Pin Valley Park, the only cold desert national park in
Himachal Pradesh, is a short drive from
Kaza. It is situated in the valley of the
Pin River, from which the park got its name. It strives to protect rare species of Himalayan flora and fauna. The area of the park extends up to the south of
Dhankar in
Lahaul and Spiti District near the Tibetan border.
Endangered animals such as snow leopard, Siberian ibex and bharal are some of the inhabitants here. Among the bird residents are
Himalayan snowcock, chukor and snow partridge. Due to its high altitude and extreme temperature, the park is blessed with lush vegetation comprising alpine trees, Himalayan cedar and several rare medicinal herbs.
The park is an ideal spot for trekking, but only experienced trekkers are recommended to go for trekking here. It is not open to foreign visitors, and Indian tourists require a prior permission of Deputy Commissioner of Shimla or Sub Divisional Magistrate of Rampur to enter the park. The best time to visit the valley is in the month of August.
Strong influence of Tibetan culture evident in the Buddhist lamas, shrines and monasteries are prevalent in the surrounding areas of the park.
