Dachigam National Park, Srinagar
The home of the hangul, the Kashmir stag, about 22 km from Lal Chowk past Harwan. Entry is by an online permit from the J&K Department of Wildlife Protection.
The home of the hangul, the Kashmir stag, about 22 km from Lal Chowk past Harwan. Entry is by an online permit from the J&K Department of Wildlife Protection.
Direct answer: Dachigam National Park is about 22 km from Lal Chowk, Srinagar, past Harwan, and covers about 141 sq km. It is best known as the home of the hangul (Kashmir stag). You need an online entry permit from the J&K Department of Wildlife Protection before you go, and the park is closed every Tuesday. The district says the park is open all year, with April to August the best time. Our private car with a Srinagar driver takes you to the gate and back; WhatsApp us for today's rate.
Entry is by permission applied for online on the Dachigam National Park booking portal of the Department of Wildlife Protection, J&K. As listed there on 6 Nov 2026: one booking per day, up to 15 people per group, an ID proof of one person in the group (passport copy for foreigners), and Indian and foreign nationals book separately. Once a booking is paid, there is no refund or date change.
Entry fees listed on the portal on 6 Nov 2026: ₹100 per Indian visitor, free for children under 10, ₹500 per foreign visitor, plus separate camera fees. These are government fees, not ours, and can change, so check the portal when you book. Some other websites print older or different fees and closing days; go by the portal.
The portal says the park is closed every Tuesday. In 2026 the park was also closed to visitors until 31 October for the hangul rutting (breeding) season, and was due to reopen on 1 November, as the in-charge ranger told Kashmir News Service on 11 October 2026. If you are planning an autumn visit, check the portal for open dates first.
Per the District Srinagar page, Dachigam was first protected to keep Srinagar's drinking water clean, was a protected area from 1910 and became a national park in 1981. Its name is linked to the ten villages that were moved to create it. It is the only area where the hangul, the Kashmir stag, is found, and the district gallery also shows a leopard. Sightings are never guaranteed.
Dachigam is past Harwan on the Shalimar side of Dal Lake. By the district figures, it is about 22 km from Lal Chowk and about 40 km from Srinagar airport; Harwan Garden is about 19 km from Srinagar. Private vehicles are not allowed to drive inside the park, so our driver drops you at the gate and waits. It pairs well with Shalimar, Nishat and Harwan on the same side of the lake; see the Mughal gardens of Srinagar and our Srinagar local sightseeing plan.
Car fares: for a Dachigam morning, WhatsApp us for today's rate. Tolls and parking are included in our fares. For other days out, see day trips from Srinagar and Kashmir taxi rates. For where to stay, see the Srinagar travel guide.
Yes. You apply online on the Department of Wildlife Protection booking portal before you go: one booking per day, up to 15 people per group, with an ID proof (passport copy for foreigners).
The booking portal listed ₹100 per Indian visitor, free for children under 10, and ₹500 per foreign visitor on 6 Nov 2026, plus camera fees. These are government fees and can change, so check the portal when you book.
The booking portal says the park is closed every Tuesday. In 2026 it was also closed until 31 October for the hangul rutting season, reopening on 1 November.
About 22 km from Lal Chowk and about 40 km from Srinagar airport, per the District Srinagar page. It is past Harwan, on the Shalimar side of Dal Lake.
The district page says the park is open all year and the best time is April to August. Book the permit for your date first, and avoid Tuesdays.
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