our experience of exploring Gorakh Hill was full of excitement and adventures. We started our journey from Karachi on the early hours of 13th August 2006 at about 7:30 AM. We reached Sehwan Shareef through Indus Highway at about 12 PM. There we transferred our bags in two double cabin Hiluxes and started our journey towards Johi town. We reached Johi town at about 1:15 PM, had lunch there at Shadabad Welfare Organization (SWO), a local community development NGO that had made all the arrangements for our trip.

From Johi we resumed our journey towards Wahi Pandi, the union council of Johi and the base camp for Gorakh Hill. It is a small village with a population of about 20,000. If you're interested in having a look at rural Sindh then Wahi Pandi is a perfect place to visit. It is among the few villages of Pakistan which have a clean and clear atmosphere, and where one can find all the basic facilities of life. The outskirts of the village contain a good number of trees called "Beej" in Sindhi. I have seen them for the first time. The 'jharnas' of water coming from the top form a considerably wide stream that flows along the side of the village. These trees and the stream presented a pleasant view from the top.

We had a tea break here at the local community library while our Hilux was filled with all the supplies that we needed for the overnight stay. The people here are mostly Baluchis but they mostly speak Siraiki and Sindhi. They are very cooperative and friendly in nature. One can hire the services of guide from here as well.

At 4 PM, we started to move towards our final destination, Gorakh Hill. The road to Gorakh Hill from Wahi Pandi is about 54 kms long and under construction. The journey starts from the valley of Wahi Pandi and gradually ends in the mountain range. The mountains gradually increase in height, offering a beautiful example of the transformation of a valley into the jagged and rugged mountain region. The area is mostly barren with no sign of any trees. One can see only wild bushes on the mountainsides. The mountains have different shapes and figures here. Some of the mountains look similar to the mountain ranges of Utah in the United States.

Due to bad road conditions we covered the 54 km distance in about 5 hours. The track is not dangerous but has few sharp turns in some places. We got trapped at one such turn where work was being carried out to expand the turn. For this purpose the mountain had been blasted with dynamite due to which a huge number of small stones on the track made it impossible for the tyres to grip firmly. Anyways, we managed to overcome this turn with the help of a Pathan driver who was one of the worker of a contractor there.

We reached the top after sunset when there was absolute darkness all around the valley. Since it was the rainy season, we got to see a cool lightning show arranged by the Creator. The climate at the top was cool and we had to wear sweaters or jackets to keep ourselves warm.

There is only one so-called rest house at the top. Out of the two rooms, only one can be used by guests, as the other one is being used as a store room. While the rest house is wired up, there was no electricity, probably due to heavy rains I presume. However, there is a back-up generator in working condition, but no water, so remember take a good amount of with you.

The sunrise is definitely worth viewing here. As the early rays of the sun hit the top one can see the gradual illumination of the beautiful valley of Wahi Pandi towards the east, while the Sindh-Baluchistan border lies visible towards the west. This is also a great trekking destination, as trekkers can explore the valley in almost every direction. The hiking here is relatively easy as the surface is rocky and gently sloped. In fact, Wadh, located in the Khuzdar district of Baluchistan, is a 5-day trek from here.

I want to share some unforgettable events that happened in this trip. They are about the selfless and kind support that was provided to us by almost everyone we met there:

While we were driving back to Wahi Pandi on the way back, one of the Hiluxes suffered a flat tyre just 100 meters from the top. The rest of the group members, including myself, were in the other Hilux that had already moved ahead. Our vehicle's engine and axle condition were also poor and we had to stop the vehicle just before the sharp turn where we had been trapped yesterday; the track was also blocked here. We waited for the other Hilux to show up but there was no sign of it. Thanks to V-PTCL Wireless Phone, our driver was able to contact the SWO people at Sehwan (at the labour camp near the sharp turn). However, our attempts to contact the rest house were futile, as there was no signal there. We could not do anything but wait for support from base camp.

