From Karachi to Gorakh Hills: A trip to the ‘Murree of Sindh’

Pakistan is undoubtedly gifted with magnanimous mountains and landscape to attract a plethora of tourists. Much has been said and documented about the beauty and splendor of the country’s northern areas and their scenic beauty. Yet few have chosen to speak about Gorakh Hills, an underdeveloped yet beautiful resort where one can certainly set off to in order to take in the sights and enjoy the winter season.

Gorakh Hill Station, located at an altitude of more than 5,600 feet in the Kirthar Mountains and at a distance of roughly 95 kilometers from Dadu, is a sight for sore eyes for the people of Karachi. Gorakh Hill Station and its surrounding mountains are known as the ‘Murree of Sindh’ something which particularly forced me to pack my bags for two days and one night to see whether the statement carried any weight or not. It did.

I will admit to the fact that I had never before traveled to interior Sindh, neither Hyderabad, for that matter. For someone whose ancestral roots are tied to Shikarpur, I had never left Karachi and the various comforts it offered. However, a semester break from university and plenty of friends who concurred with the idea to enjoy the winter to its fullest at the mountainous region finally convinced me to undertake the trip to the hill station.

We decided to undertake our trip with a travel agency who goes by the name of Hiddenture. Consisting of a young group of travel aficionados who are in the business of taking students, families, corporate groups and universities on trips to Pakistan’s tourist resorts, Hiddenture agreed to take our group of 9 people along for a price of Rs 6500 per head. Our package included transportation from Karachi to Gorakh Hills, two breakfasts, two lunches and a dinner. Coupled with that, we were offered tea, tents to stay in during the night and a bonfire. There are no free lunches in this world, granted, but this was certainly an economical package for the lot of us.

Hiddenture’s coaster picked us up at 11pm sharp on Friday night (Jan. 6) from a pickup point that we had decided mutually at Boat Basin. With bags loaded and snacks intact, we headed off to Dadu from Karachi at midnight. Our group of 9 people was further joined by another group of 10 people as well. Hence, it amounted to around 20 people in two coasters riding for Dadu.

When you’re undertaking a trip to interior Sindh, to a location where population is scarce, roads dilapidated and mobile signals are seldom received, security is a must. Also, since our group of students featured three girls, I was naturally concerned for their safety and security. However, I must contend that our travel from Karachi to Dadu during the night was an eventful one where we had immense fun chatting over snacks and listening to music. The coaster was air-conditioned and more than enough to accommodate the whole group.

The Super Highway did not give us much trouble and there were no diversions or construction work going on which forced us to change our route. I’d rather not spend too much time talking about the route from Karachi to our stop, a dhaba an expansive dhaba at Sehwan Sharif, because honestly there’s not much to talk about the route. To put things simply, we left at midnight and arrived at Sehwan Sharif to stop for breakfast and to relieve ourselves, at 06:00am.

As was expected, the cold had intensified at Sehwan Sharif, where we had stopped for breakfast. Piping hot tea, omelettes and parathas helped a little but were not enough to keep the cold from our bones. Regarding the state of washrooms at such stops, the less one says the better. I’d rather not go to great lengths to describe the horrendous condition of the washrooms, lest the reader wants his/her stomach to churn.

A view of the sprawling fields of Sehwan Sharif

Bismillah Hotel--our stop at Sehwan Sharif

Anyways, we continued our trip to Gorakh Hills and stopped at Wah Pandi, which is also known as Gorakh base. A plethora of jeeps are lined up at this juncture to take tourists and travel enthusiasts where only 4×4 Jeeps can go—to the G-resort located at an elevation of 5500 feet. We loaded ourselves and our luggage onto the jeep and departed for the G-resort in groups of 4. The long road to Gorakh is not a pleasant one—teemed with stones and a road in the worst possible condition, it’s safe to say that jeep ride was one of the bumpiest one I have ever experienced in my life.  As is the case when one ventures out to Murree, the climb to Gorakh Hills is an uphill one where the vehicle has to be navigated with sheer expertise to avoid any impending landslide (God forbid) or the narrow road. The slightest of accidents here can result in a fall of 5000 plus feet.

An uphill task: The climb up to Gorakh

A 2-hour journey to the top from Gorakh Base can take its toll on the jeep

We arrived at the G-resort and it did bring us some comfort. After riding for 12 hours in a coaster and a jeep, all of us needed to lie down and stretch our limbs a bit. The G-resort—the resort where tourists stay to have food and spend the night—was a welcome sight. Expansive and laden with tents over a sprawling patio, we were thrilled to have finally reached our destination. G-resort is a place where you can certainly get comfortable. We charged our mobile phones and laptop (yes, I did take mine) and spoke to our anxious families back home, who were waiting with baited breath for us to reach out to them from the resort. Mobile signals were not working for the most part and a landline at the resort did the job. One thing that troubled us at the resort, however, was the fact that there were only two washrooms and around 50 people were staying for the night. Needless to say, large cues had formed outside the bathroom where waiting for your turn after a 12 hour ride, was certainly not pleasant. The condition of the washroom at the resort, however, was good. The freezing water nearly gave us a frost bite.  

An aerial view of the G-resort

A view of the G-resort from the inside

After having lunch (which consisted of chicken biryani and drinks) our travel guides took us all the way up to Benazir Point on an arduous trek. Benazir Point is where one can take in the scenic beauty, inhale the fresh air and gawk at the majestic Kirthar Mountain range. Here, I’ll pause for a bit and let the pictures do the talking.

The trekking begins..

The perfect place for snaps

The night came and with it, the extreme cold. The temperature must have been around 0° C or 1°C but the winds certainly made it feel a lot chillier. After having dinner at the dining hall, a bonfire was arranged by the team of Hiddenture which was attended by us all. Introductions were made, games were played and stars were gazed at. All in all, it was an eventful night marked by few activities, the harsh winter marring the rest that were planned.

Tents--our only respite from the relentless cold

A fire to keep our spirits merry and our bodies from freezing!

A view of the G-resort from afar, at night

The next morning, our trip came to an end as we departed for Karachi at 08:00 am. All in all, it was an eventful trip where technology, pleasantly, had the least part in entertaining us. The Sindh government has done very, very little to develop the area and furbish the area with a proper infrastructure to lure in tourists. Development in this region can certainly benefit the local community, who are poverty-stricken, as well as prove helpful for the provincial government and fill up its coffers through tourism.

I would like to commend Hiddenture, the travel agency which took us to Gorakh Hills, for managing the entire episode with precision and professionalism. Ahead of schedule, always helpful and prompt in providing us with security and facilities be it food or the beddings, the group did its best to make us feel at home. So if you’re looking to venture out to Gorakh Hills with your family, look up Hiddenture on Facebook and you’re guaranteed a memorable journey.

So, if you’re a Karachiite like me who really wants to escape the hustle and bustle of the metropolis to spend a few days in solitude and in the company of the serene, majestic mountains, what are you waiting for?