Nanda Devi National Park

Nanda Devi National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located within the high altitude wilderness of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand. Spanning over 630 square kilometers at an elevation exceeding 3,500 meters (reaching up to India's second highest summit, Mount Nanda Devi at 7,816 meters), this pristine glacial sanctuary is enclosed by a formidable ring of over 70 high Himalayan peaks and drained by the deep Rishi Ganga river gorge.

Renowned for its extraordinary alpine biodiversity, the park provides sanctuary to endangered Himalayan wildlife including the elusive snow leopard, Himalayan musk deer, bharal (blue sheep), Asiatic black bear, and red serow, alongside over 300 rare alpine floral species. To protect its fragile glacial ecology, eco tourism access to the inner sanctuary is strictly regulated. Travelers visiting Joshimath obtain forest permits for guided trekking along authorized peripheral routes like the Lata Tolma Dharansi pass trail to experience unspoiled Himalayan wilderness.