Makli Necropolis

Makli is a burial ground on a plateau above Thatta that ran for around four hundred years from the fourteenth century, and the scale is difficult to convey: hundreds of thousands of graves spread across several square kilometres, from simple carved slabs to monumental domed mausoleums of stone and glazed brick. The carving is the reason to come. Sindhi stonemasons covered tomb chambers and canopies with geometric interlace, floral panels and calligraphy of extraordinary density, and the mixture of Hindu, Persian and Mughal motifs in the same panels records exactly where this place sat culturally. Nearby in Thatta, the Shah Jahan Mosque is roofed with blue and white tiled domes and has an acoustic that carries a speaking voice across the hall.

What you actually see

• The royal mausoleums - domed stone tombs of the Samma and Tarkhan rulers.
• Carved slab graves - dense geometric and floral stonework across the plateau.
• Shah Jahan Mosque, Thatta - tiled blue domes and a famous acoustic.
• The scale itself - kilometres of graves, best appreciated on foot at either end of the day.

When to go

November to February; Sindh is brutally hot the rest of the year and the plateau has no shade at all. Early morning and late afternoon give raking light that shows the carving properly.

Honest expectations

Conservation has been a struggle and many monuments are in poor condition, with collapsed domes and eroded carving; it has spent time on watchlists for that reason. The site is enormous and unstructured, with no marked route, so a guide makes the difference between wandering and understanding. There is no shade or water on the plateau.

Nearby

Thatta and its mosque are adjacent; Karachi is around two hours west.