Pin Valley National Park

"Without habitat, there is no wildlife. It's that simple."

The Pin Valley National Park is located in the cold desert Spiti region of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It was declared as a National Park in the year 1987. A snow leopard sighting is very rare and the Pin Valley NP is one of the few places in India where you can see the animal in the wild. It has mesmerising snow laden unexplored higher reaches and slopes that makes the park form a natural habitat for a number of endangered animals, including the Snow Leopard and Siberian Ibex. The park has a great historical significance and the area around it has an influence of the Tibetan culture.

Flora and Fauna
The Pin Valley National Park represents the geography of the Trans Himalayan cold desert with its characteristic flora and fauna. The Park forms the natural habitat of a number of endangered animals including Himalayan Ibex, Snow Leopard, Bharal, Wooly Hare, Tibetan Wolf, and Snow Cock. The park has scanty vegetation which consists of Ratanjot (Arnebia euchroma & A. benthamii), Salampanja (Dactylorhhiza hatageria), Somlata (Ephedra gerardiana), Seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) and Ateesh (Aconitum heterophyllum). Wild rose (Rosa webbiana), with its gorgeous pink flowers and bright red fruit, provides a striking contrast to the otherwise dry surrounds.
Straight Stuff
Location: Pin Valley, Spiti in Himachal Pradesh.
Total Area: 675 sq. kms.
Declared As: A National Park in 1984
Visiting Season: May To October
Baits: Snow Leopards, Wooly Hare
Entry Fee: Not Available

Accommodation
Nearby Kaza town has a variety of facilities for stay. Some of the hotels in Kaza include Milarepa's Guest House, Hotel Sharma, Hotel City and Ladakhi Hotel. At Keylong, a Tourist Bungalow is run by HTPDC, other hotels in Keylong are Geypa Hotel, Hotel Gang Steng, Hotel Snowland etc.

How To Roll In
By Road: The Pin National Park, can be approached only on foot from the nearest road terminus at Mikkim in Pin Valley. No Jeep will take you to the animals; you will have to trek. There are numerous trekking trails and the panoramic views will be worth the cold and the discomfort of the tents.