After three hours we saw three men walking down from the top. I was able to recognize one of them as our cook who had travelled almost 12 kms to inform us of the calamity that had befallen the other Hilux. Now the problem was to send a spare tyre to the top. Our Hilux had already had two flat tyres last night and had no spares on hand. To our rescue came another Hilux which we had seen at the labour camp, waiting there for the road to open. When we told them of our situation, they provided us the tyre without any hesitation. Now the problem was how to send that tyre to the top. For this purpose the people at the labour camp arranged some Baloch natives who knew the short routes to the top. They put the tyre on a man's back and sent him to the top. These men would have covered the strenuous 12 km distance on foot lugging that heavy wheel up those slopes but fortunately a jeep came by later to give us the good news that road had been opened, and also agreed to pick up the Balochis from the track and give them a ride to the top.

The other unselfish support was shown by the contractor there who was about to blast the mountain with dynamite that day and had asked us to come down by 10 AM at the most. But since one of the vehicles was immobilized because of a flat tyre, he waited for us till 4 PM when the other vehicle finally came down.

Last but not least, I cannot forget the hospitality of the people there, whoever we met, wherever we went. They welcomed us with open hearts and open arms. They served us delicious meals that we would not have thought of and gave us the respect that we do not see even from the blood relations here in the cosmopolitan. They tried to make us as comfortable as they could, and showed us a concept of selfless living that we cityfolk have somewhat forgotten.

Finally, some suggestions for visitors. Although we were the first family to visit the place with women and children, I would still not recommend it as a family resort until a proper road is developed. The area is free from dacoits so there is no security issue. The only issue is the lack of a proper road and supply system. No land-line or mobile phone works at the top, but it was heartening to see V-PTCL Wireless Phone service working there. Again, however, I would suggest that visitors not rely on availability of outside help - instead, they should take all precautionary and safety measures themselves.

Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/user/umasha79

Posted in Places, August 28, 2006, by Umair Ahmed Shaikh

Your Comments (50)

You can leave new comments below

Sheheryar on September 15, 2006 3:50 AM

Zabardast, finally someone went to the Gorakh. Gr8 effort specially with family.
Btw, wat are the main issues which one should keep in mind apart from water nd food supplies.
Do ya prefer for one to take own Jeep to over ther or is it better to hire one from the Hyderabad/Sehwan?
If one needs to hire then what is the approximate rental?
Wats the position of Rest HOuse, how many persons can it accomodate?
Wat are the prior requisities for booking/arranging the rest house?
Is it preferable to take a local guide?
Ain't it feasible to spent a night at Sehwan and to leave for Gorakh in the morning, wat is the ideal time ya suggest?

Once again excellent commentary of the trip nd thumbs up for makin this up.
Thnxx..

Umair Ahmed Shaikh on September 18, 2006 12:49 AM

Thanks for the good words Sheheryar. Here are the answers to the questions you asked...

1)wat are the main issues which one should keep in mind apart from water nd food supplies.
Ans. I think, the first and the foremost issue is of the security. Although we did not faced any kind of threat, nor experienced anything, but living anywhere in Pakistan you should always keep your ears and eyes open :).
The second issue is communication. If any mishap occurs at the top, how would you communicate it to the world? Mobile communication do not work there if you are lucky enough you might be able to catch V-PTCL signals. So don't forget to take one hand set with you.

Do ya prefer for one to take own Jeep to over ther or is it better to hire one from the Hyderabad/Sehwan?
Ans. Well its better to have your own jeep, but it should be the jeep and you should have good experience of driving it in difficult mountainous tracks.

If one needs to hire then what is the approximate rental?
Ans. Sorry, I am unable to answer this question as all of our trip arrangements including the transportation was arranged by the local NGO. I think you better ask Khalid Omer or other jeep lovers out here.

