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Sukkur is a historic city on the west bank of the Indus River in Sindh, Pakistan, facing the old town of Rohri across the water. It is famous for its river landmarks: the Lansdowne and Ayub bridges, the colonial-era Sukkur Barrage, the island fortress of Bukkur and the Sadh Belo temple island.
People have lived here for millennia, and the Harappan ruins of Lakhan-jo-daro lie on the city's outskirts. The Mughal-era Masoom Shah Minaret was raised between 1595 and 1618, while modern Sukkur grew up beside a British garrison founded in 1839. The barrage, completed in 1932, made the city the hub of one of the world's largest irrigation systems.
Most sights cluster along the river, so a boat trip ties together Bukkur Fort, Sadh Belo and the views of the bridges. Across the water, Rohri holds Sateen Jo Aastan, while the ruins of ancient Aror, with the Kalka Cave Temple, make an easy half-day trip. Winter is the time to come.
Lansdowne Bridge links Sukkur and Rohri across the Indus and was the longest cantilever bridge in the world when it opened in 1889. It carried trains until 1962, and its two tall steel towers still frame every river view in town. Watch it from the Rohri bank or from a boat at sunset.
Ayub Bridge, the great steel arch beside Lansdowne Bridge in Sukkur, opened in 1962 to carry the railway over the Indus. Built with consulting engineer David B. Steinman, it was among the longest railway arch spans of its day. Together the two bridges form the classic Sukkur skyline.
Sukkur Barrage, built from 1923 to 1932 as the Lloyd Barrage, spans the Indus just below the town and feeds seven canals that water a vast share of Sindh's farmland. Its long yellow-stone arches look best at sunset or when lit at night. Viewpoints on the Sukkur bank give the widest panorama.
Masoom Shah Minaret is a tall, tapering brick tower on a hilltop in Sukkur's old town, begun in 1595 by Mir Muhammad Masum, a Mughal-era noble and historian of Sindh, and finished by his son in 1618. His domed tomb stands beside it, with sweeping views over the Indus and the bridges.
Sadh Belo is an island temple complex in the Indus at Sukkur, founded around the hermitage of the Udasi saint Baba Bankhandi, who arrived in 1823. White temples, gardens and a library make it one of Pakistan's most revered Hindu sites. Boats cross from the ghats; visits may need permission.
Sateen Jo Aastan, the hill of the seven maidens, sits on the Indus bank at Rohri across from Sukkur. Legend says seven sisters vanished here, but it is the tomb complex of Mir Abu al-Qasim Namkeen, with carved ochre graves and blue tilework. Late afternoon brings soft light and views of the bridges.
Kalka Cave Temple is a Hindu shrine to the goddess Kali set into the rocky hills near the ruins of ancient Aror, a short drive from Sukkur via Rohri. Still in active use, it draws devotees to its cave sanctum and colorful courtyard. Dress modestly, remove your shoes and ask before taking photos.
The Muhammad bin Qasim Mosque at Aror, east of Rohri, survives as a few crumbling brick arches standing on a dusty mound. It is traditionally linked to the Arab conquest of Sindh in 711, when Aror was the capital of the region. Pair it with the nearby Kalka Cave Temple on a half-day trip.
Bukkur Fort covers an entire limestone island in the Indus between Sukkur and Rohri, its old walls and bastions rising straight from the water. The fort changed hands many times from the Arab era onward, and the railway now crosses the island. See it best from a boat circling the island.
Rohri faces Sukkur across the Indus and was rebuilt here after an earthquake ruined ancient Aror in 962. By the 1200s it was a busy river port, and its tall old houses still crowd the bank above the water. Cross on the road bridge for lanes of bazaars and the best views back toward Sukkur's skyline.
An Indus River boat ride at Sukkur is the best way to see the city, gliding past Bukkur Fort, the Sadh Belo temple island and beneath the Lansdowne and Ayub bridges. Traditional wooden boats leave from ghats along the riverfront. Agree on a price and route before setting off, and go near sunset.
Ghanta Ghar is the clock tower at the heart of Sukkur's old bazaar quarter, its slender tower rising above a busy square of shops, carts and traffic. Narrow lanes around it are packed with shops and stalls. Come in the morning for a lively market scene, and mind your bag in the crowds.
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