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.