Nanda Devi National Park

By George On

Nanda Devi National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site situated at the peak of the Nanda Devi Himalayan range in Uttarakhand, India.

Nanda Devi National ParkNanda Devi Peaks in the Nanda Devi Park

Nanda Devi Park lies 25646 feet above sea level (7817 meters). This National Park was declared a National Park of India in 1982. Nanda Devi Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988, along with the nearby Himalayan Valley of Flowers National Park

Nanda Devi is one of the best national parks in India. This National Park is spread over an area of around 630.33 square kilometers. Nandadevi Park and the Valley of Flowers Park are protected Biosphere Reserves. It’s called Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, with a total area of 2237 square kilometers and a buffer zone of another 5149 square kilometers. Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve was declared part of the “UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves” in 2004, making it one of the rarest biosphere areas of the world.

Nanda Devi Sanctuary surrounds Nanda Devi National Park. It is a glacial basin with the Rishi Ganga Gorg, one of the steepest, impassable defiles in the world.

Nanda Devi Park is rich in flora and fauna. Himalayan Tahr, Himalayan Musk Deer, and Mainland Serow are some of the large mammals in the Nandadevi National Park. Himalayan Black bears, Snow Leopards, Langurs, Etc., are also found in the National Park at Nanda Devi. Nandadevi Park has 312 floral species, including 17 rare species.

How Do I Go to Nanda Devi National Park?

Joshimath is the entry point to Nanda Devi Park near Hemkunt Marag in Pagrasu village of Uttarakhand state. (Joshimath is around 250 kilometers distance on the National Highway 58 from Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand.) Nanda Devi Park is approximately 54 kilometers from Joshimath; the last few kilometers must be trekked.

Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun, is the nearest major airport connected to the nearby major cities. ‘Rishikesh’ is the nearest railway station, around 275 kilometers from Nandadevi Park, even though Dehradun is the closest major railway station.