Sindh · Pakistan
Thatta travel guide
Thatta is a city in Sindh, Pakistan, home to about 220,000 people.
- Best months
- December to February
- Nearest airport
- KHI79 km · Jinnah International Airport
- Currency
- PKRPakistani rupee
- Time zone
- Asia/Karachi
- Language
- English, Urdu
About
About Thatta
Thatta is a city in the Pakistani province of Sindh. Thatta was the medieval capital of Sindh, and served as the seat of power for three successive dynasties.
Some believe Thatta is the same port city which was situated once on the Indus River during Indian campaign of Alexander the Great. About four centuries ago, Thatta was a famous center of learning, arts and commerce and the capital city of three dynasties: Samma (1335 AD-1520 AD), Arghun (1520 AD-1555 AD) and Tarkhan Dynasty (1554 AD - 1591 AD). The city was later ruled by the Mughal emperors of Delhi from 1592 to 1739. Thatta was a prosperous and flourishing city in those days and the city was an important commercial and cultural centre.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Thatta
See
- Makli Hill
- Shah Jahan Mosque
- Kalan Kot Fort
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Thatta
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Thatta are December to February. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 38 °C; August is the wettest, with about 69 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Thatta: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Jinnah International Airport (KHI), about 79 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting in
Thatta lies on the National Highway # N-5, the longest highway in Pakistan, which travel via Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Multan, Sukkur, and Hyderabad and continues to Karachi after passing Thatta. The part of N-5 between Hyderabad and Karachi is not used very much nowadays, since the newer M-9 Super Highway has shortened the distance between two major cities of Sindh. Non-air conditioned buses and minibuses are easily available throughout the day both from the bus stations in nearby major cities of Karachi and Hyderabad and can also be hailed from the highway.
Getting around
Rickshaws are ubiquitous in Thatta. They can be found on the street, around the main bus stop on N-5 and outside the attraction areas. Rickshaws are generally a cheap mode to travel as well the most available mode of transport in town and most preferred too. The town is not large so you should be able to get most places within 30 minutes at the most and Rs 200 should be enough to take you from one place in town to the other. On the other hand, Thatta is a small town.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
KHI · Jinnah International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Thatta
Eat
Many basic restaurants are scattered throughout the small town of Thatta, but most of them are on the National Highway N-5 which travels through town, and all serve Pakistani food though not all are hygienic. However, there are also some restaurants really worth eating at such as Darbar Restaurant. Expect to pay at least Rs 200 for a single dish wherever and whatever you eat. Bikak & Al-Haram Restaurant is another possibility on N-5. Restaurants usually open early in the morning and remain open until late night. On N-5, you'll see plenty of stalls and shops selling "Rabri" in clay pots. Rabri is a sweet, condensed milk-based dish and is definitely worth trying when you're in town.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Thatta: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Thatta?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Thatta are December to February. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 38 °C; August is the wettest, with about 69 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Thatta?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Jinnah International Airport (KHI), about 79 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Thatta?
Pakistani rupee (PKR).
Nearby
Destinations near Thatta
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.