‘Angelina Jolie was one of two reasons for me to yearn to
visit “HINGOL NATIONAL PARK, MAKRAN, PAKISTAN.
The other was again Angelina…off course not.
I’ve been wanderer of nature and loved to get lost to explore pioneering tourist attractions that are why I join adventure clubs everywhere I get posted to have of fun of trips without hassle. This time by staying at Karachi, I was super excited to get ready for trip to explore natural wonders at Hingol national park, 247km apart from Karachi along Makran coastal Highway, Balochistan, Pakistan on one pleasant weekend of September. What is the relation of Angelina joule and Hingol national park, for this you’ve to join my journey till there,’ Mr. Junaid smiled and get on the coaster which was ready to leave in dark sharp at 1:00 am near Shershah bridge, Karachi.
‘The Gents were advised to sit at back seats by the guide.
‘Why!’ As I always preferred to sit at front with driver’s
seat to enjoy the views from big screen. I was planning to shift my seat as
soon as we start when a group of 5 beautiful ladies get on the coaster by
giving the impression;
‘Don’t we’ve right to explore.’
And I sighed, ‘off course.’ I fixed my eyes at my side
window…believe me.
It was time of heavy traffic on RCD Highway, so our coaster
was making its way Zigzag to move faster. We got stuck for while at exit from
Karachi and then our ride slower down at city area of Hub otherwise it was
flying like horse. When the sun was washing its face upon undiscovered “SAPAT
BEACH’’ at 5:00am, our ride hit mesmerizing landscapes along both side of
Makran coastal Highway. The province of Sindh left behind and the hospitable and
cordial Baluchistan welcomed the visitors. Ladies at front were seemed to
snoring or tired after gossiping for all night as there was no irritating
buzzing at coaster now.
BREAKFAST AT ZEROPOINT, MAKRAN TOWARDS HINGOL PARK
After continuous drive of 4 hours, our coaster stopped by
roadside Dhabba(restaurant), named Zero point. All of tourists feasted with
traditional doodh pati(tea) and parathas(bread) and without wasting a minute
get back to coaster.
Now the real adventure started on. The diversify sceneries
from barren brown mountains changed into desert somewhere which turned to compelling
“GOLDEN BEACH”
at second blink. It was more than an experience to feast with
diversifies landscapes and Sindh Abex(a type of goat) within few kilometers like
any safari ride. The sign board informed us about the arrival of our
destination.
KUND MALIR BEACH hingol national park:
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| witness desert, Beach, mountains,all along single road at Hingol park, Balochistan |
After driving for half an hour at Makran coastal highway, coaster stayed along the famous desert beach KUND MALIR. The Punjabians like me with craving of sight the beaches since childhood couldn’t bear the convincing waves and I rushed to them. The waves also welcomed me by bowing at my feet. Golden eagles and hawks were preying on green turtles hid amid few rocks at sides. It just looked as hawks of world are gazing on green beaches of Gawadar near Makran. The excitement was still on and I really would resist coming out of water if the guide don’t tell us to sit back as we’re heading to Angelia Julie’s place “the princess of hope” and other rock formations.
“PRINCESS OF HOPE ROCK” is natural wonder AT HINGOL NATIONAL PARK, PAKISTAN
Again yearning to sit at front, I had no
choice to sit at back seats as few princesses were travelling with us too. The
mesmerizing rocks at both side of road, formed in significant shapes started to
grab our ultimate attention at distance. I took out my camera to capture the
nature’s perfect sculpture art scattered all around. Nature is using the
shrilling and cutting winds from near Arabian Sea to carve and mould the rocks
for centuries.
After crossing the bridge on BUZZI PASS, the coaster stopped
by the road and we walked on to different rock formations by naming them
according to our perceptions as we do by looking at the scattering clouds on
sky.
SPHNIX, a natural wonder
An egotistical looking rock in shape of “Sphnix” (a limestone
statue with body of lion and body of human at Egypt) frowned at us. Sphnix was
only tourist attraction at this place before Hollywood star Angelina Julie
visited this place.
