Kaziranga National Park is the name to exemplify the most popular conservation efforts to save the endangered species like one-horned rhinoceros in India. Located in the Golaghat and Nagaon district of Assam, this most notable wildlife sanctuary is being declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 1985. The park resides at an edge of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot and this could be the perfect reason to envision high degrees of diversified species with great visibility.
The park lies in the flood plains of Brahmaputra River and so every year the region is completely drenched with high water level; so do the wildlife gets affected by it too. And keeping such messy situation in mind, the park officials are always ready for every kind of provision for the safety of the jungle beings of Kaziranga.
Lying between the latitudes of 26°30′ N and 26°45′ N, and longitudes 93°08′ E to 93°36′ E within two districts of Assam, Golaghat and Nagaon, the Kaziranga National Park is stretched across an area of 378 sq km with an addition of 429 sq km along the present boundary of the park. The land of Kaziranga is made fertile with the alluvial soil formed by the erosion and the silt deposition of Brahmaputra River to make it more eligible for agriculture at the outskirts of the park area.
History
From the land of one-horned rhinos to their protected area, the history of Kaziranga takes us back in the year 1904 when the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon along with his wife Mary Curzon went on an excursion to this region. To their matter of surprise they found no signs of rhinos in the concerned area which is known as the home to them and so she decided to put some serious efforts towards their conservation, sine poaching for their skin was on the heights during that time. It was in the year 1905, June 1st that Mary Curzon proposed the idea of converting Kaziranga into a reserve forest by extending the area into 232 sq km.
Today this park is home to around two-third of world’s great one-horned Indian rhinos. Besides, with the highest density of tigers among the protected areas of the world, Kaziranga in the year 2006 was also declared as a tiger reserve. The park also boasts has large breeding populations of elephants, wild water buffalo and swamp deer. In addition, Kaziranga is recognized as an ‘Important Bird Area’ by Birdlife International for the conservation of avifaunal species.
Wildlife in Park
The land of Kaziranga which is rich in one-horned rhinos and elephants supports the growth and survival of a unique and diverse wildlife. Apart from being a rich natural habitat for Rhinos, Kaziranga Sanctuary also has a sizable population of the Wild Buffalos and great herds of wild elephants, sometimes numbering up to 200, including other major counts of species like:
Mammals – Indian wild boar (sus scrofa), eastern mole (talpa micrura), pangolin (manis crassicaudata), indian gaur (bos gaurus), sambar (cervus unicolor), barking deer (muntiacus muntjak), white browed gibbon (hylobates hoolock), hog deer (axis porcinus), capped langur or leaf monkey (presbytis pileatus), assamese macaque (macaca assamensis), rhesus macaque (macaca mulatto), leopard (panthera pardus), golden jackal (canis aureus), sloth bear (melursus ursinus), fishing cat (felis viverrina), jungle cat (felis chaus), large indian civet (viverra zibetha), small indian civet (viverricula indica), indian gray mongoose (herpestes edwardsi), small Indian mongoose (herpestus auropunctatus), bengal fox (vulpes bengalensis), common otter (lutra lutra), Chinese ferret badger (melogale moschata), hog badger(arctonyx collaris), ganges and Indus river dolphin (platanista gangetica), orange-bellied Himalayan squirrel (dremomys lokriah), Asiatic black bear, swamp deer (cervus duvauceli) and Indian porcupine (hystrix indica).
Reptiles – Snakes, Lizards, Tortoises, Alligator (Gharial), Crocodile
Flora in Kaziranga
Kaziranga National Park has chiefly three major types of flora as alluvial inundated grasslands, tropical wet evergreen forests and tropical semi-evergreen forests. But, the main characteristics of flora in Kaziranga are the dense and tall elephant grasses intermixed by small swamplands which are left behind by the receding floodwaters of the river Brahmaputra.
