Gorakh Hill

Gorakh sits on a plateau of the Kirthar range at around 1,700 metres, high enough that winter temperatures fall to freezing and snow has been recorded, which in a province where summer temperatures reach the high forties makes it something of a local marvel; it is often called the Murree of Sindh for that reason. The plateau is open and treeless, with wide views over successive ridges into Balochistan, and the drive up is the memorable part, climbing switchbacks from the plain through bare hill country. Development has been slow and repeatedly stalled: there are huts, a rest house, some cabins and a few stalls, and plans for a fuller resort have come and gone for years. Most visitors come for a night of camping under exceptionally clear skies, since there is no light pollution for a hundred kilometres.

What you actually see

• The plateau - open high ground with long views into Balochistan.
• The mountain road - switchbacks climbing from the Dadu plain.
• Night skies - exceptional darkness for stargazing.
• Winter cold - frost and occasional snow, a novelty in Sindh.

When to go

November to February; that is the whole point, since the plateau is the one place in Sindh that gets genuinely cold. Weekends in December and January are busy with visitors from Karachi and Hyderabad. Summer is hot even up here and the road is unpleasant.

Honest expectations

Facilities are basic and unreliable, with limited water and electricity; camping gear is the safest plan. The final section of road is rough and a four-wheel drive is advisable. There is nothing to do beyond walking, looking and star-gazing. Litter around the camping areas is a problem in peak weekends.

Nearby

Dadu is the gateway town; Kirthar National Park lies south along the range.