Bolan Pass

The Bolan is one of the great natural corridors of the region, a gorge climbing from the hot plains at Sibi to the Balochistan plateau at Quetta, used by caravans and migrations for as long as there have been records of movement here. Its modern character comes from engineering: the railway built through it in the nineteenth century climbs some 1,700 metres in around a hundred kilometres, through tunnels, over bridges and along ledges cut into the gorge wall, with gradients steep enough to need banking locomotives, and it remains one of the most impressive mountain railways in South Asia. The road runs alongside. The gorge itself is bare and dramatic, with folded rock strata, gravel riverbeds that flood violently after rain, and small settlements at intervals. Pir Ghaib and Mach lie along the route.

History

The pass runs for 89 kilometres along the Bolan River valley from Rindli to Darwāza near Kolpur, and traders, nomadic tribes and armies have long used it as a gateway to South Asia; the Afghan king Ahmad Shah Durrani came through it in 1748. In 1883 Sir Robert Sandeman negotiated British control of the pass from Khudadad Khan, the Khan of Kalat, for an annual fee (Wikipedia, Bolan Pass).

What's there

• The railway climb - tunnels, bridges and ledges up the gorge wall.
• The gorge - folded rock, gravel riverbeds and bare cliffs.
• Mach and the coalfield - the mining town midway up the pass.
• The plateau edge - the change of landscape at the top near Quetta.

When to go

October to April; the lower gorge at Sibi is among the hottest places in the country in summer. Flash floods after rain can close both road and rail with little warning. Rail journeys are subject to schedule changes.

Things to know

Photographing railway infrastructure can attract official attention, so be discreet and ask if in doubt. There are few facilities along the route. Flash flood risk is real in the gravel beds. Travel arrangements through the pass should be checked locally beforehand.

Nearby

Pir Ghaib waterfall is off the route near Mach; Quetta is at the top.

Key facts