9 min read · 2026-03-27
Deosai National Park — when to go and what to expect
The world's second-highest plateau: opening dates, bear-spotting, camping at Bara Pani and how to cross from Skardu to Astore.
Deosai is 3,000 km² of high plateau at an average 4,114 m, home to roughly sixty Himalayan brown bears and closed for nine months of the year.
The window is about 1 July to 15 September, with peak wildflowers in late July. Best bear sightings are at dawn near Bara Pani in early July.
There are no hotels on the plateau — only managed camps at Bara Pani. We run our own from July to September, with pre-pitched tents, sleeping bags and a cook. Bring layers for near-freezing nights even in August.