Factfile
Location : Kaziranga, in Central Assam
Area : 480 sq kms.
Major Attractions : Great Indian One-Horned Rhinos, Wild
Elephants, Wild Buffaloes and Tigers.
Best Time to Visit : November to late March, early April.
Timings : 7.30 am to 4 pm.
Entry Fee : Rs. 20 for Indians, Rs.250 for foreigners.
Camera Charges : Still Camera Fee - Indians Rs 50,
foreigners Rs 500. Video Camera Fee- Indians Rs 500, foreigners Rs 1,000.
Vehicle Entry : Rs 200.
Safari Timings : Elephant Safari timings are 5 am to 6 am
and 6 pm to 7 pm, Jeep Safari timings are 7.30 am to 9.30 am and 2 pm to
3.30 pm.
Safari Fee : Rs. 120 for Indians and Rs 750 for
foreigners.
Introducing Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga,
locally meaning 'where the mountain goat has water,' is much more than just
a wildlife destination, in fact, it is a piece of history. Turned
100-years-old in 2005, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is flanked all along
by beautiful tea gardens and tall elephant grass. Situated on the banks of
the Brahmaputra River, amidst a pleasant tranquil ambience, Kaziranga
National Park spreads over an area of 480 sq. kms.
Till the early 20th century, Kaziranga was a swampy, almost inaccessible
wetland, used as hunting ground by local tribes and hunters. In 1905, the
British Government under Lord Curzon, proposed to declare Kaziranga as a
reserve forest and the area was officially closed for shooting in 1908. Due
to limitless poaching of the wild animals, in the year 1950, Kaziranga was
declared a wildlife sanctuary and in 1974, it was given the status of
National Park.
In 1985, Kaziranga National Park was declared a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO and now it is globally known for its importance as one of the last
undisturbed habitats of the Great Indian One-Horned Rhinos. Today, with its
flat grasslands with streams and large, land-locked water bodies, swamps and
tall thickets of elephant grass, Kaziranga is providing an ideal habitat for
the Rhinos, Wild Buffalos, Swamp Deers, Wild Elephants and over 450 species
of birds.
Flora of the National Park
Boasting of a favourable climate with plenty of rainfall, Kaziranga
supports the growth of a very rich and varied flora. The main
characteristics of flora in the national park are the dense and tall
elephant grass intermixed by small swamplands. Flora of the Kaziranga
National Park comprise three main types namely - tropical semi-evergreen
forests, tropical wet evergreen forests and alluvial grasslands. The swamps
of Kaziranga National Park is dominated by grasses, forests and have an
abundant cover of water lilies, water hyacinth and lotus. In addition to
these, Rattan Cane, a type of climbing palm, adds more to the beauty of
Kaziranga National Park.
Fauna of the National Park
Undoubtedly, the Great One-Horned Indian Rhino is the major attraction in
Kaziranga. As per estimates, there are over 1,500 Rhinos in Kaziranga
National Park. You can see them in mud or marshy pools of the park, where
they spend several hours during the day. Besides, the tall grass, thick
forests and swamps are the favourite hide-out for Rhinos. These Rhinos are
characterized by the single horn on their nose and the loose folds of thick
skin. Horns can be seen both in male and female Rhinos and it can grow from
20 cm to 60 cm in size. Adult male Rhinoceros have the largest horns, but
young ones below one year in age have no horns.
Apart from the Rhino, you can spot several other animal species in the park
as well. Some of the popular wild animals which you can see at Kaziranga
include Tigers, Leopards, Wild Elephant, Wild Buffalo, Swamp Deer
(Barasingha), Hog Deer, Indian Bison, Sloth Bears, Wild Boar, Capped
Langurs, Hoolock Gibbons, Otters, Jungle Cats, Hog Badgers, Jackal, Pythons
and Monitor Lizards.
