KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK

One of the animals which have survived the vagaries of time is the one horned Rhinoceros. This huge animal has continued its struggle for survival since prehistoric times. One horned rhinoceros stamped the plains of Ganga, Indus and the Brahamaputra but slowly they fell to the greed of man. These quite but mammoth herbivores were killed in large numbers. Their existence was wiped from the plains and they came on the verge of extinction.

It was early in the 20th century when the British government woke up to save one horned rhinos. But the damage had been done and very few of them were found in the wet land of Assam. But efforts were made to save what ever was left and in 1908 Kaziranga was declared as reserve forest and was officially closed for shooting.

A ray of hope was seen in a distance. But it was not until 1974 that Kaziranga was declared as a national park. Today it covers an area of 430 km. Kaziranga is the best home of the great Indian one horned rhino. This park is located in the central Assam and lies partly in Golaghat district and partly in Nagaon district of the state.

The sheer forests, tall elephant grass, rugged reeds, marshes & shallow pools are perfect to support the largest number of Rhinos in the subcontinent. Though the greatest threat to cute animals has come from poaching their number in the park is quite healthy. The park is located along the main highway between Jorhat and Guwahati, which make it easily accessible and the chance to see animals in the wild at close quarters makes a visit to the park very rewarding experience. At Kaziranga, the open country makes wildlife viewing fairly easy. A day's outing is often sufficient for visitors to see most of the major species here.

Park Population :
The wildlife population of the park includes elephant, Indian bison, swamp deer, sambhar, hog deer, sloth bear, tiger, leopard cat, jungle cat, hog badger, capped langur, hoolock gibbon, pig jackal, porcupine, python, buffalo and of course the one horned rhinoceros.

Pelican, duck, geese, hornbill, ibis, cormorant, egret, heron, black necked stork, lesser adjutants, ring tailed fishing eagles are plenty in the national park. During winters a large number of migratory birds are also seen here.

Nearby Attractions :
There are many places which can be visited while you are staying at Kaziranga. The Kakochang waterfalls are 13 kms from Bokakhat. Not far from the park are the ruins of the ancient Numaligarh. These ruins are of great archaeological importance. The tea gardens of Hatikhuli, Methoni, Difalu, Behora Borchapori are also good break from the wildlife of Kaziranga. As if you do not want to leave the park then do not miss the Coffee & rubber plantations behind the tourist lodge.

Park Trips :
The park can be entered on elephant back or in a jeep or by car. There are trips covering Mihimukh, Baguri, Hole path, Arimarah, Kohora Central path-Baguri all areas teeming with wildlife- all authentically wild.

Climate :
The climate of Kaziranga park is tropical. the Summers are hot and winters cold. Take cotton cloths for summers and do not forget to pack woolens during winters. The average rainfall is 160 cms. But the monsoon months bring heavy downpours which often flood the park.

Best Time to Visit :
The best season to visit this park is between November to April. Rest of the year it is off season for the national park. Avoid the monsoon as many parts of the park is flooded and animals are not easy to spot.

Accommodation :
There is wide range of accommodation facility at the park. There are rest houses, dormitory and lodges maintained by the forest department and the ITDC. The forest department has two rest houses and one dormitory. ITDC has three lodges, one dormitory and two cottages. All these provide a good and healthy stay at the park. The lodges have A/C and non A/C rooms furnished with all types gadgets to give you make you feel at home. The Wild Grass is a private resort which offers good alternative for accommodation.

Getting There :
The nearest airport is Jorhat. But the Guwahati airport has more flights. Guwahati is about 239 kms and Jorhat is 96 km. There are regular bus services from all over the state for Kaziranga but the bus drops till Kohara which is very close to the park. Apart from the state transport corporation buses there are travel agencies and the tourist taxi to this place. The nearest rail head is Furkating about 75 kms from the park. There are conducted tours from Guwahati too for the national park. These tours are organized by the tourism and forest departments.

For More Information :
Director, Kaziranga National Park,
P.O Bokakhat,
Dist. Jorhat,
Assam (India) - 785612
Tel : (03776) 68007

Reservation Authority:
Joint Director of Tourism, Kaziranga,
P.O Kaziranga National Park,
Dist Jorhat, Assam (India) - 785612

For Conducted tours :
Tourist Information Officer,
Station Road,
Guwahati,