Home ::Indian National Parks :: Dachigam National Park
Dachigam is a wildlife sanctuary which is home to the endangered HANGUL species of the Deer in the country. dachigam is also host to other wildlife of the state viz Black/ Brown Bear, Musk Deer, leopards and migratory birds. There is a Trout fish farm also in Dachigam. It is big natural reserve which requires permissions from the Wildlife Authorities for excploration. The dense forests of Dachigam offer a brilliant view alongwith a Glacier fed rivulet flowing right through the middle.
It is located only 22 kilometers from Sriniagar, 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.
Dachigam is considered home to some of the unique Himalayan range of flora and fauna. Primary amongst them is the hangul or Kashmir stag, the most endangered species of red deer in the world.
The national park in Dachigam houses many rare species of flora and fauna, as the entire Himalayan region is rich and full of wildlife and greenery. Tourists visit the Dachigam National Park mainly for this reason, in order to catch a glimpse of some rare species of animals or plants. The park is located at an altitude of 5500 feet to 14000 feet above sea level, and the landscape consists of both cliffs and grasslands.
The lower parts of Dachigam National Park are covered coniferous forests, and scrub vegetation is also prevalent among the higher regions. The many rare trees you can spot in Dachigam National Park are Poplar, Walnut, Apricot, Apple, Pear, and Wild Cherry, Plum, and Chestnut, Willow, Oak and Birch trees.
You can also spot jackals, hill foxes, jungle cats, long tailed marmots, Himalayan weasels, otters, leopards, musk deer, Hangul, Himalayan brown/black bears and leopard cars while in Dachigam National Park.