Pakistan > To the Deosai Plateau

Yesterday, several travel companions complained about the prolonged and loud call to prayer in the middle of the night. They were surprised that I slept right through it. Tonight the call was heard again, but much quieter. This was due to a power outage. The electricity network here is unstable. So far, the power has gone out at least once every day. Usually, it’s restored within a few minutes. With all the cables hanging along and over the roads, it’s not surprising that something goes wrong. I’m awake even before the alarm. I take a shower. I turn on the hot water tap, but the water stays cold. I brush my teeth and shave. Still cold water. Just when I’m about to give up and step under the cold stream, the water heats up. This took more than five minutes. I don’t complain. At breakfast, not everyone is feeling well. One travel companion has been in bed all day and for her, today’s trek to the Deosai plateau is too strenuous. She will stay two days at the hotel in Skardu. Today we drive back to Skardu—the same route we took the day before yesterday. The view of the mountains and valley is beautiful from this side as well. Occasionally we stop for a photo. A decorated truck drives past. Due to an accident, the front is dented and the windshield is missing. The driver waves to us through the open space. As long as a vehicle runs, it’s still in use. Around noon, we arrive back in Skardu. We order lunch in a restaurant. The hour allotted for lunch turns out to be insufficient. No dish has been served yet—I only ordered soup.

Pakistan - Hoesein and Medi by the Satpara lake

A little later I enjoy a large bowl. Before leaving Skardu and heading into the mountains, we do some shopping at a small supermarket. I buy some cola and water for the coming days. A bit later than planned, we leave Skardu. Already in the streets of Skardu, we climb significantly. In about three hours, we ascend from 2,500 meters to over 4,000 meters on the Deosai plateau. After the Tibetan plateau, this is the highest mountain plateau in the world. Just outside Skardu, we pass Satpara Lake, a large reservoir that supplies drinking water and electricity to Skardu. The blue water contrasts beautifully against the steep mountains. The mountain road going up is narrow and in many places just wide enough for one vehicle. When meeting oncoming traffic, a safe spot must be found to pass. The mirrors barely clear each other. At the entrance to Deosai National Park, an entry fee must be paid. For foreigners, it is twenty dollars. Although the chance of seeing Himalayan bears is extremely low, the park is known for this bear species. From the entrance, it is still 16 kilometers to the plateau itself. On the rough rocky mountain road, this easily takes an hour. We pass a surprisingly large number of oncoming vehicles—many people probably visiting the plateau for the day. The sky clouds over as we climb higher. It starts to rain. Because of the shaking in the car, I urgently need to pee.

Pakistan - A cup of local tea with the drivers

The driver says it is a few more minutes to the Ali Malik top. I quickly run to the toilet hut when we arrive. I accept that it isn’t very clean. The drivers are in another hut. “Come join us,” they call when I peek inside. They insist I sit down and have some tea. Meanwhile, I show them pictures of the Netherlands. We don’t have much time to stop. It’s still an hour’s drive across the plateau to the Bara Pani campsite. It’s past five o’clock now, and the sun sets at six. Around this time, we arrive at the campsite. Small colorful tents are already set up. I quickly lay out my mat, air mattress, and sleeping bag. This is easier while there’s still some daylight. The campsite crew has meanwhile prepared an extensive dinner. Plates keep coming out—there’s hardly room left on the table. With a cup of tea, I join the campfire after dinner. Now that the sun is gone, it’s chilly. Above me, I see a clear starry sky—a sign of a cold night. I crawl into my tent early. I put on my thermal clothes and pull the sleeping bag over my head.

Pakistan - Camping at 4100 meters altitude