Hemis National Park

Location: Eastern part of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir.
Area: 600 sq km
Famous For: Snow Leopard, Ibex, Bharal(Blue sheep)
Activities: Bird watching, Jeep Safari, Trekking and Camping.

Introduction:
Lies at a height ranging between 3300 m to 6,930 m, Hemis National Park is a high altitude protected area. Established in the year 1981, this forested area is situated along the west bank of Indus river in Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir state.

Hemis National Park has derived its name from Hemis monastery, a Buddhist monastery which is located 40 km from south-east of Leh town. The unique landscape of the park attracts both nature lovers and trekkers. The park is potpourri of innumerable mountains of various shapes, sizes and colours, vast flatlands and deserts.

More than 16 species of mammals that includes Rare snow leopard, Ibex, Serow, Tibetan Antelope, Himalayan Wolf, Wild Dog, Pallas's Cat, Red Fox, Bharal (Blue Sheep) , Ladakh Urial, Tibetan Argali, Long-tailed Marmot and Himalayan Mouse Hare and 72 species of birds such as Golden Eagle, Himalayan Griffon, Lammergeier, Little Owl and Common Kestrel etc are the main inhabitants of this park.

Attractions In and Around:
Apart from viewing the natural beauty of the park, tourists can also go for some sight seeing activity. The nearby area to this park has some beautiful spots of tourist value such as

Hemis Gompa: Located 49 km south of Leh, Hemis Gompa is the biggest and one of the most important monasteries in Ladakh. It was built in 17th century by Chapgon Gyalshas. The library available in this monastery has a collection of some rare artifacts.

Leh Town: This high altitude town is just 30 km away from Hemis National Park. It is the largest and densely populated town in Ladakh region has numerous tourist spots like Stok Palace and museum, Buddhist monasteries like Namgyal Tsemo monastery, Shey Monastery, Thiksey Gompa and many more.

Best Time To Visit:
The park remain opens through out the year but the best time to visit the park is from mid-May to mid-October. This time period is best known for trekking and nature walks. You can even visit it during winter season when the Rare snow leopards comes down to the lower valleys from high altitude areas.

Activities To Do:
Hemis National Park has abundance of activities to offer its guests. Some of the popular activities in which tourists can indulge themselves are

Bird watching: The park is home to some 72 species of birds. So, birding is an important activity in this national park.

Trekking: Hemis National Park has numerous trekking routes that comes to limelight with the onset of summer season. Trekkers love to trek down these rugged and high altitude routes, so that they can explore every corner of the park.

Camping: It is another popular activity among the tourists. People who visit this park loves to do camping in the midst of serene beauty of nature. It gives an ample opportunity to peep into the wild world from very close.

Jeep Safari: Jeep Safari is the best way to explore some of the easily accessible areas. Jeep safaris enable the visitors to view some of the rare flora and fauna of the park.

Hotels and Wildlife Resorts:
There is no staying option available within the Hemis Park. But tourists can stay in some hotels available in nearby Leh town. It has lots of hotels that can suit every pocket. Some of the popular hotels in Leh town are

Luxury Hotel: Hotel Dragon, Hotel Royal Palace etc

Budget Hotel: New Moon Guest House, Hotel Namgyal Palace etc

How To Reach There:
By Road: Hemis National Park can be easily reach by Leh-Srinagar National Highway. Depending on the weather condition it opens from 15th May to 15th November. The nearest town to this park is Leh (30 km) which is situated at a distance of 434 km from Srinagar, 230 km from Kargil.

By Rail: The nearest railway station to Hemis National Park is at Jammu, which is situated at a distance of 690 km. It is connected to all major Indian cities by vast network of railways.

By Air: The high altitude Hemis National park can be accessible by flights also. The nearest airport to this park is at Leh which is well connected to other cities by Indian Airlines to Delhi, Chandigarh, Srinagar and Jammu.