Cholistan Desert Cholistan Desert The Cholistan Desert (; Saraki: ), also locally known as Rohi (), sprawls from Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan and covers an area of . It adjoins the Thar Desert, extending over to Sindh and into India. The word Cholistan is derived from the Turkic word "chol", meaning "desert". The people of Cholistan lead a semi-nomadic life, moving from one place to another in search of water and fodder for their animals. The dry bed of the Hakra River runs through the area, along which many settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization have been found. The desert also hosts an
Desert National Park of the Thar Desert and its diverse wildlife adventure. The vegetation is sparse, and patches of sewan grass and aak shrub (Calotropis) can be seen. The landscape includes craggy rocks and compact salt lake bottoms, as well as intermediate areas and both fixed and shifting dunes. Around 20 percent of the vast expanse is covered with sand dunes. Flora: ronj, palm trees, ber, dhok. Mammals: desert fox, Bengal fox, desert cat, wolf, hedgehog, blackbuck and chinkara. Reptiles: spiny-tailed lizard, monitor lizard, saw-scaled viper, Russell's viper, common krait. Avifauna: sandgrouse, partridges, bee-eaters, larks and shrikes are year-round residents, while demoiselle crane