Overa Wildlife Sanctuary, lying to the southeast of Srinagar, close to Pahalgam is one of the famous tourist attractions of this region. About 76 kms from Srinagar, this sanctuary boasts of some rare, endangered and protected species of birds and animals. Stunning mountain landscapes, grass-clad hills and deep valleys exemplify the features of the Overa Wildlife Sanctuary.

Home to numerous birds as well as animals, the sanctuary houses some assorted and outstanding species of pheasants. Some of them are the Himalayan snow cock, Monal, Chukar and Koklas.

The Overa Wildlife Sanctuary is rich in flora which includes mainly coniferous forests. The main species found are aesculus indica, pinus griffithii, abies pindrow, morus Alba, juglans regia, etc. Major shrub associates are Desmodium tiliaefolium, Indigofera heterantha, Isdon spp., etc, while the main ground layer is characterized by dicotlydonous herbs comprising Artemisia vulgaris, Taraxacum officinale, Anemone spp, Primula spp., etc

How to Reach

Air: Nearest Airport is Srinagar (87-km)
Rail: Nearest railhead is Jammu (280-km)
Road: Regular buses ply from Pahalgam (11-km), Anantanag (40-km), and Srinagar (76-km) to the sanctuary. From Delhi you can reach there by a flight to Srinagar.

Best Time to Visit
Prime viewing time for the upper areas is from May to August. In the lower areas, for bird viewing the best time is March to May and for animal viewing from September to March.