As of 2025, India has a total of 18 biosphere reserves. Out of these, 13 biosphere reserves in India are recognized by UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme under the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR).Recently India added Cold desert of Lahaul Spiti into the List. Thus Himachal Pradesh presently has one Biosphere reserve on its name.
Inclusion of Cold Desert in MAB Programme
In 37th session of UNSECO’s International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) held in Paris 27th September 2025 included in Cold Desert in MAN Programme.
Location of Cold Desert
This region is spread Leeward side of Greater Himalaya and mainly spread in the Trans-Himalayan region. Its total area is 7,770 Sq km Entire Area of Spiti and part of Lahaul is part of Cold desert. It included the Pin Valley National Park , Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, Chandratal Wetland, and the Sarchu plains. Thus it is very Diverse Landscape encompassing area of Greater Himalaya and Zanskar region.
Biodiversity of the Region
The Cold Desert is divided into three zones core (2,665 sq km), buffer (3,977 sq km), and transition (1,128 sq km) designed to balance conservation, sustainable use, and community involvement. Ecologically, it supports
- 655 herb species, 41 shrubs, and 17 trees, including 14 species found only here and 47 plants vital to the Sowa Rigpa/Amchi traditional medicine system.
- The region is home to 17 mammal species and 119 bird species, with the snow leopard as the flagship species, sustained by a healthy prey population of over 800 blue sheep in Spiti valley. Other key fauna include the Himalayan ibex and Himalayan wolf.
Climatic of the Cold Desert
From below given map you can see the region fall into the ET/EF type of Climate. Monsoonal wind can crossed the greater Himalaya , thus the region is very dry and have desert feature. ET climates are those where the warmest month’s average temperature is between 0°C and 10°C.
- Temperature: Summers are very short and cool, just warm enough to melt snow and allow some biological activity. Winters are long and bitterly cold.
- Vegetation: Trees cannot grow because the growing season is too short and the soil is often underlain by permafrost (permanently frozen ground). Instead, you find mosses, lichens, grasses, dwarf shrubs.
- Precipitation: Low, often less than 250 mm per year, mostly in the form of snow. Despite this, the ground can be marshy in summer because water from melting snow cannot percolate down through frozen soil.
Rivers Landscape of Cold Desert.
River Spiti is the principal river of the region. Its rises near the Bara Lacha La and Flow toward South and Join the river Satluj near the Khaab. Its has many important tributaries likes Pin river, Gyndi, Shilla, Lingti etc. Among all rivers ,Parang river is worth mentioning, the rises in India, flow toward north in Tibet for 100 Km and rejoin the Satluj near Indo Tibet Border. ( You can See completer river Profile here Satluj River ,Himachal Pradesh, a Holistic Study.)
Religious Landscape of Cold Desert
Cold Desert Region is not important for Biodiversity but also for rich Buddhist cultural heritage. The valley is dotted with ancient monasteries (gompas), some of which date back more than a thousand years. The most important among them is the Key Monastery, the largest in Spiti, built around the 11th century and belonging to the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect. It has rare Buddhist scriptures, murals, thangkas (religious paintings), and ancient weapons once used to defend the monastery.
- Other significant sites include Tabo Monastery, founded in 996 AD, often called the “Ajanta of the Himalayas” because of its exquisite wall paintings and stucco sculptures. Smaller monasteries such as Kungri, Lhalung, and Komic also contribute to the valley’s spiritual landscape.
- Beside it villages are marked by chortens (stupas), mani walls, and prayer flags, symbolizing harmony with nature. Festivals like Chham dance (masked dance performed by monks) showcase ritual traditions, while the practice of non-violence and simple living reflects Buddhist philosophy in everyday life.
