Wild Encounters: The Creatures of Tirthan Valley

The Great Himalayan National Park — which begins at the tree line above our cottages — is one of the last large, relatively intact patches of temperate Himalayan forest in South Asia. The buffer zone in which Winterfell sits acts as a transition between the settled valley below and the protected wilderness above. This position means that wildlife is not a feature of occasional lucky sightings here. It is simply a fact of daily life.

What Our Guests Regularly See

Barking deer (muntjac) are the most frequently seen. They are most active at dawn and dusk and have a loud, abrupt bark that often startles guests not expecting it. Several guests have watched barking deer graze at the edge of the forest from their cottage gardens. Langur monkeys move through the cedar canopy in family groups, usually announcing their presence loudly. Yellow-throated martens are spotted several times a year — fast, curious, and amber-coloured.

The Birds

Tirthan Valley sits within one of the most important bird areas in the Western Himalayas. The Himalayan monal — the state bird of Himachal Pradesh, and one of the most beautiful birds on earth — is not uncommon on higher trails. The koklass pheasant calls from dense undergrowth most mornings. The Western Tragopan, critically endangered and deeply elusive, is present in the GHNP core zone; its haunting call has been heard on still evenings. Dippers bob on every rock in the Tirthan river.

The Less Frequently Seen

Himalayan black bears are present in the forests above. They tend to avoid human activity and are rarely seen near the valley floor, though signs of their presence — scratched bark, turned-over stones — are common on higher trails. The GHNP core zone supports a small and rarely documented snow leopard population. Leopard tracks have been recorded by wildlife researchers in the buffer zone. We have had one confirmed leopard sighting near the property in five years.

The Tirthan River

The Tirthan is a designated trout reserve. Fishing is regulated within the GHNP and its buffer zone, requiring permits. The river supports populations of brown trout — introduced — and the native snow trout and mahseer. Standing at the river bank on a clear day, you can watch fish holding position in the current. The water is cold enough to ache after a few seconds.