Dachigam National Park is Srinagar is a natural treasure covered with lush green environs and beautiful flora. This animal sanctuary is situated 22-kilometres away from the summer capital Srinagar. The park is India’s most elevated forest reserve at an altitude of 1700m to 4300m above sea level and is spread over a sprawling 141 square kilometres.

The word Dachigam stands for ‘ten villages’ which is kept in memory of the ten village communities that had to be relocated to create the catchment area and the park. These ten villages were living in this region before World War I at the beginning of the early 20th century. The main gate entrance is very close to the New Theed General Bus Stand on either side of a religious seminary ‘Darul-Uloom Kousaria’.

The park is segregated into two sections, namely Upper Dachigam and Lower Dachigam. The trekkers can never be disappointed as Dachigam is always prepared to show you all of its beauty and uniqueness.

The park has been a protected area since 1910 - first under the care of the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir and later under the observation of the concerned government authorities. It was initially created to ensure a clean drinking water supply for the city of Srinagar. It was upgraded and declared a National Park in the year 1981.

The park is home to a wide range of Himalayan flora and fauna and one can spot Hangul or Kashmiri stag here which is amongst one of the most endangered species of red deer in the world. If you get lucky, you might spot a leopard here too, so be careful every time.

The place is also popular for spotting animals such as hill fox, Himalayan weasel, jackal and Himalayan boras. Trekkers must possess a pair of good binoculars and DSLR because it is not every day you get to have a glimpse of such wildlife at such a stunning place.

The mountainsides below the tree line are wooded. Most of this coniferous forest consists of broadleaf species. Interspersed between these are alpine pastures, meadows, waterfalls and scrub vegetation with deep gullies, locally known as Nars, running down the mountain face. Most of the grasslands and meadows, except in the harsh winters, are covered with coloured flowers. Located high among its interiors is the Marsar lake from which flows the Dagwan river. This river flows down to, and past, the lower region where it runs along the only proper road in the park and is also known for its fish population, the trout.

Though Park remains open throughout the year but the best season to visit here is between April and October during which one can experience the gorgeous autumn colours of Kashmir.