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Kaziranga National Park

Mornings in the Kaziranga National Park in the northeastern state of Assam are generally misty. So much so that the main gate of the Park is called kohra, or mist. As the sun rises slowly above the horizon, the area metamorphoses into a spectacular sight.

The tall, dense, lush green elephant grass wrapped in the haze makes the first impact on the visitor. As the sun slices through the mist, shallow swamps interspersed with large patches of semi evergreen forests emerge gradually. Not far from the place, India’s most notorious river Brahmaputra flows effortlessly, unmindful of the havoc it is capable of wreaking during the monsoon.

Location : Middle Assam in North East India
Best time to visit : November-April
Nearest Access : Bokakhat
Main Wildlife Found : Rhinos, Tigers, Leopards
Coverage Area : 430-sq-kms

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About Kaziranga National Park
Located on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra River in the far North East of India, Assam, Kaziranga National Park covers an area of approximately 430-sq-kms with its swamps and tall thickets of elephant grass making it the ideal habitat for the Indian One-Horned Rhino. Due to limitless poaching of this prehistoric survivor, the Kaziranga National Park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1940.

The Flora in the Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary
The land of Kaziranga Wildlife Santuary is mainly covered by dense and tall elephant grass. These large distribution of elephant grass are intermixed by small swamplands left behind by the receding floodwaters of the river Brahmaputra. These beautiful swamplands have an abundant cover of water lilies, water hyacinth and lotus. The vegetation that breaks the monotony of these grasslands and swamps are large clumps of semi-evergreen forest.

The Fauna in the Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary
The Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctruary is home to the great one horned Indian Rhino, about 900 in number. Other major wild attractions include a large population of Indian Elephants, Indian Bison, Swamp Deer or Barasingha, Hog Deer, Sloth Bears, Tigers, Leopard Cats, Jungle Cats, Otters, Hog Badgers, Capped Langurs, Hoolock Gibbons, Wild Boar, Jackal, Wild Buffalo, Pythons, Monitor Lizards, etc.

The Avifauna in the Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park is a birding paradise. The birds found here include the Oriental Honey Buzzard, Black-Shouldered Kite, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite, Pallas's Fishing Eagle, White Tailed Eagle, Red Junglefowl, Grey-Headed Fishing Eagle, Himalayan Griffon, etc. Huge numbers of migratory birds descend on the parks lakes and swampy areas during winters, including Greylag Geese, Bar-Headed Geese, Ruddy Shelduck, Gadwall, Falcated Duck, Red-Crested Pochard and Northern Shoveller.

Safaris
The vast open areas make the sanctuary one of the best places to observe wild animals. Elephant safaris during early morning or late in the evening make it possible for visitors to observe the wild animals from close quaters. The Elephants drivers of mahouts also act as guides, who provide information about the park as you move along. Jeep safaris are also available, and the timings are 7:30-9:30 AM & 2-3:30 PM (Jeep), 5-6 AM & 6-7 PM (Elephant).

How to Get there
Air : The nearest airport is situated at Guwahati, which is 217-km away from the park. The other airport is located at Jorhat, 97-km from Kaziranga.

Rail : The nearest railhead is Furkating, situated 75-km away from Kaziranga National Park.

By Road : The main gate for Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary, at Kohora on the NH-37, consists of a handful of cafes and a small local market. ASTC and private buses stop here on their way to and from Guwahati, Tezpur and Upper Assam. Some private buses also retain a seat quota for Kaziranga passengers.