Location : Srinagar,
Jammu & Kashmir
Major Wildlife Attractions : Snow Leopard, Himalayan Bear
Best time to Visit : Summers (Upper Dachigam) Throughout
the year (Lower Dachigam)
About Dachigam National Park
Situated
in the exotic state of Jammu & Kashmir, Dachigam national park is as
fascinating as any other tourist attraction in the entire state. A place of
immense natural beauty, the park is replete with beautiful trees of cherry,
peach, apricot, pear and apple and houses such rare and exotic variety of
animals as the Himalayan snow leopard, Himalayan marmot, musk deer and
plenty more...surely a place you would not want to miss.
Located about 22 km from the capital of Jammu & Kashmir, Srinagar, the
altitude in Dachigam national park varies between 5500 to 14000 ft, making
two distinct areas of upper and lower Dachigam. The climatic conditions in
both these regions vary drastically. Whereas upper Dachigam can be freezing
cold during the winters making it suitable to visit only during summer
months, lower Dachigam can be visited all throughout the year. A protected
regions since the early 1900's, Dachigam National Park was made into a
national park during the year 1981.
Tourist Attractions in Dachigam National Park
The park is home to some of the most rare species of animals and birds
which are hard to spot anywhere else in the country. While animals such as
the Himalayan black bear, ibex goat and markhor can be seen in the lower
regions during winters, others like the highly endangered snow leopard can
only be spotted in upper Dachigam. Dachigam also provides a safe heaven to
over 150 species of birds including the monal pheasent, koklass pheasent,
bearded vulture and the crimson tragopan.
The best option to explore the park is to trek your way through the thick
forests. The terrain in lower Dachigam is easy to accomplish while that in
the upper region needs a higher level of physical fitness. When going on a
trek, it is advisable to take a local guide along to ensure you do not get
lost.
Important Tips for Travellers
- The climate in this part of the country can get extremely cold,
therefore it is advisable for the travellers to carry heavy woollen
clothing.
- There is no entry fee to the park, however, the timings are 5:30 AM
to 6:30 PM.
- A special permit from the chief wildlife warden is required before
entering the park.
Accommodation in Dachigam National Park
The park does not have many accommodation options other than two forest
rest houses of laribal and panzam, both located in lower Dachigam. Besides
these, there are a number of hotels and resorts located in nearby Srinagar,
which provide quality accommodation facilities for the tourists. Some of the
best hotels in Srinagar include Grand Palace Hotel (Palace Road), Ahdoo's
Hotel (Residency Road), Akbar Hotel (Kohankhan Dalgate), Broadway Hotel
(M.A. Road) and Centaur Lake View (Chashmashahi).
Getting There
By Air : Srinagar is the nearest airport from Dachigam
connected with other cities of India though regular flights.
By Rail : The nearest railhead is at Jammu, connected
with other cities in India through regular trains.
By Road : Dachigam can be accessed from Srinagar,
travelling via state road from Shalimar Bagh and Harwan.
