Dachigam National Park

1 dayBest: May–AugForests#wildlife#hangul#safari

Last home of the Hangul deer

Why this weekend?

Hangul spottingMarsar lake trekForest trails

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The day-by-day plan

Day 1 · The hangul forest
- Permit morning
- Lower drive
- River walk
- Watchtower hour
- Return

Geography & terrain

Dachigam National Park lies in the Zabarwan range above the Dal lake, 22 km from Srinagar — 141 sq km of the Himalayan valley's forest, its meadows and rivers holding the last hangul deer of the world.

History & culture

The forest was the maharaja's game reserve of the 1910s before its 1981 declaration as a national park — the hangul's protection becoming the park's central story; Dachigam's meadows and its position above the Dal have since made the park the Kashmir wildlife gate of the Srinagar circuit.

Where to stay

Budget

₹1,500–3,500/night

Mid-range

₹3,500–7,000/night

Comfort

₹7,000+/night

Things to do

Hangul meadows
Forest roads
River water
High pastures
Zabarwan walls

Eat & drink

Rogan josh (wazwan style)
Rista and yakhni
Kashmiri kahwa
Kheer

Getting there

Fly: Srinagar (SXR) / Jammu (IXJ)
Train: Jammu Tawi junction; Vande Bharat connects Srinagar
Road from Jammu: Srinagar 300 km / 8 hr
Getting around: Taxis, shared cabs, local buses

Budget snapshot

Total: ₹6,000–12,500 (1 days)
Per day · Stay: ₹1,500–7,000/night
Per day · Food: ₹600–1,000
Per day · Transport: ₹1,200–1,600
Per day · Activities: ₹2,500–2,900

Month by month

Jan · Snow: −5–8°C · Snow rain
Feb · Snow: −3–10°C · Snow rain
Mar · Good: 2–14°C · Light rain
Apr · Best: 7–20°C · None rain
May · Best: 12–25°C · None rain
Jun · Good: 16–30°C · Moderate rain
Jul · Monsoon: 18–28°C · Heavy rain
Aug · Monsoon: 17–27°C · Heavy rain
Sep · Best: 14–26°C · Moderate rain
Oct · Best: 8–20°C · None rain
Nov · Cold: 2–14°C · None rain
Dec · Snow: −2–9°C · Snow rain

Practical info

Language: Kashmiri / Hindi / Urdu (English understood in tourist spots)
Best window: May–Aug
Connectivity: Good in towns; patchy in high valleys
UPI/cards widely accepted; keep small cash for hill and market stops

Practical tips

The park runs its visits on permits — the Srinagar offices arrange the day
The best hangul months run May–Aug — the meadows' grazing season
The winter closes the upper reaches — the lower forest stays the winter line

Frequently asked questions

What is Dachigam?

The Zabarwan forest above Srinagar — the world's last hangul deer's refuge.

What is there to see?

The lower-reach drives, the hangul meadows and the river trails.

How long is the visit?

A day trip from Srinagar with the park's permits.