Location : In the
north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh in the upper ranges of Himalayas.
Major wildlife Attractions : Western Tragopan, 200
species of birds and 30 species of birds.
Area : 754.4 sq km
Nearby Tourist Destinations : Kullu, Manali, Shimla.
When to visit : April to June, September to October.
About Great Himalayan National Park
Great Himalayan National Park is located in the Seraj Forest Division of
Kullu District in Himachal Pradesh some 60 km southwest of Kullu town. It is
a reserve of alpine flora and fauna. A large part of the national park is
permanently under glaciers and ice. It is one of the last undisturbed
Western Himalayan ecosystems housing a diverse variety of wildlife and
forests. The breathtaking beauty of the park is a blessing to its biological
richness. The park houses a rare variety of "Western Tragopan" and
200 species of birds and over 30 species of mammals.
The park area is the largest protected area in the state of Himachal
Pardesh. The Park consists of the upper catchment areas of the Tirthan,
Sainj,
Parvati and Jiwa Nala, flowing East to West and mingling into Beas river.
Also known as Jawahar Lal Nehru National Park, the park was declared as a
national park in the year 1984 to save the endangered wildlife species of
this Himalayan Ecosystem.
Major Attractions in Great Himalayan National Park
The Vegetation
The park vegetation is a diverse mix of Ban Oak Forest, Moist Deodar
Forest, Western Mixed Coniferous Forest, Moist Temperate Deciduous Forest,
Himalayan Alpine Pastures, and Rhododendron Scrub Forest. The area below
2,000 m is dotted by blue pine (pinus wallichiana), and higher up by a
broad-leaved forest on sloping areas and fir (Abies pindrow) on the steep
areas. Other vegetations are oak, blue pine, cedar (Cedrus), deodar, bamboo
Arundaria spathiflora, Iris, Frittilaria, Gagea, Primula, and Taxus Baccata.
The Animals
The park has good wild population, particularly of avifauna. The park has
largest remaining population of Himalayan Tahr in Himachal Pradesh. Major
wildlife species found in the park are Snow Leopard, musk Deer, Blue Sheep,
Ibex, Wolf, Leopard, Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), common langur
(Presbytis entellus), Himalayan black bear, goral, muntjac, and serow.
Other Attractions
Three important pilgrimages exist near the park. 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.
Park Trip
The park has to be covered on foot as no mule or horse transport is
allowed.
Getting There
Air : The airport at Bhuntar is 10-km from Kullu, where taxis and
buses are available.
Rail : The closest narrow gauge railhead is at Jogindernagar, 95-km
from Kullu.
Road : To reach the Great National Himalayan Park one has to take
the eastern divergence at Aut on the Kullu- Manali highway. Aut is 45 km
from Mandi and 30 km from Kullu. From Largi which is 4 km from Aut, two
routes, one along the Sainj Nala, motorable till Neuli 26 km and the other
along Tirthan Nala, motorable upto Gushaini 28 km lead to the park. The rest
of the park has to be covered on foot as no mule or horse transport is
allowed.
