Rawalpindi to Gwadar via Karachi in December 2018 - suggestions and discussions

[Aqeel1982]

Hello Pakwheelers,
First of all pls excuse me for making this thread too early but i will be using this thread for getting pre-trip suggestions, places info and other route help from experts.
We have never drove on interior Sindh roads though we have visited Khi couple of times before either via bus, train or by air but this time I will be travelling with my friend and cousin on a 10-12 days road trip from Rawalpindi (or from Lahore) to Khi and then to Gwadar on our Toyota GLi 2016. We all 3 can drive but I am no more a good driver in busy conditions though

We have already covered most of the northern Punjab, Central Punjab and western Punjab, we have also visited Derawar fort but didn't covered Palaces in Bahawalpur.
So our focus will be mainly some areas of interior Sindh while going to and coming back from Khi and off course all points on makran coastal highway upto Iranian border.
One of my friend will join us from Khi and may be my cousin will land in Khi from Dubai to join us towards Gwadar. I am considering hat Gwadar return trip will take approx 3 days (I will need your suggestions for this).

So here is the proposed rough plan in my mind, (as it will be winter and chances of fog will be high so we are considering to travel in mostly day times specially the fog hit areas):

Day 1 - A day before we will reach Lahore for some family event and then next day start early from Lahore and reach Pannu Aqil and stay there, I know its a long way but we have to be there as it will be first day of traveling so we can do little extra, as a backup plan we have to do overnight stay in Rahim yar khan.
Day 2 - Start traveling towards Rohri and Sukkur and cover following places: Sukkur Barrage, Lansdowne bridge, Lab e Mehran, then drive towards Larkana and visit Garhi Khuda Baksh. Visit Mohenjodaro if time permits and night stay somewhere between Larkana, Dadu or Shewan according to situation.
Day 3 - Visit Sehwan and Manchar jheel, Ranikot fort, on the way and reach Khi via Hyderabad and night stay there.
Day 4 - Stay one Day in Khi to look around different areas like Mazar-e-Quaid, Manora, Mangho Pir crocodile pond etc, pls advise more places to visit in Khi?
Day 5 - Leave Khi early morning towards Gwadar and few stops at Gadani ship breaking yard, mud volcanoes, Kund malir beach, Princess of Hopes, Sphinix and night stay at Ormara.
Day 6 - Travel from Ormara to Iran border, while coming back cover Jiwani and reach Gwadar for sunset view from Koh-e-Batil and night stay at Gwadar.
Day 7 - Leave Gwadar in morning towards Khi and Reach there by evening
Day 8 - Leave Khi towards Thatta and cover Makkli, Haleji and Keenjhar lake Grave of noori, and reach Hyderabad, mirpur khas or umerkot according to next day plan. I need your suggestions here - can we do this in a day? and where most imp where should we stay at night for next day?
Day 9 OPTIONAL Can we go upto Khokhrapar zeropoint and come back and possible explore umerkot and some thar areas and stay at mirpur khas may be?
Day 9/10 Leave whatever last city we stayed at night and reach Sadiqabad by night
Day 10 Reach Lahore
i will welcome your comments and suggestions about the above plan and i will work on next days will post here for suggestions.
Thanks.
Aqeel

[HanifBhatti]

You plan is good, see if you can add Gorakh Hill and Ranikot Fort.

[Aqeel1982]

Bhatti sab thanks for suggestions, it’s pleasure to have your comment on my thread. Can we go on Toyota GLI to both places? Also I want to avail this opportunity to ask can we go kirthar National Park on this car? Thanks and hope to have more suggestions from you as I will be coming from overseas and all people relying on my plans...

[HanifBhatti]

At Gorakh its bit tough but many take their cars at the top.
Ranikot Fort, its on ground level so all cars can go.
Kirthar National Park, you need a 4x4 for it.

[Aqeel1982]

Ok thanks then I try to adjust ranikot somewhere in itinerary and I will get more help about coming days on coastal highway specially gawadar

[ZUKI.AKBAR]

I suggest rwp to Karachi via train n karachi to gawder via bus best

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[dr_baloch]

I couldn't find time to read your full program. I did a road trip in February 2016 from Islamabad to Karachi and back and plan for Gwadar in coming winter. I shall share with you what I know. But sorry, not now, sometimes in future. At this point, I can only say that your program is feasible.

Today;26-10-2018, I am again on your post,

1. In my view Corolla GLI -2016 has reasonable ground clearance for this trip.

2. I suggest you take different route while traveling through interior Sindh, first while going and the other while coming, like I did. On one side, use National Highway instead of Super Highway and you can cover a. Kot Diji Fort and nearby 6000 old ruins near Khairpur, b, Keenjhar Lake, c.Thatha and Shah Jahani Mosque, d. Makli Graveyard, e. Deebal/Bhanbhore ruins near Gharo creek; while on other side you can take Dadu-Larkana road and cover a. Manchar Lake (disappointing), b. Lal Shabaz at Sehwan, c. Mohenjo-Daro, d. Garhi Khuda Bux.

