Hemis National Park is a renowned high altitude National Park situated in Ladakh of Jammu and Kashmir. This National Park is popular among tourists for large numbers of Snow Leopards and Mountain Weasel (Mustela Altaica) appearance. It is the largest National Park of India whose boundaries are stretched around 4,400 square km.
Mostly Ladakh is famous for Biking and Trekking adventure but in this National Park, you will explore a different shade of Ladakh. In 1981, this National Park was established. The park was named after the famous monastery of Ladakh, Hemis Gompa.
Hemis monastery falls under the boundary of the park. This 400year old monastery is popular for exploration, sightseeing and accommodation. The main tourist attraction of the park is the snow leopard, especially in the Rumbak catchment area. Grand La, a high mountain pass is located within the boundaries of the park.
Wildlife
This National Park has different kinds of animal species. However, the prime attractions are the Snow Leopard and Shapu sheep; these animal species are not found anywhere else in India. While exploring the park, you will discover various kinds of animals like Bharal (Blue Sheep), Shapu (Ladakhi Urial) and Great Tibetan Sheep.
Numerous endangered species including the Eurasian brown bear, Tibetan wolf and red fox can be found in this park. Discover Himalayan Snowcock, Himalayan Griffon vulture, Leaf Warbler, Gold Eagle at Hemis National Park.
Best Safari Season
Visit the National Park between May and October. If visiting in summer, you can attend the famous Hemis Festival conducted in the Hemis Monastery. After October, most of the roads used for jeep safaris and trekking are obstructed due to heavy rainfall.
Flora And Fauna of Hemis National Park
Flora
The park is located in the Tibetan plateau region, which covers pine forests, alpine tundra region, meadows and shrublands. The upper moist slopes of the mountain contain Veronica, Carex, Kobresia, Gentiana and others. The areas of vegetation include Ephedra, Stachys, Artemisia. More than 15 different endangered medicines are found here like Hyoscyamus niger, Artemisia Maritima, Bergenia Strachey and others.
Fauna
The park shelters to more than 200 snow panthers. These panthers are moved in the Rumbak catchment zone. The principal prey of panthers are the Great Tibetan sheep, blue sheep, Ladakhi Urial, and others. This is the leading National Park in the nation that holds Ladakhi Urial.
Safari Timings
The park is opened throughout the week. Entry Fee for Indian Tourist is INR 20, and Foreign Tourists is INR 100.
Hemis National Park remains open from 9 am to 5 pm.
How To Reach
By Airways: Leh is around 5 km away and has the nearest airport to the National Park. You can have a flight from nearby cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and other international airports.
By Railways: There is no direct rail connectivity to Hemis. Katra railway station is the nearest railway station to the site, 227 km away from the same. Apart from this, Jammu Tawi Railway Station and Kalka railway station of Haryana is also an option to reach this park.
By Roadways:Â There are two roads for reaching Ladakh. One is the Leh-Manali Highway, and the other is Srinagar-Leh Highway(NH-1D). Both routes meet at the northern portion of the park. Regular bus services are also available for National Park. They operate on a daily basis, whether day or night, from places like Srinagar, Leh, Jammu Tawi etc. You can also take shared taxis or cabs for the same route.
Hotel/ Resorts
For your convenience, we are providing hotels closer to National Park. You can select other hotels as per your budget and accommodation facilities.
- Hotel Ladakh Imperial
- The Golden Apricot
- Hotel Snow Land
- Lha-Ri-Sa Resort
- Hotel Royal Palace
You can explore much more about Leh and Ladakh in our Post: Trekking In Chadar – Ultimate Frozen Water Lake Adventure
Next time when you visit Leh and Ladakh with your friends and family, take out some time and visit Hemis National Park and discover why this place is full of adventures and explored by everyone.
