Overa Wildlife Sanctuary in Kashmir

Overa Wildlife Sanctuary  in Kashmir

The Sanctuary is situated about 76 kms.from Srinagar in the south-east and located near Pahalgam.

The area is home to a number of rare,threatend and protected species of birds and mammals.It sustains 13 species of mammals and over 80 species of birds.It has acquired an outstanding position for its varied and magnificent species of pheasants.

General Information

Approach: Airport Srinagar (87 kms.)

Railhead Jammu (280 kms.)

Road Srinagar (76 kms.) 

Anantnagh (40 kms.)

Pahalgam (11 kms.)

Area : 32.27 sq.kms.

Accommodation : 1 inspection hut......... 2 bedrooms = 4 beds.

Flora : The Overa Willife Sanctuary is richly covered with a variety of floral complexes which comprise mainly of conifers; the principal species being Pinus griffithii,Abies pindrow,aesculus indica, Morus alba, Juglans regia, etc.Major shrub associates are Indigofera heterantha, Desmodium tiliaefolium, Isdon spp., etc, while the main ground layer is dominated by dicotlydonous herbs comprising of Taraxacum officinale, Artemisia vulgaris, Anemone spp., Primula spp., etc.

Fauna : This area houses a variety of mammals most of which are faced with the serious threat of extinction.They are the hangul, musk deer,serow, rhesus macaque, langur, leopard, leopard cat, etc.

Avifauna : The area as distinct from the other wildlife reserves of the valley holds a rich assemblage of pheasants like the chukar, koklas, monal and Himalayan snow cock.Other avifauna include the jungle crow, red billed chough, griffon vulture, bearded vulture, Himalayan whistling thrush, rufous-backed shrike, Indian mynah, etc.

Visit : Mammal viewing 

Bird viewing September to April

March to August

Dress : Summer/Spring : Trekking shoes,raincoat and light clothing. 

Winter : Trekking shoes, Heavy woolens and windcheater.

For Reservations contact :

The Chief Wildlife Warden, 

Jammu & Kashmir State, 

Tourist Reception Centre, 

Srinagar 190001, (Kashmir.)