Wats the position of Rest HOuse, how many persons can it accomodate?
Ans. It could hardly be called a resthouse as one of the rooms is being used as a store whereas the goats and the chickens are being kept in the Sehen. There is only one room with attached bath but its better to use the cool open air environment than to use that toilet :). But anyways it still a good place to take a shelter in the stormy night that we have faced their. Dont forget to take lots of blankets or warm clothes with you as it is really chilly out there at the top.

Wat are the prior requisities for booking/arranging the rest house?
Ans. Since our trip has been arranged by the local NGO (Shadabad Welfare Organization) who are also the promoters of tourism at Gorakh Hill. I think if you contact them, they ll be more than happy to arrange the booking of rest house for you.

Is it preferable to take a local guide?
Ans. Yeah, definitely.

Ain’t it feasible to spent a night at Sehwan and to leave for Gorakh in the morning, wat is the ideal time ya suggest?
Ans. Depends upon the time you have. It takes you four to five hours to reach the top from Wahi Pandi and that is the most difficult part of the whole trip. Otherwise the rest of the trip is relatively easy and comfortable.

Sheheryar on September 18, 2006 2:29 AM

Thnks alot Umair Sheikh, yr reply really answered my queries to an utmost extent.

As far as communication, I believe Thuraya wudd work fine incase of emergency along with V Wireless.

Actually we guys r plannin to goto Gorakh probably as on the first weekend of Ramzan. As this weekend Ghorabari is the place to go.

I maself gotta Nissan Double Cab, apart frm tht ther's a Pajero, nd a Surf. And as per your suggesstion probably will need to add another Jeep for security personnel nd rescue.

A pal gotta couple of bombproof tents(If ma memory is still intact), will try to do a lil camping fun aswell. If things work out fine.

Kindly if possible convey me the no. of the local NGO. As it will make things easier for me.

Btw, ma grandpa told me tht ther used to be a waterfall aswell ther at the Gorakh.

Thnxx..

Mehtab on October 11, 2006 1:16 PM

Cooool Umair, u r really gr8, lekin abhy Gorakh per Electricity aur pani ka arrangment bhee kar leya gaya hey, aur Gorakh key neechey ek pahari hey named Heeng Jabal aur waha per ek poool bhee banaya gaya hey, u covered 54 Km distance in 5 hours but now u can cover that distance in 2 hours, :),
And there is a guy named Dr Habib who went out there at Gorakh on 2 of Oct and he can give all the recent info 2 u guyz and he will help u about Residence and arrangment of (Jeep on Rent) and a Guide and a Security Guard as well :) without charging any cost (n his number is 0300-3275256)

here are some facts about Gorakh Hill Station

The Gorakh hill is located 450 kilometres in the north of Karachi and 100 kilometres in the west of Dadu. According to meteorological studies, the Gorakh peak lies at the altitude of 5,688 feet above the sea level.
In winter, people of the area come down of mountains due to severe cold and stay in the Kachho area.
The temperature during June is 17-25 degree centigrade (average) and during January -5 to 20 degree centigrade (average). Average rainfall for one year is recorded 12.5 inches.
The topography of the Gorakh is 1,340 acres of land with average 5,000 feet altitude in Sindh and 1,000 acres (approximately) in Balochistan.

Umair Ahmed Shaikh on October 11, 2006 3:30 PM

Excellent Mehtab. Thanks for pasting the facts about Gorakh Hill. Sheheryar you can contact me at 0333-3227490 if you need the contacts for NGO but I think Dr. Habib would be more helpful for you.

Well actually Mehtab, the reason why it took us 5 hours to reach the top is because at some areas, blasting was going on which turned the trek worse. Than due to heavy rainfall, parts of the trek have been flooded out...

Sheheryar on October 11, 2006 6:03 PM

@Mehtab, Thnxx alot bro. I will surely contact Dr. Sahab.

@Umair Sheikh, I will surely contact you. Thanks once again for the support.

Our program got a bit delayed as my Double Cabin got snatched as on 2nd ramazan, though its recovered but thnaks to the snatchers tht they messed up with the wiring and self/generator/battery. And I ain't got the off from the office. So, we guys delayed the program till the first week after eid. Trip Planning is almost done. Which I will definetly share with you guys in couple of days as soon as the final arrangements will be finalised.

