How To Reach Nanda Devi National Park

Located in the area of the second highest peak in India, Nanda Devi (7817 meters), the national park by the same name is an incredibly rich and diverse ecosystem that has been honoured as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. The park offers some of the most incredible views of the surrounding Himalayan Mountain Ranges and is home to some of the most rare flora and fauna like the goral, musk deer, snow leopards and black bears. The park is well-connected by road, air and rail. To reach the Nanda Devi National park, a trek is necessary from Joshimath, which serves as the basecamp the journey there. Jolly Grant is the closest airport and Rishikesh is the closest railway station to this sanctuary. The park is only accessible in the summer and is shut for nearly six months every year. 

Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is the closest domestic airport to the Nanda Devi National Park, some 295 km away. The airport has frequent flights to Delhi throughout the week and is also well-connected to other significants parts of the country. There are many car and bus options for visitors to choose from at the airport. The closest international airport can be found in Delhi. 

This is the best and eventually the only way to reach Nanda Devi National Park. The well-connected roadway network ends at Joshimath, which serves as the base point for the trek. From this town, it is approximately a 19 km trek to the national park, which takes visitors anywhere between 40 minutes to an hour to complete each way. Visitors can organise for porters to carry their luggage back and forth if necessary. The park is shut for six months of the year and treks to the Nanda Devi biosphere are only organised in the summer months when the visibility is high and the weather is pleasant. The stunning views of the surrounding landscape during the trek is what makes it the best way to reach. 

Nearly 276 km away, Rishikesh Railway Station is the closest to Nanda Devi National Park. The station has a high frequency of trains to Delhi and other major cities in the area. Visitors can then pick from a number of car and bus options to get to Joshimath before making the trek to the park. The railway network in and around the park is also very well-linked. 

As shared earlier, the park can only be explored on foot via trekking. However, the trek is one of the best in the country and possibly the world for the sheer beauty of the park of the park and trekking trails. The incredibly rare and diverse variety of plants and animals is something that cannot be missed. It is important to note that the park is only accessible for six months of the year, weather permitting. Visitors can use porters or hire mules to carry their luggage back and forth.