The Katpana Desert, also known as the Skardu Cold Desert, is one of the most beautiful and enchanting deserts in the world and is situated in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. It is a cold desert located at about 7,303 feet or 2,226 metres above sea level, and thus, it will be considered one of the world’s highest deserts where the Skardu desert is different because the dunes are golden and rise out of the backdrop of snow-capped mountains, which gives a surreal feeling to the environment. The Katpana desert is an excellent opportunity to be in the desert area where temperatures are below freezing point, unlike other deserts in other parts of the world.
The Katpana Desert is defined by the large sand dunes that occupy a relatively large space close to the Skardu city. The dunes are made up of fine, light-coloured sand that gleams in the sun. Not like the typical desert where the heat is almost unbearable, the Skardu Cold Desert has another story to tell with regard to climate. The winter season goes down to -10 °C (14 °F), which makes the sand dunes to be capped by frost, thus giving the desert a particular look.
The nature of the desert is further enhanced by the surrounding environment topography and features. The Katpana Desert is bordered by some of the world’s highest mountains including the Karakoram Range – the second tallest mountain in the world being part of this range, K2. The Skardu Desert is therefore unique in that it has towering mountains immediately adjacent to flat and undulating sand dunes.
The Katpana Desert is not only a geographical feature that the communities can be proud of but also has cultural and historical values. The inhabitants of the Skardu have a historical link with the land, which many of them depend on to pasture their animals. The people of the region used to migrate with their livestock and had to cross places such as the Skardu Cold Desert. Today, however, there is still a strong reverence for the natural environment despite the fact that the local economy has become more diversified and the cultural identity of the region has become more developed. In addition, it has always been involved in trade and journeys from ancient times. This area lies near the old Silk Road, a great trade artery of the East and the West. It is noteworthy that merchants and travellers had to cross the problematic territory around the Katpana Desert to reach various points of Central and South Asia.
The best time to visit the Katpana Desert depends on the climatic conditions that are experienced in the region at different times of the year. The climatic condition is best experienced between April and October when the heat is a little bearable while exploring the features of the desert. During these months, the max temperature of the day is between 8°C to 25°C (46°F to 77°F), which is perfect weather for camping, trekking and photography. The sand dunes glisten under the hot sun, while the snow-capped mountains on the horizon are an interesting foil.
During spring and early summer, flowers grow, especially in the surrounding land, making the place colourful despite the rocky terrain. This period also marks the tourism season in Skardu since tourists worldwide visit the area to experience various natural features, such as the Skardu Cold Desert. It also creates time for many travellers to go on tour to other sites of interest within the country, such as Deosai National Park and Shangrila Lake.
Travellers are advised against visiting the desert during winter, especially from November to March, as the heat intensifies and the desert experiences frost and snow. However, for the adventure freaks who want to get a feel of the tough and icy desert climate, winter is the right time to get it. Due to the freezing temperatures, the Katpana Desert changes its appearance almost beyond recognition as sand dunes glisten with frost in the manner of polar regions.
Measures to conserve the Katpana Desert and the features of the climate of the region have been intensified only recently. Various NGOs and the government of Gilgit-Baltistan have taken the responsibility to minimise the negative impact on the balance of the desert. Some of the measures include promoting practises that are friendly to the environment and which do not in any way affect the physical environment around the area of tourism, this in turn educating the visitors on the importance of conservation of the physical surrounding environment. Because of the proximity of the desert to Skardu area and touristic significance of the desert, it becomes imperative to regulate the flow of people to the area so that the beauty of the Skardu Cold Desert could be preserved for the next generations.
