Kaziranga National Park 
About Kaziranga Assam
Kaziranga is a paradise for the wildlife lovers, attracting them from different parts
of the world. A UNESCO world heritage site that turned 100 years in the year 2005,
Kaziranga national park is the only place to spot the famous one horned rhino in India.
Literary Kaziranga means 'The mountain where God has water', its a place that will sweep you off your feet with its
irresistible beauty and also the variety of its fauna and flora.
History of Kaziranga Sanctuary
Almost a swampy area and almost unreachable until 20th century, Kaziranga park came into existence in
1950. It was in 1905 that 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.
Flora of the Kaziranga National Park
The appropriate weather conditions and plenty of rainfall gives Kaziranga its rich floral environment.
The main characteristics of flora in the national park are the dense and tall elephant
grass also called Kaziranga wildgrass.
Here one will find 3 types of floral species - tropical semi-evergreen forests, (wild grass Kaziranga),
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.
Fauna of the National Park (Kaziranga Wildlife)
Apart from being famous for its One-horned Indian Rhinoceros, Kaziranga also supports different species
of animals and birds also. 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.
Importance of Kaziranga Forest
In the above section we talked of animals found in the park here we will talk specifically
of the birds found here and also the importance Kaziranga national park holds. 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.
What To Do At Kaziranga
Kaziranga Safari : 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 arrange it through your hotel.
Safari on Kohora route :
- 1. During your trip you may see Rhinos, Elephants and Wild Buffalo.
- 2. The northern end of Kohora route runs along a rivulet through a wooded stretch, where you can see turtles in various sizes sun themselves.
- 3. If you peer into the trees, you can get to see colorful mini vets.
Safari on Baghori route :
- 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 km away from Kohora, Agaratolo is the easternmost of the three routes.
- In comparison to other two routes, Agaratoli route is more wooded but the animal sightings are slightly less frequent.
Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary - Nearby Attractions
Panbari Reserve Forest :
This 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 km away from Kaziranga, the small town of Jorhat has some interesting excursions
point. If you want to experience more, you can catch the Nimati Ghat Ferry,
about 13 km from Jorhat Town. A perfect destination to try wildlife photography.
Where to Stay At Kaziranga
Accommodation are no problem at Kaziranga. From cheap lodges to luxury wildlife resort you can choose to stay according to your budget.
- Kohora, the Assam Tourism Development Corporation runs three tourist lodges namely - Aranya Tourist Lodge, Bonani Lodge and Bonoshree Lodge.
- A few km 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 Kaziranga National Park
Airport : Jorhat (97 kms) is the nearest airport from Kaziranga National Park, Guwahati (250 kms) is another option.
Rail : Nearest railway station is Jorhat, which is connected to Guwahati. From Guwahati several trains are available for rest of the country.
Road : Kaziranga is well-linked by National Highway 37 to Jorhat as well as Guwahati. From Guwahati buses leaving for Upper Assam stop at Kaziranga.
