Churdhar
peak, with height of 3,647m, is the highest peak in
outer Himalayas. It is like an Oasis of Alpine area in
an ocean of temperate forests. The view from Churdhar
peak is un-paralled. The sanctuary got its name from the
Chur Peak, on the top of which sits a majestic status of
Lord Shiva. One is sure to come across a large number of
multi-coloured and agile Monals in the adjoining
forests.
The total
covered area of this sanctuary is 5616 hectares and this
is notified on 15th November 1985. This is one of the
newest sanctuaries of the State. Now at the point of
local extinction, Churdhar still contains good habitat
for Monals and other pheasants. Other fauna includes
Himalayan Black Bear, Barking Deer, Musk Deer, Common
Langur and Leopards but Musk Deer has been severely
depleted by hunting.
TREKKING
This is
an excellent area for trekking during summer and early
winters. Trekking from Nohra, Sarain and Pulbahal are
tough but enjoyable.
HOW TO
GET THERE
Air: The
Jubbarhatti airport is 23-km from Shimla and major
domestic airlines cater their services from here to
Shimla . One can catch direct flights from Delhi .
Rail:
Shimla has a narrow gauge railway line on which toy
train runs from Kalka to Shimla. The train cruises its
way through valleys and beautiful landscapes at a very
slow pace making the journey very pleasant. From Kalka
one can take trains to other parts of the country. The
Toy train from Shimla is of two types- one is the normal
multi coach train and the other is the single car train,
which has a glass roof giving an enthralling experience
during the journey.
Road:
Roads connect this capital city of Himachal with other
places in the state as well as other major towns and
cities. There is regular bus service from Delhi and
Chandigarh as well as ordinary, semi deluxe, deluxe and
AC coaches for Shimla are available too. One can also
cross over to Leh and Ladakh via Rohtang pass from here