Thnxx..

Mehtab on October 13, 2006 1:23 AM

@Shery bro, wheneva u go to that coutryside, dont miss, a place comes 2 or 3 Km before Sehwan, west of Lukky Shah Saddar there are cool Fall and Ancient Mandir and at Bhago Toro Railway Station there is Cave u can go there its too coool. and there is an other place in the West of Sehwan KAAE Jabal and Bado Jabal, (There is fully faciliated Rest House) nd u kno there is a Scene of Ranges which looks like Line of Titanic Ships :)

@Umair For OffroadPakistan community Google Earth Software is most helpful software ever i seen, u can find your destinations thru Google Earth and Google Earth Community http://bbs.keyhole.com thru this u can share your marked places etc, i've marked many places of District Dadu, u can veiw these marked places after one month (avg) after next updating, nd u know at Google Earth Community my User ID is GORAKH :). But i cant find Gorakh Hill Station (:, if u can find than plz Markaplace over there. nd le me know. :) nd u know Johi is my home town.

Suhana Ali on October 13, 2006 1:52 AM

Hi, Guyz:)

Gud Job Umair and Mehtab as well, Mehtab dis is imazin dat ur from Johi, well Mehtab me n my friendz are planning 2 go there since long time but still its just a dream u kno, but now after your suggestions and gaind info from u guyz i think its possible 2 visit for gals too, well Mehtab can u acompany with us 4 dat journy? bekaz u know a lotz of things about Dadu area. and i also want 2 visit Lake Machhar too, so can u come with us Mehtab ?

Mehtab on October 13, 2006 7:14 PM

lolz Suhana agar aap itna insist karty ho tu its negotiateable:) Thanx for Dream Offer (kidding) lolz

Umair Ahmed Shaikh on October 15, 2006 3:17 PM

@Mehtab
Wow... Its nice to hear that you are from Johi. So now I have another friend from Johi :). Than you must have information about Shadabad Welfare Organization which actually arranged our trip to Gorakh. As far as gorakh hill placemark is concerned. I have already traced it in Google Earth but havent shared it with community. I ll send you the placemark inshaALLAH in a day or two and ll also upload it in the community.

@Sheheryar
Well I also heard about Bado Jabal and its true that there is fully facilitated rest house there. One can also reach Manchar Lake on the same day as it is much nearer to Bado Jabal. Its height is about 3500 feet (as far as I remember). We can get the rest of the information from Mehtab.

@Suhana Ali
Well I would recommend you to have a visit to Bado Jabal first as it is nearer to Manchar Lake and have much better road and rest house facilities.

Ghulam Mohammed Leghari on October 16, 2006 10:07 AM

Gorakh hill station is very bueatyfull Place

Ghulam Mohammed Leghari From Wahi Pandhi
Phone 0254763131
Mob 03013245977

Mehtab on October 18, 2006 12:36 AM

@Umair Thanx Bro, ya offcourse u've an other friend in Johi, actauly Johi is My Tehsil but now im here in Khi since more than 6 yrs. ya i i've listened dat NGO, but i dunno exactly, hhmm dats nice dat u've traced Gorakh on Google Earth, GUD JOB Bro:) Plz Keep in Touch n have a nice time n Wish u all guyz very Happy EID.

Suhana Ali on October 20, 2006 4:36 AM

Thanx a ton u guys, Mehtab i'll contact u, thats great if u r in Karachi so we can easily discuss our trip before going, ryte na?
@ Umair thank u for suggestions, and quick response.
nd and wish you very Happy Eid and Diwaly too, take care & have a nice time.

