Hemis National Park is a high-elevation national park in Hemis in the Leh district of Ladakh, India. It is located about 50 km (31 mi) from Leh, one of the capitals of Ladakh. Globally famous for its snow leopards, it is believed to have the highest density of them in any protected area in the world. It is the only national park in India that is north of the Himalayas, the largest notified protected area in India (largest national park) and is the second largest contiguous protected area, after the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve and surrounding protected areas. The park is home to a number of species of endangered mammals, including the snow leopard. Hemis National Park is India's protected area inside the Palearctic realm, outside the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary northeast of Hemis, and the proposed Tso Lhamo Cold Desert Conservation Area in North Sikkim. It is among one of the three largest wildlife sanctuaries in Ladakh, others being Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary, Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary and Hemis National Park.
