My friend Asad asked me last year: “How many deserts are there in Pakistan?” I said, “Easy. Thar desert. Everyone knows that one.”
He smiled. “That’s what I thought too. Then I visited Skardu and stood in a snow covered desert at 2,200 meters altitude. Blew my mind.”
That conversation made me realize something. Most of us think Pakistan has one desert maybe two if we remember Cholistan. But the real answer to how many deserts are there in Pakistan is five. And each one is completely different from the others.
Let me take you through them. Not as a boring geography lesson, but as someone who’s actually been to some of these places and heard stories from people who live there.
Why Pakistan Even Has Deserts
Before we count how many deserts are there in Pakistan, let’s understand why they exist. Pakistan sits in a unique geographic position. We have the world’s highest mountains in the north. The Arabian Sea in the south. The Indus River cutting through the middle. And massive stretches of land that get almost no rain.
That last part? That’s where deserts form. Less than 250mm rainfall annually. Extreme temperatures. Sandy or rocky terrain. That’s the definition of a desert.
So how many deserts are there in Pakistan that fit this description? Five major ones. Each tells a different story about this country.
Thar Desert
When you ask how many deserts are there in Pakistan, most people think of Thar first. And for good reason it’s our biggest, most famous desert.
Where is it: Southeastern Sindh, spreading into India’s Rajasthan
Size: About 175,000 square kilometers total (Pakistan’s share is roughly 20-25%)
Districts: Tharparkar, Umerkot, parts of Sanghar and Mirpur Khas
But here’s what makes Thar different from other answers to how many deserts are there in Pakistan: it’s packed with people.
Most deserts are empty. Thar? It has villages everywhere. People living in mud houses that somehow stay cool in 50 degree heat. Kids going to school walking through sand dunes. Women wearing the brightest colors you’ll ever see – reds, yellows, oranges standing out against the beige landscape.
My colleague Naveed is from Tharparkar. He told me: “People think desert means nothing grows there. But when it rains in Thar, within days everything turns green. Grass everywhere. Flowers. It’s like magic.”
That’s called “Sawan ka safar” the monsoon journey. For a few weeks after rare rains, Thar transforms. Then back to sand.
What lives there
- Peacocks (yes, in a desert!)
- Desert foxes
- Camels (obviously)
- Chinkaras (small deer)
- Snakes and scorpions
The culture
Thari people have incredible music. Desert festivals. Embroidered clothing. Camel races. They’ve adapted to harsh conditions and somehow built a rich culture.
When understanding how many deserts are there in Pakistan, Thar shows you that deserts aren’t dead zones. They’re living, breathing places with communities that have thrived for centuries.
Cholistan Desert
Ask someone from Punjab about how many deserts are there in Pakistan and they’ll immediately mention Cholistan.
Where is it: Southern Punjab, near Bahawalpur
Size: About 26,000 square kilometers
Also called: Rohi Desert by locals
Cholistan is technically part of the greater Thar desert system, but it has its own identity. And one thing that makes it famous: Derawar Fort.
This fort sits in the middle of the desert massive walls, 40 bastions, built in the 9th century. Drive through endless sand, then suddenly this huge structure appears. It’s surreal.
My friend’s family is from Bahawalpur. Last year they took me to Cholistan for the Jeep Rally. This is a huge event hundreds of modified jeeps racing through sand dunes. Thousands of people camping, having bonfires, enjoying the desert culture.
“This is our version of tourism,” my friend said. “Sindh has Thar, we have Cholistan.”
What’s changing
Parts of Cholistan are being irrigated now. Canal water is slowly reaching some areas. Farmers are planting wheat and other crops. The desert is shrinking, technically.
Is this good or bad? Depends who you ask. Farmers are happy. Environmentalists worry about desert ecosystem loss. Desert nomads are losing grazing land for their livestock.
When you ask how many deserts are there in Pakistan, Cholistan represents the tension between development and tradition.
Thal Desert
Between Indus and Jhelum rivers in central Punjab sits Thal Desert. Most people don’t even know this exists when they ask how many deserts are there in Pakistan.
Where is it: Bhakkar, Khushab, Mianwali, Jhang districts
Size: About 20,000 square kilometers
Terrain: Mix of sand dunes and semi-arid plains
Thal used to be completely barren. My grandfather said in the 1960s, you couldn’t grow anything there. Just sand and thorny bushes. Then came the Thal Canal Project. Started in 1939, properly completed in the 1970s-80s. Canal water from Indus River started reaching Thal.
