750 square kilometers of northern India is taken up to protect the fantastic biodiversity of the Great Himalayan National Park. Located in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, up where the peaks rise to altitudes over 3,500 meters above sea level, the place is a veritable wonderland of flora and fauna. In the bloom months of May and June, the meadows here are a kaleidoscope of pink-hued daphnes, golden honeysuckle and true indigos that give even the famed Valley of the Flowers a run for its money. Trekking is possible either side of the monsoon, in the spring and late summer. That's when Great Himalayan National Park tour guides lead groups over the rocky trails, deep into the verdant Tirthan Valley, across fir-spotted Dhel Meadow, past the mysterious mountain deities of Jogni (prayer flags herald their ghostly positions), and across the soaring crevasses of the Pin Parvati Pass (more than 5,000 meters up). Birding, trout fishing and camping under the snow-tipped massifs are also all popular pastimes – just don't forget the walking boots!