Kaziranga National Park
Location : 23 Kms from Bokakhat and 217 kms from Guwahati (Assam).
Area : 430 sq. kms
Prime Attractions : One-horned rhino, tiger, leopard, deer, elephant, wild buffalo, egret, herons, stork and fish-eating eagle.
How to Reach : Nearest major airport is Guwahati (217 kms) and other airport is located at Jorhat (97 kms). Nearest railhead is Furkating (75 kms), the park is situated on the NH-37, ASTC and private buses are available from Guwahati and Tezpur. Taxis and cars are available from the nearest town of Bokakhat (23 kms).
Where to Stay : The park has a wide range of accommodation options, ranging from luxury resorts to rest houses and tourist lodges to dormitories. Most of the lodges and resorts are maintained by the ITDC or the Forest Department. In addition to these, there are some private accommodations available as well.
Ideal Time To Visit : The ideal time to visit the park is from mid November to early April.
Kaziranga National Park - The Land of the One-Horned Rhino
Kaziranga, the land of the Indian one-horned rhinoceros, is located on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra river. Surrounded by the hills of Barail and Karbi Anglong to the south, the Kaziranga National Park is considered one of the most beautiful parks in India. One-horned rhinos were hunted mercilessly here and they were almost on the brink of extinction. The area, therefore, was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1950. Kaziranga became a national park in 1974 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. The park stretching over an area of 430 sq. kms is one of the last habitats of the Indian rhino. Kaziranga is one of the few places in India where one can see rhinos in its natural habitat.
Prime Attractions of the Park
Flora
Situated against the beautiful backdrop of the forest-covered Karbi Anglong Hills, Kaziranga occupies the vast valley floor. The terrain of the park consists of a vast stretch of coarse, sheer forest, tall elephant grass, marshland and dense tropical forests.
Fauna
Kaziranga is renowned for its rhino population, which is more than a thousand now. Besides the great Indian one horned Rhino, other major wild attractions include tiger, leopard, Indian elephant, Indian bison, Swamp Deer or Barasingha, Hog Deer, Sloth Bear, cat, Jungle cats, otter, capped langurs, hog badgers, wild boar, jackal, Hoolock gibbons, wild buffalo, pythons, monitor lizards etc.
Avi-Fauna
Kaziranga National Park is a birdwatcher's paradise too, including both resident and migratory birds. Most popular bird species found in the park are Oriental honey buzzard, black-shouldered kite, black kite, Brahminy kite, Pallas's fishing eagle, white-tailed eagle, grey-headed fishing eagle, himalayan griffon etc. The migratory birds visiting the park during winters include Greylag geese, bar-headed geese, ruddy shelduck, gadwall, falcated duck, red-crested Pochard and Northern shoveller.
Other Attractions
Elephant Safari
An elephant safari makes the park easily accessible and wildlife watching more pleasurable. One can leave for the park in the early morning for an elephant ride. Authorized and trained mahouts guide visitors through the park, one can see herds of elephants, Indian rhinos and other wildlife at close quarters.
Nearby Attractions
Tourists can also pay a visit to the nearby tea gardens, or the coffee and rubber plantations of the Karbi Anglong. Karbi villages are a nice place to meet the local people and observe their unique lifestyle. |