Salman on October 26, 2006 12:09 PM

All of you guys who are planning to go, lets all plan a trip. I have a Toyota Land cruiser and would like to meet all of you guys. My number is 0300-8285588. I had also suggested to the moderator to meet up once a month for coffee with the members of OFFROADERS and discuss our trips. If interested e-mail me at sal_3500@yahoo.com

Ridwan(india) on November 1, 2006 1:42 AM

Assalamalikum

wow i just reallly love what you guys do ... its really a adventure and fun do go in a trail on jeeps.. mashallah.. i hope you guys tour the earth if you can..and i think you guys can be on TV by national geaographic channel..but again its really unbelievable you guys travel in all deserts and all rugged regions..keep itup

Umair Ahmed Shaikh on November 2, 2006 11:05 AM

Ridwan,
You have just written my dreams and passions. Nowadays I am dreaming about touring an earth. I wanna to kiss the lands of as many countries as I can. Professioal travelling and exploration is what I would like to do and certainly I would love to work for National Geographic or WWF if given any assignment from them. But so far, all of my aims seems just to be dreams. Lets hope for the best :)...

Mir Shabbir Ali Bijarani on November 4, 2006 1:19 AM

I ve just been back from Gorakh wow what a place but i think Mr. Umair u have missed to see the Jharna down at the valley of gorakh "Heeingar" place where the clear water from the mountains is coming down.It was really a wild adventure. I went in my Toyota Cami Jeep its really a Little Monster there were 3 sharp turns very dangerous. One must avoid going there with families the road work is in progress i think it,ll take 3 to 5 years to develop, but its really a great spot. I,ll be posting some rare pictures of Gorakh in few days wait for them.I,ll also be writing a detailed article about my trip in a couple of days.
Regards
Shabbir Ali

Mehtab on November 5, 2006 8:51 PM

@ Shabbir Ali gub effort bro, v r waiting for your detailed artical and pictures as well.
@ Umair bro Inshallah one day we will see you with Nation Geographic Team and exploring the hidden world :) umair bro do u have an Orkut account i cant find u there if u can find send a scrap

Umair Ahmed Shaikh on November 12, 2006 6:43 PM

@Shabbir
Are you talking about the stream that flows side-by-side with the village and that also has numerous trees besides its belt? If that is what I you are talking about than I have seen that jharna and have written about it in my article as well.

@Mehtab
Thanks for the wishes Mehtab bhai. I would say that may your prays for me come true :). Yes I have account at Orkut. You can search me by "Umair Shaikh" or by my email i.e. umasha79@gmail.com.

yasir jamali on November 29, 2006 12:47 AM

yar really gr8 effort basically i belong to dadu city but i never to their in goarkh these picz made a sudden desire in my mind and inshallah next sunday i will be there in gorakh and i really appericaite the efforts which are made by photographer

Mehtab on November 30, 2006 12:42 AM

@ Umair, Hay dude inshallah all the prays will come tru :) Yaar i cant find u buddy, see there are lotz of Umair Shaik, and u cant search thru email at orkut, u find me n scrap me and the keyword is ; Mehtab Jamali, hope 2 see ya soon at orkut :) take care n have a nice time.

@ Yasir bro during December weather is very cold over there at Gorakh, da best season to go there is after winter, during Mar to Oct is gud, well i never been there during winter. anywayz give us hall ahewal agar aap jaty ho tu :) take care, GUD LUCK :)

meengla on December 24, 2006 11:50 PM

Mehtab and Umair,
You are doing a great job in promoting Gorakh and tourism in Sindh. Good luck!
Shabbir Bijarani Sahib,
Please DO post your experience and pictures about Gorakh! Can't wait! Thanks.

asad on January 6, 2007 1:00 PM

dude, whe're the pics?

