BEST PLACES

INTRODUCTION
West of the Indus Plains is Baluchistan, the largest province in Pakistan with an area 
about 343,000 square km. But though it's bigger than the British Isles, it only has a 
population of about one million, due mainly to its daunting arid geography. 
In the south of the province, Makran is almost entirely desert with low, dry hills 
rising from 300 meters to 2500 meters in the north. In the west there is a large salt lake,
Hammum-i-Maskhel, and more expansive desert plains. This is where the Chagai and 
Toba Kakar Mountain Ranges form the borders of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. 
Baluchistan is outside the monsoon zone and has, with the exception of the hilly and 
arid mountainous regions, a pleasant climate. In winter the temperature falls to as low 
as - 30 C while in summer it ranges from 18 to 30 C. The province has been influenced 
by the civilisations in the Indus, Dir and Swat Valleys. One of the oldest neolithic
 sites (6000 BC) is to be found at Mehr Ghar just south of Bolan Pass. 

QUETTA
Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan, is linked by air, rail and road with all the major cities of 
Pakistan, particularly Karachi which has an international airport. Ziarat is connected by 
133 km road from Quetta. Regular coach, bus and wagon services ply between Quetta 
and Ziarat, particularly during the tourist season. Quetta is situated at elevation of 
1677 meters (5500 ft). Quetta is one of the best known tourist resort and also provincial
capital of Baluchistan.

Bolan Pass
Bolan Pass, where the road winds through the mountains one is reminded of the huge odds
that the armies from Central Asia and north must have faced when swooping down the plains
 of he present day Pakistan. 

GAWADAR
Town and seaport, Balochistan province, southwestern Pakistan. Located on the sandy 
Nuh headland that juts southward into the Arabian Sea, the town is an important 
fishing (sardines and sharks) and trade centre. The main industrial concern is a 
fish-processing factory; salt is obtained by the evaporation of seawater. 

HINA LAKE
A little short of the place where the Urak valley begins and ten kms from Quetta is 
the Hinna Lake. The greenish- blue water of the lake provides a rich contrast to 
the sandy brown of the hills in the back ground. The Urak valley is 21 km from Quetta city. 

ZIARAT
Pakistan has a number of beautiful valleys, enchanting their spectators with enthralling beauty 
but Ziarat's is importance and an archaic treasure of Junipers forests. Situated about 122 km 
in the north of metropolis city of Quetta in Baluchistan, this popular picnic resort is at the 
elevation of 8,200 feet from the sea level.The summers in the valley are always pleasant, 
attracting a number of tourists, and the winters extremely harsh. Junipers forests, which are 
one of the world oldest, are the main source of lush green vista of the Ziarat valley.