Kirthar National Park

Kirthar covers a large area of the range that divides Sindh from Balochistan, a landscape of bare limestone ridges, gravel plains and dry watercourses that carries far more life than it first appears to. The park protects Sindh ibex, whose males carry long scimitar horns and are most often seen on the crags at dawn, along with urial sheep, chinkara gazelle and, in very small numbers, striped hyena and caracal; leopards are believed to have gone. Karchat, where an enclosure and rest houses sit below the hills, is the standard base and the most reliable place for ibex viewing. The park also holds the Ranikot walls at its edge and prehistoric sites including rock carvings and burial cairns. Facilities are minimal and everything, including water, is brought in.

What you actually see

• Sindh ibex - the park's flagship animal, on the crags at dawn and dusk.
• Urial and chinkara - wild sheep and gazelle on the lower slopes.
• Karchat base - rest houses and the viewing area below the hills.
• Limestone country - ridges, gorges and dry watercourses.

When to go

November to February; the park is dangerously hot from spring to autumn and animals are inactive by day. Dawn and dusk are the only useful viewing hours. Permits should be arranged in advance with the Sindh wildlife department.

Honest expectations

Access requires a four-wheel drive, a permit and ideally a guide; independent visits are difficult. There is no lodge infrastructure, only basic rest houses that need booking. Water and food must be carried. Wildlife is genuinely wild and sightings are not guaranteed, unlike in fenced parks.

Nearby

Ranikot Fort lies on the eastern edge; Karachi is south.