Kaziranga National Park, Assam
In the heart of Assam, located on the banks of the mighty Brahamputra River, the Kaziranga National Park is one of the last areas in eastern India undisturbed by a human presence. It is inhabited by the world’s largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses, as well as many mammals, including tigers, elephants, panthers and bears, and thousands of birds. With Open country covered mostly with elephant grass, Kaziranga gives visitors a chance to see the fauna at fairly close quarters. Situated in Jorhat Nawgaon district, the Kaziranga National Park extends over an area of 430 sq. km. It is bounded by the Mikir Hills on the South and Bramhaputra River on the north. The park, 217 km from the capital of Assam, Guwahati was declared a Wildlife sanctuary in 1950 and accorded the status of a National Park in 1974. The park divided into central, eastern and western sectors consists of semi- evergreen-forested highlands, rivulets, marshes and extensive plains covered with tall elephant grass up to 6 metres high.
The park is famous for Indian one horned rhinoceros, which can reach a height of over two metres and weigh more than two tonnes. The area was declared a game reserve in 1908 to save the one-horned rhino. The total number of rhinoceros in the park totals more than a thousand which is 70 percent of the total population of this species in the country. The park also has elephants, swamp or wild buffalo (Over 70% of the world population), swamp deer, hog deer, barking deer, sambar/ Hoolock gibbon, pythons, civet cat, wild boar and tigers. There is a rich variety of fresh water fowls, over 450 species of woodland and grassland birds of which 18 species are globally threatened. Birds like the egrets, pond herons, river tern, black necked storks, pelican, partridges, Bengal florican stork, pied hornbill, fishing eagle are found in abundance. The river here has the gharial (fish eating crocodile) and dolphins. March – April is best for animal sightings. Trained elephants are available as mounts for seeing the rhinos at close range. Elephant rides which last around one hour, should be booked the previous evening at the park administrative Centre in Kohora.
How to get there?
Air : The nearest airports are at Jorhat, 97-km and Guwahati, 217-km away from the park. Jorhat has direct flights to Kolkata.
Rail : The nearest railhead is Furkating, situated 75-km away from the park and Jorhat.
Road : The main gate for Kaziranga, at Kohora is on the National Highway. ASTC and private buses stop here on their way to and from Guwahati, Tezpur and Upper Assam; some private buses retain a seat quota for Kaziranga passengers. The 4-hour drive from Guwahati along the Bramhaputra south bank on the NH37 passes Dispur, Nowgong and Bagjan to the park entrances at Kohora and Baguri.
Accommodation :
Govt. Tourist Lodge
Bonashree Lodge
Aranya lodge
Kunjaban lodg
Bonani Lodge etc.
For reservation contact :
Joint Director of Tourism, Govt. of Assam, Kaziranga National Park, Ph. (0376) 22662429 / 423
Other Accommodation :
Wild Grass Resort. Ph. 2546827 (Guwahati), (03776) 262085 (Kaziranga), Fax. (0361) 2630465(Guwahati) GL`s Resort Ph. (0361) 2544355-57, Phulaguri – (03672) 299263, 210001
Note :
The Department of Forest, Government of Assam charges fees for toll, elephant ride and for cameras. For payment and rates, contact Forest Range Office, Kohora, Kaziranga National Park or India Tourism Guwahati.
Assam Information Portal
This winter I came all the way from Pune and visited Kaziranga National Park with family. One day I came across Leima Manipuri Dhaba on NH37 near to Bagori range entrance to Kaziranga National Park. I was surprised to find a hotel providing ethnic Manipuri cuisines in a homely environment to travellers at a very reasonable and affordable rate. They take utmost care about the hygiene of the food served and provide warm service at your fingertips. Some of the cuisines include Laphu iromba, Matar ootie, Paaknam, Oomorok ametpi, Aromatic Manipuri rice to name a few. I would recommend people this restaurant who love ethnic Manipuri cuisines…..