Kirthar National Park
One of the largest Wildlife reserves in Pakistan, Kirthar National Park is located in Dadu area of the province of Sindh in Pakistan. The park was founded in 1974 and it covers a total area of over 3000 km/sq. It has been declared as the second largest National Park of Pakistan with Hingol National Park being the first one. Kirthar National Park has the largest preservation of wildlife including leopards, wolves, stripped hyenas, Chinkara, gazelles, wild sheep, Sindh Ibex and many more.
A very rare breed of Sindh wild goats called Blackbuck antelopes are also being preserved in the park. Because of the negligence of the forest and wildlife department, many predators are expired. According to an info, the last leopard was shot dead back in 1977. The park is amongst the four parks in Pakistan which are being included in United Nation’s list of famous National Parks of the world. It enjoys a lush green environment during the monsoon season that prevails from July to September in Pakistan. However, the best time period to visit the park is from October to February. You can book your own rest house in the Park area by contacting the Sindh Wildlife Management Board’s office located on Stratchen Road, Karachi. The Kirthar Range forms a boundary between the Lower Indus Plain in the East and Southern Balochistan in the West. The entire area displays immense beauty and cultural heritage, thus making itself an important and much preferred habitat for a huge variety of mammals, reptiles and birds of various kinds. About one-third of the park area lies in the north of Karachi and two-third in Dadu district.
Two tourist centers are being established in the Park namely Khar and Karchat and are managed by the Sindh Wildlife Management Board. These rest houses or centers offer many exciting facilities for the tourists including accommodation services, tour guides, restaurants and much more. Some areas of the park are not fit for walking due to unparallel roads therefore you can only visit them using a vehicle. Kirthar National Park offers a beautiful view of rolling hills and forests. While in the park, don’t forget to visit the famous Ranikot Fort that displays an archeological significance and history dating back to 3500 BC. The park also provides various useful water supplies for the residents of Karachi and Dadu. It’s a must-visit place for all those who want to have a closer view of the wildlife in detail. Every year, the park welcomes hundreds of tourists and brings great revenue to Pakistan’s tourism industry.
