Hemis National Park

Hemis National Park is India's largest national park, covering about 4,400 sq km in eastern Ladakh north of the Himalayas in Leh district. Established in 1981, it encompasses the catchments of the Markha, Sumdah and Rumbak valleys. Notable for its cold desert landscape and as a protected habitat for the snow leopard, it also shelters Tibetan wolves, Eurasian brown bears and diverse alpine flora near Hemis Monastery.

Visitors can expect a vast high-altitude cold desert landscape with rugged mountains, gorges and valleys ranging from 3,000 to 6,000 meters. The park offers sparse vegetation, alpine meadows and rocky terrain with opportunities to spot snow leopards, blue sheep, Tibetan wolves and diverse birds. Access is via trekking trails from villages like Zingchen and Rumbak, with Hemis Monastery located at the park's edge and basic homestays and guide services available.

Established in 1981 and later expanded to about 4,400 sq km, it is the largest national park in India and South Asia. Named after the 17th-century Hemis Monastery within its boundaries, it was created to protect the high-altitude Himalayan ecosystem and endangered species such as the snow leopard.

The park encompasses Hemis Monastery, one of the most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in Ladakh, and several Buddhist villages. The monastery and its annual Hemis festival reflect the region's Tibetan Buddhist heritage and are a key cultural element for visitors.