Pir Ghaib Waterfall

Pir Ghaib is a spring-fed stream that falls through a narrow gorge in the otherwise arid Bolan hills, producing a sequence of small waterfalls and clear pools with date palms and oleander growing along the water, and the contrast with the bare rock and gravel around it is the whole appeal. A shrine at the site gives it the name, which refers to a saint who according to local tradition vanished into the rock, and the place has a devotional dimension alongside its use as a picnic spot. Steps and paths follow the stream up between the pools. Families come out from Quetta and Mach at weekends, and there are stalls at the entrance. Water flow depends heavily on the season and on the springs, and in a dry year the falls are thin.

What you actually see

• The stepped falls - a chain of small cascades and pools up the gorge.
• Date palms - greenery along the water in an otherwise bare landscape.
• The shrine - the saint's site that gives the place its name.
• The Bolan hills - dry, folded rock country around the gorge.

When to go

October to April; summer heat in the Bolan is severe. Flow is best after winter and spring rain, and can be weak in a dry autumn. Weekends bring local families, weekdays are quiet.

Honest expectations

The falls are small and can disappoint anyone expecting a major waterfall, especially in a dry season. Facilities are basic stalls and the site gets littered. The road in from the main Bolan route is rough. Travel plans in the area are worth confirming locally before setting out.

Nearby

The Bolan Pass and its railway run alongside; Quetta is northwest.