Wilderness Camping at Chandargup Mud Volcanoes – Balochistan, Pakistan

Chandragup Mud Volcano - Hingol National Park, Balochistan Pakistan

Location: Chandragup Mud Volcanoes, Hingol National Park, off Makran Coastal Highway,Balochistan, Pakistan 

Group: 11 people and 4 cars

Expenses: Shared responsibilities since it was on self-help and not commercial – PKR 1,000-1,500 each

Dates: November 11-12, 2017 Saturday-Sunday

11:00 am Met at HUB. Breakfast: at homes before leaving. Lunch: homemade sandwiches on the go.

12:30 pm Re-assembled at Makran Coastal Highway Zero Point

2:30 pm Reached Mud Volcanoes turn on Makran Coastal Highway.

3:00 pm Reached Chandragup Mud Volcanoes. Link road (5.5km)was in good condition with 2 sand dunes which were partially cleared – enough to crossover. Took the wrong track after the road ended but luckily a local boy on the motorcycle guided us back. Lost one of the cars with two people and

tea/BBQ stuff. Tried locating them but was impossible with no mobile signals. Abandoned the search.

3:30 pm Climbed up the tallest of the volcanic hills. It was live at the top and brimming with molten mud, not hot, from at least two points! Some people did the smaller one also which was not active but more picturesque from the top.

4:30 pm Tea served which we got in the thermos from Hub Hotel meeting point. Did another search for the lost car but no avail again. Started setting up camps.

5:30 pm One of the persons in the lost car showed up from the desert. They tried to continue till the beach and got trapped in the sand. Decided to leave the car there till morning and brought the stuff from there. The sun was already down behind the hill. Another car barely escaped getting into the quicksand as they wanted to have some drifting fun in the enchanting desert. Thankfully, none tried the sand dunes although there were ample opportunities.

6:00 pm Had pre-cooked dinner: Aaloo qeema, chicken karhai, and kulchay. Reheated on LPG cylinder – very slow! But sumptuous!! Zeeshan please convey the gratitude on behalf of the whole group. Had post dinner Tea – the case of too many chefs.

8:00 pm Started BBQ, not that anyone feeling hungry but only to kill the time. Every topic was finished and it was still 8pm! Had star gazing session with occasional view of shooting stars. It was surreal!

12:00 am Moonrise. Got really cold.

6:00 am A big group of Hindu devotees showed up and right away climbed the hill chanting slogans: Jay Maata Ki!

8:00 am Had the full range breakfast after the tea finally got done on the coal rather the failing LPG cylinder. One car left for Karachi after the breakfast. Two remaining cars went to bring the stuck one out. Tow rope didn’t help, wooden planks did! Brewed lassi in the meantime – the yogurt one!

10:00 am Decided to explore another beach, Sapat, taking advantage of a local who showed up expecting tips from the Yatris.

12:00 pm Started the return journey

4:00 pm Back home Alhamdolillah

Makran Coastal Highway - Always A Pleasure Drive

Does that Even Need a Caption? Makran Coastal Highway

Milestone for the above Photo! 

(Almost) Love at First Sight!

A Closer Look: Note the Molten Mud Coming Out from the Edges

From Chandragup Top: The Big Car Parking - which Gets Filled in the Hindu Festival

Live Crater of Chandragup Mud Volcano - Balochistan, Pakistan

It was Hard to Navigate Downhill from the Other Side Due to Pitfalls

Crater of the Smaller and Less Active Volcano is Turning into a Garbage Dump - Unfortunate!

The Smaller, Less Active, but more Picturesque Chandragup with Arabian Sea in the Background

High Altitude Climbers - Pun Intended

Setting-up the Campsite

A Camping Night is Incomplete without BBQ

Sun Rising from the Desert Horizon

Hindu Yatris Flocking to Summit the Revered Chandragup

A Young Yatri Observing Other Pilgrims

Some Yatirs Even Made it from India

The Newly Setup Shiv Mandir at Chandragup Foothill

The Virgin Sapat Beach Behind Sand Dunes

Probably a Dog Skull at Sapat Beach