Karonjhar range is in Nangarparkar which is the last Pakistani city in Tharparkar. To get there, take the National Highway to Thatta, turn to Badin afterwards and finally head to Mithi. Whole journey will take you five to six hours from Karachi. Have lunch at Mithi and then take a ride to Nangarparkar. It will take you ninety minutes to reach there. You need to have booking in one of the two rest houses and if not then rather delay your journey to Nangarparkar till the next morning. There are few commercial rest houses available in Mithi.
I spent the night in Nangarparkar under the shadow of mighty Karonjhar range. I woke up early in the morning as gentle star light turned into warm sunlight. A peacok nearby was hell bent on waking up the neighbourhood. I could see the typical thari huts from the rooftop.
We started our journey to the stream closest to the city. We were not in the trekking gear. Local residents told us that three people recently died on the tracherous path to the top. It decided for us that we would not embark on the jounrey to the top so we decided to come back from the dam on the stream. It took us an hour to reach there. The path is similar to the one at Petra and granite/lava formed rocks were extremely colorful. Due to the torrential rains everything was covered with shrubs and grass. The stream was in full swing.
Now few tips and some critical information for others interested. The best time to reach the top is either in monsoon or during winters. Keep a bagpack containing emergency aid kit, drinking water and mospel. Beware of snakes during the summers. As I know it, it should take you three hours one way to reach the top. The road to Karonjhar is newly built and crime rate is non existent. Do hire a guide. It is essential. Local people would love to help you explore Karonjhar.