A lesser-known fact about Kaziranga National Park is that it is also home
to a variety of bird species. In Kaziranga, you can see over 450 avian
species including the resident as well as migratory birds. You can spot a
variety of bird species such as Grey-Headed Fishing Eagle, White Tailed
Eagle, Pallas's Fishing Eagle, Black-Shouldered Kite, Brahminy Kite, Black
Kite, Oriental Honey Buzzard and Himalayan Griffon.
During winters large number of migratory birds come to lakes and marshy
areas of parks. These birds include Bar-Headed Geese, Greylag Geese,
Gadwall, Northern Shoveller, Falcated Duck, Red-Crested Pochard, Ruddy
Shelduck etc. Besides, the endangered Bengal Florican, Raptor, Pied Hornbill
and owl species can also be sighted in Kaziranga National Park.
Activities You Can Take Part In
Elephant
and Jeep Safari : Elephant and Jeep Safari are the must do things in
Kaziranga National Park. If you visit the park in the right season, you can
spot several animals in just two days through Elephant and Jeep Safaris. The
Forest Department does not offer vehicle for jeep safari, so you have to
hire the jeeps at the Kohora Chowk or you can arrage it through your hotel.
In Kaziranga National Park the safari timings are strictly monitored by the
Forest Department, so always keep the timings in your mind.
Safari on Kohora route : A 3 hr to 4 hr safari in this
stretch provides a complete sense of Kaziranga and its wildlife. During your
trip you may see Rhinos, Elephants and Wild Buffalos. The northern end of
Kohora route runs along a rivulet through a wooded stretch, where you can
see turtles in various sizes sun themselves. If you peer into the trees, you
can get to see colourful minivets. Apart from these, you can also spot a
number of animals species and colourful bird species.
Safari on Baghori route : Located in the western end of
the park, this circuit is known for its wonderful sightings and high
watchtower. Take an evening trip on this route, surely you will come across
many surprises like the herds of elephant graze within clear viewing
distance. Climb to the top of the watchtower before sunset, to get a fine
view of the wild animals like Rhinos, Swamp deer, Hog deer, Buffaloes etc.
Safari on Agaratoli route : Situated 21 kms away from
Kohora, Agaratolo is the easternmost of the three routes. In comparision to
other two routes, Agaratoli route is more wooded but the animal sightings
are slightly less frequent. You can see abundant bird species along this
route.
Nearby Attractions
Panbari Reserve Forest : Just a few kms east of Kohora is
the Panbari Reserve Forest. The 10 sq.km long forest stretch is one of
Kaziranga's few remaining highland forests. Here, the canopy is thick and is
still dotted with several trees. You can spot wild animals like Hoolock,
Gibbons, Cat Langur and a wide variety of birds.
Jorhat : 97 kms away from Kaziranga, the small town of
Jorhat has some interesting excursions point. You could stay here for a
night at the colonial heritage tea bungalow. If you want to experience more,
you can catch the Nimati Ghat Ferry, about 13 kms from Jorhat Town. The
ferry starts around 9 am and makes a two day trip to Majuli, the world's
biggest inhabited river island.
Where to Stay
A wide range of accommodation are available at Kohora, you can opt from
cheap tourist lodges to private-run hotels. At Kohora, the Assam Tourism
Development Corporation runs three tourist lodges namely - Aranya Tourist
Lodge, Bonani Lodge and Bonoshree Lodge. A few kms away from Kohora the Wild
Grass Resort is the most popular hotel of Kaziranga. Other popular hotels in
and around Kohora include Hotel Bonhabi, Soil Inspection Bungalow and GL
Resort.
How to Reach
Jorhat (97 kms) is the nearest airport from Kaziranga National Park,
Guwahati (250 kms) is another option. You can hire a car from Guwahati to
reach Kaziranga. Nearest railway station is Jorhat, which is connected to
Guwahati. From Guwahati several trains are available for rest of the
country. Kaziranga is well-linked by National Highway 37 to Jorhat as well
as Guwahati. From Guwahati buses leaving for Upper Assam stop at Kaziranga.
