Moola Chotok

Moola Chotok lies at the end of a track that runs largely along the bed of the Moola river, which is why getting there is an expedition rather than a drive: the route crosses and recrosses gravel and water for hours, and only a capable four-wheel drive with a driver who knows the way will manage it. What waits at the end is a narrow canyon where a permanent stream falls through a series of pools between high walls, with palms and greenery in the gorge and bare mountain outside it, the classic desert oasis arrangement. Visitors camp beside the water. The place became known through social media in the 2010s and now draws groups from Karachi and Quetta in the cool months, but it remains genuinely remote with no facilities of any kind, and flash floods in the riverbed are a serious hazard after rain.

History

The ravine lies about 105 kilometres north-east of Khuzdar at 1,237 metres, in the valley of the Moola, the largest river of the Khuzdar region and one that flows all year. Ruins at Thore Kheer, Harav, Kial Being and Pasta Khan tie the Moola valley to a civilisation some 2,000 years old (Wikipedia, Moola Chotok).

What's there

• The slot canyon - narrow rock walls with pools and falls between them.
• Palms and greenery - vegetation along the permanent stream.
• The riverbed track - hours of driving in and along the water.
• Camping ground - informal sites beside the pools.

When to go

October to April. Avoid entirely if rain is forecast anywhere in the catchment: the approach is a riverbed and flash floods come down it. Weekends bring organised groups. Nights are cold in winter.

Good to know

This is a hard trip: many hours on a riverbed track, a four-wheel drive and local driver essential, and no facilities, water or signal at the destination. Everything comes in and goes out with you. Flash flood risk is the defining danger. Do not attempt it independently without local advice on conditions.

Nearby

Khuzdar is the nearest town; the Quetta to Karachi highway runs through it.

Key facts