Walk in surroundings of Deosai Top

To the edge of Pakistani Tibet

Petr Liška
Wrote 2420 articles and follows him / her 243 travelers
Inserted: 05.05.2014
© gigaplaces.com

National park Deosai plains occupy the large upland plateau between the ridge of the Himalayas and Karakoram. If you want to explore this intriguing corner of the country and do not have time for a trek, an interesting option is then a trip by jeep from Skardu through the valley of river Hargisa to a place called Deosai Top. From there, you can make a short hike around the surrounding meadows and rounded hills.

"Hotel" Deosai Top

Once you manage the nice ride along the canyon of river Hargisa around the lake Satpara, you come to the edge of Deosai plains. The house (about 4,015 m asl) standing here is lofty called hotel and, moreover also Top, while there is a muddy path rising from here still upwards. All tourist jeeps from Skardu stop here, so you can make a walking trip around the area from here.

Author: Jiří Klečák © gigaplaces.com

Rugged beauty of Deosai plains

The beginning of summer is magic in the fact that thousands of flowers bloom everywhere and there are scattered remnants of snow fields all around. The disadvantage is that the whole path across the plains is not passable, so you'll be able to explore only a small part of this national park.

Author: © gigaplaces.com

Journey to the pass

If you want to walk a little from the hotel, a possible option is to walk for about two kilometers along the road to a lackluster pass and ascend to one of the featureless peaks in its vicinity. This trip can also serve as an interesting acclimatization before undertaking a trek in Karakorum.

Author: © gigaplaces.com

Muddy path

There are still a lot of snow fields on the surrounding slopes at the beginning of summer, so melting water makes the path completely muddy. Its passability is then very difficult.

Author: Jiří Klečák © gigaplaces.com

In the pass

After half an hour ascent along a muddy road you are finally in the first pass (4 125 m asl) on the road through Deosai plains. Horizon is dominated by the snowy ridge of mountains, in many places of which probably never stood a human foot.

Author: Jiří Klečák © gigaplaces.com

Landscape around Deosai plains

From the pass set off eastwards along the footpath slowly upward. If you have more (a lot) time, you can ascend along the long ridges up to the top of the adjacent mountain at about (4 860 m asl, 8.5 km away), which offers a beautiful view. In good weather you will see also Karakorum eight-thousanders.

Author: Jiří Klečák © gigaplaces.com

Deosai pond

If you have significantly less time, you will probably suffice just with a circuit to the lake, which is only less than half a kilometer from the pass. Mountain in the background at about 4500 meters asl rises directly above the valley of Hargisa, through which you arrived here on the plains – another possible easily accessible tourist destination in the surroundings of Deosai Top.

Author: Jiří Klečák © gigaplaces.com

Way back to Deosai Top

If you do not want to return the same way back, you can walk in a shortcut through the valley of the stream. The road is in sight, so there is nowhere to lose. The pyramid on the horizon has about five thousand meters above sea level.

Author: Jiří Klečák © gigaplaces.com
Applaud the author of the article!
Share it on:

Articles nearby

Part of itienary

Article: Trip to Deosai plains

Favorite one day acclimatization trip from Skardu to Deosai plains will give you an idea about the life on the largest upland… continue reading