Pakistan > Hiking around the Sheosar Lake

I was seriously cold last night. I put on extra socks and a sweater. Still, I managed to get some sleep. When I open the tent, there is ice on it. Even the water in my water bottle has a layer of ice. I wonder if I’ve ever camped before with frost like this? Many travel companions had a rough night, either because of the cold or the altitude (or both). I’m not fully awake yet when I join breakfast. Again, there is a full breakfast served. It’s quite remarkable that the crew can offer a better breakfast at this altitude than an average hotel. At eight o’clock, everyone is ready for a walk to Sheosar Lake. The lake is twenty kilometers further on. Over the unpaved road, it takes about an hour and a half to get there. From the car, I have a view over the vast Deosai plateau. The rolling landscape contrasts with the clear blue sky. On both sides of the road, marmots come out of their burrows. They look at us curiously but keep a safe distance. This is probably the only wildlife we will see on the plateau. Bears and snow leopards normally do not show themselves. When we arrive at Sheosar mountain lake, we drive a little further for a view of the snowy peaks of Nanga Parbat, the so-called ‘Killer Mountain’.

Pakistan - The beautiful Deosai plateau

This mountain, at 8,126 meters high, is the second highest mountain in Pakistan. Yassir suggests walking to the mountain lake for a nice reflection. Only the occupants of the last three cars get this proposal; the other two are already ahead. The closer we get to the lake, the more beautiful it becomes. It also gets marshier. It doesn’t take long before my new shoes are wet inside. We walk along the shore of the lake toward the other travel companions. This turns out to be farther than expected. Especially at altitude, it takes considerable effort. Because of this, not everyone feels like doing the original walk to a mountain top. The first group is already at the top. I start the climb. Slowly, I place foot after foot. The route is not too difficult or steep, but climbing above four thousand meters is intense. After more than half an hour, I reach the top of the hill. Ulam, the guide, estimates this to be about two hundred meters higher than the starting point.

Pakistan - From the viewpoint the entire Sheosar lake can be seen

This means I am now at around 4,300 meters. I feel a slight headache from the thin air. I’m not alone in this. Carefully, I descend again. We drive back to the camp with the cars. Lunch is ready there. Some travel companions skip lunch. They are more affected by the altitude or just have no appetite because of it. In the afternoon, we can relax. I lie down in my tent and quickly fall asleep. I also catch up on the travel journal. Outside, clouds have replaced the clear blue sky from this morning. The wind is picking up as well. The tent is swaying back and forth. Apart from a few raindrops, it remains dry. When the sun sets, it gets cooler again. In the dining tent, a full meal is ready. How remarkable that the crew can prepare such a meal in this primitive location. Meanwhile, the campfire has been lit. The crew sings some Pakistani songs, accompanied by a plastic drum. The smoke from the campfire stings my eyes a bit. I go to my tent. I put on extra clothes and crawl into my sleeping bag.