Lahore to Gwadar

## The first long ride

After years of northern Pakistan stretches — Skardu, the high passes and mountain roads that built the foundation — this was the **first longest solo trip** I undertook across the length of the country.

**5,000 kilometres. 10 days. February 1 to February 10, 2022.**

Lahore to Gwadar, and all the way down to **Jiwni** — the western edge of Pakistan's coast near the Iranian border.

On the motorcycle

Solo on an adventure motorcycle, fully loaded for self-supported travel. Long days averaging **500 kilometres** — heat in the interior, wind on the coast, and road surfaces that changed every few hundred kilometres.

**Road conditions varied dramatically:** - Smooth motorway sections through Punjab - Heavy traffic approaching Karachi - Open coastal highway with long empty stretches - Rough patches, sand drift near the coast, and sharp turns cut into cliff faces along the Makran

Riding in February meant manageable temperatures in the south — but the Makran still demands respect. A loaded bike, full riding gear, and the discipline to read the road ahead.

Karachi — before the coast

Before turning west onto the Makran Coastal Highway, Karachi offered a pause in the intensity of the ride:

• **Sea View (Clifton)** — the Arabian Sea at the city's edge
• **Mazar-e-Quaid** — paying respects at the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah
• **Abdullah Shah Ghazi shrine** — a moment of reflection and connection to the city
• **Burns Road** — some of the best food in Karachi. Biryani, kebabs, and the kind of meal that fuels the next thousand kilometres

The Makran Coastal Highway

One of the **best terrains in Pakistan** — and one of the most unforgiving.

The Makran Coastal Highway (N-10) runs along the Arabian Sea through Balochistan, linking Karachi to Gwadar. It is among the most scenic roads in the country: turquoise water on one side, golden cliffs and desert on the other.

### Landmarks along the route

• **Hingol National Park** — dramatic rock formations rising from the desert, including the mud volcanoes and the Sphinx-like formation
• **Princess of Hope** — the natural rock sculpture shaped by wind and time, standing alone against the horizon
• **Kund Malir Beach** — where the highway meets open sand and the sea
• **Ormara** — a coastal stop along the cliff road
• **Pasni** — fishing port and gateway further west
• **Gwadar** — the port city at the heart of the CPEC corridor, where the journey's name ends but the road continues
• **Jiwni** — the farthest point, near the border, where the land runs out and the sea takes over

The crash — diesel on the road

On the Makran Coastal Highway, the road surface turned treacherous when **diesel spilled from plastic gallons** carried by passing traffic. The surface became slick without warning.

The bike went down. Gear took the impact. No serious injury — but a clear reminder that on the Makran, conditions change in an instant. Picked up, checked the bike, and kept riding.

Why this journey mattered

This was not the USA Loop. It was earlier, rawer, and entirely within Pakistan — the ride that proved long-distance solo travel was possible after years of northern adventures.

It built the confidence, the road reading, and the endurance that every later expedition — including the 16,000-kilometre USA Loop — would depend on.

**Lahore to Gwadar. 5,000 km. 10 days. The Makran, Karachi, Jiwni, and everything in between.**