Gilgit-Baltistan
Deosai National Park
Region
Gilgit-Baltistan
Best Visit
Roughly July to September, the only months Deosai is free of snow and the road is open, with late July best for the wildflowers. The plateau is snowbound and inaccessible by vehicle from October to June
Highlight
National Park
Access
Open to All
Deosai National Park
— at a glance
Deosai National Park is one of the most extraordinary landscapes in Pakistan, a vast high altitude plateau between Skardu and Astore in Gilgit-Baltistan that sits at an average of around 4,100 metres, making it the second highest plateau on earth after Tibet. For the few months it is free of snow, roughly July to September, the rolling grasslands erupt into a carpet of wildflowers grazed by Himalayan brown bears and golden marmots, with the deep blue Sheosar Lake at 4,250 metres shining at its western edge. Established in 1993 to protect the endangered brown bear, whose numbers have climbed from under twenty to around seventy eight, Deosai is an IUCN wilderness area on UNESCO's tentative World Heritage list. Reached by a rough jeep track from Skardu or Astore and snowbound the rest of the year, it is a wild, otherworldly highlight of any northern trip.
What to expect
National ParkPlateauAlpine LakeWildlifeCamping
Photo by Hammadnasim
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Deosai National Park?
- Deosai National Park is a high plateau in Gilgit-Baltistan, between the Skardu and Astore districts, about 30 km from Skardu. It averages around 4,100 metres, the second highest plateau in the world after Tibet.
- How do you get to Deosai?
- By a rough jeep track, about three to four hours from Skardu across the plains, or from the Astore side. The road is unpaved but not especially dangerous, and a four wheel drive is essential.
- What is the best time to visit Deosai?
- July to September, the only months the plateau is free of snow and the road is open, with late July best for the wildflowers. From October to June Deosai is snowbound and unreachable by vehicle.
- What is Deosai famous for?
- Deosai is famous for being the second highest plateau on earth, for the deep blue Sheosar Lake at 4,250 metres, for its summer wildflowers, and as a refuge for the endangered Himalayan brown bear and golden marmots.
- Can you camp in Deosai?
- Yes. The main camping grounds are at Bara Pani, the most popular with the best views including a Nanga Parbat viewpoint, the quieter Kala Pani, and beside Sheosar Lake. Nights are very cold even in summer, so bring warm gear.
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