R E L A T E D   T O P I C S:   F O R   W I L D L I F E   O F  H I M A L A Y A S   Dachigam National Park, J&K   Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve, J&K   Overa Wildlife Sanctuary, J&K   Kishtwar Altitude National Park ,J&K    Hemis High Altitude National Park, J&K   The Great Himalayan National Park, H.P.   Pin Valley National Park, H.P.   Dudhwa National Park, U.P.   Wildlife in Sikkim   Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, Darjeeling   Royal Chitwan Park, Nepal   Royal Bardia National Park, Nepal

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Dachigam National Park

About this Park

The nearest town is Srinagar from where the park gate is 22 km away. The road goes around Dal Lake, past Shalimar Gardens and the park entrance is just beyond Harwan village. Nearest airport is Srinagar and railhead at Jammu, 315 km away. Dachigam National Park enjoys a proximity to the beautiful city of Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir state. Its forests and picturesque landscape have always attracted tourists. The park is divided into two large sectors-the Lower and Upper Dachigam regions.

Dachigam national park is one of India's most scenically beautiful wildlife reserves. It is located only 22 kilometers from Srinagar, the capital city of the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir. It covers an area of 141 square kilometers consisting of some of the most scenic natural beauty present on Earth. The variation in altitude is vast, ranging from 5500 ft to 14000 ft above mean sea level. Due to this vast variation, the park is very clearly demarcated into an upper and lower region. The best times to explore these two areas are summer and winter respectively. Due to the upper region's extremely harsh winter, the best months for visiting here is between the months of May and August. For the lower region, the ideal time is between September and December but is also equally rewarding in the summer months.

In the northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir, this is among the most scenically beautiful areas of the sub-continent. A 10 km long road runs through the lower area but the only way to visit most of the park is on foot. The Dachigam is the last home of the rare hangul, or Kashmir stag, which can be viewed best during its autumn rutting season when the lower slopes and forests echo with its melodious calls. Himalayan black bears come out of hibernation in March, the best time to see this impressive omnivore. Thick-coated grey langur's brown bears and leopard cats. Birdlife is delightful and flowers carpeting the upper meadows are spectacular, especially the blue poppy.

Tourist Attraction at Dachigam

Apart from its unspoiled natural beauty, its most important wildlife remains the hangul (Kashmiri stag), an endangered species of red deer. Despite its substantial harshness, the winter season is the best time to view the hangul, when it gathers in the shelter of the lower valleys. The leopard, which is the only predatory animal in the area, has been rarely spotted. It is the same with the hard-to-pin-down snow leopard found in the higher altitudes. However, tourists with resilience, patience and a little luck have had the fortune of seeing these unique wild cats. Apart from the hangul and the two varieties of leopards, various other species like Himalayan black bear, musk deer, Himalayan marmot and species of wild goats like the makhor are found at Dachigam. Various exotic Himalayan birds, colorful pheasants like the crimson tagopan, monal pheasant, blood pheasant and koklass pheasant, golden eagles and bearded vultures (lammergeier) are also seen encircling the beautiful blue skies above Dachigam forest.

How to Reach There

The Lower Dachigam region is accessible via a metaled road, but Higher Dachigam areas are accessible only on foot. The nearest rail junction is Jammu at a distance of 200 km away from Dachigam National Park. The nearest town is Srinagar at a distance of 22 km and is well linked to Dachigam by a proper metaled road. Srinagar airport is the closest air link to the National Park.

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