The Great Himalayan National Park is located in the Western Himalayas, close to Kullu and Manali in Himachal Pradesh. GHNP is part of the Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (GHNPCA) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The region is of great interest to conservationists and naturalists because of its value as a biodiversity hotspot and for the rare, endemic, and endangered birds and animals found in the Great Himalayan National Park.
GHNP offers an exciting and memorable experience for trekkers, hikers, campers, and bird/wildlife enthusiasts with stunning vistas of the lush Himalayan mountains and some of the best Himalayan treks. Visitors also have the opportunity to witness local traditions, culture, and life in the Himalayan villages in the Ecozone.
Trekking is the only way to enjoy and explore the Great Himalayan National Park. There are several trekking and hiking routes in the Great Himalayan National Park. A short 2 day trek is a gentle introduction to the park. Longer treks of upto 9 days take you deep into the heart of the park to the source of rivers.
Himalayan Ecotourism takes you for amazing treks in the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP). Your trekking crew are members of the local cooperative that we have encouraged and supported from its creation. Your visit actually supports conservation of the Great Himalayan National Park.
Since its inception in April 2014, Himalayan Ecotourism has been operating towards the preservation of the Himalayan ecosystem by engaging the local community in managing their invaluable resources.
For non-trekkers who want to enjoy the experience of camping in the Himalayas we also offer "Night under the stars" in the ecozone of the GHNP.
For adventure seekers we offer activities like rappelling, river crossing, rock climbing and fishing!
Himalayan Ecotourism also organizes exploration tours around the Great Himalayan National Park specially designed for birdwatchers and for people interested in the rich traditions and culture of the Himalayas.
Great Himalayan National Park GHNP
EnquireThings to do in the Great Himalayan National Park
Multi day treks
Meet the mighty Himalayas and explore GHNP’s wilderness on our 2- to 10-day treks.
One day hikes
Enjoy the Himalayan nature and quaint villages in one day with one of our day hikes.
Fixed dates departure
Join one of our group treks with fixed dates departure to the GHNP.
Easy camping in the wild
Try our camping experience in the wilderness for a relaxed outdoors experience.
Adventure activities
Get your adrenaline pumping with our fun activities for adventure lovers, which include safety measures.
Wildlife treks
Discover the wildlife of Western Himalayas with customised wildlife treks in the GHNP.
Women trek
Join our women-only treks led by our women staff for camaraderie and adventure in the wild Himalayas.
Nature therapy
Heal in nature with our forest bathing experience that is accessible to all, including people with disabilities.
Travel responsibly
Support sustainable development in the Himalayas by trekking with us.
A practical guide to the Great Himalayan National Park
About your trek
Find out everything you need to know before going on a trek with us to the GHNP.
How to reach GHNP ?
Know about the best ways to reach Great Himalayan National Park for your trek.
Maps of the GHNP
Get a quick visual insight of GHNP with trek maps, road maps, and more.
Best time to go
Discover the best time to visit and trek in GHNP for the best experience.
Your trekking equipment
Select your equipment for your trek for a comfortable trekking experience.
Our services
Learn more about the services we offer before, during, and after your trek.
Homestay
Choose a homestay to meet local people and experience the culture around GHNP.
Corporate events
Offer your team a rejuvenating time in the Himalayas by organising an event with us.
Why to choose us ?
Support sustainable development by trekking and travelling with a social enterprise.
About the Great Himalayan National Park
GHNP’s Ecozone
The majority of inhabitants of the Ecozone are agriculturalists. They are almost self-sufficient for their own subsistence. They grow wheat, corn, rajma, and many vegetables and spices. They also grow fruits that are sold to larger markets in India. The region is known for its apples and apricots.
Many of the villagers have large herds of sheep and goats, which are used for wool and meat. Goats are often offered to the local Devatas (gods) on special occasions.
Since the creation of GHNP, the local community’s access to the Park has been prohibited. The Park used to be an important source of livelihood for local communities where they collected medicinal plants and wood and grazed their cattle. Hence, the creation of the Park resulted in an important loss of income for the local community, which is being addressed through various initiatives.
Efforts are underway to protect the local culture and traditional livelihood with emphasis on the development of the villages. The local communities are also encouraged to participate actively in the conservation and protection of the Park.
Himalayan Ecotourism is facilitating the creation and implementation of alternative sources of income to secure the welfare of the locals while also protecting the Park.
We work closely with the local communities to economically empower them through sustainable development models such as the cooperative that operates the treks in the Himalayas, camping, and adventure activities in the Great Himalayan National Park.
Read more about our work here.
Great Himalayan National Park Videos

Trekking in the GHNP
All you need to know for planning your trek in the GHNP with us

Trek in GHNP by Janisha
A moving video narrated by Janisha among our cooperative members.