In addition to grasses and forests, Kaziranga National Park includes abundant cover of water lilies, water hyacinth and lotus brining a beautiful scenario to the surroundings. Rattan Cane, which is a type of climbing palm, also adds beauty of Kaziranga National Park. Different vegetation coverage in Kaziranga National Park is: tall thickets of elephant grasses 41%, short grasses 11%, open jungle 29%, rivers and water bodies 8%, sand 6% and swamps 4%.
Nearby Places of Kaziranga
Addabarie Tea Estate – established by the British Assam Tea Company in the year 1864, this is an ultimate tea estate near the area of Tezpur. The area attracts the people for its far-stretched green beauty and for Wild Mahseer, an independent British aged bungalow with many attractions to reflect the British Assam colonial lifestyle.
Guwahati – the capital of Assam is a flaky destination composed of religious, industrial, wildlife and natural bewilderments. Assam State Museum, Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra are the prominent spots to learn the cultural assets of Assam. Besides, the famous Kamakhya Temple, dedicated to Goddess Durga attracts many devotees around the year.
Manas National Park – Located on the bank of the river Manas at the Himalayan foothills, the Manas National park is the most pictorial sanctuary in the area located 176 kms away from Guwahati and was earlier known as Kamrup Wildlife Sanctuary. It was established as the core of the Manas Tiger Reserve from April 1973 and elevated to the position of a National Park status on September 7, 1990. It is a well known World heritage site with its unique combination of scenic beauty and rare wealth of wildlife.
Nameri National Park – the Nameri National Park is the most scenic one with the presence of bifurcating river Jia Bhoroli to cover an area of 200 sq km. Set up as a sanctuary in the year 1985, the park attained the national park designation in the year 1988 with great amounts of faunas, avi-faunas and floral sections in the area with the abundance presence of herds of elephants.
Best Season to Visit
The best season to visit Kaziranga National Park is between November and April. From 1st of Nov to 30th of April, the park remains open daily for continuous six months being the monsoons as the exceptional season to close the area for safety reasons by the national park management.
Since, Kaziranga lies on the banks of Brahmaputra River, every year the reserve area has to face the flooded situation on heavy monsoons leading to great losses and the management has to take great care and precautions to save the precious species. This is the reason it is partially opened during the months of October and May and is completely closed during June to September.
Safari Timings
For Jeep Safari
Jeep Safari is available from 1st November to 30th April and could be possible subject to weather and road condition on the months of May & October.
Morning Jeep Safari: 07: 09:30
Afternoon Jeep Safari: 13:30: 15:30
For Elephant Safari
Elephant rides are available from 1st November to 30th April that start in the early morning and continues for 1-1&1/2 hrs.
Elephant Safari Times
| Range | Morning session | Afternoon session(NEW) |
| Burapahar Range, Ghorakati | 5:30 to 7:30 | 15:00 to 16:00 |
| Eastern Range, Agaratoli | 5:30 to 7:30 | 15:00 to 16:00 |
| Kazirana Range, Kohora | 5:30 to 7:30 | 15:00 to 16:00 |
| Western Range, Bagori | 5:30 to 7:30 | 15:00 to 16:00 |
How to Reach
By Air : Guwahati being located at 217 kms from the park serves as the nearest airport to reach Kaziranga. The other airport is located at Jorhat, 97 kms from Kaziranga.
By Train : The nearest railhead is at the distance of 75 kms from the Kaziranga National Park in Furkating.
By Road : Kohara, located on NH-37 is the main gate to reach the Kaziranga Sanctuary which is facilitated with handful of cafes and local markets ad this is the area that serves best for commuting by road. ASTc and private buses are easily available from Kohara to Guwahati, Tezpur and upper regions of Assam.
Hotels in Kaziranga
For bringing great days ahead of Kaziranga Rhino tour, the tourists should make some good stays in the area and the presence of great accommodation in the area provides the living more elegant and comfortable along with the elephant safari pleasure in Kaziranga. So, here are the list of best hotels and resorts in Kaziranga National Park for more comfy and stretchable living :
- Jupuri Ghar
- Iora Resort
- Wild Grass Lodge
- Bonhabi Resort
- Infinity Kaziranga Wilderness
- Kaziranga Resort
