☰Khanpur

Eating in Khanpur is street-food and dhaba territory. The cuisine is south Punjabi-Saraiki — heavy use of dal, mutton karahi cooked in a wok over a high flame, naan from clay tandoors, and the kind of slow-cooked nihari and haleem that take all morning to prepare. Saraiki specialities include sajji, a whole lamb slow-roasted on an iron skewer over wood embers, and seekh kebabs grilled to order.

The main bazaar around the railway station has a dozen small dhabas, most without names. Pick whichever looks busy. Prices are very low and portions are generous. Alcohol is illegal across Pakistan and not served anywhere; the standard drinks are sweet lassi, lemonade, and cardamom-flavoured tea.

Khanpur town is small enough to walk around in under an hour. The railway station, the main bazaar, and the bus stand are all within a kilometre of each other. Auto-rickshaws and motorcycle rickshaws operate from the station for short hops within town, and are cheap.

For the desert sites and Bhong Mosque, you need a vehicle. Local taxis and the few car-rental operators in town can be arranged through your hotel. For the deeper Cholistan trips a 4WD is essential — most are hired with a driver, who in practice doubles as the local guide. Plan a full day for any of the further forts.

By train. Khanpur sits on the main Karachi–Peshawar railway line and is well served by the long-distance trains that run that route. The Karakoram Express, Tezgam, and Allama Iqbal all stop at Khanpur Katora station daily. Karachi is roughly 12 hours; Lahore around eight; Multan three. Class options range from first-class sleeper to general compartment; book ahead for sleepers in winter.

By road. The N-5 national highway from Karachi to Peshawar passes a few kilometres east of the town centre. Long-distance buses to Karachi (8 hours) and Lahore (7 hours) run from the main bus stand. The nearest airport is Rahim Yar Khan, about 30 kilometres south, with daily PIA flights to Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad.

By desert track. For deep-Cholistan trips to the forts, hire a 4WD with driver in Khanpur or Rahim Yar Khan. Tracks are unsigned and conditions change with each year's monsoon; a local guide is essential.

Most of what there is to see around Khanpur lies out in the Cholistan Desert, where crumbling forts and ancient mounds mark the sites of kingdoms that flourished along the now-dry Hakra River. The Bhong Mosque, a one-village folk-architecture masterpiece that won the Aga Khan Award in 1986, is the standout attraction; the desert ruins have a stark, haunting beauty of their own.

None of the desert sites have facilities. Going out for a day means hiring a four-wheel-drive, carrying water, ideally bringing a local guide from Khanpur or Rahim Yar Khan, and going early or late to avoid the worst of the heat. The whole area effectively shuts down between mid-May and September when temperatures regularly exceed 45°C.

The only sensible months for the Cholistan Desert are November to February. Daytime temperatures sit in the high teens to mid-20s Celsius, nights are crisp, and the desert sand is firm enough for vehicles. The annual Cholistan Jeep Rally in February draws a large crowd to the desert and is worth timing a trip around.

Avoid the summer entirely. Between May and September daytime temperatures regularly exceed 45°C, the road tar melts, and most of the desert sites are effectively inaccessible. The shoulder months of October and March are still hot but tolerable; the monsoon rains in July and August can briefly turn the desert green for a few weeks.