yasir jamali on January 7, 2007 4:22 AM

yar the worst ever experince of ma life! even iam basically from dadu in which goarrkh comes but i cant lie what happend to us.I agree temprature was great but no greenry even it cam but after 1 kilometer! these puictures in this will make expectations more than enough dont ever try to go there this is crap! Allah ki kasam u get information from me yasiry2j@hotmail.com

meengla on January 7, 2007 5:09 AM

Yasir,
Sorry for your bad experience. I guess 'greenry' is not to be expected yet. But greenry is not all there is to it: Think of what else can be done there, taking advantage of the cool climate. And even greenry can be introduced to some extend by watering, plantations. Think of quick escape from the plains when the temperature can be around 50 Celsius. Think of the panoramic views from the top. Think of the opportunities for trekking, golfing.... So greenry, while definitely my love, is great, there is a lot of beauty in ruggedness too. Think how the deserts of Arizona have so many appealing places. Think the appeal of the god-forsaken places like Death Valley. Gorakh will find its places in the 'hill stations' of the Pakistan. It will take time but at least it has started....

Ali Khan on January 24, 2007 5:35 PM

Guys, me and 4 of my friends are planning to go there this saturday so give us best wishes. i think climate will be very cold there in this season. Looking forward for your good suggestion regarding our trip this saturday.

Umair Ahmed Shaikh on February 1, 2007 11:52 PM

Hi All,
In past two or three I have been travelling extensively and have made visits to the following places

1. Hingol
2. Ranikot Fort
3. Thar and Nagarparkar

I have uploaded the pictures of Hingol and Thar here:
http://community.webshots.com/user/umasha79.

Meengla on February 16, 2007 8:16 AM

Ali Khan,
Please share your experience when you can?
Thanks.
Meengla

Sheheryar on February 17, 2007 12:14 AM

Hi,
Finally I went to Gorakh.

Vehicle; Pajero 1993. (Third-Class Condition, Engine making white and black smoke)

Route; Khi-Sehwan-Dadu-Gorakh-Dadu-Moro-Khi.

Time: Left Khi at 5 and was at home back at around 2.

Description;

It was a marvellous trip, we enjoyed every bit of it. Our vehicle was literaaly making all kinds of noises when we left Khi but we managed to go over to the top by every mean. Road of Gorakh are not in the best of condition at certain times one needs to engage 4×4 coz due to extensive blasting ther was alot of debris on the road. Inshallah in next week a VVIP will inaugrate it. Almost two hours were wasted due to blastings, and more then two hours at dadu.

Regards.
Sheheryar.

meengla on February 17, 2007 12:17 AM

Sheheryar,
Great! Thanks for sharing the info. But what about some more info/pictures from your trip? How was the weather there? Any security concerns?
Thanks.
Meengla

Sheheryar on February 17, 2007 12:23 AM

@meengla, Weather was cold. No security issues whatsoever. Many Newer Prados/Double Cabins were stuck in the mid due to either clutch failure or due to differential issues. But Allhumdolillah as we sehwan before going Gorakh though our vehicle's engine and mechanical was not in excellent condition but still we managed to reach over to the top.

Temme how to upload pictures...

Thnxx..

Meengla on February 17, 2007 12:32 AM

Sheheryar,
Thanks again. Well, I have never uploaded pictures in any forum, including this one , so can't help with that. But perhaps other Members can help you with that? I think Umair A. Shaikh, who started this thread/article, has posted his images on a 3rd party site. If that doesnt' work out for you then do let me know by posting here: I will try to find a space for your images on my own server.
Thanks.
Meengla

Ali Khan on March 5, 2007 10:47 AM

Hi All, me and my friends (Rehan, Ayub, Khalid & Asif) were planning since last 2 years to visit this site and yesterday, Sunday 4th March 2007, atlast we succeed to witness the natural scenries of this beautiful location. Its really a nice place to see but i think govt. just need to focus on plantation on this site with other development works. It was our badluck that we didn't climb up to the peak due to heavy blasting onto the top 5kms of the road but we managed to climbed up to the 51 km of that hill.

We travelled by Toyota double cabin Vigo, left Hyderabad at 6:30am yesterday and reached WahiPandi at 10:15am, the road from Hyderabad to Johi is really fantastic, but i think there should be a bypass for Johi to facilitate those who needs to cross Johi to reach Wahi Pandi.

