Sindh has two confirmed UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Mohenjo-daro and the Historical Monuments at Makli, and six more sites from the province on UNESCO's tentative list, the formal waiting list of properties a country intends to nominate in future. Between the two categories, Sindh accounts for a large share of Pakistan's heritage recognition, spanning a Bronze Age city, a vast necropolis, colonial-era desert forts and a Mughal-period mosque.
This guide explains what each confirmed site actually is, what being on the tentative list means, and how to visit what's open now.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Confirmed sites | Mohenjo-daro (1980); Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta (1981) |
| Tentative list, Sindh | Ranikot Fort, Shah Jahan Mosque (Thatta) and Chaukhandi Tombs (Karachi), all since 1993; Kot Diji, Naukot and Umerkot forts, added 2026 |
| What "tentative" means | A formal step before a full nomination; not yet inscribed as World Heritage |
| Best base | Larkana for Mohenjo-daro; Thatta for Makli and the Shah Jahan Mosque |
| Best months | November to March |
Mohenjo-daro: Sindh's first World Heritage Site
Mohenjo-daro, near Larkana, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980. It is one of the best-preserved cities of the Indus Valley Civilisation, dating to around 2600–1900 BC, with its grid-planned streets, brick housing and the well-known Great Bath still visible on site. It was recognised for its architectural and archaeological significance as one of the earliest planned urban settlements known anywhere. Our full Mohenjo-daro guide covers visiting the site, the museum and getting there.
Makli: one of the largest necropolises in the world
The Historical Monuments at Makli, near Thatta, were inscribed in 1981. Makli is a vast burial ground, among the largest in the world, with tombs and mausoleums built over several centuries by the Sindhi dynasties who ruled the region, in a distinctive local style of carved sandstone and glazed tilework. It was recognised for representing this architectural tradition across such a long span of history in one place. Our Makli Necropolis guide covers what to see and how to plan a visit.
What Sindh has on the tentative list
A tentative list entry is a formal declaration that a country intends to nominate a site for full World Heritage status; it is a required first step, but it doesn't carry the same protections or recognition as an inscribed site, and some tentative entries wait decades before a full nomination goes forward, if it ever does.
Sindh has had three sites on the list since Pakistan's original 1993 submission:
- Ranikot Fort, near Sann in Jamshoro district, a vast fortification sometimes called the Great Wall of Sindh, thought to date to the Gupta era and enclosing a wall running some 30 km. Our Ranikot Fort guide covers visiting it.
- The Shah Jahan Mosque, in Thatta itself, a 17th-century Mughal-era mosque known for its extensive tilework, listed separately from the nearby Makli necropolis.
- The Chaukhandi Tombs, on the edge of Karachi, a cluster of carved sandstone tombs in a style related to Makli's but distinct in its stone-carved, rather than tiled, decoration.
In 2026, Pakistan added three more Sindh forts to the tentative list: Kot Diji Fort, an 18th-century hilltop fort near Khairpur; and Naukot Fort and Umerkot Fort, both historic desert fortifications in Tharparkar and Umerkot districts associated with regional trade and defence networks. Sindh's culture ministry described the listing as a step towards introducing these sites at an international level, but a full nomination and inscription, if it happens, is likely years away.
Visiting the tentative-list sites
All six tentative-list sites are already open and visited as ordinary heritage attractions; tentative status is a designation for future UNESCO consideration, not a change to how or whether you can visit today. Ranikot Fort takes real planning to reach, given its remote setting and size, and is best treated as its own trip rather than a stop on a standard itinerary. The Shah Jahan Mosque is easily combined with a Makli visit, since both sit in Thatta. The Chaukhandi Tombs are a short trip from central Karachi. Kot Diji, Naukot and Umerkot forts sit further apart, in upper and eastern Sindh respectively, and suit a dedicated fort-focused route rather than a single day trip together.
Putting a trip together
Visiting Mohenjo-daro and Makli, the two confirmed sites, is realistically a multi-day undertaking, since they sit a considerable distance apart, roughly Larkana in the north and Thatta near Karachi in the south. Our Sindh road trip guide covers a five-day route linking the two, and places to visit in Sindh sets out how to group these heritage sites with the rest of the province.
Frequently asked questions
How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites are in Sindh?
Two: Mohenjo-daro, inscribed in 1980, and the Historical Monuments at Makli, inscribed in 1981.
What does it mean for a site to be on UNESCO's tentative list?
It's a formal declaration that a country intends to nominate the site for full World Heritage status in future. It's a required preliminary step, not an inscription, and some sites remain on the list for decades.
Which Sindh sites are on the UNESCO tentative list?
Ranikot Fort, the Shah Jahan Mosque in Thatta and the Chaukhandi Tombs in Karachi, all listed since 1993, plus Kot Diji, Naukot and Umerkot forts, added in 2026.
Can you visit tentative-list sites in Sindh now?
Yes. Tentative status doesn't restrict access; all six sites are already open to visitors as ordinary heritage attractions.
Is Mohenjo-daro or Makli more worth visiting?
Both, for different reasons: Mohenjo-daro for its archaeological importance as one of the world's earliest planned cities, and Makli for the sheer scale and craftsmanship of its tombs. Most visitors treat them as separate legs of the same trip rather than choosing between them.
