Cholistan Desert

Cholistan, called Rohi locally, spreads over some 26,000 square kilometres of dunes and hard flats in southern Punjab, and it is the dried bed of an ancient river system, the Hakra, whose course is still traceable and along which archaeologists have found hundreds of settlement mounds, some contemporary with the Indus civilisation. A chain of mud-brick forts, of which Derawar is the largest, was strung along the old caravan routes and the water sources. The desert is not empty: pastoralist families move with cattle, goats and camels between water reservoirs called tobas, living in seasonal settlements, and their embroidery, blankets and pottery are sold in Bahawalpur. In February the Cholistan Jeep Rally brings thousands of spectators and racing vehicles to the dunes for the country's biggest motorsport event, which is either the best or the worst time to come.

History

The name joins the Turkic chol, "sands", with the Persian suffix istan. The dry bed of the Hakra, once fed by the Sutlej and Yamuna, supported settlements here from 4000 BCE until the river changed course around 600 BCE; over 400 Harappan sites were listed in the 1970s and a further 37 in the 1990s. In the medieval period a dense chain of forts grew up along the caravan routes, of which Derawar is the best preserved (Wikipedia, Cholistan Desert).

What's there

• Red dunes and flats - shifting sand and hard pans across the desert.
• Mud forts - a chain of ruined desert fortresses along the old routes.
• Herding camps - families, camels and water reservoirs called tobas.
• The Hakra bed - the traceable course of an ancient river.

When to go

November to February only; summer temperatures make the desert genuinely dangerous. The jeep rally is in February. Nights are cold in winter and camping requires proper gear.

What to expect

Travel here needs a four-wheel drive, a local driver who knows the tracks, and plenty of water; navigation errors have serious consequences. There is no fixed tourist infrastructure. Visiting herding communities should be done respectfully rather than as a photo safari. Sandstorms occur in spring.

Nearby

Derawar Fort stands in the desert; Bahawalpur is the gateway town.

Key facts