Heritage with Related Tags
Khangchendzonga National Park
Located in the central Himalayas in northern India (Sikkim), Kanchenjunga National Park is a unique diversity of plains, valleys, lakes, glaciers and spectacular snow-capped mountains covered with ancient forests, including the world's third highest peak, Kanchenjunga. This mountain and a number of natural elements (caves, rivers, lakes, etc.) are associated with mythological stories and worshipped by the indigenous people of Sikkim. The sacred significance of these stories and customs, integrated with Buddhist beliefs, forms the basis of Sikkimese identity.
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks
Nestled in the western Himalayas, India’s Valley of Flowers National Park is renowned for its unique alpine flower meadows and outstanding natural beauty. This species-rich region is also home to rare and endangered animals, including Asiatic black bears, snow leopards, brown bears and blue sheep. The gentle landscapes of the Valley of Flowers National Park complement the rugged mountain wilderness of the Nanda Devi National Park. Together, they form a unique transition zone between the Zanskar Range and the Greater Himalayas, which has been lauded by mountaineers and botanists for more than a century, and even more so in Hindu mythology.
Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area
Located in the western Himalayas in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India, this national park features high mountain peaks, alpine meadows and riparian forests. Covering an area of 90,540 hectares, the park includes mountain glaciers and snowmelt sources of several rivers, and water supply catchment areas that are vital for millions of downstream users. GHNPCA protects the monsoon-affected forests and alpine meadows of the Himalayan front range. It is part of the Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspot, which includes 25 forest types and a rich variety of animal species in the region, many of which are threatened. This makes the area of great significance for biodiversity conservation.
Chitwan National Park
Located in the foothills of the Himalayas, Chitwan is one of the few undisturbed remnants of the "Terai" region, which once straddled the foothills of India and Nepal. The flora and fauna here are extremely rich. The park is home to one of the last populations of Asian one-horned rhinos and is one of the last refuges for the Bengal tiger.
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
Located on the gentle slopes of the Himalayan foothills, where wooded hills give way to alluvial grasslands and tropical forests, the Manas Conservancy is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including many endangered species such as tigers, pygmy hogs, Indian rhinos and Indian elephants.
Mountain Railways of India
The site includes three railways. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was the first mountain passenger railway and remains the most outstanding example. Opened in 1881, its design employed bold and ingenious engineering solutions to the problem of establishing an effective rail connection in a scenic mountainous region. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is a 46 km long, metre gauge, single track railway in Tamil Nadu, first proposed in 1854, but due to the difficult mountainous location, construction only began in 1891 and was completed in 1908. The railway, which runs from 326 m to 2,203 m above sea level, represented the latest technology of its time. The Kalka Shimla Railway is a 96 km long, single track railway built in the mid-19th century to serve the highland town of Shimla and is a symbol of the technical and material efforts to evacuate the mountain population by rail. All three railways are still fully operational.