Laki Shah Saddar is a small town in the Lakki hills south of Sehwan, known for its natural sulphur hot springs and the shrine of the Sufi saint it's named after. It makes an easy half-day stop if you're already on the Indus Highway between Hyderabad and Sehwan, combining a soak in mildly hot, sulphurous water with a much older religious history than the shrine alone suggests.
This guide covers what the springs are actually like, the shrine, how to visit respectfully, and why the site is worth more than a five-minute photo stop.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Location | Lakki hills, on the Indus Highway (N-55), south of Sehwan |
| Distance from Sehwan | About 20 km |
| Springs | Several natural sulphur springs, some distinctly hot, one cooler freshwater spring |
| Best for | A short stop combined with Sehwan or Manchar Lake; sunset over the hills |
| Entry | No formal ticketing; open site, check locally for current access |
| Facilities | A government rest house nearby; otherwise basic |
Where Laki Shah Saddar is and how to reach it
The Lakki hills run along the west bank of the Indus for around 80 km, connecting to the wider Kirthar range and ending near Sehwan. Laki Shah Saddar sits on the Indus Highway roughly 20 km south of Sehwan, and it's also a stop on the Kotri–Attock railway line, one station before Sehwan Sharif heading north. Most visitors reach it by road, on the way to or from Sehwan.
The hot springs
The springs are a genuine geological feature, not a built attraction: the Lakki hills are volcanic in origin, and the frequent hot springs and sulphurous vents in the area are the result. Scientific surveys of the site have recorded several distinct springs, with the hottest running at around 40 to 42°C and carrying a noticeable sulphur (hydrogen sulphide) smell, alongside at least one cooler, fresher spring closer to normal temperature. Locally, the sulphur water is believed to help with skin conditions, which is why people travel here specifically to bathe rather than just to look. There's no formal bathing infrastructure or fixed opening hours, so treat it as an open natural site and ask locally about current access and which spring is which before getting in.
Bathing etiquette
This is a working local site used by Sindhi families and pilgrims, not a resort, so dress and behave accordingly. Men and women bathe separately or at different times by local custom rather than side by side, and modest dress in and around the water is expected. Bring your own towel and a change of clothes, and don't expect changing rooms or facilities beyond what's basic. If in doubt about which spring is appropriate to use or when, ask rather than assume.
The shrine and its older history
The saint the town is named for, Sayed Sadruddin Lakyari, known as Laki Shah Saddar, was a Sufi preacher whose family traced its lineage to Ali ibn Abi Talib and had arrived in Sindh from Samarra in Iraq. His shrine stands in the town, and about two miles from it, on a hilltop, is the site where he is said to have kept a forty-day spiritual retreat, or chilla.
The site is considerably older than the shrine. Under its former name, Lakki Teerth, it was a significant Hindu pilgrimage centre for many centuries; the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang recorded 273 temples here in the 7th century, most belonging to Pashupata Shaivite ascetics, drawn by the same hot springs visitors bathe in today. That history faded from most visitors' awareness after 1947, but it's part of why this ground has been considered sacred, under different names and different faiths, for so long.
Combining it with Sehwan or Manchar Lake
Laki Shah Saddar works well as a stop rather than a destination in its own right: most people build it into a longer day covering Sehwan Sharif, about 20 km north, or Manchar Lake to the west. Our Sehwan Sharif guide covers the shrine and the town in full, and our Manchar Lake guide covers Pakistan's largest freshwater lake nearby. If you're coming from Karachi or Hyderabad, see our route guide to Sehwan Sharif for how the drive breaks down; Laki Shah Saddar sits just off the same road. For help building it into a longer central Sindh trip, use our trip planning page.
Sunset over the Lakki hills
Late afternoon is the best time to be here. The bare, folded hills catch a warm light as the sun drops, and the contrast between the arid landscape and the steam rising off the hotter springs is more striking than at midday. If you're travelling in summer, aim to arrive in the last couple of hours before sunset rather than at midday, both for the light and because the heat away from the springs themselves is considerable.
Is it safe to visit?
Laki Shah Saddar sits in Jamshoro district, the same area covered by the UK government's current advice against all but essential travel to Sindh province north of and including Nawabshah. Pakistani visitors and pilgrims travel through this stretch of the Indus Highway regularly, including on the way to Sehwan Sharif, but check recent local news and current police advice before setting out, and if you hold a foreign passport, check your own government's advice too, since travelling against it can affect your travel insurance. See our Sehwan Sharif guide for the fuller safety picture for this area.
Is it worth the stop?
Yes, if you're already travelling this stretch of the Indus Highway and have an interest in either the springs themselves or Sindh's layered religious history. It isn't a destination that justifies a special trip on its own from Karachi or Hyderabad, but as an add-on to a Sehwan or Manchar Lake day, it costs little time and gives you something genuinely different from either.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Laki Shah Saddar from Sehwan Sharif?
About 20 km, on the Indus Highway heading south.
Is there an entry fee for the hot springs?
No formal ticketing exists. It's an open site, so check locally for current access and any changes before you go.
Are the hot springs safe to bathe in?
They're natural sulphur springs used by local people for generations, but there are no lifeguards or managed facilities. Bathe at your own judgement, and ask locally which spring suits your intention, since temperatures vary between them.
Can men and women bathe together at Laki Shah Saddar?
No. Local custom keeps bathing separate by sex, either in different areas or at different times. Follow what you see local visitors doing.
What else can I combine with a visit to Laki Shah Saddar?
It sits close to Sehwan Sharif and within reach of Manchar Lake, so most visitors treat it as one stop on a longer day covering either or both.
Is Laki Shah Saddar safe to visit right now?
It falls within the area of Sindh the UK government currently advises against all but essential travel to. Pakistanis travel through it routinely, but check current local news and police advice before you go, and check your own government's advice if you hold a foreign passport.
