Pin Valley National Park, Himachal Pradesh

Area of the Park: 1825 sq km (675 sq km as core zone and 1150 sq km as buffer zone)

Year of Establishment: 1987

Best Season to visit: During summer, between the months of June and October

Located in the cold desert region of Spiti Valley in Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, Pin Valley is an astounding National park with snow laden high reaches and slopes. Exclusive weather and altitude of the park have helped it become a sanctuary of various endangered species of animals like Snow Leopard and Siberian Ibex. The park also serves as the border between the districts of Lahaul and Spiti. The elevation of the park ranges from 3500m near Ka Dogri to more than 6000 m, the highest point of the park.

There are around 17 villages that lie on the edges of the park with approx 1600 people. For summer settlements of the local residents there are about 17 Dogharies with sparse vegetation inside the park. The residents mainly belong to the scheduled tribe community. In Kungri Village there is a famous Gompa which falls in the buffer zone of the park.

Climate

Being a cold desert that is located at a high altitude, Pin Valley experiences heavy snow fall in the winter. The winter season is not pleasant and severe indeed. Generally the weather of the park is much moister than Spiti Valley. Thus it is challenging to visit the park in the winter season i.e. from Decemeber to March. April - May and November - December are appropriate seasons for animal sightings. It is only during these months that many animals come down to the lower altitudes and thus can be easily spotted. People who are much into geology or botanical research should visit the park during the months of July and August.

Attractions

Due to the high altitude and extreme temperature in the neighbouring areas of the park the vegetation is sparse. Among the plants, alpine trees, patches of Himalayan, cedar and smatterings of ample of medicinal plant are the important ones found in this park. In the summer, multiple varieties of flowers adorn the valley with breathtaking hues. Not only the animals, the variety of birds that exist in the national park include a couple of rare species like Chukor, Himalayan Snowcock, Snow Partridge and the Tibet Snow Finch etc.

An impressive yet logistically complicated six to eight-day trek is organized here from July to October. The trek runs over the Pin - Parvati Pass to the Parvati Valley near Kullu. For those who are looking for a short trekking experience, the four day trek over the 4850m high Bhaba Pass to Kaphnu in Kinnaur can be a promising trekking option. Trekking along a route usually used by the shepherds is going to be an enthralling experience as one can witness wonderful flower orchards and plenty of medicinal herbs sprawling across the trail. The surrounding areas of the treks also encompass a couple of Buddhist Gompas and small tribal villages that add to the experience of trekking and lighten the stress of walking on this hilly region for a long time.

Flora

Because of its high altitudinal placement and the extreme weather conditions that prevail there, the forest in the upper parts of the park is not dense. The forest is primarily characterized by alpine pasture and dry alpine scrub forest. Plants like Juniper and Birch trees are almost on the verge of extinction. The bottoms of the valleys are naturally carpeted by the Salix spp. & Myricaria spp. During the peak days of winter season, Snow Leopard lives on Myricaria Shrubs. So far 400 species of plants have been observed by the naturalists as well as the park authority. The park is very rich in varied species of medicinal herbs which are collected by the local pharmacists for the preparations of medicines.

Wildlife in Pin Valley National Park

Being gifted with an exclusive climatic condition and stunning height, the interior as well as the surrounding areas of Pin Valley National Park houses numerous common as well as rare species of animals. The park is known to be the 'land of ibex and snow leopards'.

Fauna

More than 20 species of birds and animals have been recorded in the park among which the snow leopard is a globally threatened species of cat family. The total number of their population is around 12. In the summer season a number of beautiful birds can be seen in this park such as Snow Cock, Chukor, Beareded Vulture, Griffon, Golden Eagle, Himalayan Chough, Raven and a couple of other species are also found here. Luckily one can have a glimpse of Mermat, Lynx and Tibetan Wolf in this area, but their sighting is not certified by the park authority till date.

Other significant mammals found in the periphery of this national park are Himalayan marmot (Marmota bobak), Indian fox (fox (Vulpes vulpes), bharal (Pseudois nayaur) Indian porcupine (Hystrix indica), snow patridge (Lerwa lerwa), snow pigeon, wolf (Canis lupus), blue sheep (Pseudois Nayaur), red billed chough (Pijrrhocrax grackles), blue rock pigeon (Columba livia), Himalayan black bear (Selenarctos thibetanus), Tibetan wild ass (Equus hemionus kiang), patridge (Aleetoris choker), Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos), mouse hare, etc. Animals like Weasel, Marten, and Pika look cute and mesmerize the visitors with their tiny bodies. Sometimes animals like Tibetan gazzle and woolly hare can be seen running fast in front of your eyes.

Pin Valley National Park Travel Information

There are different routes for reaching Pin Valley National Park. Here is the best way to reach Pin Valley National Park from major cities of the country.

By Air : For reaching Pin Valley National Park by air one needs to reach Kaza. Kaza can be accessed either from Manali or via Shimla. Bhuntar is the nearest airport to Manali.

• From Bhuntar Airport pre-paid taxis are available for Manali.
• From Manali buses or taxis can be hired for Kaza.
• From Kazza to Mikkim (32km) you need to reach by a private jeep.
• From Mikkim one needs to walk for around 10 km to reach the vicinity of the park.

Regular flight service is available from New Delhi, Kullu or Chandigarh for Shimla Airport.

By Rail: Jogindernagar is the nearest rail head. The rail route from Jogindernagar to Chandigarh is a narrow gauge. Chandigarh and Shimla are the nearest broad gauge railway stations. Both buses and taxis are available from Chandigarh and Shimla for Kaza.

By Road: Manali to Kaza is a 115 km journey by bus which takes around six hours. Those who are embarking from Shimla can take another route that goes via Kinnaur to Kaza. The route remains open from May to October and the route is around 415 km long.