Today? Large parts of Thal are farming areas. Wheat fields where sand dunes used to be. Mango orchards. Villages with tube wells. My friend’s family bought land in Thal 20 years ago when it was cheap because “it’s desert, nobody wants it.” Today they’re growing wheat and making good money.
What remains
Not all of Thal is converted. Some areas still have pure desert. Sand dunes. Minimal vegetation. Extreme heat in summer.
When people ask how many deserts are there in Pakistan, Thal shows that the number might actually decrease over time as irrigation expands. Though environmentalists debate if that’s actually good.
Kharan Desert
This is the desert most Pakistanis know nothing about when they wonder how many deserts are there in Pakistan.
Where is it: Western Balochistan, near Kharan district
Size: Roughly 20,000 square kilometers
Terrain: Sandy flats mixed with rocky, barren mountains
Kharan is remote. Seriously remote. Very few people live there. Almost no tourism. Harsh conditions. Limited water. Extreme temperatures. So why does it matter when counting how many deserts are there in Pakistan?
Because of what happened there in 1998. Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in Kharan (technically nearby Chagai hills, but part of same desert region). Chagai-II test. That put Kharan on the map internationally. Suddenly this forgotten desert became strategically important.
I’ve never been to Kharan. Very few people have. But I talked to a truck driver who passed through. He said: “It’s empty. Sand and rocks for hours. No villages. No trees. Nothing. Just silence.”
That’s actually accurate. Among the answers to how many deserts are there in Pakistan, Kharan is the most desolate and least explored.
Why so empty
Water is scarce. The few people who live there are mostly nomadic herders moving with their animals. No agriculture is possible. Too hot and dry even by desert standards.
Some people think Kharan could have mineral resources that might be valuable in the future. But for now, it remains Pakistan’s most mysterious desert.
Katpana Desert The Coldest Among How Many Deserts Are There in Pakistan
Here’s where answering how many deserts are there in Pakistan gets interesting.
Where is it: Near Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan
Size: Small compared to others just a few square kilometers
Altitude: 2,200 meters above sea level
Type: Cold desert
Wait. Cold desert? Deserts are supposed to be hot, right? That’s what I thought until I visited Skardu two years ago. We landed at Skardu airport. My friend said, “Let’s stop at the cold desert on the way to the hotel.” I was confused. Desert here?
Five minutes later, we’re standing on sand dunes with snow-capped mountains behind us. The sand was cold to touch. It was April. There were patches of snow on the dunes from winter.
My mind was officially blown. Katpana Desert is one of the highest cold deserts in the world. In winter, it gets covered in snow. Yes, a snow-covered desert. The sand is still there, just hidden under white.
Why it exists
High altitude. Very low rainfall. Cold winds. The conditions create a desert environment, just cold instead of hot. This completely changes how you think about deserts. When someone asks how many deserts are there in Pakistan, Katpana proves that deserts aren’t always what we imagine.
Tourism impact
Because it’s right next to Skardu (a major tourist destination), thousands of tourists visit Katpana every year. It’s become an Instagram spot. People taking photos on sand dunes with mountains behind them.
The government has built viewing platforms and a small tourist facility nearby. Local kids offer camel rides on the cold sand for 500 rupees.
Among all the answers to how many deserts are there in Pakistan, Katpana is the only one benefiting significantly from tourism without traditional desert culture.
Comparing All Five: What Makes Each Unique
So now you know how many deserts are there in Pakistan: five. But let me compare them so you understand their differences:
Thar
- Biggest and most populated
- Hot desert with rich culture
- Seasonal transformation after rains
- Traditional desert lifestyle thriving
Cholistan
- Historic significance (Derawar Fort)
- Famous for jeep rally
- Being gradually irrigated
- Connected to Bahawalpur’s history
Thal
- Being converted to farmland
- Shows human impact on desert
- Less “pure desert” now
- Agricultural success story
Kharan:
- Most remote and desolate
- Nuclear test significance
- Least populated
- Remains largely unexplored
Katpana
- Only cold desert
- Highest altitude
- Tourism-focused
- Completely different from others
When people ask how many deserts are there in Pakistan, the answer isn’t just a number. It’s understanding five completely different landscapes with different climates, cultures, and purposes.
What’s Happening to Pakistan’s Deserts in 2026
The answer to how many deserts are there in Pakistan might change in the future. Here’s why:
Climate change impact
Thar and Cholistan are experiencing changing rainfall patterns. Some areas getting slightly more rain, others less. Scientists are studying long term effects.
