Hanna Lake:Jade waters that form a colourful contrast to the barren, ochre coloured mountainside. It nestles in the hills ten km (six miles) east of Quetta, a startling turquoise pool within bare brown surroundings. There is a lakeside restaurant with picnic tables shaded by pine trees. At one end, the irrigation dam rises out of the depths like battlements of a fort. It is very attractive for holiday makers, are crowded with hikers and campers in holidays. You can hire a boat and paddle on the lake and round the island in the middle.
A little short of the place where the Urak Valley begins and 10 kms from Quetta is the Hanna Lake, where benches and pavilions on terraces have been provided. Golden fish in the lake comes swimming right upto the edge of the lake. A little distance away, the waters of the lake take on
a greenish blue tint. Right where the water ends, have been planted pine trees on the grass filled slopes.Urak Valley:
To the left of Hanna Lake, about two km (one mile) away, and right for the eight-km (five-mile), there is another picnic spot- the environs of Urak Tangi Valley, which is known as the fruit garden of Quetta which is full of orchards in April. Cherry, apricot, apple and peach trees form a tunnel of blossom over the road. Urak, at the top end of the valley, is a village of square, mud houses roofed with roots and mud laid across wooden beams. The village is surrounded on three sides by the Zarghun range of hills. A stream rushes down from Urak Tangi, a narrow gorge in the hills; a short walk will take you up onto the lower slopes where partridges call among the rocks and you can look down on the whole valley. In the little water mill beside the stream two round stones grind wheat into flour.
To the left of Hanna Lake, about two km (one mile) away, and right for the eight-km (five-mile), there is another picnic spot- the environs of Urak Tangi Valley, which is known as the fruit garden of Quetta which is full of orchards in April. Cherry, apricot, apple and peach trees form a tunnel of blossom over the road. Urak, at the top end of the valley, is a village of square, mud houses roofed with roots and mud laid across wooden beams. The village is surrounded on three sides by the Zarghun range of hills. A stream rushes down from Urak Tangi, a narrow gorge in the hills; a short walk will take you up onto the lower slopes where partridges call among the rocks and you can look down on the whole valley. In the little water mill beside the stream two round stones grind wheat into flour.Ziarat Valley:
The main hill station of Balochistan, 120 km from Quetta at an altitude of 2450 metres, among ancient Juniper forests. Made famous by summer villa of the Quaid-e-Azam, which is still maintained and houses his personal belongings.A visit to Quetta will however, be incomplete without a trip to Ziarat (133 kms from Quetta, 3 hours by car), a hill town 8000 feet above sea-level Air-conditioned coach and taxis take anything between an hour or two from Quetta an ideal and relaxing summer retreat with rows of juniper trees and ever green slopes.
The word Ziarat means holy place to be visited and the valley is known by that name because of a shrine of a holy saint, Tahir Baba Kharwari. There are other graves as well. However, the world knows it more because of the oldest and tallest juniper jungle, which needs to be looked after properly for future survival.
Extremely delicious species of apple, black cherry and almond trees are abundant in Ziarat, covering about 4416 acres in the lap of mountains.
The word Ziarat means holy place to be visited and the valley is known by that name because of a shrine of a holy saint, Tahir Baba Kharwari. There are other graves as well. However, the world knows it more because of the oldest and tallest juniper jungle, which needs to be looked after properly for future survival.
Extremely delicious species of apple, black cherry and almond trees are abundant in Ziarat, covering about 4416 acres in the lap of mountains.
While Ziarat abounds in tall chinar trees and juniper grows wild as does walnut and a variety of other trees, the area west of this hill station leading up to the Afghan border is rocky and barren. The drive through this unfriendly terrain
provides one the grim reminder of the fierce tribes who roamed free in the region and kept the British weary and fearful. The border village of Chaman is also a major trading centre for a variety of fruit, a large quantity of which is still brought in from Afghanistan.
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