SKARDU - a scenic valley with blue waters (Part III)

They say Skardu is a scenic valley with blue waters. If you have just stumbled upon this post, I recommend checking out my previous ones to get a better understanding, either before or after reading this one.

Let's begin today's diary with Nala Soq as I promised in the last one.

Nala Soq/ Soq Spring:

Soq Valley is located on the higher side of Kachura. It is one of Skardu’s most beautiful valleys (you must be thinking that I keep saying this about every other place in Skardu. But what can I do, each place is more beautiful than the other). The road from Shangrila to Upper Kachura Lake is straight until it splits. The straight path leads to Upper Kachura Lake, whereas the left path leads to Soq Valley. It’s a trekking kind, and again 4WD vehicles are appropriate. The itch to drive again made our husbands take over the steering. The drivers cum guides were present with other families and people in the group.

_{we stopped at the river on our way to Nala Soq}

The entire route to Soq Valley is filled with breathtaking scenery and an abundance of water bodies. You can also catch sight of the rooftops of houses where apricots are being dried.

When we finally reached a point at Soq Nala, lo and behold, it resembled a scene straight out of a novel.

After spending some time there in this beautiful stream, exploring the nearby scenery, and climbing the rocks to enjoy the picturesque valley, we ordered trout fish. It was fried fish and so very yummy. After rounding it off with the much-needed tea, we went off for trekking on the nearby hill.

_{The entry point of their trek}

Well, honestly, I returned after climbing halfway. My stamina didn't allow me to trek higher. My eldest daughter and a few men made it to the top of the peak. Can you see the top of the peak in the picture? It was a day well spent, and they told us that the view from the top was breathtaking!

Sattpara Lake - Deosai - Sheosar Lake;

The trip to Deosai was a whole-day event. We started off very early in the morning and visited three tourist attraction points that day. As I mentioned earlier, I will cover this trip based on proximity and sometimes the continuity of visiting points along the road. Our main destination was Deosai that day, along with two lakes—one before the plains and one after crossing the Deosai National Park.

Deosai is the combination of two words ‘Deo’ (giant) and ‘Sai’ (shadow). For centuries, it is believed that this place is haunted by giants, thus the name ‘The Land of the Giants’ came into being. Sr

Why visit Deosai? It is located on the boundary of the Karakoram and the western Himalayas, and at no point is it less than 4000 meters above sea level, making it the second highest plateau in the world. It has diverse fauna and flora and harbors some very exotic animals and endangered species.

Deosai National Park is renowned for its unique wildlife, including the endangered Himalayan brown bear, Tibetan wolf, golden marmot, snow leopard, red fox, Eurasian lynx, and Himalayan ibex.

The road to Deosai from Skardu is not an easy one. Though not distant in terms of kilometers, the track is a constant incline. One can reach Deosai from Skardu in 2.5 to 3 hours. Then, it is another 30-minute drive to Bara Pani (the famous Deosai bridge) and yet another 45 minutes till Sheosar Lake - the point where we reached. It was one hell of a drive. Most of the road or path is unpaved after the Sattpara/Saddpara Lake.

Our first stop along the way was Sattpara Lake which is also called Saddpara Lake.

_{The clear bluest Sattpara Lake and me}

_{One picture isn't doing any justice. You have to see the blue water in its glory.}

Believe me, this lake's shade and its water simply felt like a piece of heaven. At least I hadn't seen a water body of this beauty and turquoise blue color in my life before.

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After some photography, we set our course again for Deosai and Sheosar Lake.

After about one hour or so, we were crossing the plains of Deosai when dark clouds suddenly appeared. The driver informed us that the weather here was always very unpredictable. Soon, it started to rain, making the path muddier and slippery. It was indeed a somewhat terrifying drive, more due to the uneven, unpaved road than anything else. The rain slowed us down even more. The driver was a little worried because we had to return from Sheosar Lake the same day, and the rain was not helping us at all.

I was hoping to see a majestic cat like this all along the way. We were told that they go up on the peaks where there is still snow, hence the name snow leopard. This picture is of the Snow Leopard captured by locals in Gilgit-Baltistan who entered the barn and killed their livestock. However, the locals knew that this was an endangered species and didn't kill her. Instead, they informed the authorities and released her into the wild.sr

But I was lucky enough to witness these cute furry marmots multiple times along the way. I could see them scurrying in and out of their habitat in the rocks.

_{I could capture a Marmot while crossing the Deosai planes. They really do whistle}

We also saw some settlement on the way in the shape of igloos and domes.

And finally, when we reached Sheosar Lake in Deosai, the giants didn't seem to appreciate it. It began to snow, but not the usual fluffy snow; it was as prickly as could be. The winds were blowing like crazy, quite a temperamental welcome for mid-July.

I politely asked the giants (remember the name Deosai: Giants' Land/ Shadow of Giants) not to be furious, explaining that we had come from a faraway place just to enjoy this spot. Eventually, they seemed to show mercy as the snow stopped for a moment, allowing me to quickly grab my phone, step out of the jeep, and capture this marvel on camera.

I regret not going to the foot of the lake that day, but the weather turned so cold, and I didn't even have a shawl or sweater. One of the drivers kindly lent me his woolen shawl, which I borrowed for some photography and promptly returned. He insisted I keep it longer, but I was concerned that the weather might worsen, and I wouldn't have time to trek down and up the lake.

_{Sheosar Lake, Deosai}

You have to go there to feel what I felt. It's a mystical place, a realm of silence yet with a powerful presence. There's definitely an energy that lingers there. You must be respectful towards the entities inhabiting the place. Even if you don't believe in folklore and the story of it being dwelled by giants, you have to approach it with humility towards the sanctity of this place.

This place is magical, but you have to leave behind any impurity if you want it to welcome you with open hands and heart. Yes, that's how I felt when I stood there in the open. Am I not making any sense? That's how I felt there - things stopped making sense to me.

I don't know if it was hypoxia to blame for this, or if I was definitely vibrating with the energies around me. You and you (@bambuka) are free to shed some light on this...

To be continued...