The present investigation was carried out for the exploration of orchids in Kanawar Wildlife Sanctuary of Himachal Pradesh, NorthWestern Himalaya. Sixteen species of orchids representing nine genera were recorded. Amongst the species studied, 10 species were native to the Himalayan region and 2 were near endemic to the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). Majority of these orchid species grow between 2501-2800 m. Eight different habitats were identified and majority of the orchid species were reported in shady moist habitat. Most of the species were used for curing various diseases/ailments by the inhabitants of the valley. Dactylorhiza hatagirea and Malaxis muscifera, the high altitude species were identified as Critically Endangered. Due to high commercial values of D. hatagirea and M. muscifera as medicine and food, these species are facing high anthropogenic pressure, leading to their rapid population depletion in the area. Therefore, regular monitoring of populations of orchids in relation to climate scenario has been suggested for understanding the dynamics of species and developing strategies for conservation.