South Punjab and the Cholistan Desert: Multan, Bahawalpur and Derawar Fort

Most travellers to Pakistan fly into Lahore and turn straight for the mountains, and in doing so they miss half of Punjab. South Punjab is an older, slower, more mystical place: a land of Sufi saints and blue-tiled tombs, of princely palaces, and of the great Cholistan Desert with its lonely forts. Almost nobody writes about it, which is exactly why you should go. Here is how to travel the south.

Multan, the City of Saints

Multan is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the subcontinent, and for a thousand years it has been a centre of Sufism. They call it the City of Saints, and its skyline is a scatter of turquoise-domed shrines. The grandest is the Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, a colossal 14th-century mausoleum on the old fort mound, its dome visible for miles. Nearby lies the Shrine of Bahauddin Zakariya, the 13th-century saint who did so much to spread Islam here. Add the old Qasim Bagh fort area, the bustling bazaars, the famous blue Multani kashi pottery and tilework, and, in summer, the mangoes the city is rightly proud of.

Bahawalpur and its palaces

An hour south, Bahawalpur was the seat of a wealthy princely state until it joined Pakistan, and its rulers left behind a set of extraordinary palaces. The jewel is the Noor Mahal, an Italianate palace built in 1875 that would not look out of place in Europe, now beautifully kept and open to visitors. There is also the grand Darbar Mahal and the excellent Bahawalpur Museum. The city is greener and calmer than Multan and makes the natural base for the desert.

Derawar Fort

Rising out of the Cholistan sands about 100 km south of Bahawalpur is the unforgettable Derawar Fort, a square giant of forty huge bastions, its walls climbing thirty metres above the desert floor. First built by a local Rajput ruler and rebuilt in 1733 by the Abbasi Nawabs of Bahawalpur, it is one of the most dramatic sights in the country, especially at sunset. Beside it stands a beautiful Abbasi royal mosque and the family necropolis. The final approach is over desert track, so come with a capable vehicle.

Uch Sharif

Between Bahawalpur and the desert lies the ancient town of Uch Sharif, once a great centre of learning, now famous for a cluster of half-ruined tomb complexes covered in exquisite blue and turquoise tilework. The tomb of Bibi Jawindi, on Pakistan's UNESCO tentative list, is the star. It is a quietly magical place, and still well off the tourist map.

The Cholistan Desert

The Cholistan Desert, known locally as the Rohi, rolls south and east toward the Indian border, a sea of red-gold dunes dotted with a chain of old forts that once guarded the caravan routes. This is camel country, and the nomadic Cholistani herders still move with the water. Each February, the desert around Derawar hosts the roaring Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally, one of the biggest motorsport events in the country. At other times it is silence, dunes and starlight, best experienced on an overnight desert camp.

Lal Sohanra National Park

On the edge of the desert near Bahawalpur, Lal Sohanra is one of South Asia's largest national parks and a UNESCO biosphere reserve, a mix of forest, wetland and desert that shelters blackbuck, nilgai and a wealth of birdlife. It is an easy add-on to a Bahawalpur trip.

When to go

This is firmly a winter region. Visit between October and March, when the days are warm and the desert nights are cool and clear. From April the heat builds fast, and by high summer Cholistan is brutal, so avoid it entirely.

Getting there and around

Both Multan and Bahawalpur have airports and sit on the main railway line and the M-5 motorway south from Lahore (roughly four to five hours by road). Within the region a car with a driver is the easy way to link the shrines, palaces and the desert, and it is close to essential for Derawar and Uch Sharif.

Where to stay and what to eat

Multan and Bahawalpur both have a solid range of hotels. In Cholistan itself the only real option is a desert camp arranged through an operator, so most travellers day-trip to Derawar and sleep in Bahawalpur. On the food side, try Multan's famous sohan halwa, hearty Saraiki dishes, and of course the mangoes if you come at the tail of summer.

Quick answers

Best time to visit? October to March. Avoid the summer heat.

How do you reach Derawar Fort? A day trip by road from Bahawalpur, with a desert track at the end.

Do you need a permit? No, the region is open. Just carry your passport for checkposts near the desert.

How many days? Three to four to cover Multan, Bahawalpur, Derawar and Uch Sharif.

Written and fact-checked by the Pakistan Locals editorial team, with local guides across South Punjab. Last updated August 2026. Timings and desert access change, so confirm before you travel.

Sources and further reading

• Derawar Fort
• Noor Mahal, Bahawalpur
• Shrine of Bahauddin Zakariya, Multan
• Uch Sharif
• Cholistan Desert

Explore South Punjab with local hosts on Pakistan Locals, or host travellers in your city. Pair it with our Lahore city guide and the Salt Range and Potohar guide.