Eco-tourism at Pin Valley National Park, Himachal Pradesh
Pin Valley in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh is accessible only by road and the altitude ranges from 3,300m to 6,632m. You’ll have to walk up the last bit. Pin Valley was declared a National Park on January 9, 1987. The park can be reached from Manali via Kaza or from Shimla via Reckong Peo and Sumdo in Kinnaur. The nearest town is Gulling and Kaza is the administrative headquarters of the Spiti sub-division. Nearest railway station is in Shimla and the nearest aerodrome in Kulu.
This cold desert National Park lies in the valley of the Pin river, from where it gets its name. The river originates from the glaciers of the Pin-Parvati pass at 4,802m. It meets Spiti, a tributary of the Satluj. The other major rivers are Parahio and Khamengar.
The park shares its boundary with the Tibetan border. Tibetan culture has influenced their life, food, religion and customs, too. There are shrines dedicated to Lord Padmasambhava, the patron saint of Tibet. It is also a centre for Tantric Buddhists. Silk paintings of Tantric Budhist deities adorn the walls of the shrines and more than 300 volumes of the sacred texts of Kenjur and Tenjur are found at the 600-year-old Kungri monastery. The ancient Tabo and Ki monasteries dating back to 1000 A.D., both built by the famous Tibetan translator, Ringchen Zangpo should be visited. August is the best time to visit Pin Valley, when the weather is good.
Trekking here is a great experience. You can also go river crossing and rafting. Pin Valley is home to the snow leopard and the ibex. The Rupi Bhabha Wildlife Sanctuary forms its southern boundary and the Great Himalayan National Park to its southwest. About 400 different species of flora have been recorded in Pin Valley, with the vegetation ranging from dry temperate to that of perpetual snow. Besides the snow leopard and the ibex, you can find the Tibetan wolf, Tibetan gazelle, snow-hare, red fox and Himalayan blue sheep. Rare birds like the Himalayan Snowcock, Snow Partridge, Chukor, Yellowbilled and Redbilled Choughs, Kestrels, Blue Rock Pigeon and many eagles are found here.
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