Hemis National Park – complete detail – updated

Hemis National Park – complete detail – updated. Dominant flora and fauna of Hemis National Park. Hemis National Park is a beautiful place, located in the eastern Ladakh region of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Park also has the distinction of being among the largest contiguous protected region, second only to Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. Hemis has a resident population of about 400 people in nine villages in the Rumbak and Markha valleys. The villages are located on or adjacent to valley floors up to about 4,000 m. The locals are mostly Buddhists and there is also a monastery at Markha Village…………….

Total area of the park is about 3350 Km² (It increased in 1990 to 4,400 km²). It was established as a national park in the year of 1987. The Park is known for its unique biodiversity. The park is protected home to the endangered mammals like leopards, Asiatic ibex, Tibetan wolf, the Eurasian brown bear and the red fox. 

The national park is also known for its scenic beauty. Lofty mountains and alpine forests of juniper and subalpine dry birch make it a treat for the eyes. The Stok Kangri peak is situated within the park. The confluence of Indus and Zanskar rivers acts as the park’s boundary and is a treat for the eyes. Camping and trekking are other popular activities that can be indulged in the park…………..

National park is an area which is strictly reserved for the betterment of the wildlife & biodiversity, and where activities like developmental, forestry, poaching, hunting and grazing on cultivation are not permitted. Their boundaries are well marked and circumscribed.

Click here to view state wise list of Indian national parks – updated

Hemis National Park

Hemis National Park is a beautiful place, located in the eastern Ladakh region of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Hemis National Park is also known as Hemis High Altitude National Park.

Hemis National Park is the best place to see the snow leopard in the wild. The Park has the distinction of being the largest national park in South Asia.

The Park also has the distinction of being among the largest contiguous protected region, second only to Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.

Click here to view state wise list of Indian national parks – updated

It was established as a national park in the year of 1987. Total area of the park is about 3350 Km² (It increased in 1990 to 4,400 km²).

The park derives its name from the Hemis Gompa, a famous Buddhist monastery situated 40 km south east of Leh.

The park is bounded on the north by the banks of the Indus River, and includes the catchments of Markha, Sumdah, Rumbak and parts of the Zanskar Range.

The Park is known for its unique biodiversity. The park is protected home to the endangered mammals like leopards, Asiatic ibex, Tibetan wolf, the Eurasian brown bear and the red fox.

It is also home to small mammals like Himalayan marmot, mountain weasel and Himalayan mouse hare.

The national park is also known for its scenic beauty. Lofty mountains and alpine forests of juniper and subalpine dry birch make it a treat for the eyes. The Stok Kangri peak is situated within the park.

The confluence of Indus and Zanskar rivers acts as the park’s boundary and is a treat for the eyes. Camping and trekking are other popular activities that can be indulged in the park.

History

The park was founded in 1981 by protecting the Rumbak and Markha catchments, an area of about 600 km².  The park was officially declared as a national park in the year of 1987.  It grew in 1988 to around 3,350 km², by incorporating neighboring lands. It increased again in 1990 to 4,400 km².

Hemis has a resident population of about 400 people in nine villages in the Rumbak and Markha valleys. The villages are located on or adjacent to valley floors up to about 4,000 m. The locals are mostly Buddhists and there is also a monastery at Markha Village.

The Hemis Gompa, after which the park was named, is the largest and wealthiest monastery in Ladakh, just outside the northern boundary of Shang. The Hemis gompa is also known as Chang-Chub-Sam-Ling, meaning the ‘place of the compassionate’.

Project Snow Leopard for conserving the entire Himalayan biosphere. The project was initiated by the department in 2004 and was formally launched on 20 February 2009.

Geography

Hemis National Park is located in the eastern Ladakh region of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The National Park is situated at the bank of river Indus and includes the catchments areas of Markha, Sumdah, and Rumbak streams. The Park is the country’s only notified area inside the Palearctic ecological zone.

Hemis national park falls under the Karakoram-West Tibetan Plateau—an alpine steppe eco-region with dense pine forests, alpine shrubs and vast meadows. With The Indus River bordering the park on the north, the panoramic vistas are unequalled in their stark and almost untouched beauty.

The 400-year-old Hemis Monastery is also located within the park. Revered as the largest monastic institution in Ladakh, a trip to the monastery is a thrilling experience.

Six villages exist within the confines of the park. The villages –Rumbak, Kaya, Sku, Shingo, Urutse and Chilling – are home to about 16000 people. Several gompas and chortens are also located within the park.

The terrain is characterized by rugged valleys, peppered with rocks and huge boulders. The high altitude deserts include Markha, Rumbak, Khurnak and Alam valleys of central Ladakh.

Vast tracts of sparse grasslands characterize the valleys and several shrubs and patches of trees are found in the valley bottoms, covering about 10 per cent of the total land.

