Kaziranga National Park

The Kaziranga National Park, located in Assam, is a home to about two-thirds of the world's great one-horned rhinoceroses as well as a declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. It stretches to an area of 430 square kilometers. The park was established in the year 1908. The title Kaziranga adopts its name to Karbi, which is the name of a woman who ruled here in ancient time. According to the census held in March 2018, the rhino population in the park is 2,413 against a few dozen remaining in the year 1908. The reserve also serves as a habitat for a significant population of other threatened species including tigers, elephants, wild water buffalo and bears as well as several aquatic species including the Ganges River dolphin. The Asiatic water buffaloes are a major highlight, which is generally very uncommon for most national parks or sanctuaries. The park is home to the highest density of tigers among all the protected areas in the world, and was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006. It is also an important area for the migratory birds. This is because Kaziranga is constituted of tall elephant grass, marshland, and dense tropical moist broadleaf forests that are passed through by four major rivers, including the Brahmaputra, in addition to its own smaller and confined water bodies. Kumbhi, Indian gooseberry, the cotton tree and elephant Apple are amongst the famous trees that can be seen in the park.

The Kaziranga National Park is located in the Kaliabor and Bokakhat subdivisions of Nagaon and Golaghat districts in the state of Assam, India. The Brahmaputra River forms the eastern & northern boundaries of the site, while the Mora Diphlu that stretches at the southern boundary. The nearest city to the park is Jorhat situated 90 kilometers away. Next is the state capital Guwahati and then Shillong that are 200 kilometers and 291 kilometers away respectively. The main gate of the Kaziranga Park is situated in a small Kohora town that lies on the National Highway (NH 37) allowing connectivity through roadways from all the major cities of Assam. There are regular state buses and private buses scheduled for the reserve. One can also reach the park from nearby cities through taxis and cabs. The nearest railway available is the Furkating Railway Station located 75 kilometers away from the park. The station is connected by many trains to the major cities like Guwahati, Kolkata, New Delhi, etc. However, travelers can also use the railway stations like Guwahati railway station and Jorhat railway station located at the distance of 240 kilometers and 90 kilometers respectively. The two nearest airports are the Guwahati International Airport and Jorhat Airport that are linked through state and private buses to the park.

The Kaziranga National Park remains closed from 01 May till 31 Oct every year for the visitors due to the heavy rainfall in the region that often causes flood like situations from the Brahmaputra River. The summers and winters are generally pleasant, with the months of December and January experiencing a colder winter. Summers might be hot in the day, but the temperature becomes pleasant as the day falls. Therefore, the best time to visit the park is during the dry periods of November to mid of December and the spring season from March to April. However, any time between Novembers to April sees presence of prominent number of the tourists.

The safari is one of the main attractions for the tourists visiting Kaziranga National Park. The site provides for various safari options like the Elephant Safari, the Jeep Safari and trekking to see the treasures of wildlife that the park boasts of. The park is divided into four different ranges that include Kaziranga Range, Eastern Range, Western Range, and Burapahar Range, that explore different flora and fauna of the different regions of the park. The best way to travel inside the park is the Elephant safari, which is the best option for those interested in sightseeing and birding. This ride is scheduled twice a day at a fixed time slot, from 05:30 am to 07:30 am in the morning and from 03:00 pm to 04:00 pm in the afternoon, at all the four ranges. However, the ones who visit the park for the sole purpose of watching the one-horned rhinoceros, the jeep safari is the most preferred. This safari is usually accompanied by a guide or escort and allows one to spot tigers, one horned rhinoceros, wild buffaloes, elephants, herd of deer and many other mammals and migratory birds. The jeep safari too is scheduled twice a day, from 07:30 am to 09:30 am in the morning and from 02:00 pm to 03:30 pm in the afternoon. The third option is of trekking, that is very popular among international tourists, and all those who want to enjoy the scenery on their own foot. For bird watching and sightseeing in Panbari Reserve and Kukurkata Reserve Forests, there are two different routes of trekking that are allowed. One can also explore the beautiful view of floodplains from the peak of Kukurakata Hills located in the forest.

The nearest railway available is the Furkating Railway Station located 75 kilometers away from the park. The station is connected by many trains to the major cities like Guwahati, Kolkata, New Delhi, etc. However, travelers can also use the railway stations like Guwahati railway station and Jorhat railway station located at the distance of 240 kilometers and 90 kilometers respectively. The two nearest airports are the Guwahati International Airport and Jorhat Airport that are linked through state and private buses to the park. There are regular state buses and private buses scheduled for the reserve. One can also reach the park from nearby cities through taxis and cabs.