Great Himalayan National Park

Fast Facts:
Location: Located in Kullu region of Himachal Pradesh
Area: 765 sq km
Famous For: Musk Deer, Snow Leopard and wild sheep like Bharal, Ibex etc.
Activities: Trekking and camping

Introduction:
Great Himalayan National Park, one of the picturesque region of Himachal Pradesh is a place to go for tryst with the hidden treasures of nature. This scenic national park which lies in the Seraj Forest Division of Kullu district, is hemmed in on three sides by towering peaks of Himalayan mountains. Stretches to an area of 765 sq km positioned at an altitude between 1500 to 6000 m above sea level.

To protect the alpine, glacial, temperate, and sub tropical forests, this area has attained the status of a national park in 1984. The glaciers available in this park is the main source of four rivers namely Tirthan, Sainj, Parvati and Jiwa Nala, flowing East to West and mingling into Beas river.

Officially known as Jawaharlal Nehru Great Himalayan National Park, this protected area is haven to a endless array of faunal species. (375 species). So, far 31 species of mammals, 181 species of birds, 3 species of reptiles, 9 species amphibians, 11 species of annelids, 17 species of mollusks, 127 species of insects belonging to six orders, 68 resident bird species and 50 migrant species are identified.

Some of the best visible animals within the park are Leopards, Himalayan Black Bears, Brown bears, Himalayan Thar, Bharal, Ibex, Langurs, Rhesus macaques etc. If you are lucky enough than you will get to view Snow Leopard, which are resides in the upper snow fringes of the park.

Attractions In and Around:
Apart from its diverse flora and fauna, Great Himalayan National Park also has some more attractions. This national park is dotted with three important pilgrimage sites that are located in the vicinity of the park such as Raktisar, Hanskund and Sirikhand Mahadev.

Raktisar is the place where River Sainj originates; Hanskund is the origin point of the river Tirthan, and Sirikhand Mahadev, a lake on the southern border of the park. Beside them, nearby places to this park is also worth-watching. For instance,

Kullu: It is a beautiful valley set amidst the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh, famous for its annual Dussehra festival, handicrafts, and ancient temples. While your trip to this national park, do visit the exhilarating beauties of Kullu town.

Best Time To Visit:
The ideal time to visit the park is summer season that is April to June. Even tourists can visit it from September to November as during this time period animals start their seasonal migration to lower altitudes. Avoid the monsoon season from July to August and winter season from December to March as during this time you can face several inconveniences like road blockage.

Activities To Do:
Great Himalayan National Park is a paradise for both nature lovers and trekkers. It is ideal destination for several activities that enables the visitors to come closer to nature. Some of the popular activities in which tourists can indulge themselves are

Trekking: Trekking is the most popular activity in this park. The hilly terrains and vast forests of the park are best for trekking. It helps the visitors to explore each and every corner of this picture-perfect place. Some of the popular trek inside the park include Sainj Valley Trek ( 66 km, 41 miles and moderate), Sainj Tirthan Valley Trek ( 85 km, 52.81 miles and moderate to strenuous), Jiva Nala to Parvati River Valley ( 110 km, 68.35 miles and difficult), Tirthan Valley trek ( 92 km, 57.16 miles and moderate to strenuous) and lastly Raktisar (92 km, 57.16 miles and moderate to strenuous).

Camping: Lack of staying options within the boundary of park, provides an excellent opportunity to do camping amidst the serene beauty of nature. Camping helps the tourists to peep into wild world from a close point.

Hotels and Wildlife Resorts:
There is very limited options for accommodation within the park. Some huts for the patrolling staffs are available in the park. Tourists can either stay in them or have to carry own tents for camping.

Other accommodation options outside the park include the Range office complex at Sai Ropa which is located 5 km before Gushaini and has a forest rest house. There are no luxury hotels and wildlife resorts built nearby to this park.

How To Reach There:
By Road: To reach Great Himalayan National Park, tourists has to take eastern divergence at Aut on the Kullu-Manali Highway which is 45 km (27.96 miles) from Manali and 30 km (18.64 miles) from Kullu. From Largi which is 4-km(2.49 miles) from Aut, two routes, one along the Sainj Nala, motorable till Neuli (26-km, 16.15 miles) and the other along Tirthan Nala, motorable up to Gushaini (28-km,17.39 miles) lead to the park. The rest of the park has to be covered on foot as no mule or horse transport is allowed.

By Rail: Joginder Nagar is the closest narrow gauge railhead to Kullu, which is positioned at a distance of 95 km ( 59.03 miles). Chandigarh is the nearest broad gauge railway head to Kullu.

By Air: The nearest airport to this park is at Bhuntar, which is 10 km( 6.21 miles) away from Kullu town. Bhuntar airport receives regular flights from various airports of India.


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