Skardu / Baltistan · Wildlife & parks
Deosai National Park
A high-altitude alpine plateau protecting Himalayan brown bear habitat, with Sheosar Lake and summer wildflower meadows as the classic visitor experiences.
Plan this tripAlso known as Deosai Plains, Land of Giants
Practical notes
- Facilities
- Seasonal camps and basic stalls on popular stretches; no developed resort infrastructure.
These notes are not a safety guarantee. Conditions change; check closer to your dates.
Access
Getting there
650 km
Distance
~16 hrs
Drive
Last mile
Jeep onto the plateau from Skardu or via Astore-side approaches when open.
Road High dirt tracks; snowbound outside a short summer window; streams and soft ground after rain.
When to go
Month-by-month access and crowding.
- Ideal
- Crowded
- Risky
- Closed
- Unknown
A high-altitude alpine plateau protecting Himalayan brown bear habitat, with Sheosar Lake and summer wildflower meadows as the classic visitor experiences.
Park fees & permits
Entry rules for this protected area - confirm at the gate before you travel.
- Local entry
- PKR 50–500
- Foreign entry
- PKR 500–2,000
- Managed by
- Gilgit-Baltistan Wildlife Department
- IUCN category
- Category II
Wildlife to look for
Best window: July–August, when the plateau is fully accessible and bears are most active before hibernation prep
- Himalayan brown bearVulnerable
TODO: verify current population estimate before citing a number
- Golden marmot
- Ladakh urial
- Grey wolf
- Red fox
Deosai hosts one of the more significant Himalayan brown bear populations in the region; stay on established tracks and maintain distance from wildlife.
Inside the park
Named zones and stops - open the linked guides for trail or lake detail.
Sheosar Lake
Iconic lake within the plateau.
Open guideDeosai Plateau walking route
The wildflower-plain walk covered elsewhere on the site.
Open guide
On the ground
What to expect
Facilities
Basic
Permit
Not required
Entry fee
Confirm locally
Facilities Seasonal camps and basic stalls on popular stretches; no developed resort infrastructure.
Permit Confirm current park entry fees at the gate; camping rules vary by season.
The story
Deosai is best planned as a park unit: short summer access, high elevation, and wildlife-first conduct. Use the linked Sheosar Lake and plateau walk guides for those specific days - this page covers permits, species, and how the plateau fits a Skardu- or Astore-based itinerary. Stay on established tracks, keep distance from wildlife, and build buffer days for weather.
Photos
1 photo
On the map
Deosai National Park
Approximate coordinates — confirm the trailhead locally: 35.02000, 75.42000 · Open in OpenStreetMap
Nearby
Easy add-ons while you’re around Deosai National Park.
3 places
LakesSame stopSheosar Lake
Sheosar Lake is a high alpine lake on the Deosai Plateau, usually visited as a jeep day trip from Skardu in the short summer window. The setting is open and cold - plan layers, altitude pacing, and weather buffers.
Open guide
HikesSame stopDeosai Plateau Walk
The Deosai Plateau walk is a moderate high-altitude outing on open plains above Skardu, often paired with Sheosar Lake viewpoints. Access is seasonal and jeep-dependent; walking segments are exposed and colder than valley trails.
Open guide
ValleysSkardu Valley
I'd treat Skardu as Baltistan's practical front porch: cold-desert dunes at Katpana, alpine lakes within an hour, and the staging ground for Shigar, Deosai, and the high trekheads. You'll fly in when weather allows, then hire jeeps like you mean it.
Open guide
Trip reports
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How this guide was checked
This guide was desk researched and has not yet been field verified.
Current road, permit, and weather status: confirm locally. Conditions change.
No named field editor is attached to this page yet — we do not invent bylines.