Drive to Deosai plains

The biggest tourist attraction of the entire Skardu used to be the lake Satpara (sometimes written as Sadpara) located just four kilometers south of the town, so it is accessible also by foot  and not only within jeep tour to Deosai plains. Unfortunately, the photogenic island in the middle of the lake and surrounding green oasis is disappearing with increasing the dam. But even so, it is still a very nice place to stop.

With the ever-increasing energy consumption in Skardu and its surroundings is constantly increasing the dam of the lake and hydroelectric power plant improves performance. Unfortunately, it has a negative influence on the surroundings of the original lake.

Near the road ford of the side valley there is a small park ranger’s booth, where is paid the admission fee to Deosai National Park.

From the checkpoint the small road rises up and there is a beautiful view of the picturesque village Satpara surrounded by green oasis from the headland.

Just a bit further there is even more beautiful outlook of the whole valley and of the lake Satpara in the distance.

Hour away from the checkpoint the canyon gets narrower and quality of the road deteriorates. At the beginning of the summer appear even here (relatively low) first snow fields.

Some parts of the canyon are really beautiful – crystal clear river flowing through deserted, but with increasing altitude much greener rocky landscape. On the horizon peeks already out one of the mountains that lines the Deosai plains. From some of these mountains are very little known, but interesting distant views of the main ridge of Karakoram including K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum, Masherbrum and many other amazing mountains.

Pakistani road workers are busy basically the whole year round here. The road is regularly showered by smaller or larger landslides from the surrounding hillsides. Fierce side streams can quite often „eat“ quite a big part of the road during here frequent fast, but strong thunderstorm.

Some parts of the road are at higher altitudes bit reminiscent of famous death roads – a narrow road and beneath the precipice into the river bed or milled snow drifts.

The canyon ends and you can see the snow peak of the mountains near Skardu if you look back.

You suddenly come as if to a completely different world – Deosai plains welcome you by rounded ridges, grass and literally carpet of alpine flowers, however if you are here in the beginning of summer. Everywhere is water from melting snow fields. There are much more snow than anywhere else at the same altitude.