Hokersar is a wetland reserve of about 1,375 hectares at Zainakote, 10 kilometres from Srinagar, and the largest bird sanctuary in the Kashmir valley. Marsh, open water and reed beds at 1,584 metres, fed by the Doodhganga on one side and the Sukhnag on the other. Birds arrive from Siberia and Central Asia for the winter, which is the season to come.
Duke Kashmir Travels, registered with the J&K Department of Tourism as JKTA00003978 since 2011, arranges early-morning birding runs from Srinagar in winter. Kashmir packages start near ₹6,350 per person, twin sharing.
By Duke Kashmir Travels Team · Reviewed by Rayies Ahmad Zargar, Founder · Published · Updated
Key takeaways
- About 1,375 hectares of lake and marsh, 10 km north-west of Srinagar.
- At 1,584 metres, on the valley floor.
- Fed by the Doodhganga to the east and the Sukhnag to the west.
- The valley's largest bird reserve, and a designated sanctuary.
- Migratory flocks arrive from late autumn and stay through winter.
- Water levels drop in winter and rise again with the spring snowmelt.
What birds come to Hokersar?
Wintering ducks, geese, waders and raptors arrive in large numbers from Siberia and Central Asia, alongside the valley's resident marsh species.
Numbers peak in the coldest months. Dawn is the hour to be there, with a scope or binoculars; the light is best and the flocks are active before the day warms.
When should you visit?
November to March for the migration. Outside winter it is a quiet marsh with resident birds and little traffic.
Rain and snowmelt raise the water in spring, and summer sees the reed beds grow up. Wear boots: the tracks along the bunds are muddy for most of the season.
How do you get there?
Ten kilometres from Srinagar on the Zainakote side, roughly half an hour, with the approach through village roads.
A local guide is worth having, both for finding the birds and for the tracks. It combines well with Kheer Bhawani or an afternoon on Dal Lake. See Kashmir tour ideas.
Booking this with us
Duke Kashmir Travels works out of Nowhatta Chowk in Srinagar, registered as JKTA00003978 since 2011, IATO allied member since 2016 and a TAAK member. See About Us for the rest.
Share your travel dates and group size and we will price the trip around this stop. Phone +91 9018 44 0000, write to info@dukekashmirtravels.com, or open the contact page.
About the founder
Founder Rayies Ahmad Zargar opened Duke Kashmir Travels in Srinagar in 2011, sits in TAAK, co-founded the JK Tourism Council, and signs off the guides on this site. Find him on LinkedIn.