Women trek to the GHNP
Our women empowerment program on trek !
Great Himalayan National Park photos
Great Himalayan National Park conservation area
The Ecozone is the buffer zone between the Park and the rest of the region. It comprises villages and lands within a 5km radius around the Park. Villages located in the Ecozone are supposed to be closely associated to the protection of the park. Their culture and traditional livelihood have to be protected and a special emphasis is normally given to the development of the villages.
The majority of inhabitants of the Ecozone are agriculturalists ; they are almost self-sufficient for their own subsistence. They grow wheat, corn, rajma, (organic beans) and many vegetables and spices. They also grow fruits that are sold to larger markets in India. The region is well known for its apples and apricots.
Many of the villagers have large herds of sheep and goats. Both are used for wool and for their meat. Goats are often offered to the local Devatas (gods) on special occasions and also served as one of all-time-favourite delicacies of the region.
Since the creation of the Great Himalayan National Park, local community’s access to the Park has been prohibited. The park used to be an important source of livelihood for local communities be it by collecting medicinal plants, wood, or grazing their cattle.
Hence creation of the Park resulted in an important loss of income for the local community. Himalayan Ecotourism social and environmental objectives aim at facilitating availability of alternative sources of income so that welfare of the locals and protection of the Park are ensured.
The GHNP and the Tirthan Valley Ecozone are a hub of biodiversity. It only takes a glance to spot exceptional species of birds. The more patient and experienced naturalists can see the rare and ‘difficult-to-spot’ mammals. Many are on the Red List of threatened species. The process of conservation of these species by the Park is essential to their survival.
A trekker must respect the environment he travels in. The main cause of extinction of animal and plant species is the destruction of the ecosystems. The GHNP and the Ecozone community are dedicated to protect and manage these exceptional natural environments.

Map of conservation area, treks and hikes
Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) consists of 3 valleys: Tirthan, Sainj and Jiwa Nala valley
Best time to visit Great Himalayan National Park
Avoid the monsoon between July and August as it rains a lot and the paths become slippery and there are chances of landslides.
Avoid the winter months of December to March. GHNP receives heavy snowfall in winter.
How to reach Great Himalayan National Park
Inform the conductor of the bus that you need to be dropped at Aut town just after the tunnel. We can arrange a taxi to pick you up from Aut from where it is 1.5 hours to Gushaini - the main starting point for treks to the Great Himalayan National Park.
See next section for more information and maps for getting to GHNP.
Traveling to GHNP
Deluxe Volvo Bus
DEL
Delhi ISBT
Aut
Kullu valley
Departure Time
6 pmArrival Time
6 amFare
1200Class
Semi-sleeper
Breaks
2Distance
480kmTravel options
A bus is the preferred option to travel from Delhi to GHNP via Aut.
There are comfortable Volvo buses (min Rs 1000) from Delhi to Manali. Most of the busses start in the evening from Delhi. You have to get off the bus at Aut early morning, and take a taxi (about Rs 1000) or local bus to Banjar or Sainj. Or we can arrange your transportation from Aut by sending our own taxi.
You can also come from Shimla going through Jalori pass (Shimla - Banjar, 8 hours drive). Be aware that Jalori pass is closed in winter because of snow (December to March).
If you come by your own vehicle, the shortest route goes through Chandigarh, Bilaspur, Mandi and Aut. Then you need to move to Banjar or Sainj, the two main entries to the Park (Delhi - Banjar, 12 hours). The road to GHNP diverts before reaching Aut. Just before Aut, there is a tunnel (the only tunnel on the road from Delhi).
Do not enter the tunnel.
Just at the entrance of the tunnel there is a smaller road on the right. Take this one. After crossing a dam and then a bridge, either you continue straight to Sainj (for Sainj valley), or if you need to go to Banjar (for Tirthan valley), you need to cross the next bridge on your right to reach the small town of Larji. Turn right after the bridge and continue straight to Banjar (about 20 km from Larji).

