Phawngpui Blue Mountain National Park

Phawngpui Blue Mountain National Park, established in 1992 and located in the Saiha district of Mizoram about 300 km from Aizawl, is named after Phawngpui Peak, the highest mountain in the state at 2,157 meters. The mountain is often shrouded in a thin cloud layer that gives it a distinctive blue appearance, earning it the name "Blue Mountain."

The park covers around 50 square kilometers and features subtropical broadleaf and tropical evergreen forests with a pleasant climate year-round and high rainfall. It is home to diverse flora including orchids, rhododendrons, bamboo groves, and medicinal plants, and supports a rich variety of wildlife such as the rare Blyth’s tragopan, Mrs. Hume’s pheasant (the state bird of Mizoram), Asiatic black bear, tiger, leopard, slow loris, stump-tailed macaque, and capped langur.

The area also features steep cliffs known as Thlazuang Khâm, steep precipices that are the natural habitat of mountain goats and are believed to be haunted by spirits locally. The national park is ecologically significant and culturally revered by local Mizo people who consider it sacred, and it is open to eco-friendly visitors from November to April to preserve its natural balance. The park’s scenic landscapes, diverse wildlife, and cultural importance make it a unique and valuable natural heritage site in Mizoram.