Camping and Hiking in the Deosai Plains of Pakistan
Do you ever wish to discover and experience Deosai Plains’ peace and beauty? Have you ever fulfilled your desire to hike and spend a quiet night under a starry sky at a campsite on the top of the world’s plains?
Well, you do not fret about it. Even if it has not, now is your time to explore the unexplored Deosai Plains of Pakistan. These plains certainly provide an unforgettable camping and hiking experience to ardent hikers and tourists across the world.
Where are Deosai Plains located?
The famous name of the Deosai Plains is “The Shadow of the Giant.” These high-altitude plains, situated in the province of Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan, are a must place to camp and hike in when discovering Pakistan.
Deosai National Park is an enormous area stretched at about 3,000 Km². These vast uninhabited grasslands cover all the lands of Deosai Plains and the 16 communities surrounding it.
The epitome of vastness, variety of hues of the sky, and grassy lands stretching as if to the end of the world. The wildflowers of purple, red and yellow colours sprinkled and sprouted all over the land of the Deosai Plains are a wonder of the world.
How to travel to Deosai Plains in Pakistan
Deosai National Park is a most visited mountain trekking spot at an exact height of 13,497 ft. above sea level. Hence, making the Deosai Plains the second highest plateaus in the world.
You can access the Deosai plains from either Skardu valley in the north. Through the Astore valley in the west or b. For tourists, the shortest route is through Skardu valley, which is 30 kilometres away from the Deosai National Park. It is the perfect and most used path to reach the destination.
The unpaved, bumpy, and rocky road to the Deosai Plains is not deadly dangerous. Therefore, you can see the best trek through your transport vehicle, preferably a 4WD, which you can prearrange from Skardu or hire from the entrance of the Deosai check post.
A world of advice to novice hikers and trekkers, a multi-day trek to the Deosai Plains is not a suitable option for ordinary tourists and trekkers. However, once in the land of Deosai National Park, you can have a great experience hiking toward your campsites.
Moreover, while you may find the roads to the Deosai Plains uneasy and uncomfortable, the pain is worth the view. Once you enter the territory of the Deosai Plains, you are swayed by the beauty of this land, with butterflies kissing the blossoming wildflowers.
In addition, the lush green and serene fenlands with crystal clear brooks and streams all around sweep you off your feet. You get to witness the out-of-this-world beauty spread around you, and (light) hikes are fun.
Deosai Plains: Camping in Heaven on Earth
Surrounded by the adjoining great mountains and beautiful hills, the Deosai Plains offer you three delectable campgrounds. Namely: Bara Pani, Kala Pani, and Sheosar Lake.
The hikes to these campsites with the soothing gurgling sounds of the streams, brooks, and creeks. The lulling cool breezes of the plains. Your hiking certainly becomes a mind-refreshing experience.
Peaceful Mountain trekking to the Bara Pani (Large Water Body) campsite in Deosai Plains is one of the best attractions. With a hill behind the campground, you can get a view of Nanga Parbat and a bird’s eye view of the Deosai Plains.
Wear your heavy sneakers for mountain trekking to Bara Pani because the Earth in these areas is marshy. Additionally, you must carry your water bottles along because the oxygen levels fluctuate and can cause uneasiness in breathing.
Kala Pani (Black Water), Deosai Plains
Kala Pani (Black Water) is named after the freezing frigid water in its streams and brooks. This scenic place is almost 40 to 45 minutes away from Bara Pani. It is spotless on Deosai Plains and the quietest camping ground.
Moreover, the solitary yet, highly calming campsite, which is the mushy area around Sheosar Lake, can never be taken for granted. The facilities here are none, but the beauty reaches its heights here. So, if you plan to camp around here, take everything along.
Beneficial Resources & Necessary Precautions for Camping
The Bara Pani campsite has communal tents for you. As a tourist searching for sheer tranquillity, you must carry your camping equipment with you. You can easily camp in a more secluded area (of course, within the allowed limits) if you have your tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad.
Furthermore, do not forget to pack your warmest clothes!!! The Deosai weather is the most unpredictable weather of all times and places.
The best time to camp and visit the Deosai Plains is from mid-July to mid-August in the summer. But do not let the summer fool you because the Deosai weather, even in summers, is unforeseen. The temperatures drop to the lower of -1, and it is icy cold in the blink of an eye.
Additionally, if you want your camping experience to be a beautiful, unforgettable memory, you must carry your food and power banks (a necessity of digital reality) with you.
The official tourism department of the province has set up a Tourist Police Check Post at Bara Pani for help in Emergencies. It would be best if you bought a locally used SCOM Sim from Skardu before your stay here. This sim works wonders here and has towers and routers for solid signals.
Do not sleep away from the defined camping areas as a precautionary measure. Besides, the camps have security guards who fully protect you from animal attacks or make you aware if an animal (Brown Bear, mostly) is nearby. Stay close and stay safe.
Attractions of Deosai National Park & Plains
The diverse species of flora and fauna through which the Deosai Plains gained the status of Deosai National Park in 1993 are the fascinations of these plains. Moreover, being a central hub for protecting the endangered Himalayan Brown Bears. Today this land is home to a variety of wildlife species. Look out for the tremendous grizzly bears, the snow leopards, and most importantly, the Himalayan chubby Marmots.
This is got to be your once-in-a-lifetime experience of watching wildlife with your naked eyes.
On top of that, visiting Sheosar Lake when in Deosai Plains is a must-to-do. The small, deep-blue lake is a spectacular attraction to enjoy with a hot cup of tea. Do not miss visiting this gem of a sight at all.
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