Road map
Road map of the Great Himalayan National Park showing how to get to GHNP
Flora and fauna in Great Himalayan National Park
The Great Himalayan National Park is home to over 31 species of mammals, 209 species of birds, and a variety of invertebrates, amphibians, and reptiles! This abundance of wildlife is because of the different ecosystems that fall within the protected area and that are located at different altitudes ranging from 1800m to above 6000m.
The mountains are home to the Himalayan Black Bear, the Himalayan Tahr, the Himalayan Brown Bear, and the Phantom of the Mountains—the Snow Leopard. Himachal Pradesh’s state bird Western Tragopan, or Jujurana, which is an elusive and endangered species, is found in these forests. There are other pheasants too such as the monal, koklass, white-crested kajeel, and cheer pheasant.
Birders have the opportunity to spot a variety of other birds of the Himalayas here, which includes the:
- Long-tailed Minivets,
- Yellow-bellied Fantails,
- Wallcreepers,
- White-collared and Gray-winged blackbirds,
- variegated laughing thrush,
- Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler,
- Spectacled Finch and Golden Bush Robin,
- Blue-capped Redstart,
- Black-throated Thrush,
- Black-throated Accentor,
- Little Forktail,
- Crested Kingfisher,
- Blue Whistling Thrush,
- Yellow-billed Magpie,
- Greyheaded and Black-crowned flycatcher-warblers,
- Bar-tailed Treecreeper,
- Lammergeiers,
- Himalayan Griffon Vultures
- Golden Eagles.
Great Himalayan National Park stay
During all our treks (and when camping), you will be sleeping in imported, light-weight European tents with sleeping mats and sleeping bags. The equipment is secure and comfortable and built for even harsh weather conditions. The tents are carried by our porters who are part of the staff that accompanies all treks.

Accommodation
Great Himalayan National Park stay in imported European made tents

Accommodation
Great Himalayan National Park stay in imported European made tents

Robens tent
Himalayan Ecotourism is an authorized importer of Robens tent from Germany
Great Himalayan National Park hotels
The GHNP office in Sai Ropa, Tirthan Valley, has a government-managed guesthouse with a couple of rooms and a dormitory. It is only 15 minutes away from the start of the trek in Gushaini.
We can arrange your stay at guesthouses or homestays at the start and end of the trek depending on your preference and budget. The budget could range from INR 1,500 to INR 12,000 for a double occupancy room.
For accommodation in Great Himalayan National Park : a list of local homestays.

Accommodation
Guesthouses and homestays are available at the start and end of the trek in the ecozone
Great Himalayan National Park GHNP map

Map
Great Himalayan National Park map with main trekking trails
Tours around GHNP
FAQs
How do we reach GHNP by bus?
The best is to go to GHNP by Volvo bus from Delhi to Manali and get off the bus at Aut.
Are kids allowed on GHNP treks?
Kids from the age of 6 are welcome on our treks. Below this age please inquire.
What is the level of physical fitness required.
Our short and easy-level treks (2 to 3 days) are designed for everyone with average fitness. Check the profile of our treks to know more about the demands of each trek.
Does Himalayan Ecotourism book our accommodation before and after the trek?
Yes. Please specify the dates, budget, the number of people, and food preferences and we will help arrange the right accommodation for you.
What is included in the trek cost?
The trek cost of our trek packages includes the wages of trekking staff, food, camping and other equipment, trekking permits, and a small fee toward our reforestation program.
GHNP visitors’ experiences
Testimonials
“
An unforgettable adventure in the Tirthan Valley...
The staff were very professional and offered us excellent food. They were very friendly and received us with an amazing hospitality.
Many thanks to them and to Stephan.
I strongly recommend anyone to go with "Himalayan Ecotourism" to visit the GHNP.
Thierry Leneveu,
Professor of Geology at Lycée Français,
Munich,Germany
“
Himalayas are one of the great places to observe scenic landscapes...
The management of our trek was amazing. It was certainly the most delightful experience with the people of Himalayan Ecotourism...
Ashish Kambale,
Research Fellow,
BNHS’s Bird Migration Study Centre,
Point Calimere, Tamil Nadu
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Press coverage of Himalayan Ecotourism
More info about Great Himalayan National Park

Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) treks
There are several treks and hikes ranging from 1 day to 14 days.
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Recognition of Himalayan Ecotourism

Our awards
Himalayan Ecotourism is the winner of the To Do award 2022 in the field of "Socially Responsible Tourism".
We are also the Overall Winner of the Indian Responsible Tourism Award 2019 and the Gold winner in the Best Adventure Operator category.
We have been declared winner of the Sustainable Tourism Award 2019 by Skal International and Biosphere.
Our cooperative-based model of social enterprise and our efforts to conserve the Himalayas are the main reasons for winning these awards.
Thank you to all our cooperative members, our customers, our friends and well-wishers !
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