At her visit to Pakistan as UNHCR’s goodwill Ambassador in
2010 to appeal for the funds for Afghan refugees (which Pakistan is hosting
more than three decades), flood victims and child laborers apart from work she
was taken to a sight full of natural wonders at Hingol national park. When
everyone was talking about the Sphnix and other rocks then a lady of lime lights
Angelina was thinking of the pain all around the world was staring somewhere
far , somewhere above and then suddenly she moved on to side and pointed towards
one side at loud;
“PRINCESS OF HOPE” a statue in form of a lady stood erect and
elegant right at top who is pleading for the peace and joy in the world for
centuries. Princess smiled at Angelina for spotting her and giving her the
beautiful name among hundreds of other rivals. I believe Angelina would be the
first lady visiting the far developed sight of time and how any lady can miss
to notice another one looking at her to chat.
The odd thing Angelina did was to break the arrogance of
replica Sphinx. This is what Sphinx whispered to me there.
So this was the reason why I was longing to visit Hingol
park…yes, I'm not Brad Pitt but I found chance to meet and spend some time with my “princess of hope” named by Angelina Jolie there but I was not
allowed to disturb the princess at all. Ah…
Again we were busy to make selfies with princess(from far; see the video) when guide
directed us to sit back as we had very less time to visit another natural
wonder of world at Hingol national park the MUD VOLCANOES.
HINGOL IS NOT A FAMILY PLACE
The ladies insisted to stay there to have chit chat with
princess but wish was not granted. Here I’ll definitely mention that Hingol
national park is not recommended as family place because whole area of Makran
coastal highway is under developed with absence (I mean absence not lack) of
public washrooms, restaurants, petrol pumps or even without vendors to buy an
ice cream or a bottle of water. It should be developed as more and more tourists and families are craving to sight wonderful sights here.
MUD VOLCANO, natural wonder of world, HINGOL NATIONAL PARK, PAKISTAN
Our coaster stopped after 10 minutes and we were asked to
continue on foot to visit another natural wonders of world at Hingol national
park, the active mud volcanoes.
There are three large and many small volcanoes scattered in
the area. The 300 feet higher largest mud volcano named as Chandragup 1 and a sacred
Hindu mandir “HINGLAJ MATA MANDIR” was our centre of expedition then.
Our fragile female companions raised up their hands to walk more forward after sighting the
first small mud volcano and sat asides in desolated semi deserted soil. Others keep
on riding but it was long tracking under blazing sun so the numbers of bravos
continued to drop down at any volcano. Only we five reached at top. The mud
volcano was ready to erupt at any time. The scene of bubbling, fuming and
buzzing of any trapped mud monster that was about to release any time was scared
stiff to some extent. We visited the Hindu mandir which narrates the stories of
hundreds of humans walking to these mud volcanoes to seek their desires for
centuries.
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| erupting mud volcano at Hingol national park,pakistan |
Many thanks to our guides for providing us water bottles and
packed chips at the place. At exact 4pm almost dying of hunger and tiredness we
started our journey back to Karachi. The fishermen were still busy fishing at
Gaddani port. The roads of city of Hub were rushed with traffic and we reached
at our homes by 10pm.
I’m just scrolling my days photos and stopped at “PRINCESS OF
HOPE”, an alone lady, as she was still pleading for hope in darks of silence.
And wait…I didn’t forget my next booking to Gawadar by Makran coastal highway. A two night and three day trip was waiting for me to explore the world's deepest water seaport and future economic hub of Asia.
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LIKE AT
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| trip towards Hingol national park from Karachi |
Few glimpses of my visit to Hingol national park, makran, pakistan
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| KUND MALIR, A BEACH MORE BEAUTIFUL LIKE AT DUBAI |
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| My favourite Makran highway full of diversify landscapes |
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| OO...a big crab at kund malir welcoming me |
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| ah.. at last with my princess of hope, Makran |