Nanda Devi National Park

Nanda Devi National Park has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and falls in the vicinity of Nanda Devi (7817 m), the second highest peak in India. Home to one of the most unique high altitude flora and fauna in the world. The park offers spectacular views, sylvan environment, and richness of biosphere making it quite different from the other wildlife sanctuaries of India. Falling in its vicinity are the Valley of Flowers, Badrinath Temple, and Hemkund Sahib.

Though the park was notified only in 1982, it has a long history. W.W. Garden was the first person to reach this region in 1883, but his expedition to the Nanda Devi Peak failed to create any impact. In 1936, Tilman and N.E. Odell scaled the Nanda Devi and opened its vista for others to follow. This led to the region becoming a game sanctuary in 1939. The area of the park remained undisturbed until 1950's when organized expeditions for Nanda Devi gained popularity. To save the park from these disturbances, the Government of India declared the region a National Park in 1982 and later it was given the special status of a Biosphere Reserve.

The entry to the park is from Lata village around 23 km from Joshimath. Mountain peaks surround it from all sides except the west where it is bounded by an inaccessible gorge.