Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is quite, wild and beautiful Himalayan destination with richness in natural surrounding and dense forest areas. Binsar is located on top of Jhandi Dhar Hills, 33 km north of Almora town in the state of Uttarakhand. From Binsar, a person can comfortably see the 300 km panoramic view of Himalayan Peaks like Shivling Peak, Kedarnath Mountain Peak, Trisul Mountain and the majestic Nanda Devi from a place known as "Zero Point". This sanctuary is also popularly known as "Important Bird Area by Bird life International." There are above 200 species of birds that live in Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, which includes Forktail, Blackbird, Kalij Pheasant, Nuthatches, Laughing Thrush, Parakeets and Monal.
Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary spread over 45.59 square km at a height of 900 to 2500 meters with an average height of 2414 meters. The place is rich in flora and fauna, and is noted for mythological warfare between Golu Devata and King of Binsar.
Historically, Binsar was the capital state of Chand Kings who ruled Kumaon from 11th to 18th century AD. Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary was set up in 1988 for protection and conservation of shrinking and dying leaf oak forests of the Central Himalayan Region. This former capital of Chand Rajas of Kumaon is now home for clean mid altitude wildlife sanctuary. Binsar Hills, also known as Jhandi Dhar, rise to height of 2412 meters offer perfect view of Almora town, Greater Himalayan Valley and Kumaon Hills.
Fauna and Flora of Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary
There are various types of animals that can be found in Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary. Some of the most popularly found animals are leopard, Chital, Musk Deer, Serow, Jungle Cat, Fox, Langur, Black Bear, Pine Marten, Monkey, Porcupine, Flying Squirrel, and Barking Deer amongst other. Binsar is also home for many reptiles and invertebrates that include varied range of Butterflies.
There exists beautiful Pine forests at the lower level and there Oak, Rhododendron is also pretty common. Binsar is also common in Bryophytes, Alpine Flora, Pteridophytes, Mosses and other species of wild flowers. Some of the other essential names from the plant kingdom in Binsar include creepers and climbers which have high medicinal values and other essential benefits as well.
This place is a paradise for trekkers and adventure enthusiasts. The estate near Binsar is known as Khali estate. The hills of Binsar are rich with ancient relics and attract historians from around the country. Binsar offers the view of the snow capped Himalayan Mountain ranges, so one can sit back and enjoy the view while savouring your favourite drink. One can also go trekking with abundant nature trails available from Binsar. The popular temple of Binsar Mahadev is a tourist hotspot. One can also visit nearby places like to Jageshwar, Kausani, Ranikhet, or Chowkori.
