Nanda Devi National Park

Overview

Location:Chamoli, Uttarakhand, North India
Closest Access:Jolly Grand airport (295 KMS)
Major Wildlife of the park:Snow leopard, Himalayan Tahr, Himalayan musk deer, Himalayan black bear, brown bear
Best time to visit:April to end of October
Total coverage area:630-sq-kms

Nanda Devi National Park is situated in the higher ranges of Himalaya into Chamoli district of Garhwal region in North Indian state Uttarakhand. The main entrance of the park is via Lata village, located 23 KMS away from Joshimath.

Details about Nanda Devi National Park

The park is surrounded by Himalayan peaks from its three directions apart from the west side because in that side there is an unreachable gorge. Nanda Devi National Park is located close to the Nanda Devi Mountain which is the second uppermost Himalayan peaks in India.

Nanda Devi Park is a home of few very exclusive flora and fauna of high altitude in the world. The national park provides magnificent landscapes, wooded surroundings and prosperity of biosphere. Nanda Devi Park is declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

In 1883, the first human being reach to this place and he was W.W. Garden. However, his journey to Nanda Devi Peak could not make any key impact. However, Tilman and N.E. Odell in 1936 accessed the Nanda Devi and created a path for followers. In 1939 Nanda Devi turned as a Game Sanctuary.

In 1982, it was given the status of National Park and later on it also became a Biosphere Reserve.

Flora and fauna in Nanda Devi

The major flora enlargement in Nanda Devi is of birch, fir, juniper and rhododendron. The situation is dry in the park’s inner part.

There is absolutely no plants close to the Nanda Devi Glacier. The flora keeps on changing to alpine from Ramnani –a place in the sanctuary where only scrubs like juniper rule the growth of vegetal.

These kinds of vegetation slowly offer path to prone mosses, grasses and lichens. In the park about 312 floral species are found out of those approximately 17 species are very rare.

The major wild animals found here are Snow Leopard, Bharal, Common Langur, Brown Bear, Goral, Himalayan Black Bear, Himalayan Tahr, Himalayan Musk Deer and Serow. The main avifauna of the park is Grosbeaks, Ruby Throat, Rose Finches and Warblers.

Interesting places around Nanda Devi

The destinations near Nanda Devi are Badrinath, Hemkundsahib, Joshimath and Valley of Flowers. Also few hill stations also can be visited as Chopta, Auli – a ski destination and Tungnath.

The best to travel in Nanda Devi National Park

Since Nanda Devi National Park is a high altitude park and has chilly weather during most of the year. In six months of the winter season, the park is under snow. The ideal time to travel to Nanda Devi is from beginning of April to end of October.