One of the highest altitude parks in the world, alongside the Khunjerab Pass (15,397 feet), with the Peoples Republic of China, features many endangered species. The one I remember seeing back in the 90s when I went to Khunjerab Pass was the snow leopard. I dont have my pictures scanned, but here are some I found.
At the border, you are told not to run or you will lose your breath in a matter of seconds because of the high altitude and lesser oxygen content. There were Chinese soldiers there who were really nice and offered their coats to us, becharey they were wearing just shirts in that weather after we shamelessly borrowed their coats They also asked us if we had any Pakistani music tapes. Another thing I remember were some huge pole like structure, right on the border line. The one at the Pakistan side was metallic, and the one at China was wooden. Also, when you are going there, you come across the names of all the Chinese and Pakistani workers and engineers who died during the development of the Karakuram highway.
Guards from both sides of the border. The foriengers who took this picture said that the Pakistani guard was smartly dressed where as the Chinese one shabbily. However, when I personally went, the Chinese guards were dressed up pretty nicely, and so were the Pakistanis.
im just wondering has anyone been there? its a nice place to visit, the journey is a little tiresome, its looong but its worth it, in the end!! the more adventurous can go all the way to kashgar china.
lovely place. went there last night. didn’t find any snow leopards but my wife waiting for a shopping spree on nanga parbat. after shopping, i was more nanga than the nanga parbat
Khunjerab is amazing - its a natural world lover’s paradise. Its just an alpine bliss - it can get a bit chilly up there even in summer.
Did you really see a snow leopard? Snow leopards are very rare and very shy and elusive mammals. Count yourself lucky if you saw one. Your one of the very few to see Snow Leopards in the wild. There are also Brown Bears, Lynx, Wolves, Foxes and the ever so cute Golden Marmot. One mammal which you almost certainly see is the large Himalayan Ibex of which I saw 60. I saw a herd of 45 males with big horns. Most visitors will see Marmots and Ibex.
There are also Bharal/blue Sheep, Marco polo sheep -whose huge horns are a hunters dream and the Kiang or Tibetan Wild Ass - which was recently discovered as being found there.
There are plenty of amazing birds there from Golden eagles, Bearded vultures, Himalyan Griffon Vultures, Eagle owls, Ravens, Himalayan Snowcock to much smaller birds such as Redstarts, Sandpipers too name but a few.
Its a place which I would definitely visit again for sure!
They also asked us if we had any Pakistani music tapes. Another thing I remember were some huge pole like structure, right on the border line. The one at the Pakistan side was metallic, and the one at China was wooden. Also, when you are going there, you come across the names of all the Chinese and Pakistani workers and engineers who died during the development of the Karakuram highway.
