Derawar Fort
You can make interesting excursions from Bahawalpur, full day trip requiring a four-wheel drive vehicle to Derawar Fort (Qila Derawar), through the semi-desert of cholistan. Derawar fort is also known as “Qila Derawar” is in the semi desert of Cholistan. You can make an interesting and history trip from Bahawalpur to Derawar Fort. A full day trip require a four wheel drive vehicle. Everyone needs a guide who takes history to Derawar and also need to take permission from the present Amir of the Bahawalpur and get into the fort. It is a drive of three to four hours on charming barren landscape.
Cholistan Desert
Cholistan desert covers an area of 26, 000 sq kilometers and stretches to the Thar Desert to India. Once the whole area was watered by the river Ghaggar and now in Pakistan known as Hakara and in the vedic time it is known as the Sarasvati.
The average rainfall in this desert is 12cm annually and civilization is very little in this area. The underground water is salty, very few people in the desert dig artificial wells between the hills and sands and they draw water up by the camels. They dig artificial wells in the rainy season but when they dried up they remove from the deserts. In the desert people live in the round huts shaped steeples. That they construct on the above sand hills and that protected them from the sun. The women in the Derawar Fort wear long red skirts. They live by breeding camels and raising cattle. The private group of Amir’s breeding camels is at Derawar.
Qila Derawar is in good form, its wall are still unbroken and are guarded by soldiers. The age of this fort is unknown, the tomb of Amir’s of Bahawalpur are also at Derawar, embellish with different and beautiful blue glazed tiles. Some of the old guns used by the Amirs of Bahawalpur times ago are also present in the fort. Jeep Ralley is held in the desert of cholistan every year. People from all over the world come and participates in the jeep ralley, it is very famous. On some local channels this jeep ralley is also broadcasted live.