In the heart of Assam, located on the banks of the mighty Brahamputra
River, this park is one of the last areas in eastern India undisturbed
by a human presence. It is inhabited by the world's largest population
of one-horned rhinoceroses, as well as many mammals, including tigers,
elephants, panthers and bears, and thousands of birds. With Open
country covered mostly with elephant grass, Kaziranga gives visitors a
chance to see the fauna at fairly close quarters.
Situated in Jorhat Nawgaon district, the Kaziranga National Park
extends over an area of 430 sq. km. It is bounded by the Mikir Hills on
the South and Bramhaputra River on the north. The park, 217 km from the
capital of Assam, Guwahati was declared a Wildlife sanctuary in 1950
and accorded the status of a National Park in 1974. The park divided
into central, eastern and western sectors consists of semi-
evergreen-forested highlands, rivulets, marshes and extensive plains
covered with tall elephant grass up to 6 metres high.
The park is famous for Indian one horned rhinoceros, which can reach a
height of over two metres and weigh more than two tonnes. The area was
declared a game reserve in 1908 to save the one-horned rhino. The total
number of rhinoceros in the park totals more than a thousand which is
70 percent of the total population of this species in the country.
The park also has elephants, swamp or wild buffalo (Over 70% of the
world population), swamp deer, hog deer, barking deer, sambar/ Hoolock
gibbon, pythons, civet cat, wild boar and tigers. There is a rich
variety of fresh water fowls, over 450 species of woodland and
grassland birds of which 18 species are globally threatened. Birds like
the egrets, pond herons, river tern, black necked storks, pelican,
partridges, Bengal florican stork, pied hornbill, fishing eagle are
found in abundance. The river here has the gharial (fish eating
crocodile) and dolphins.
March - April is best for animal sightings. Trained elephants are
available as mounts for seeing the rhinos at close range. Elephant
rides which last around one hour, should be booked the previous evening
at the park administrative Centre in Kohora.
How to get there
Air : The nearest airports are at Jorhat, 97-km and Guwahati, 217-km away from the park. Jorhat has direct flights to Kolkata.
Rail : The nearest railhead is Furkating, situated 75-km away from the park and Jorhat.
Road : The main gate for Kaziranga, at Kohora is on the National
Highway. ASTC and private buses stop here on their way to and from
Guwahati, Tezpur and Upper Assam; some private buses retain a seat
quota for Kaziranga passengers. The 4-hour drive from Guwahati along
the Bramhaputra south bank on the NH37 passes Dispur, Nowgong and
Bagjan to the park entrances at Kohora and Baguri.
Note : The Department of
Forest, Government of Assam charges fees for toll, elephant ride and
for cameras. For payment and rates, contact Forest Range Office,
Kohora, Kaziranga National Park or India Tourism Guwahati.
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