The terrain surrounding the park is rocky and the thin soil cover supports a poor vegetative growth. Dry alpine pastures are present in sheltered locations and the grass growth is relatively rapid during the summer season after the snow melts from the region

The vegetation of Hemis is predominantly alpine and steppe with patchy forests and shrub species at the bottom of the valleys. The moist upper mountain slopes support limited areas of alpine vegetation. The remaining mountain slopes and open hillsides support primarily steppe vegetation.

Latitude 33º38′-34º11′ in the North to Longitude 77º00′-77º44′ in the East.

Temperature:       Maximum: 30^o C

                             Minimum: -20^o C

Altitude 3,500 m. to 6,390 m.

Dominant flora

Anemone, Gentiana, Thallctrwn, Lloydia, Veronica, Delphinum, Kobresia, Caragana, Artemisia, Stachys, Ephedra, Junipers, Myricaria, Poplar, Salix, Birch, Astragalus, Taraxacum, Leortopodium etc.

Dominant fauna

Birds – Golden Eagle, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Lammergeier Vulture, Tibetan Snow Finch, Robin Accentor, Brown Accentor, Tickell’s and Streaked-leaf Warbler, Fork-tailed Swift, Fire-Fronter Serin, Himalayan Snowcock, Chukar, Red-billed Chough etc.

Mammals – Snow Leopard, Great Tibetan Sheep, Bharal, Asiatic Ibex, The Tibetan Wolf, Red Fox, Eurasian Brown Bear, Himalayan Marmot, Mountain Weasel, Mountain Mouse Hare, Tibetan wolf, Eurasian brown bear etc.

Issues

Over 1,600 people live inside the park boundaries, mostly pastoralists raising poultry, goats, and sheep. This results in considerable animal-human conflict within the region. Snow leopards prey on livestock, sometimes killing several animals from a single flock in one hunt. Crop damage caused by bharal has also been seen.

Click here to view State wise list of Indian National Parks – updated

Actions to Protect

The Department of Wildlife Protection, Government of Jammu and Kashmir is the custodian of the Hemis National Park. Any activity in the park is prohibited unless special permission is obtained from the Chief Wildlife Warden J&K. The department has initiated many projects for biodiversity conservation and rural livelihood improvement in Ladakh, including the Hemis National Park, such as

1. Project Snow Leopard for conserving the entire Himalayan biosphere. The project was initiated by the department in 2004 and was formally launched on 20 February 2009.
2. Ladakh Eco tourism Project
3. Ladakh Homestays: A program for providing tourists with access to homestays in local villagers’ residences.
4. Nature Guide Training for the educated unemployed youth.
5. Eco Cafe for the women Help Group to run the cafe and sell the local handicraft products to the tourist.
6. Creation of a no-grazing zone for domestic livestock.
7. Predator-proofing livestock pens in the area.

Entry Fees

Indians – Rs. 20/- Per person

Foreigners – Rs. 100/- Per person

Best time to visit

The park is open throughout the year, but the best time of the year to visit the Hemis National Park is between the months of May to Mid-October.

How to Reach

By Air – Nearest airport is Leh airport from the Hemis National Park, about 10 Km from the Hemis National Park.

By Rail – Nearest railway station is Jammu Tavi railway station from the Hemis National Park, about 21 Km from the Hemis National Park.

By Road – Nearest city Leh is well connected to Major Cities and Places by road network. Approachable by road from Leh, this national park contains several camping sites. There is a daily bus service from Leh to Hemis. Taxis can be taken up to Hemis.

Distance from Major Cities

Leh – about 10 kilometers
Chandigarh – about 339 kilometers
Delhi – about – 571 kilometers
Indore – about 1234 kilometers
Ahmedabad – about 1278 kilometers
Kolkata – about 1648 kilometers
Mumbai – about 1689 kilometers
Hyderabad – about 1823 kilometers
Bengaluru – about 2310 kilometers
Chennai – about 2317 kilometers

Accommodation

No hotels are available in or near Hemis National Park. Six villages exist within the confines of the park. The villages –Rumbak, Kaya, Sku, Shingo, Urutse and Chilling. Several gompas and chortens are also located within the park.

Hemis is mainly visited by trekkers. There are no facilities for pucca accommodation but dormitories and tents may be used for an overnight halt. The Hemis Monastery provides accommodation to visitors. Nearby Leh has many resorts and hotels to suit your budget.

Useful contacts

The Director of Tourism, J&K Government, Srinagar. Tel.: 72449/ 73648/ 77224. After working hours: 77303/ 77305.

Alternatively, Jammu and Kashmir tourism offices at all major cities can provide information. J&K Tourist Offices (New Delhi) Tel.: 345373. (Mumbai) Tel.: 216249. (Ahmedabad) Tel.: 20473. (Calcutta)Tel.: 205790. (Hyderabad)Tel.: 63276. (Jammu Tawi) Tel.: 48172/ 49527. (Chennai) Tel.: 562355.

Other National Parks in Jammu and Kashmir. Name of National Parks, Year of Notification and Total Area is as follows…