Shey-phoksundo Narional Park is situated in the Trans-Himalayan region of northwest Nepal. It is Nepal’s largest National Park covering an area of 3,555 km and contains the highest lake, Lake Phoksundo. It was established in 1984 to preserve a unique Trans-Himalayan ecosystem with a diversity of flora and fauna. The Park’s climatic differences, altitude variations, and different zoo-geographical regions support a diverse range of biotic systems.
In 1998, an area of 1349 km2 surrounding the park was declared as buffer zone, which consists of forests and private lands. The buffer zone is jointly managed by the park and local communities. Together they initiate community development activities and manage the natural and cultural resources. The park contains luxuriant forests mainly composed of blue pine, spruce, cypress, poplar, fir and birch. The Jugdual River valley consists mostly of Quercus (oak) species. The trans-Himalayan area has near-desert type vegetation consisting of dwarf juniper and caragana shrubs.
The park provides prime habitat for the endangered snow leopard and the blue sheep. Other common animals found in the park include goral, Himalayan tahr, serow, leopard, wolf, jackal, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan weasel, Himalayan mouse hare, yellow-throated marten, langur and rhesus monkey. The park is equally rich in many species of birds such as Impeyan pheasant (Danphe), blood pheasant, cheer pheasant, red and yellow billed cough, rave, jungle crow and snow partridge. Individual trekking is permitted to trek to Ringmo or Phoksundo Lake. The Tran-Himalayan region of inner Dolpa is restricted to group trekking only; a group trekking permit is needed and can be arranged by us.