15D 14N Cultural And Heritage Expedition Across Civilizations in Pakistan

Multan

The places to visit in Multan, the "City of Saints" in southern Punjab, are led by its blue-tiled Sufi shrines, including the 14th-century tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam. Add busy bazaars, sohan halwa and easy access to Bahawalpur, and Multan makes a rewarding stop on a Punjab heritage trip.

Why visit Multan

Multan is one of the oldest cities in Punjab, and for centuries it was a centre of Sufi teaching. That history is written into its skyline of domes and shrines, many of them faced with the glazed blue and white tiles the city is known for. Pilgrims still arrive from across Pakistan, especially during the urs festivals of its saints.

Fewer foreign travellers make it this far south, so the welcome is warm and the sites are rarely crowded.

Multan tourist places

  • Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam: an octagonal brick mausoleum built between 1320 and 1324, one of the finest examples of Tughlaq architecture. It stands at the edge of the old Multan Fort.
  • Shrine of Bahauddin Zakariya: the resting place of the 13th-century Sufi saint and scholar, grandfather of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, and one of the first shrines decorated with Multani tile work.
  • Shrine of Shah Shams Tabrez: another much-loved shrine, busy with pilgrims throughout the year.
  • Ghanta Ghar and the old city: the clock tower, with bazaars of pottery, embroidered cloth and handmade khussa shoes around it.

What is Multan famous for

Beyond the shrines, Multan is famous for three things locals will mention within minutes: sohan halwa, a rich sweet made with ghee and nuts; blue glazed pottery, painted by hand in family workshops; and mangoes, which fill the markets in summer. A walk through the bazaars with a guide is the best way to see all three.

Best time to visit Multan

  • October and November: warm days and pleasant evenings for walking between shrines.
  • December to January: mild winter weather, the coolest time of year.
  • February and March: spring, with the countryside around the city in flower.
  • May to August: best avoided. Multan is among the hottest cities in Pakistan, and June highs regularly pass 44°C.

How to get to Multan from Lahore

From Lahore, the M-3 and M-4 motorways cover about 340 km in around four hours. Multan International Airport also has domestic flights from Islamabad and Karachi. Bahawalpur lies roughly 100 km to the south, which makes it easy to add Derawar Fort and the Cholistan desert.

Plan your Multan tour

Multan features in our 15D 14N Cultural And Heritage Expedition Across Civilizations in Pakistan, alongside Lahore and the rest of Punjab. Choose a tour above, or tell us your dates and we will plan a private southern Punjab route for you.