Well it took us 6.5 hours from Karachi to the top and 5 hrs to get back to Karachi from Gorakh. All because of the reasonable condition of the roads and offcourse the Vigo. Well Inshallah we will visit again to Gorakh as soon as the roads will be completed and i hope in next 6 mnths govt. will be able to finsih it.

Regards to you all
Ali Khan

Rehan Aziz on March 5, 2007 11:44 AM

Hi All, I am rehan Aziz, One of the member of of the trip to Gorakh as describe above by my friend Ali Khan., It is really a fantastic trip and we all enjoyed a lot. The most inspiring thing is the beauty of Natutal scenes from Wahi pandi to Gorakh hill.

At the moment one can reach there comfirtabily along with 4×4 vehicle but the driver must be skilled and have an experience of Off road driving. Its an excellent experience of an off road trip. Due to heavy blasting we could not reach on top of the hill but even though we enjoyed even moment of it. No we have plan to visit there again after 5 to 6 months as we expect that the conditions will become quiet favourable till then.

meengla on March 5, 2007 8:54 PM

Ali Khan and Rehan Aziz,
Thanks for posting your accounts. It seem that most people who go up there do like it a lot. If you have any pictures, then do post it somewhere.
Thanks.
Meengla

Ali Khan on March 6, 2007 10:16 AM

Thnx Meengla;
It was really one of the memoriable trip and this offroadpakistan.com website helped us alot to plan our trip.

Umair did a great job for all adventure lovers and one can find almost all related information abut Gorakh on this website before finalizing his trip.
Thnx
Ali Khan

Umair Ahmed Shaikh on March 22, 2007 1:44 PM

@ Ali Khan
Thanks for your comments regarding my article. It has really increased my blood :). After Gorakh, I have made number of trips but couldn't get much time to write about it. I have made trips to

1. Hingol and Kund Malir (Nov. 06)
1. Ranikot (Dec. 06)
2. Thar & Nagarparker (Jan. 07)

And today I m leaving for Quetta / Ziarat expedition. Lets hope that I could get some free time to share my travel experiences with all of you...

rf_kz on April 5, 2007 3:27 PM

where is Gorakh Hill Station

meengla on April 17, 2007 7:25 AM

I found Charterali's Gorakh trip blog. So many pictures!

http://www.pakwheels.com/forumreply_az_TopicID!39458~ForumID!29~pw.html

muhammad ishtiaq hussain on May 5, 2007 3:49 PM

thnax for giving me chance to comment on gorakh hill.i have visited this area for almost 6 times for plant biodiversity of this unique area od sindh,pakistan.

fahim uddin on June 30, 2007 10:44 PM

i want more information about gorakh hill station

Azhar Khan on July 6, 2007 1:31 AM

Hi,
I went up Gorakh on 27 May, main reason for our trip was to see the weather at the top during peak summer and to my amazement it was 28 degrees while at the foot of the hill it was 42.
If you really want to enjoy gorakh be there in mid summer. The road condition is OK and the top and the mid section is still under construction, but there are at least two sections of the climb which are very steep and must be negotiated with care.
1.Condition of the Vehicle should be 100%, new 4×4s are recommended. There is a greater chance of developing clutch , break and gear problems.
2.Do not negotiate your descent on breaks, the break discs tend to get very hot and loose breaking strength, this happened to one of the vehicle and nearly rammed the front jeep. Descent slowly with 4×4 engaged, this slows yr speed and give you more control.
3. Snakes are a plenty at the top specially in summer, we killed one Russell's wiper in front of the rest house.
4. Electricity has been installed, water pumping system would be up by October.
5. One thing that is most amazing is the ecology of the mountain after 3000 feet, it is the rarest in sind. The plant life is totaly alpine with wild olives and moisture retaining foliage. I spotted a flock of 10 chakors which is ver very rare is sind. Ecology of this mountain must be saved before it wiped out by development.
6. Sustainable development is the word for this mountain. Be carefull... we might loose a great and may be the only peice of alpine ecology in sind.

