The wildlife of Gilgit-Baltistan is real, well studied and mostly hard to see. Markhor, ibex, brown bears and snow leopards all live here in numbers that matter globally, but they live in a landscape of cliffs and open plateau where the animals see you long before you see them. Marmots are the exception: almost everyone who drives to Khunjerab or Deosai in summer sees them, sitting up beside their burrows within metres of the road.
This guide goes species by species, with what is actually known about numbers and where a visitor has a realistic chance of a sighting, rather than a checklist of everything recorded in the region.
| At a glance | Where you have a real chance |
|---|---|
| Markhor | Kargah valley, near Gilgit; Astore |
| Himalayan and Siberian ibex | Khunjerab National Park; high valleys such as Hushe, Bagrot and Naltar |
| Golden marmot | Khunjerab and Deosai roadsides, June to August |
| Himalayan brown bear | Deosai plateau, early morning and late afternoon |
| Snow leopard | Khunjerab and Central Karakoram parks; a sighting from a road is very rare |
Markhor: closest to Gilgit town
The Astor markhor, a subspecies of the wild goat with the corkscrew horns that Pakistan uses as a national symbol, lives across Astore, Gilgit and Diamer districts. A 2024–25 government survey counted 1,693 of them, with the largest numbers in Astore and roughly equal populations in Gilgit and Diamer districts.
The most accessible place to look is the Kargah valley, a short drive from Gilgit town, where surveys have consistently found some of the highest densities in the region, likely because the habitat there connects well with neighbouring valleys. Doyan, Bunji and the Sai-Damote area, all within reach of Gilgit or the road to Astore, are other spots where markhor have been recorded in good numbers. None of this means a guaranteed sighting; markhor keep to steep, broken ground and are most active at dawn and dusk, so a short evening drive up Kargah with binoculars is a better bet than a quick daytime stop.
Ibex: the widest-ranging of the wild goats
Himalayan ibex are found across about a third of Gilgit-Baltistan's total area, on rocky slopes between roughly 3,500 and 5,500 metres in nearly every major valley, including Hushe, Braldu, Basha, Hopper, Hisper and Astore. Khunjerab National Park also holds a large population of the closely related Siberian ibex, with more than a thousand recorded there, making it the single best place for a visitor to see ibex without leaving the road. Early morning and late afternoon give the best chance, on the slopes above the highway as it climbs toward the pass; our guide to Khunjerab Pass covers the drive and timing.
Naltar and Bagrot, both reached by rough jeep roads from Gilgit, are quieter alternatives with recorded ibex populations, useful if your trip does not include Khunjerab.
Golden marmots: the sighting almost everyone gets
Golden marmots, also called long-tailed marmots, are the wildlife most visitors actually see, sitting up beside their burrows along the roadside in Khunjerab National Park and on the Deosai plateau through June, July and August. They hibernate through the long winter, so the whole of their visible life happens in these summer weeks. Please don't feed them: fed marmots learn to approach vehicles, which gets them hit, and processed food is bad for them regardless.
Himalayan brown bear: Deosai's headline species
The Himalayan brown bear's main stronghold in Pakistan is the Deosai plateau, where a 2022 government survey estimated 66 bears in the park and its buffer valleys, up from fewer than 20 when the park was created in 1993. Bears feed mainly in the early morning and late afternoon, across the whole plateau rather than at one fixed spot, and are watched from a vehicle at a distance rather than approached. Our dedicated guide to Deosai's wildlife covers the bears in full, including the safety rules that go with watching one.
Snow leopard: present, but rarely seen
Snow leopards live in Gilgit-Baltistan in numbers that matter internationally. Pakistan's total population is estimated at somewhere between 200 and 420 cats, and Gilgit-Baltistan is thought to hold more than 60 percent of that total, concentrated mainly in Khunjerab and Central Karakoram national parks. A camera-trap study in Khunjerab alone recorded 38 individual cats. Even so, seeing one from a road is genuinely rare; snow leopards are solitary, mostly nocturnal and superbly camouflaged, and most confirmed sightings come from research camera traps rather than tourists. Treat any wildlife trip here as one built around ibex, marmots and, on Deosai, bears, with a snow leopard as the sighting nobody plans around.
How to actually see something
- Go early or late. Almost every large mammal here feeds at dawn and dusk and rests through the middle of the day.
- Bring binoculars, not just a phone camera. Most sightings are a shape on a distant slope, not a close encounter.
- Ask local drivers. Drivers who go up a valley regularly often know where an animal has been seen that week.
- Stop and scan from a wide viewpoint rather than watching from a moving vehicle.
- Keep your distance and stay quiet. Approaching, feeding or chasing wildlife is against national park rules everywhere in the region; our guide to Gilgit-Baltistan's national parks covers the rules park by park.
Is a wildlife-focused trip worth planning?
For most families, wildlife works best as part of a trip built around Khunjerab, Deosai or the Karakoram Highway rather than as the whole plan. Build in early starts, carry binoculars, and treat any sighting beyond marmots as a bonus rather than an expectation. If wildlife genuinely is the priority, Deosai in July and August, with two days on the plateau rather than a rushed crossing, gives the best odds; see our Skardu and Deosai tour and our full plan for a Gilgit-Baltistan trip for how to build the time in.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I see markhor in Gilgit-Baltistan?
The Kargah valley near Gilgit town has some of the highest recorded densities and is the most accessible spot. Doyan, Bunji and parts of Astore also hold good numbers, best looked for at dawn or dusk.
Can I see a snow leopard in Gilgit-Baltistan?
It is possible but genuinely rare. Gilgit-Baltistan holds most of Pakistan's snow leopard population, concentrated in Khunjerab and Central Karakoram national parks, but sightings from a road are exceptional; most confirmed records come from research camera traps.
Where is the best place to see ibex?
Khunjerab National Park has a large, well-recorded population of Siberian ibex visible from the road on the drive to the pass. Naltar, Bagrot and the high valleys around Skardu also hold Himalayan ibex.
Are there bears in Gilgit-Baltistan outside Deosai?
Brown bears occur in small numbers elsewhere, but Deosai is by far the main population and the only place a visitor has a realistic chance of seeing one.
What is the best time of day to see wildlife?
Early morning and late afternoon, when most large mammals feed. The middle of the day, when most day-trip traffic arrives, is the least productive time to look.
