Photo: Aysafaran · CC BY-SA 4.0Area guides / Balochistan / Quetta & Ziarat
Area guide
Quetta & Ziarat
Balochistan's highland capital and its juniper hills
Region
Balochistan
When to go
April to October. Winters are cold, and Ziarat is often snowbound
Getting there
Direct flights connect Quetta with Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. Ziarat is about three hours by road from Quetta. As with all travel in the province, check current conditions and arrange local support.
Places
11 field guides
Overview
About Quetta & Ziarat
Quetta, capital of Balochistan, lies in a valley ringed by mountains at about 1,680 m, Pakistan's highest major city, in orchard country of apples, grapes and apricots. About 130 km away, Ziarat's ancient juniper forest surrounds the Residency where Muhammad Ali Jinnah spent his last weeks in 1948.
Direct flights connect Quetta with Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. Ziarat is about three hours by road from Quetta. As with all travel in the province, check current conditions and arrange local support.
Around Quetta
Hanna Lake is a short outing from the city toward Urak, and the valleys around Quetta are orchard country, full of apple, grape and apricot trees.
Ziarat
Ziarat became its own district in 1986. Its juniper woodland, with trees estimated to be thousands of years old, and the Residency are best seen with an overnight stay rather than a rushed day trip.
Top sights in Quetta & Ziarat
All 11 places →
Resorts
All resorts →GreenPak stays in this area are listed on the region guide.
Quetta & Ziarat: Questions Travellers Ask
What is there to see in Quetta & Ziarat?
11 places in Quetta & Ziarat have their own field guide here, the most in parks and gardens (6), landmarks and buildings (3), sikh heritage (1) and museums, libraries and colleges (1).
When is the best time to visit Quetta & Ziarat?
April to October. Winters are cold, and Ziarat is often snowbound; late summer brings the fruit harvest.
How do you get to Quetta & Ziarat?
Direct flights connect Quetta with Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. Ziarat is about three hours by road from Quetta. As with all travel in the province, check current conditions and arrange local support.
What day trips can you take from Quetta & Ziarat?
7 within about 50 km of Quetta & Ziarat, all listed on this page: Pre-Historic Mound (Harian) (about 1 km outside), Bolan Pass (about 5 km outside), Tor Dheri Stupa, Loralai (about 8 km outside), Karez System Cultural Landscape (about 9 km outside), Pishin Valley (about 14 km outside), Mastung Fort, Dasht (about 17 km outside) and Pir Ghaib Waterfall (about 34 km outside).
The complete guide
Everything to See in Quetta & Ziarat
All 11 places in Quetta & Ziarat with their own field guide, grouped by kind.
Sikh heritage · 1
Museums, libraries and colleges · 1
Parks and gardens · 6
Hanna LakeA turquoise reservoir in the hills just outside Quetta, boating, picnics, and a rare splash of water on the Balochistan plateau.
Hazarganji-Chiltan National ParkA national park near Quetta set up in 1980 to protect the rare Chiltan ibex.
Mian Ghundi ParkA recreational park south-west of Quetta, on the edge of Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park.
Quaid-e-Azam Residency, ZiaratThe colonial-era wooden residency where Jinnah spent his final months, set among the world's second-largest juniper forest.
Urak ValleyUrak Valley, 28 km from Quetta in the Zarghoon range near Hanna Lake: orchards, a waterfall and the way to Wali Tangi Dam.
Ziarat Juniper ForestUNESCO tentative juniper forest landscape in Balochistan.
Landmarks and buildings · 3
Kechi Beg, QuettaAn ancient village mound south of Quetta that gave its name to Kechi Beg ware, the painted pottery of Balochistan's Copper Age.
Kili Gul Muhammad, QuettaThe prehistoric mound near Quetta whose layers record the first farming villages of the Quetta valley.
QuettaBalochistan's provincial capital, a highland city of dry-fruit bazaars and orchard-fed markets ringed by the Zarghoon and Chiltan mountains, and the natural base for Hanna Lake, Ziarat, and the Bolan and Khojak passes.
Around Quetta & Ziarat: day trips · 7
Outside Quetta & Ziarat, straight-line distance from its boundary.
Pre-Historic Mound (Harian)~1 km outside Quetta & Ziarat
Bolan Pass~5 km outside Quetta & Ziarat
Tor Dheri Stupa, Loralai~8 km outside Quetta & Ziarat
Karez System Cultural Landscape~9 km outside Quetta & Ziarat
Pishin Valley~14 km outside Quetta & Ziarat
Mastung Fort, Dasht~17 km outside Quetta & Ziarat
Pir Ghaib Waterfall~34 km outside Quetta & Ziarat