Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary

Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is a pristine high altitude reserve sprawling across 47 square kilometers atop the Jhandi Dhar ridge in Kumaon. Perched at elevations between 1,500 and 2,500 meters, Binsar served as the summer capital of the medieval Chand dynasty kings who ruled Kumaon between the 11th and 18th centuries.

Declared a protected wildlife sanctuary in 1988 to conserve the delicate oak and broadleaf forest biome of the Central Himalayas, Binsar represents one of the densest remaining temperate forest tracts in North India. Ancient banj oak, moru oak, rhododendron, and Himalayan cedar cloak the steep mountain slopes.

Birdwatching Paradise, Wildlife, and Zero Point Views

Binsar is an internationally recognized Important Bird Area (IBA) sheltering over 200 species of resident and migratory birds. Birders flock here to spot koklass pheasants, laughingthrushes, forktails, nuthatches, kalij pheasants, and Himalayan monals along peaceful forest footpaths.

The reserve also supports rich mammal populations including leopards, Himalayan black bears, barking deer, wild boars, pine martens, and flying squirrels. A 2 kilometer forest walk leads to Zero Point, the highest peak in the sanctuary, offering an unmatched 300 kilometer wide vista of Kedarnath, Chaukhamba, Trishul, Nanda Devi, and Panchachuli peaks.

Located near the hill retreat of Binsar, this wildlife sanctuary offers an immersive wilderness experience across Uttarakhand.