Nanda Devi National Park

Nanda Devi National Park is in Garhwal, northern India. It is named after the highest mountain entirely in India and has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Nanda Devi

Understand

History

Landscape and people

Temple of Goddess Nanda Devi in village Lata, Nanda Devi National Park

The landscape is dominated by mountains. The park contains or is delimited by 24 peaks at least 6,000 m above the sea level. Nanda Devi is 7,816 m high.

The area is inhabited by the indigenous Bhotiya tribal community. There are 22 villages in the Niti Valley region on the periphery of the park. A majority of the villages practice trancehumance, i.e. they will live for six months in the upper villages, and move down to winter villages to avoid the extreme climate. Bhotiyas are a closely knit society and still practice their traditional customs and rituals. Village Lata is famous for its week-long Mask Dance festival observed during the second week of April every year. There are places of archaeological interest in the Niti Valley, and a 12th-century temple of Nanda Devi in the village of Lata.

The native Bhotiya community was in the forefront of Chipko Movement during the 1970s. The prompt action taken by Gaura Devi and few other village women is a milestone in the non-violent struggle of tribal communities in saving their forest wealth. The political leadership in Niti Valley Painkhanda region was provided by Comrade Govind Singh Rawat.

Flora and fauna

Wildlife in the park includes snow leopards, black and brown bears, tahrs, deer, musk deer and monkeys. Over 100 species of birds and 312 floral species have been documented.

Climate

Get in

The closest cities are Joshimath northwest of the park and Munsyari southeast of the park. The best access route is via Haridwar, from where you drive to Rishikesh, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Karnprayag, Chamoli and Joshimath. Village Lata, the gateway to the Nanda Devi National Park, is 25 km upstream from Joshimath on Niti-Malari highway. Another route is from Kathgodam from Kumaon side. The route from Kathgodam covers Almora, Kausani, Baijnath, Gwaldam and meets at Karnprayag. The nearest airport is in Dehradun, which is 14 km from Rishikesh.

Fees and permits

The DFO Joshimath issues permit for trekking inside the park.

Get around

See

The Interpretation Center on Bio-Cultural Diversity of Niti Valley at Lata Village provides a detailed history exploration, mountaineering, Chipko and post Chipko movement and also showcases a vide range of traditional cultural artifacts.

Do

• Nanda Devi National Park Interpretive Trek (Nanda Devi Trek), Shepherds Lodge Devangan, Thuaa, V&P Lata, Chamoli (4 days of trek from Lata village), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. The Nanda Devi National Park Interpretive Trek is managed by the local community. The trek starts from the village of Lata and culminates at Suraithota. The visitors camp at kanook and Lata Kharak while at village Tolma home stay arrangements are made. The highest elevation gained during the trek is 13,700 ft (4,200 m). Since the landscape is almost vertical, chances of AMS remains high. The trekkers camp midway at Camp Kanook, between Lata village and Lata Kharak, to acclimatize before attempting the high altitude. The Nanda Devi Trek is planned as an all immersive experience for the travelers. (updated Dec 2018)

Buy

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Lodging

• Shepherds Lodge Devangan (Latu Ka Lodge), Thuaa, Village Lata (Drive 25 Km upstream from Joshimath on Niti Malari road), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Check-in: noon, check-out: 11AM. The lodge is best suited for off-road travelers who are looking for a more immersive experience with nature and culture. It’s also an ideal base for responsible trekkers planning to explore the bio-culture diversity and mesmerizing landscape and wilderness of the world heritage Nanda Devi National Park. The tariff includes dinner and breakfast. There is an equipment store for hiring trekking equipment (updated Dec 2018)

Camping

Backcountry

Stay safe

The terrain in Nanda Devi National Park is almost vertical. Therefore, altitude sickness is definitely a risk while trekking in the park. It is advisable to strictly follow best practices, especially an acclimatization drill, and carry enough woolens, water, emergency rations and medicine kit. Avoid zipped itineraries that propose trekking straight to Lata Kharak in a single day. Most of the health issues in the Nanda Devi National Park region are due to rapid altitude gain.

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