A baseline survey was conducted among 150 yak-keeping households across six valleys in Gilgit-BaltistanGilgit-Baltistan together with a progeny history survey of 180 female yaks (30 per valley). The results of these surveys revealed that the average 11 yaks per household account for 61% of the tropical livestock units kept. While yaks of all age and sex classes graze on mountainous pastures from spring to autumn, winter feeding relies on feed crops cultivated on approximately half of a family’s farmland, as well as on crop residues, collected tree leaves and concentrated feed. However, according to respondents, these provisions are inadequate to meet the animals’ nutritional needs. Livestock transactions—both sales and purchases—were infrequent during the study period (2017/2018), as were milking activities and the commercialization of processed yak milk products. Limited feed availability and diseases contribute to substantial mortality rates and impair reproductive and production performance. Farmers identified several challenges to expanding yak husbandry, including limited and degrading grazing land, financial constraints on feed procurement and livestock acquisition and labor shortages. To ensure the long-term sustainability of yak husbandry in this tourism-driven region, enhanced support structures and improved value chainsValue chain are needed.