Sindh is the lower Indus valley, a hot, flat land of canals, date palms and mangrove creeks that ends at the Arabian Sea. Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, spreads along its western coast. The province holds some of the oldest remains of city life in South Asia. Mohenjo-daro was laid out around 4,500 years ago, and Sufi shrines, Mughal-era tombs and desert temples followed over the centuries. West of the Indus, the land rises into the bare Kirthar hills, and to the south-east lies the Thar desert.
What you can do
Most active trips start from Karachi. Boats head out to the rocky islands off the coast for snorkelling and scuba diving from about October to April, when the sea is calm and the water is usually clearest. Inland, Kirthar National Park covers a huge sweep of bare ridges and gorges, with Sindh ibex on the cliffs and rough hiking country for the cool months. Mohenjo-daro, far up the Indus near Larkana, needs a flight or a long drive but rewards the effort. The Thar desert in the south-east is a slower trip of dunes, farming villages and peacocks. A surprising amount of Sindh lies within a day's drive of Karachi.
Getting there and where to stay
Karachi's Jinnah International Airport has flights from the Gulf and beyond, and domestic flights reach Islamabad and Lahore in around two hours. Hotels cluster near the sea in Clifton and in the city centre. From May to September the heat is intense, and the monsoon swell makes the sea too rough for most boat trips. Three or four days covers the coast and a day trip inland. Sindh pairs well with the coast of Balochistan, which begins just west of the city.
Booking on adventuro
Sea trips run in the cooler months, so pick dates between October and April. Use the Book here tab to see live dates and prices from local centres.
