Kishtwar
is situated at a distance of approximately 232 km from the city of
Jammu. The place is associated with Kishat Rishi, who used to stay here.
Infact, the present name of Kishtwar is a modified form of the name of "Kishaswar",
kept on the name of the Rishi. The first mention of Kishtwar in the
historical record, relates to the time of the rule of Raja Kalsa of
Kashmir (A.D.1063-89). Kishtwar will make you fall in love with the
picturesque beauty of the place, with dense forests and rich wildlife.Another major attraction of Kishtwar in Udhampur district of Jammu comprises of its numerous religious places. The popular shrines of Kishtwar are Ziarat Zain-Shah-Sahib, Farid-ud-Din Sahib, Hazrat Asrar-ud-Din Sahib, Athara Bhuja Devi temple and Chandi Mata temple. However, what beats all this is the Kishtwar National Park, spread over an area of approximately 400 sq km. Providing a natural habitat to over 15 species of mammals and 50 species of birds, this sanctuary has an altitudinal range of 1,700 to 4,800 m.
Wildlife Attractions
The wildlife of the Kishtwar High Altitude National Park consists of Hangul, Musk Deer, Markhor, Goral Himalayan brown bear, Langur, Leopard, etc. The bird species here include the Himalayan jungle crow, Bearded vulture, Griffon vulture, Paradise flycatcher, Golden oriole, Indian mynah, etc. The best time for bird viewing is March to May and mammal viewing is September to March.
