Background
Shivapuri national park(144 sq.km) is situated on the northern fringe of kathmandu valley and lies about 12 km away from the capital city. The area was gazetted as the country's ninth national park in 2002.
Prior its declaration as national park it managed under the shivapuri watershed Development Board and was later decleared as Shivapuri Watershed and wildlife reserve.
Flora and Fauna
Shivapuri lies in a transition zone between subtropical and temperate climates. The vegetation consists of a variety of natural forest types including pine,oak,rhododendron etc,depending on altitude and aspect.
Recorded wildlife in the park includes mammalian species such as Himalayan Black bear,leopard,jungle cat and rhesus monkey.The park is also home to 311 Species of birds, including at least 9 threatened species. 102 species of butterflies with a number of rare and endangered species and 129 species of mushroom.
Water Resources
The park is bestowed with as abundance of river ande smaller streams. Shivapuri is one of the main sources of drinking water for kathmandu valley.Everyday about 30 million liters of water is tapped from rivers sucha as the bagmati and the bishnumati as well as from several other smaller streams. That explains why this park is the lifeline of the kathmandu valley.
Places of interest
The park is easily accessible from kathmandu. Visitors are attracted to the park for trekking. Trekking routes to Nagarkot ,Gosaikunda,Helembu and Langtang national park also pass through the park. Several religious sites for the hindus and buddhists lie inside the park.
On nepalese new year's day,which falls inmid april,pilgrims from kathmandu valley and neighboring areas flock to baghadwar and bishnudwar of the park from where the sacred rivers bagmati and bishnumati originate.Visitor can have breathtaking views of the high himalays from the northern aspects of the park.Likewise the panoramic views of kathmandu valley could be seen from the southern slopes of the park.
Popular Trekking Destinations within the Park
> panimuhan,park Hq shivapuri peak (12km)
> Panimuhan ,park Hq -sikre(12 km)
> Nagigumba-Baghdwar-chisapani(18km)
> Nagigumba -shivapuri peak (6 km)
> kakani - shivapuri
> jhule-chisapani(12 km)
> sundarijal- chisapani(22 km)