Pin Valley National Park

There are two routes to reach this destination, the first one is called the Summer Route which is open from July to October, and the second one is called the Winter Route which is open from March to December. The Summer Route begins from Kullu where you can take the bus. From Kullu, you reach Kaza via the scenic beauties of Manali, Rohtang Pass, Kunzam Pass. Once you reach Kaza, you need to board another bus to reach Hikkim, which is the last motored spot. From Hikkim, you need to trek a distance of about 10 kilometres to reach the Pin Valley Park Area. On the other hand, the Winter Route takes you from Shimla to Tapri by bus, and then Tapri to Kaza again by bus, and then to the Park on foot. The best time to visit this destination is from May to October, as the weather is comparatively less cold.

One can take a taxi, car or a public bus to reach Pin Valley National Park. In order to reach by car/taxi, one has to reach Kaza, located in Spiti. This is the starting point of the journey. After that, proceed to Dhankar which directly leads to Pin Valley National Park via the bifurcation at the Attargo Bridge along the way. The route from the bridge which is followed is Gulling-Kungri-Mikkim-Mud. The total journey takes around 2 hours and is located at a distance of 27 km.

There is another route that can be taken via car/taxi is Shimla, Tapri and Kaza. However, the above route is always preferred since this route is open only from Mid-July to September, depending on the weather conditions.

Mid- May to September is considered to be the best time to visit Pin Valley National Park, since the region around the park receives heavy snowfall in winter.

• Rail: Shimla Railway station serves as the nearest rail head to Pina valley Park. It is about 443 kms away. Chandigarh rail junction is another option, which is well connected to several major cities of the country.

• Road: The Park can only be approached on foot from the Mikkim, which is the nearest road terminus. You can either follow the route of Manali, Rohtang Pass, and the Kunzum La, while the second option is via Shimla, Tapri and Kaza.

1. Make sure you carry warm clothes irrespective of the fact that what season you are traveling in.
2. Carry your own trekking gear and equipment and be always prepared.
3. Carry a medical aid kit and your usual medicines for the way.
4. A good pair of trekking shoes is a must.
5. Carry raingear no matter if you are travelling during monsoon season.
6. Make sure you obtain all the permits well in advance required for trekking in the region.
7. Make sure you carry spare batteries and film roll for the camera as there will be no electricity supply.
8. A well informed and trained guide is very important and do make sure to sort out all trivial things well in advance to avoid misunderstanding.
9. You will not find eateries at any place during your trek. It's always a good idea to carry your own food during trekking.
10. Pin Valley does not offer any proper accommodation for the trekkers. Most of the tourists carry their own sleeping bags and tents. Camping is allowed at Mud Farka.
11. Carry your own water as well during the trek. However, you might get an opportunity to refill your water stock from the rivers flowing during the trek.