Ladakh has been blessed with unique beauty by Mother Nature. Wherever you go, a breathtaking ice capped spectacle is waiting for you. Spellbinding Buddhist monasteries, deep throat chants and Dungchen horns will push you into a trance. To complement your wanderlust, the Hemis National Park features rich flora and fauna. Doesn't that make you want to live there for the rest of your life? In fact, I overstayed my trip there just to get a glimpse of the majestic snow leopard. Here's a short review that I, Nishan Kohli, have made to acquaint you with Hemis National Park:
The best time to visit Hemis National Park is in winters (around February). A trip to Leh and Ladakh requires you to get comfortable with the high altitude and freezing sub-zero temperatures. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is common among irregular mountain trekkers. To counter AMS, use Acetalomozide tablets with the prescription of your doctor. The trip should only be pursued by people who can handle extreme cold climates.
Travelers will have to trek 8 Km into the park from a no-vehicle point which is 25 Kms from Leh. Before starting the journey, carry food and water as you won't find anything to eat or drink during the trek. Refreshments are only available at the top of the trek. The trek gives you a scene of mountains and hills covered by the deep blue but cloudy sky. You might even see a flock of Ladakhi Urials balancing themselves on really small rock platforms.
Hiring local spotters can help you find rare animals and birds. With a lot of patience and luck, I was able to see the Eurasian Lynx. Other preys you can see here are Eurasian Brown Bear, Tibetan Wolf, and the Red fox. The mountains are filled with cacophony of many indigenous partridges and fowls. I was only able to identify the Himalayan Vulture. Home stay at Kanda La if you want the best of Ladkahi fauna.
You could also visit the famous Hemis monastery. It is a venue to the Bhutanese festival called Tsechu in summers. The folk music and colorful attire of the dancers will make you go gaga over Bhutanese culture.
To wrap up the whole trip in a few words, I'll have to say:
"Gar firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hami asto, hamin asto, hamin ast"
(If there is a heaven on earth, it's here, it's here)
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