Pin Valley National Park is located in the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve located in the Lahaul and Spiti district of the state of Himachal Pradesh. The altitude of this National Park ranges from about 3,500 meters to more than 6,000 meters at its peak.
Pin Valley National Park is home to the famous Himalayan snow leopards and their prey, the rare species of ibex. It is most famous for its incredible treks which are the main attraction of all its tourists.
There is snow on this trek for most of the year. The core zone of Pin Valley National Park is spread over a vast area of 675 sq km and its buffer zone is spread over about 1150 sq km.
Today it is home to over 20 species of flora and fauna including the endangered snow leopard. Among the most important fauna of Pin Valley Park are the Siberian ibex, bharal, red fox, weasel, and marten that the park is home to.
Many species of birds are also found here, which include the names of pika, snow cock, bearded vulture, griffon, chakor, golden eagle, Himalayan chow and raven. If you are going to visit Pin Valley National Park or want to know about it, then read this article completely :
Flora and Fauna of Pin Valley National Park
Due to the high altitude and extreme temperatures of the Pin Valley National Park, the vegetation density here is sparse, consisting mainly of alpine trees and Himalayan pine trees.
Rare birds such as the Himalayan snowcock, chakor partridge, snow partridge and snow finch are found in the park during the summer season.
Due to its snow-laden high altitudes and slopes, the park is also home to many endangered animals, including the snow leopard and the Siberian ibex, in their natural habitat.
Twenty rare and endangered medicinal plant species have been found in and around Pin Valley National Park, which are distributed in more than 10 different ecoregions.
If you want to trek through difficult routes, then Pin Valley National Park can prove to be special for you.
There are two routes to reach this tourist destination, the first one is called the summer route which is open from July to October, and the second one is called the winter route which is open from March to December.
The summer route to this park starts from Kullu where you can take a bus. From Kullu to this place, you reach Kaza through the beautiful landscapes of Manali, Rohtang Pass, and Kunjam Pass. When you reach Kaza then you have to travel by bus till Mikkim.
Be informed that this is the last motorable route. After reaching Mikkim, you will have to trek for a distance of about 10 kilometers to the park.
The winter route, on the other hand, takes you from Shimla to Tapri by bus, then again by bus from Tapri to Kaza and then on foot.
The best time to visit Pin Valley National Park is from May to October as the weather is less cold during this time.
Famous Restaurants and Local Food
The cuisine of Spiti has an interesting mix of dishes which everyone must taste. Tibetan food is very famous here. Along with North-Indian food, Israeli food can also be enjoyed here.
The village here has barley fields, which is the biggest source of food here. Here the grain is used to produce chang (barley whiskey), chung (barley beer). Roasted flour laddoos are used for breakfast, which are called Thungpa.
The local food here includes momos, thukpa, butter tea, chang’s to name a few which you must taste. Apart from this, the tea here which is garnished with lemon, mint, ginger, and honey is quite famous.
Best time to Visit Pin Valley National Park
If you are planning to visit Pin Valley National Park then the best time to visit is from mid-May to September as it is less cold. The area of the park receives heavy snowfall during the winter season.
How to Reach Pin Valley National Park
Tourists can take the help of taxi, car or public bus to reach Pin Valley National Park. To reach by car/taxi, one has to reach Kaza located in Spiti.
This is the starting point of the journey. After this proceed to Dhankar which directly leads to Pin Valley National Park via Attargo Bridge. The total journey takes around 2 hours and the park is located at a distance of 27 km.
Apart from this, there is another route through Shimla, Tapri and Kaza where you can go with the help of car or taxi. However, the former route is more preferred as this route remains open only from mid-July to September depending on the weather conditions.
Location of Pin Valley National Park
Pin Valley National Park is the only National Park in Himachal Pradesh that is situated in the cold desert area. Pin Valley National Park lies between 31° 34′ 27″ N and 77° 35′ 20″ E. It was declared as a National Park in the year 1987.