Fascinating Pakistan: Skardu - the Cold Desert

 

One hears of cold arctic desert covered with thick layers of ice or the Gobi Desert of Mongolia - the hottest desert of the world. But you may be surprised to know that there is one 'cold' desert located almost at the height of 8,000 feet, above mean sea level, surrounded by snow clad mountains in Pakistan near the city of Skardu - the road way to world’s highest mountains that includes K2, K3, and Gasherbrum. 

Since the temperature falls below freezing point in winters, the desert is rightly called the cold desert - or may I say the coldest highest desert in the world - or better name it a desert above the clouds!!

The beautiful sand dunes of Katpana Desert at Skardu, the main city of the Gilgit-Baltistan province of Pakistan, are one the favourite tourist destinations. Owing to its location at this high altitude, it is rightly known as the cold desert. 

A spectacular view of the sand dunes

A rare phenomenon: desert at foothills of snow clad mountains

These vast stretches of sand dune exits along the course of mighty River Indus, which start from the Khaplu Valley to Nubra Ladakh and Shigar Skardu valley. However its largest area can be seen in the Skardu and Shigar valley.

I first saw this beautiful natural phenomenon when I visited Skardu many years ago. I could see these sand dunes from the airplane window as these are very close to the Skardu airport. I took a few shots, but lost these over a period of time. Strong winds shift the dunes as quickly as nomads. At this high altitude and cold region, this desert holds strange a attraction. 

An awesome view of Skardu desert near Shiger

Now watch a beautiful drone video capturing the vast stretches of cold desert in Skardu Valley:

(The second part of the video shows the beautiful road to the Shigar valley of mighty K2. An amazing road looks very beautiful through the lens of this drone.)

There are many other spectacular sightseeing places in and around Skardu. Some of these are:

• World’s second highest plains, Deosai
• Sadpara Lake - one a monumental lake now being consumed by making of  a dam (photo below)
• The 600 years old Kharpocho Fort - built by Balti ruler Ali Sher Khan Anchan.
• Shangrila Resorts built on cold icy waters of Skardu Lake. There is no better place in Skardu than to lodge at the Shangrila Resorts to enjoy the pure natural beauty of Skardu.

If you wish to visit Skardu and its sand dunes, beside its many other attractions, do plan a visit in summers as the winters are very severe. You may take a flight from Islamabad to Skardu. But due to weather turbulences, the flights are often disrupted. One can also opt to take the land route on the Karakorum Highway, the KKH. After Jaglot on the Karakorum Highway, an almost seven hours narrow road leads towards Skardu. So do keep Skardu as of your travel destination next time you plan to visit an adventurous journey to Fascinating Pakistan.

Photos: Northern Areas of Pakistan
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Huacachina – Peru: A desert oasis invites tourists who dare

About three years ago, I shared a post about a desert oasis in the sizzling hot Gobi Desert of China. Many of my readers doubted the authenticity of the existence of a lake right in the centre of one of the hottest deserts of the world where water evaporates in seconds. But it was right there – an oasis with a crescent shaped lake.

An oasis with a crescent shaped lake in one of the hottest deserts of the world: The Gobi Desert (China)

But as if that was just the beginning. There is yet a similar lakes right in the desert of Peru at Huacachina which has recently been an attractive tourist and travel destination from people around the world.

Huacachina – Peru - Just see the similarity between the two oases

The town of Huacachina is located in one of the driest place on the earth with only 96 residents. But it has hotels enough to accommodate those daring tourists who would not only like to enjoy a boat ride or a swim in the lake but also sandboard on the slops of the high dunes surrounding the oasis. 

The unique and awesome Huacachina oasis is situated only 4km from the southern city of Ica, a former Spanish colonial town located on the borders of the desert. Today, descendents of the Inca people make their living by hosting guests coming from afar to climb to the top of a wind-sculptured sand dune and watch the sunset illuminate the golden landscape, before sailing down the slopes on rented sandboards or dune buggies.

The lake is naturally formed, but there is a legend that a young princess was bathing when she was discovered by a hunter and fled, leaving behind a pool of water. Her flowing cloak was said to have created the surrounding sand dunes.

Watch tourists sandboarding on the high dunes surrounding the Huacachina oasis in the video below:

Read more and see more photos of this unique oasis at Daily Mail
Attributes: All photos above are the property of people/organizations as shown each on the photo and are being shared as shared in the Daily Mail.

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Skardu Desert: The coldest desert above the clouds

[Photo: Rizwan Saddique ]

Those who venture the K-2, the second highest mountain after Everest - but much more difficult to scale than Everest, pass through the last major town of Pakistan, Skardu. Located at an altitude of around 8,200 feet in the Gilgit Baltistan region, Skardu leads the way to five of the fourteen eight thousanders of the world, both in the Karakorum and Hindu Kush mountain ranges.

Skardu Valley, which is 10 kilometers wide and almost 40 kilometers long, is located on the confluence of the famous River Indus and Shigar River. The grey-brown mountains overlooking the Skardu town hide the countless peaks of Karakorum mountain range, that also include four of the five  eight thousanders located in Pakistan. The four peaks include the K-2, the Gasherbrums and the Broad Peak, besides the highest sheer verticals - the Trango Towers. Skardu is also the gateway to the Deosai Plains, the second highest plains in the world at 13,500 feet, stretched over an area of 3000 square kilometers.