Pin Valley National Park

Location: Lies in the Lahual and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh
Area: 675 sq km
Famous For: Snow leopard and Ibex
Activities: Trekking, Camping,

Introduction:
Nestled in the cold desert area of Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh, Pin Valley National Park was established in 1987. Positioned in the rugged Himalayan terrains, Pin Valley National Park is wild abode of several endangered species.

Lies at an altitude that varies from 3,500 m to 6,000 m, Pin Valley National Park is home to Snow Leopard, Woolly Hare, Tibetan Gazzle and Ibex. Apart from them, other species that are available in this park are fox, wolf, bharal and Himalayan marmot etc. Rare birds like Himalayan Snowcock, Chukor, Snow Partridge and the Tibet Snow Finch are also seen in the Pin Valley National Park.

The 675 sq km area of park has very less vegetation due to excessive cold temperature. Dry alpine and dwarf junifer scrub are the major forest types found in this region. Major floral varieties available in the park are bhojpatra (Betula utilis), bhutal (Juniperus mecropoda), Populus Spp and Salix Spp.

Attractions In and Around:
Beside the ferocious and endangered species of wild animal, Pin Valley National Park is also surrounded by some beautiful tourist spots. For instance,

Kungri monastery: Situated just 9 km( 5.6 miles) from Pin Valley National Park, the Kungri monastery dates back to more than 500 years.

Dhankar Gompa: It was built nearly 1000 years ago, Dhankar Gompa is situated at an altitude of 3,870 m. This ancient gompa is located 35 km( 21.74 miles) away from the park.

Tabo Gompa: Tabo Gompa is the largest monastery complex of Buddhist religion and declared as the place where the current Dalai Lama will retire. Constructed by Ringchen Zangpo in 996 A.D at an altitude of 3050 m and at a distance of 45km from Pin Valley National Park. The monastery premise comprises of nine temples all dating from 10th to 16th century. Sculptures, Stucco images and wall paintings of this monastery resembles to Ajanta-Ellora paintings. It has a main assembly hall, which is surrounded by 33 raised Bodhisattva statues along with a four-sided statue of Sarvarid Vairocana, one of the five Dhyani Buddhas.

Best Time To Visit:
The ideal time to visit the park is from May to October. Weather conditions in this region is always cold and dry as the park falls in a high altitude cold desert. It receives heavy snowfall in winter and average rainfall.

Activities To Do:
Pin Valley National Park is a great site for some popular activities other than wildlife viewing.

Trekking: The park encompasses some moderate and strenuous routes that are suitable for trekking. Trekkers from various parts of world comes here to enjoy trekking in the rugged terrains of the park. All the trekking routes in the park are at high altitudes of over 3600 mts.

Camping: Another popular activity among the tourists in this park is camping. It is the best way to spend the night in the park.

Hotels and Wildlife Resorts:
Pin Valley National Park has some bunkers, constructed by the authorities of the park to facilitate tourists. Travellers can also stay in Trekkers hut at Kungri and in some accommodation at Kaza.

How To Reach There:
By Road: To reach Pin Valley National Park, there are two approachable routes. The first one is via Manali - Rohtang Pass - Kunzum La, which remain open from July to October. The second one is via Shimla - Tapri - Kaza. It remain open from March to December. One can reach the Park only on foot from the nearest road terminus at Mikkim.

By Rail: The nearest railhead to Pin Valley National Park is at Shimla, which is located at a distance of 443km ( 275.26 miles).

By Air: Pin Valley National Park can also be reached by air. The nearest airport to this park is at Bhuntar in Kullu district. Regular flights from Delhi operates to Bhuntar.