Location and Overview
Langtang National Park is situated in the northern region of Nepal along the Tibet border with China. It spans over an area of 1,710 square kilometers in the Sindhupalchok, Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. Established in 1976, the primary purpose of the park was conservation of the unique flora and fauna of the region. The Tibet border covers the north and eastern boundaries of the park whereas the rivers Trisuli and Bhote Kosi lie to the west of the Langtang National Park. To the south lies the city of Kathmandu which serves as the primary land and air connection to the park.
History and Geography
The Langtang National Park was identified as the first protected area in the Himalayas as far back as 1970 eventually being gazetted as a national park in 1976 coming under the control of the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation and later the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. The altitude in the Langtang National Park ranges from 4000 feet all the way up to over 23,000 feet, which is the summit of the majestic Langtang Lirung mountain. Several other notable mountains also lie in the protected area of the park. The climate ranges from warm and sunny to cool and freezing and is never consistent due to the vast difference in altitude. July to September are the wettest months due to the seasonal monsoons.
Habitat and Biodiversity
The Langtang National Park has a variety of forests ranging from Sal forests in the south to hill forests as you move up culminating in silver fir and Nepalese larch forests in the north at high altitudes. Langtang’s huge meadows provide a summertime habitat for mammals like musk deer and the Himalayan Tahr whereas red pandas, Himalayan black bears and snow leopards are also among the few main inhabitants. The Langtang National Park also hosts over 300 species of birds. Post monsoon months of late August and September bless the park with a stunning bloom of wildflowers as the season eases into the winter.
Threats and Conservation
The Langtang National Park is home to the globally threatened red pandas which roam freely and have been consistent in numbers in the last few years. Other threatened species under monitoring are the critically endangered red-headed vulture and the endangered yellow-breasted bunting. The World Wildlife Fund has a continued presence in the Langtang National Park with aims of conservation of biodiversity, controlling wildlife trade and sustaining the cultures and traditions by administration of forests, land and water resources together.
Tourism
Ecotourism is heavily promoted in the Langtang National Park, but trekking is one of its most important tourist attractions. Camping activities are regularly undertaken, but lodges are also available for accommodation. The Langtang National Park offers breathtaking views and exceptional scenic beauty. The valleys, especially the Langtang Valley, provides an opportunity for the visitors to explore villages and monasteries in the area. The sacred Gosaikunda Lake and the Dorje Lakpa Lake are also major attractions in the park’s region and are frequented by Hindu pilgrims during the month of August. Adventure-seeking hikers turn to this Langtang National Park to test their mettle and their ability to self-sustain in the remote areas of the park.
Written by: Bilal A. Usman
Langtang National Park is situated in the northern region of Nepal along the Tibet border with China. It spans over an area of 1,710 square kilometers in the Sindhupalchok, Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. Established in 1976, the primary purpose of the park was conservation of the unique flora and fauna of the region. The Tibet border covers the north and eastern boundaries of the park whereas the rivers Trisuli and Bhote Kosi lie to the west of the Langtang National Park. To the south lies the city of Kathmandu which serves as the primary land and air connection to the park.
History and Geography
The Langtang National Park was identified as the first protected area in the Himalayas as far back as 1970 eventually being gazetted as a national park in 1976 coming under the control of the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation and later the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. The altitude in the Langtang National Park ranges from 4000 feet all the way up to over 23,000 feet, which is the summit of the majestic Langtang Lirung mountain. Several other notable mountains also lie in the protected area of the park. The climate ranges from warm and sunny to cool and freezing and is never consistent due to the vast difference in altitude. July to September are the wettest months due to the seasonal monsoons.
Habitat and Biodiversity
The Langtang National Park has a variety of forests ranging from Sal forests in the south to hill forests as you move up culminating in silver fir and Nepalese larch forests in the north at high altitudes. Langtang’s huge meadows provide a summertime habitat for mammals like musk deer and the Himalayan Tahr whereas red pandas, Himalayan black bears and snow leopards are also among the few main inhabitants. The Langtang National Park also hosts over 300 species of birds. Post monsoon months of late August and September bless the park with a stunning bloom of wildflowers as the season eases into the winter.
Threats and Conservation
The Langtang National Park is home to the globally threatened red pandas which roam freely and have been consistent in numbers in the last few years. Other threatened species under monitoring are the critically endangered red-headed vulture and the endangered yellow-breasted bunting. The World Wildlife Fund has a continued presence in the Langtang National Park with aims of conservation of biodiversity, controlling wildlife trade and sustaining the cultures and traditions by administration of forests, land and water resources together.
Tourism
Written by: Bilal A. Usman
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