Wildlife and birds · Gurudongmar Lake
Yaks and blue sheep on the high plateau
Between Thangu and the lake, the high plateau is grazing land for domestic yaks and home to wild animals such as blue sheep. Watch the slopes on the drive and you may spot them against the bare moraine.
Photo: Ksuryawanshi · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Above Thangu, the landscape opens into high pasture and moraine. Yaks belonging to Lachenpa and Dokpa herders graze here in the warmer months, often close to the road. Wikipedia notes that the area around the lake is also inhabited by blue sheep, or bharal, a wild goat-antelope of the Himalaya and Tibetan plateau, whose grey-brown coat blends with the rocks.
Spotting wild animals from a moving jeep takes luck and sharp eyes. Scan the slopes and ridgelines on the way up, when animals are active in the early light. Ask your driver to slow down if you see movement, but do not ask to stop on narrow stretches or near army posts.
Never chase, feed or approach animals. Wildlife at this height lives on the edge of survival, and stress costs them energy they cannot spare. Binoculars and a zoom lens are better than walking closer.
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Questions travellers ask
Before you book
What wildlife lives around Gurudongmar?
Wikipedia notes yaks, blue sheep and other high-altitude wildlife around the lake. Yaks here are domestic herds; blue sheep are wild. Sightings depend on season, weather and luck, and animals often keep away from the road.
Can we stop to photograph yaks?
Usually, if the road is wide and safe and the driver agrees. Do not approach the animals or herders' shelters, and ask herders before taking their photograph. Some charge a small fee for posed photos; agree it first.
Is it worth carrying binoculars to Gurudongmar?
Yes. Wild animals on the plateau are usually distant and well camouflaged, and binoculars or a zoom lens make spotting them far easier. They are also useful for the snow peaks around the lake.
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