3. Except for big cities like Sukkar, Khairpur, Nawab Shah, there is no reasonable place for night stay in interior Sindh.

Now about your program:
Day 1 - A day before we will reach Lahore for some family event and then next day start early from Lahore and reach Bahawalpur by mid day and cover Gulzar palace, Darbar palace and noor mahal. Reach Sadiqabad for night stay.
(Seems reasonable)

Day 2 - Explore Rohri Sukkur area: Sukkur Barrage, Lansdowne bridge, Lab e Mehran, then drive towards Larkana and visit Garhi Khuda Baksh. Visit Mohenjodaro if time permits and night stay somewhere between Larkana and Dadu according to situation.
(Seems reasonable except that Mohenjo-daro is a must. Never skip that. Try to reach there before 4 pm otherwise museum will be closed. 2nd, there is no decent place for night stay between Larkana and Dadu,)

Day 3 - Visit Sehwan and Manchar jheel on the way and reach Khi and night stay there.
(Be prepared for disappointment at Manchar Lake. We couldn't find a proper place even to stand alongside the lake)

Day 4 - Khi to Kund malir beach and few stops at Gadani ship breaking yard, mud volcanoes and night stay there.
(To my knowledge, one can reach Gwader from Karachi in 8-10 hours only if he doen't use time in visiting places on the way. Please do time calculation of this leg of journey, as accurate as possible: Because, again, there is no decent place for night stay between Karachi and Gwader, except the naval base Ormara (need a naval reference to stay there)

Above is only my viewpoint and you should verify by other means as well

[Aqeel1982]

thanks for suggestion, it will be very hectic to drive but as we have to stop in Bahawalpur and have to visit different places on way to Gwadar so using bus cant achieve what we want to do.

[Aqeel1982]

thanks for the Thread reference, yes I already read and asked few questions on this thread few weeks ago. Cheers

[Aqeel1982]

thank you very much for the best and helpful answer so far.
yes i am thinking the same to go via N55 and come via N5 or otherway around, this is the beauty of this platform that you get expert advice at no cost and benefit from the real on ground situation and from the people who have already traveled.

i don't wanna miss Mohenjdaro and there are lot more things which i might not be aware but or worth watching.
so you suggested to add Kot diji, Keenjhar Lake, Thatha and Shah Jahani Mosque, Makli Graveyard, Deebal/Bhanbhore ruins. thanks for that i will add them to the way either going or coming back whenever traveling on N5.
I also want to visit Noor jam tamchi grave, can i adjust it with some other place in that area?
Also my frnd suggested me to go to Astola island and do a night stay there, what do you guys think?
Regards,
Aqeel

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[ZUKI.AKBAR]

Last feb I went gawader via Karachi I wnt rwp to bhawalpur via train some days stop Bahawalpur then via train sakhar then same way to karachi Karachi to gawader we wnt via bus ammaizig tour for me but at gawader I face hard life like water issu n other issues

[dr_baloch]

My pleasure, brother.

I suggest that you go through my recent travelogue:

8-Days, 2200 km trip on Prado 1996 from Islamabad to Quetta, April 28-May 5, 2018

8-Days, 2200 km, Trip to Quetta from Islamabad on Prado-96: Apr 28-May 5, 2018 Islamabad - Balkasar – Talagang – Mianwali/Chashma - DI Khan – Zhob - Qila Saif Ullah - Quetta [image] 1. Preface Like all my previous road trips, the program to visit Quetta went through several finalization and then cancellations, because of one reason or the other. This year also, the planning started to proceed for the trip in early days of February. But, then, again, the trip dates started slipping further…

Reading it might help you in making necessary preparations for such a long road-trip.

[Aqeel1982]

oh that's really sad aspect of our people while doing tourism...
i remember whenever we go for camping or normal tours i and my friends always remember to clean the place where you sat and specially where we ate...
Thanks for giving critical but honest comments, i will talk with my host there.
What do you think, should we try camping on kund malir beech or anywhere on coastal highway between khi and Gawdar or we should drop this idea at all?
thanks

[Aqeel1982]

excellent travelogue sir g.
No one can do such organized trip except an expert traveler like you
worth reading your blog. the preparation was excellent specially the items list and the hand made map - thumbs up.

[Aqeel1982]

thanks for your comment.\
so do you think we should take drinking water with us? though it will be winter but we still need to have some water for 2-4 days of traveling around the whole area...

[ZUKI.AKBAR]

wesay wahan b mil jata hai drinking water per aap ko sara pani he perchase karna pary ga or may b hotal main jahan pe aap ka stay ho wahan pe aisa nai ho gawader main jo water use hota hai Sara import form turbet hai mera stay wahan pe 15 din ka tha hamara kam wahan k villages main tha wahan pe bht mushkil life hai yar

[Aqeel1982]

ok thanks for bringing this point into my knowledge, this will really help us and i will take water with us.
Regards

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