Framed through Himalayan Birch (Betula utilis) or bhoj patra trees, a group of high altitude porters descend a cliff in the Nanda Devi Sanctuary to the Rishi Ganga gorge camp.
Nanda Devi National Parks & Wildlife Sanctuaries:
Nanda Devi National Park is an outstanding mountain wilderness with few if any parallels elsewhere in the Himalayas on account of its concentration of high peaks and glaciers lying within a range of near -- pristine habitats. It lies within a bio geographical transition zone between the Western and Eastern Himalayas and supports a variety of threatened and uncommon species of large mammals. Nanda Devi National Park is situated in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. The spectacular panoramas of peaks encircling the National Park are Trishul (7120 m) Dunagiri (7066 m) Nanda Devi (7817 m) Nanda Devi East (7430 m) Bethartoli (6352 m) etc.
The beautiful surroundings with abundant flora and fauna like Brahma-Kamal and Bharal (blue mountain goat) make this a sanctuary of nature. The area is reputed as one of the most spectacular wilderness in the Himalaya and is dominated by "Nanda Devi Peak" which is a natural monument and India's second highest peak. The Nanda Devi National Park the world heritage site has unique topography, climate, and soil and it supports diverse habitat, species, communities and ecosystems. The beautiful surroundings with abundant flora and fauna like Brahma-Kamal and Bharal (blue mountain goat) make this a sanctuary of nature.
In 1982 access to trekkers into the Nanda Devi National Park was banned to protect its biodiversity. The Nanda Devi National Park, which has been declared a world heritage site, has been partially opened recently for restricted number of tourist. The Nanda Devi basin was declared as Nanda Devi Sanctuary in 1939. An area of 630 sq. Km. was added as Nanda Devi National Park in the year 1982 which is now a part and core zone of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.The Park became a world heritage site in the year 1988.
The Nanda Devi Sanctuary can be divided into two parts, Inner and Outer. Together, they are surrounded by the main Sanctuary Wall, which forms a roughly square outline, with high, continuous ridges on the north, east, and south sides. On the west side, less high but still imposing ridges drop from the north and south toward the Rishi Ganga Gorge, which drains the Sanctuary towards the west. The Inner Sanctuary occupies roughly the eastern two-thirds of the total area, and contains Nanda Devi itself and the two major glaciers flanking the peak, the Uttari (north) Rishi Glacier and the Dakshni (south) Rishi Glacier. These are fed by the smaller Uttari Nanda Devi and Dakshni Nanda Devi Glaciers respectively. The first recorded entry of humans into the Inner Sanctuary was by Eric Shipton and H. W. Tilman in 1934, via the Rishi Gorge.
The Outer Sanctuary occupies the western third of the total Sanctuary, and is separated from the Inner Sanctuary by high ridges, through which flows the Rishi Ganga. It is split in two by the Rishi Ganga; on the north side lies the Ramani Glacier, flowing down from the slopes of Dunagiri and Changabang, and on the south lies the Trisul Glacier, flowing from the peak of the same name. This portion of the Sanctuary is accessible to the outside (though requiring the crossing of a 4,000 m (13,000 ft) pass). The first serious climbing expedition to pass through the Outer Sanctuary was that of T. G. Longstaff, who climbed Trisul I in 1907 via the eponymous glacier.
Some of the important peaks encircling the Nanda Devi National Park are Dunagiri, Changband, Kalnka, Rishi pahar, Mangraon, Nanda Khat, Maiktoli, Mrigthuni, Trishul-1, Trishul-II, Bethartoli Himal and Nandadevi East. Trek for the park negotiates a steep assent at high altitude zones within 13 km route from 2000 mt. at village Lata to 4250 mt. to Dharasi which is the topmost point.
Source: www.euttaranchal.com
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