The beauty of Leh and Ladakh extends into the beautiful town of Hemis. It is best known for its festivities that are full of colour, dance and music and attract innumerable tourist from all over the country and the world. Hemis is also home to the Hemis National Park which is home to the rare and extremely beautiful snow leopard. Another important tourist destination is the Hemis Monastery. It is believed that the monastery has been in existence even before the 11th century. According to popular belief, Naropa, who was the pupil of the renowned Yogi Tilopa, was associated with this monastery and a translated version of his biography has also been found in the town of Hemis.
One of the most important tourist attractions in Hemis is the Hemis National Park which was built in 1981. Located at an elevation of 17,000 feet, the park is the only high altitude national park in the country. It is also the second highest contiguous protected area after the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. The national park is home to a number of Tibetan gumphas and sacred chortens . Some of the important species of animals found in the park include Eurasian Brown Bears, Tibetan Wolves and Red Foxes. The park is also frequented by many bird watchers as it presents an excellent vantage point to study Trans-Himalayan birds of prey.
The nearest airport to reaching Hemis is the Leh airport. There are regular flights to Leh from Delhi, Chandigarh and Srinagar. The nearest railway station is the Jammu railway station. The town of Hemis is well connected nearby areas by roads. There are buses from Srinagar, Manali, Delhi etc to Leh from where the onward journey can be done in a private vehicle.
