Hingol National Park Guide: Hinglaj Mata, Kund Malir and Ormara

Hingol National Park is one of Pakistan’s most distinctive landscapes, combining arid mountains, mud volcanoes, coastal scenery, wildlife and an important Hindu pilgrimage site. Located in Balochistan along the Makran Coastal Highway, the park is commonly approached from Karachi.

Its principal attractions include Hinglaj Mata Temple, Chandragup Mud Volcano, the Princess of Hope and Kund Malir Beach. This guide is based on our journey through Hingol and onwards to Ormara, but road conditions, access and services should always be confirmed before departure.

Hinglaj Mata is also included in our guide to historic Hindu temples in Pakistan.

Which province is Hingol National Park located?

Hingol National Park is in Baluchistan province but to get there you have to come from Karachi, Sindh

Its vast open plains, jagged mud hills, mud volcanoes and sand dunes are too inhospitable for city dwellers. .

Hingol National Park Tour from Rawalpindi

Our journey started from Rawalpindi.

We booked return air tickets for Karachi (Rs 20000 each) as the drive would have taken 24 hrs.

There would be at least one night stay just on the drive towards and return from Hingol National Park.

 I have kept the drive to Karachi for some later day.

It is 1700kms for Rawalpindi to Karachi and stay would most likely be in Bahawalpur or Rahim yar Khan.

Hingol National Park Tour from Karachi

On reaching Karachi we took a taxi to PAF Korangi Base

Starting our journey from Karachi

We began our trip in Karachi and spent time near Korangi Creek before travelling west towards Hingol National Park. The creek’s mangroves, tidal channels and birdlife offered a striking contrast to the dry landscapes of the Makran coast.

Access to clubs, bases and controlled coastal areas should never be assumed. Visitors must use publicly accessible locations and follow current official restrictions.

Hingol National Park distance from Karachi

Hingol National Park is 3 hours and 47 minutes from Karachi or 243 Milometers from Karachi on the RCD Highway to Iranian Border

Rent a Car for Hingol National Park

The next day we booked an Altis on rent (Rs 15000 for 48 hrs.) and took off at 0600 hrs for Hingol national park, in Baluchistan.

Breakfast at the boat basin

We stopped at Boat Basin to have breakfast at Khattak restaurant to have halwa puri, lassi, tea, eggs, parathas, keema naan, and channa.

The open-air platform with gao takya and carpets gives a lovely feeling so early in the morning.

Petrol at Winder last Stop Hingol National Park

Our next stop was Winder, where the South-North Highway breaks off Westwards (coastal highway).

I discovered I needed more petrol, and this is the last stop to get some.

I also found out that my spare tire was punctured and there are no truck stops for the next 250 km.

I took care of business in the washroom and set off towards Ormara which is a further 300 km.

Mud Volcanoes Hingol National Park

Our aim was to find the Hingol mud volcanoes through a marker on the road, but there were none.

We were lucky to spot a volcano on the horizon while driving through endless straight roads of nothingness.

The volcano is easier to access is just ten-minute drive off the main highway on a clear track.

We climbed up the easier volcano and found mud constantly flowing down the hill face from a crater at the top.

The stench of sulfur bubbling out of the crater was strong.

The mud in the crater was very soft and was more of quicksand. Nothing floated on top.

I bet the rocks we threw in the crater were halfway into the earth’s crust by now.

The fine sulfur mud would do wonders for skin treatment. My daughter thinks her skin feels softer already .

Hinglaj Mata Temple in Hingol National Park

Hinglaj Mata Temple—also known locally as Nani Mandir—is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites in Pakistan. It lies within a rocky gorge in the Hingol landscape and is associated with the Shakti tradition of Hinduism.

Hindu tradition regards Hinglaj as a Shakti Peeth, one of the sacred places connected with the goddess Sati. This religious account should be presented as sacred tradition rather than archaeological history.

Unlike a conventional monumental temple, the principal sacred space is integrated into the natural rock formation. Smaller shrines and religious images appear throughout the pilgrimage complex. Its setting within a remote gorge contributes greatly to the site’s spiritual and visual character.

Hinglaj remains an active place of worship. Visitors should dress respectfully, request permission before photographing worshippers or sacred interiors and avoid interrupting ceremonies.

It forms part of our wider guide to Hindu temples in Pakistan. Another surviving Hindu site in Balochistan can be seen at Miri Fort and Sidh Pani Nath Temple in Quetta.

Is Hingol National Park safe to visit?

Hingol is remote, and road, weather and security conditions can change. Travellers should check current guidance with local authorities or reputable tour operators before departure.

Carry sufficient drinking water, fuel, food, sun protection, a functional spare tyre and basic emergency equipment. Avoid travelling after dark, leaving recognised routes or entering restricted areas. Mobile coverage and roadside assistance may be limited.

A metaled road leads straight up to the door of this ancient mandir deep in a gorge inside Hingol Park, close to Hingol River.

It is located inside one of the streams supplying the Hingol River and the actual mandir site receives little or no sunlight year around.

Tourists at Hingol National Park

It gets 100,000 visitors every year, a lot from India as well.

It’s interesting to hear from the Hindu priest there, called Maharaj, about Hindu mythology and the history of the temple.

Pakistan can get a lot of foreign exchange by opening up religious tourism for Hindu yatris.

The moortis (idols) of Hanuman and Lakshmi were more visible around the minor temples.

Wildlife at Hingol National Park

The priest had encouraged Chinkara deer to roam around the area to give a look of peaceful heaven.

I also saw a crocodile in the Hingol River before the temple

There were a few palm trees as well but the cleanliness needs to be improved.

Overall it is worth seeing.

Historic graves near Agor

A group of old graves can be seen near Agor. Local stories associate them with early Muslim expeditions, but their date and identity require archaeological verification. Similarities in decorative style alone are not sufficient to identify the people buried there.

Similar to Makli Necropolis Thatta

The interesting thing is that the 50 odd visible graves have tiles similar to the Makli Necropolis although they are around 500 km apart.

Also, only one gravestone has Kalima Tayiba on the tiles.

It can be inferred that Muhammad Bin Qasim probably landed close by with his armada.

The only landing point for an invasion army is Kund Malir Beach. We left that for the return journey.

Ormara Baluchistan

Ormara town’s T-junction has a pristine beach right in front.

The Ormara bay  is like a crescent with hills on either side.

Yellow sand and clear water on the beach look lovely. 

Ormara Pakistan Navy Base

We went to the Ormara Naval base’s beach which is every lovelier.

The sea birds are unlike I have ever seen before. The water has a clear blue color and has a dense population of fish that frequently splash to the surface.

Crabs, urchins, snails roam freely in this natural ecosystem.

Sea Gulls feed off fishes in the distance.

The beach sand is so clean that it doesn’t even stick to make a sandcastle. At a distance is the Ormara Harbor  

Sunset at Ormara Bay

Before sunset, we drove up on the tabletop mountain beside Ormara harbor.

After a straight drive of 20 minutes, we reached the sighting point at a cliff that overlooks the harbor on one side and the sea on the other.

When the Sunsets in the ocean, the sky changes color from yellow to orange and then to red. It was a pretty sight.

 The next day we went on a boat ride around the same harbor.

Dolphins at Ormara

We couldn’t get a glimpse of dolphins that swim in these waters though.

Ormara is a natural port that could well become Pakistan’s third shipping port as well. It is probably the most beautiful place in Pakistan.