Deosai Wildlife Safari

Deosai, meaning 'land of giants' in Shina, is the world's second-highest plateau after Tibet's Changtang, spreading across 3,000 square kilometres at a mean elevation of 4,114 metres in Gilgit-Baltistan. This vast, treeless highland is locked under snow from October to May, but from July through September it transforms into one of Pakistan's most extraordinary wildlife habitats. The plateau's short-grass meadows — spangled with alpine wildflowers including gentians, buttercups, and Himalayan edelweiss — support a density of Himalayan brown bears (Ursus arctos isabellinus) that is the highest anywhere in South Asia.

The Himalayan brown bear population on Deosai has recovered from near-extinction thanks to Deosai National Park, established in 1993 with an initial population of just five confirmed individuals. By 2023, the population had grown to over 70 bears, making Deosai the last viable refuge for this subspecies in Pakistan. Bears are most visible in July and August when they emerge onto the open meadows to graze on the abundant grasses and dig for golden marmots. The marmots themselves — rotund, russet-coloured, and highly social — are another highlight: their sharp alarm whistles echo across the plateau as they stand sentinel outside their burrow networks.

Our safari is conducted entirely by 4WD vehicle across Deosai's rough tracks, with regular stops at known bear-activity zones. The jewel of the plateau, Sheosar Lake (4,142 m), provides a focal point — a luminous blue expanse fed by glacier streams where bar-headed geese and Brahminy ducks nest in summer. Nights are spent in Skardu for comfort, with early morning departures to catch peak wildlife activity at dawn.