A guide to the Great Himalayan National Park

When we talk about national parks in India, the first thought that comes to mind is the central part of the country with sprawling sal forests and tigers. Then maybe the dense forests of the Western and Eastern Ghats that constitute most of the national parks in the southern part of India. But what about the ones that we have in alpine zones, areas surrounded by rugged Himalayan peaks?

The Great Himalayan National Park is one of the most prominent national parks in the Himalayan region in India. It is also one of the larger national parks in India in terms of area. Here are some of the things you need to know about this, surprisingly, lesser-known national park.

The Great Himalayan National Park, established in 1984, is located in the Banjar sub-division of Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh. Spread across a total area of 1171 sq km, the national park is one of the larger national parks in India. The park is a stunning mix of lush coniferous forests, meadows, glaciers and mountain peaks. This mixed feature is the reason why the park is home to a very large and mixed variety of flora and fauna. Most iconic one being the elusive snow leopard.

Trekking is going to be a big part of the Great Himalayan National Park experience. So, weather plays the most important role here. Monsoon is not a great time to visit the park, so maybe you can avoid June. April and May is a good time to see the wildlife as this is the time when the animals come to the lower altitude areas; October is a great time to see the changing colours of the forest; winter, though most of the trekking routes will be covered in snow, some parts of the park may still be accessible. The park is open throughout the year but like mentioned earlier, weather conditions play a vital role here.

The Great Himalayan National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park was awarded the status in 2014 as it is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. The park is a safe home to over 1000 species of plants (medicinal included), 31 species of mammals, 209 species of avifauna and many more endemic insects, amphibians and reptiles. Many of these animals and birds species are globally threatened.

The park is home to some of the rare plant, bird and animal species. Animals like the bharal (blue sheep), common leopard, snow leopard, Himalayan brown bear, Himalayan tahr, musk deer and serow are all protected under the Indian WIldlife Act. Out of these, the elusive snow leopard and the Himlayan musk deer fall under the Endangered category, and the Himalayan Tahr under Near Threatened with population decreasing. The park is also home to the endangered western tragopan, lammergeiers, Himalayan griffon vultures and golden eagles.

The nearest airport is at Bhuntar in Kullu, about 60 km from the park. Closest railhead is 143 km away at Joginder Nagar, near Mandi. There are regular trains to Joginder Nagar from Delhi and Chandigarh. You need a permit to enter the Great Himalayan National Park. The permit can be obtained from the forest department’s head office at Shamshi and zonal offices at Shairopa and Ropa. For Indians, it is INR 100 per day and for foreign nationals, it is INR 400 per day.