Majathal Sanctuary

Majathal Sanctuary is a beautiful sanctuary situated in the Shimla and Solan districts. Its terrain is undulating and steep on the mountain ridge in the south. During your visit you can stay at the rest house located in the sanctuary.

Established in: 1962 (first notified) and March 1974 (re-notified)

Area and Altitude: It covers an area of 39.4 square kilometers on varying altitudes of 900 to 1,966 meters above sea level

Forest Cover: Majathal Wildlife Sanctuary has a forest cover typical to the lower elevations of the west Himalayan region. The forest is of Himalayan dry temperate type.

Climate and Visiting Season: With an annual average temperature of -1 to 29 degree centigrade, this sanctuary can be visited any time of the year. The monsoon season during July to September has an annual rainfall of 1040 millimeters. You can avoid visiting during this time as the probability of landslides increases when it rains.

Flora at the Majathal Sanctuary: The sanctuary is thinly forested with grasses dominating the sanctuary and oak trees of ban, kharsu and moru species. Chir pine is the only conifer growing in this area.

Fauna at the Majathal Sanctuary: Majathal Sanctuary has a good population of the rare cheer pheasant and goral. Goral is a small goat like animal with cylindrical horns. Cheer pheasant is a long tailed bird with a crimson area around the eye. Other animals you can sight are Himalayan black bear, leopard, rhesus macaque, jungle cat, Himalayan palm civet, yellow throated marten, barking deer, sambar, Indian wild bear and langur. Bird watchers can look out for the oriental white backed vulture, black francolin and kaleej and koklas pheasants.

Things to do in Majathal Sanctuary

Nature trails and climbing on the steep and undulating terrain are popular adventures at Majathal Sanctuary. Jeep safaris may not be possible here. Other attractions include a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Harsingh. Please do not throw anything around in the sanctuary and help the area remain clean.

How to Reach Majathal Sanctuary:

Majathal Sanctuary is close to Kashlog on the Shimla-Bilaspur Highway. You can board a cab from Shimla to the sanctuary (76 kilometers towards the south east direction). The nearest airport is Jubbarhatti (23 kilometers away) and the nearest railway station is at Kalka (96 kilometers away).

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