Irrigation expansion
More of Thal and Cholistan are being converted to agricultural land. This reduces desert area but increases food production. Trade off.
Tourism development
Katpana is seeing more tourist infrastructure. Cholistan’s rally is growing. Even Thar is getting “desert safari” tourism in Tharparkar.
Environmental concerns
Desert ecosystems are fragile. Converting them rapidly without planning can cause problems. Loss of unique desert species. Groundwater depletion. Soil degradation.
Population pressure
More people moving to desert edges. More pressure on limited resources. Competition between traditional desert communities and new settlers.
In 2026, when answering how many deserts are there in Pakistan, we’re also asking: how long will they remain deserts?
Why Knowing About Pakistan’s Deserts Matters
Understanding how many deserts are there in Pakistan isn’t just geography trivia. It matters because:
These deserts represent 20% of Pakistan’s land area
That’s huge. Millions of people live in or near them.
They have cultural value
Desert communities have unique traditions, music, crafts. Preserving these cultures means protecting their environment.
They have economic potential
Tourism, solar energy farms, mineral resources. Deserts aren’t useless wastelands.
They affect climate
Desert areas influence regional weather patterns, temperatures, and wind flows.
They’re part of our identity
When we think of Pakistan, we should think of diversity mountains AND deserts. Greenery AND sand.
My friend Asad, who asked me how many deserts are there in Pakistan, eventually visited all five. Took him two years. Thar, Cholistan, Thal, Kharan (he works in Balochistan), and finally Katpana.
He told me: “Each desert taught me something different. Thar taught resilience. Cholistan taught history. Thal taught transformation. Kharan taught isolation. Katpana taught that nature always surprises you.”
That’s the real answer to how many deserts are there in Pakistan. Not just five deserts. Five different stories about land, people, and survival.
Conclusion
So how many deserts are there in Pakistan? Five major ones: Thar, Cholistan, Thal, Kharan, and Katpana. But the number is less important than understanding what each desert represents.
These aren’t empty, useless lands. They’re living landscapes where communities have adapted, survived, and thrived for centuries. They’re areas of strategic importance, agricultural transformation, and stunning natural beauty.
Next time someone asks you how many deserts are there in Pakistan, don’t just say “five.” Tell them about the girl in Tharparkar wearing bright red dress walking to school through sand dunes. Tell them about Derawar Fort standing tall in Cholistan since the 9th century.
Tell them about wheat fields growing where there used to be only sand in Thal. Tell them about the silent emptiness of Kharan. Tell them about standing on cold sand with snow capped mountains behind you at Katpana.
That’s the real answer. Five deserts. Countless stories. And all of them part of Pakistan’s incredible diversity that we should appreciate, protect, and be proud of.
FAQs
Q1: How many deserts are there in Pakistan?
Pakistan has five major deserts: Thar, Cholistan, Thal, Kharan, and Katpana, each with unique characteristics and climate.
Q2: Which is the largest desert in Pakistan?
Thar Desert is the largest, covering approximately 175,000 square kilometers shared between Pakistan and India.
Q3: Which is the coldest desert in Pakistan?
Katpana Desert near Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan is a high altitude cold desert that gets snow covered in winter.
Q4: Do people actually live in Pakistan’s deserts?
Yes, especially in Thar, Cholistan, and Thal where established communities have lived for generations with livestock and limited farming.
Q5: Which desert in Pakistan is best for tourism?
Katpana near Skardu attracts most tourists due to accessibility and unique cold desert landscape; Cholistan’s Jeep Rally also draws crowds.
Q6: Are any Pakistani deserts being converted to farmland?
Yes, Thal Desert and parts of Cholistan are being irrigated through canal projects, converting desert into agricultural land.
Q7: Where is the least populated desert in Pakistan?
Kharan Desert in western Balochistan is the most remote and least populated due to harsh conditions and water scarcity.
Q8: Can you visit Derawar Fort in Cholistan Desert?
Yes, Derawar Fort is accessible from Bahawalpur and is one of Cholistan Desert’s main tourist attractions.
Q9: What animals live in Pakistani deserts?
Thar and Cholistan have peacocks, desert foxes, camels, chinkaras (small deer), various reptiles, and desert birds.
Q10: Why does Pakistan have both hot and cold deserts?
Pakistan’s diverse geography creates different desert types: hot deserts in low-lying areas of Sindh and Punjab, cold desert at high altitude in Gilgit Baltistan.
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