KALATOP KHAJJIAR SANCTUARY

This small sanctuary lies in the catchment of the Ravi River, and contains patches of good coniferous and Oak forests. A lovely bowl-shaped meadow at Khajjiar, with a lake and a ‘floating’ island, is a popular tourist spot. There is a ‘golden’ domed temple at the edge of this meadow, dedicated to the deity ‘Khajinag’, from whom the area derives its name.

SECHU TUAN NALA SANCTUARY

A very high altitude sanctuary with significant populations of Ibex, Musk deer, and Pheasants. Snow leopards are also reported from here.

THE KUGTI SANCTUARY

This sanctuary is rich in high-altitude Himalayan wildlife, and is one of the last homes of Himalayan tahr in Himachal Pradesh. It is also well-known as a source of many medicinal plants. Abundant water resources, many originating from glaciers, and a diverse topography add to the attraction of the area. To the west it is connected with Tundah Sanctuary by a forest corridor. There is an annual pilgrimage by thousands of people to the Mani Mahesh Temple inside the sanctuary.

THE TUNDAH SANCTUARY

A high altitude sanctuary with good, though disturbed, habitat for Himalayan tahr, Ibex and pheasants. The area also supports a small population of Musk deer. It is connected to Kugti Sanctuary by a forest corridor to the east..

THE GAMGUL SANCTUARY

A high-altitude sanctuary harbouring small populations of Musk deer, Himalayan tahr, and pheasants. This is the only sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh which has reported the presence of Kashmir stag, though none have been observed in the last few years. The sanctuary is under severe human pressure and is heavily grazed. Its northern boundary adjoins the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Read More About Wild Life Sanctuaries in Chamba >>

AREA AND ZONING

37,886.68 ha. (378.87 sq. km). No zoning.

LOCATION

District Chamba;Latitudinal range 32°25´ to 32°35´ N; Longitudinal range 76°44´ to 76°53´E; Nearest Town Chamba (87 km); Nearest railhead Pathankot (209 km).

APPROACHES

From Pathankot to Chamba (122 km), Chamba to Brahmaur (61 km), then to Harser (13 km), then on by foot to kugti village inside the sanctuary (14 km).

TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

Altitude 2250 to 6044 m; Temperature –10°C to 25°C; Mean annual rainfall 445 mm.

FLORA

Forest types include Moist Deodar Forest 12/C1 (c) spread over 5,800 ha., Western Mixed Coniferous Forest 12/C1(d) over 6,028 ha., and Alpine Pastures 15/C3. The herbs Gentiana kuroo (Karu) and Jurinea macrocephala (Dhup) are believed to be locally threatened due to over-extraction. Plantation work over 133 hectares has been carried out from 1979 to 1984. Kail and Deodar were planted for commercial timber; other species planted are Poplar, Robinia, Walnut, Fir, and Spruce. Of these, Poplar and Robinia are introduced. There is a forest department nursery at Kugti.

FAUNA

Mammals

BIRDS

INFORMATION FOR VISITORS

The best periods for visiting the sanctuary are May-June and September-October, when the weather is good. There is no regulation on entry to the sanctuary. There is one rest house inside with 2 beds and one on the outskirts with 4 beds.

Chamba Gaddi Dance

Here are some places one must make sure to go while on a trip to chamba:

Manimahesh

Manimahesh is accessible from Bharmaur, about 35 kms. away. This place is sacred to Lord Shiva and his divine consort Parvati. Past Gaddi villages and wide meadows that give way to bare rock and snow fields, this place is reached after a three day trek from Bharmaur – via Hadsar and Dhanchha. The deep blue waters of the lake, rest at the feet of the Manimahesh Kailash Peak – which is one of the mythological abodes of Lord Shiva.

Bharmaur

Bharmaur is linked by road to Chamba and is about 65 km away. Surrounded by alpine pastures, this is the summer home of the nomadic Gaddis. Bharmaur, once known as Brahampur, was between the 6th and 10th centuries, the capital of princely state of Chamba. It is renowned for its cluster of temples – collectively known as the ‘Chaurasi’. Though of varying architectural designs, these temples are noted for their fine workmanship. From Bharmaur, the Kugti and Chobia passes and trek routes they offer can be approached. Other interesting places at hand are the temples of Bani Mata and picturesque Khundel.

Bhandal Valley

Bhandal Valley is linked to Salooni (22 km) in the Chamba valley by road. The beautiful Bhandal Valley with its wealth of wildlife is at the western extremity of Himachal Pradesh. Approachable from Chamba, it is the base for a trek routes that connect Chamba to the Kishtwar region of Jammu and Kashmir over the Dagni Dhar. The route begins along the right bank of the river Ravi, goes past Pukhri, down to the Siyul stream, then rises to Salooni on the Prithvi Jor ridge to finally arrive above the valley. From Bhandal via Langhera one reaches Kishtwar. The highest point on the trek is the Padri Gali at 3049 m.

Pangi Valley

Locked between the greater Himalyan and Pir Panjal ranges, the wild and beautiful Pangi Valley is 173 km from Chamba. Its subdivision headquarters at Killar is located in the deep and narrow gorge of the river Chanderbhaga (Chenab). The foaming river, the high crags of the gorge and the difficult terrain are a challenge for intrepid trekkers. The Sach Pass (4428 m) opens the way to several trek routes. Thick forest the habitat of varied wild life surround the Pangi Valley and the numerous side valleys – Saichu, Hunam, Sural Nallah, that are also endowed with remarkable natural beauty. The temple of Mindhal Basan Devi in Pangi is an important shrine. Appropriately, the people of Pangi are as attractive as the tract they inhabit.

Climate of Chamba

Chamba experiences a temperate climate with well defined seasons. The winters range from December to February and the months of March and April also remain cool. The temperature elevates quickly during mid April to last of June but by the time it is July the monsoon breaks in and lasts till almost mid of September. The monsoon season is humid and cloudy. October and November is cold but it is dry. The maximum temperature of chamba during the summer season is 38’ C and the minimum temperature during winters is 0’C. The best time for the tourist’s to visit chamba is between the April and the October months. However, the people involved in adventure sports may like to visit chamba in winter season.

How to Reach

Kangra is the nearest airport to chamba and is around 180 kms away from chamba and 140 kms away from Dalhousie. The nearest railway station to chamba is the pathankot railway station which is around 122 kms away from the town. From pathankot there is direct link to many big cities in India like Amritsar, Delhi, Mumbai and kolkata. Dalhousie is around 52 kms away from chamba town. From chamba there are a number of buses running to most of the cities in Punjab via the national highway. Chamba is also well connected to many other major cities and there are regular buses to many cities in India like pathankot, Delhi, dharamshala, Chandigarh, Jammu etc.