meengla on July 6, 2007 1:54 AM

Hi Azhar,
Thanks for your account! Do you have some more info: Pictures? Security concerns? Overall progress of the Gorakh Hill project?
Thanks!
Meengla

Azhar Khan on July 6, 2007 12:22 PM

Yes meengla...(if this is yr name)
Security is a concern up in that area. Main tribe that inhabits the general area and the mountain are BOZDARS there are smaller tribes whcih have influence on the way up from Wahi-pandi. There are some major conflicts in area specialy pertaining to mining rights.
There is major dispute on teritory towards the blauchistan border where Rinds and Bozdars are at conflict. The area is certainly not safe to travel at night.
I have some pictures that I can certianly send, should I send these to yu or post here.

TARIQ on July 6, 2007 3:43 PM

@MEHTAB
COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME THE ROADS CONDITION AFTER THE RAINS IN SINDH COZ I AM PALN TO VISIT GORAKH IN COUPLE OF WEEKS BUT DEPAND UPON THE ROAD CONDITION AND PLEASE ALSO TELL ME ABOUT THE SECURITY ISSUES IT IS SAFE TO VISIT GORAKH IF THERE IS NO LOCAL CITIZEN WITH US .
P

meengla on July 7, 2007 12:47 AM

Azhar,
Yes, please post the pictures on this Forum for the benefit of the rest. Already, this forum is the best source of info in one place for Gorakh Hill Station thanks to several people, including you.
Thanks!
Meengla (yes, it is my nickname!)

Azhar Khan on July 7, 2007 3:56 PM

Hi,
I am posting four pictures today, the first two are a comparison of vegetation below 3500 feet and over, see the difference.

For Tariq,.... the quality of the road it self at the time of constriction was very poor, I think after the rains must be worse. Personally I will not recommend travelling with out a local contact. If you have a sturdy 4×4 vehicle then it should not be a problem, do not attempt to go up on a car or a non 4×4.

TARIQ on July 7, 2007 4:25 PM

THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY
CURRENTLY I DONT HAVE ANY 4X4 BUT I WILL PLAN TO BUY ONE WHT IS YOUR OPINION ABT TOYATA CAMI AND ALSO IF YOU KNOW ANY OTHER PLACES IN SINDH EAISLY REACHEABLE PLEASE GIVE ME THE DETAILS COZ I AM VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN IT
THANKS

Azhar Khan on July 7, 2007 5:22 PM

Tariq,
Other places in Sind could include, Dessert safari at Mitthi where PTDC also has a Motel, you can go to Kinjher lake, Haleji lake, go see the border at Mona bao where the train enters India, there is a steam engine may be still running between Mirpurkhas and khokhrapar so you might catch that also.
If yu have a connection, go to Manchar lake and stay at one of the house boats. You an also go Kirther national Park and stay at Karchat wild-lfe center.
These are jsut of my head. You be better off asking Khalid or Taimur about the selection of vehical as they will give you a better idea then me.

Meengla in reading....I have given the moderator four pictures, these may get posted shrtly

meengla on July 7, 2007 7:56 PM

Azhar,
Thanks again. I am looking forward to see the pictures.
Meengla

Enter Your Comment

Please read our comment policy before commenting

(required)

(required)

(if you've got a website)

recieve reply via email

Please be considerate of others. Keep comments relevant. Content deemed inappropriate or offensive may be edited and/or deleted. Please press "post" only once, at times when the server may be slow, it may take up to a minute for your post to show. For feedback not pertaining to his particular entry, please use the forums.

You are reading Gorakh Hill Station, an entry made on September 20, 2007 by Umair Ahmed Shaikh, filed under Places. This entry is part of offroadpakistan.com.

There have been 50 comments on this entry. The most recent comment is by meengla.

Articles

Recent Entries

Bits n' Pieces

Pictures

Related Entries

Search this site

Creative Commons License