Location: North-East Himachal Pradesh, India
Area covered: 675 sq. km.
Major Wildlife Attractions : Ibex, Snow Leopard, Blue Sheep, Tibetan Wolf
Best time to visit: Late March to June (Most of the areas in the park are inaccessible during winters)
About Pin Valley National Park
Situated in the Spiti sub division of the Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh, the Pin Valley National Park came into being in January 1987. The landscape of the park is desert like and the altitudinal variation, which ranges from 3500 to 6000 mts make it a place ideal for flora and fauna typical of mountainous regions. The park offers its visitors opportunities to spot the rare snow leopard and other highly endangered animal and bird species.
Most of the areas in the park remain inaccessible during winters and the temperature may plummet to as low as minus 32 degrees in Jan-Feb. July and August are the hot months when temperatures may climb to around 30 degrees. The months of April and May are best for observing wildlife when the animals come down to the lower regions of the park.
Wildlife Attractions in Pin Valley National Park
Because of the harsh climatic conditions, the park has sparse vegetation with Herbaceous and shrub growth dominating the flora. More than 400 species of plants are believed to be found in the area which also include some rare medicinal plants. The amazing view of white flower covered valleys in summer is a spectacle worth watching.
The park presents excellent opportunities for bird lovers owing to the thin vegetation and the sparse forest cover. Some of the commonly seen birds in and around the area include goldfinch, gold-fronted finch, brahminy myna, grey wagtail, yellow headed wagtail, yellow billed chough, horned lark and Himalayan griffon.
The park is home to mammals like the Ibex, Bharal, Snow Leopard, Red Fox, Tibetan Wolf, Marmot and Woolly Hare.
Safaris in National Park
The park has several trekking routes while there are no motorable roads. The only way to explore the park is on foot. Take a trek to the pastures where you may be rewarded with a rare sighting of the Ibex or the Blue Sheep. There are various trekking routes available ranging from the difficult ones to the easy for the 'not so fit' people. The Mikim-Debsa walk is a moderate rated trek while the Pin Parvati trek is a difficult one suited for trained trekkers.
Other Attractions in Pinvalley National Park
Kungri Monastery
Situated just 9 km from Pin Valley, the Kungri monastery dates back to more than 500 years. The place has a number of other monasteries around including the Tabo Monastery (45 km) and the Dhankar Monastery (35 km).
How to Get There
By Air : Jubbarhatti airport near Shimla is the nearest airport. It is ideal to hire a taxi from Shimla to reach Spiti. Jagson Airlines operates a Delhi-Shimla-Kullu-Shimla-Delhi flight on Monday, Wednesday and Friday which takes off from Delhi at 7:15 and arrives in Shimla at 8:15.
By Rail : Kalka is the nearest railhead with a broad gauge rail line, connected by daily trains from Delhi, the Paschim Exp. (9:40) & HWH DLI KLK Mail (22:20). Mumbai is connected with Kalka through the Paschim Exp. (11:35).
By Road : The route from Shimla is NH22 to Sumdo via Narkanda, Rampur Bushehr, Wangtu, Karchham, Spello, Pooh, Yangthang and Chango. From there, follow the state highway to Atargu via Tabo and Poh, from where a link road leads to Mudh village via Mikim. The route from Manali is through the state highway to Atargu via Kothi, Rohtang Pass, Gramphoo, Batal, Losar, Rangrik and Kaza. From here, take the link road to Mudh village.
Distances from Major Cities
Shimla : 390 km (NE)
Manali : 248 km (SE)
Kalka : 480 km.
------ List of National Parks in India ----- |
| Bandhavgarh National Park |
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Bandipur National Park |
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Simplipal National Park, Orissa |
| Ranthambore National Park |
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Sultanpur National Park |
|
Nandankanan Zoo, Orissa |
| Corbett National Park |
|
Rajaji National Park, Uttaranchal |
|
Gahirmatha Turtle Sanctuary, Orissa |
| Kanha National Park |
|
Dudhwa National Park, U.P. |
|
Namdhapha National Park, Arunachal |
| Sundarbans National Park |
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Nagarhole National Parks, Karnataka |
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Velavadhar Blackbuck Sanctuary, Gujarat |
| Manas National Park |
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Kaziranga National Park, Assam |
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Wild Ass Sanctuary, Gujarat |
| Dachigam National Park, J&K |
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The Great Himalayan National Park, H.P. |
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Dibru Saikhowa National Park, Assam |
| Milroy or Pabha Sanctuary, Assam |
|
Nameri National Park, Assam |
|
Pin Valley National Park, H.P. |
| Hemis High Altitude National Park, J&K |
|
Royal Chitwan National Park (Nepal) |
|
Royal Bardia National Park (Nepal) |
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