KAZIRANGA WILDLIFE VACATIONS

Kaziranga National park

On the banks of the Brahmaputra, the Karbi hills in the state of Assam with its lush meadows and wooded grasslands make an ideal habitat for the mighty Indian one horned Rhino. Kaziranga National Park is the only habitat for this endangered gentle giant which has been hunted mercilessly over the years for its ornamented horn, which is believed to possess aphrodisiac properties. Realising its immense importance, even the UNESCO has declared Kaziranga a world heritage site. During the monsoon, the place has to face the wrath of Brahmaputra which overflows often flooding the entire park and making it virtually inaccessible for the tourists.

About a century ago, India woke up to the threat of near extinction of the Rhino and certain slow paced efforts were initiated towards the lost cause. The then viceroy of India, Lord Curzon declared the area a protective reserve. The results have been very heartening and about 100 years later, Kaziranga, at 1600, houses the largest population of the one horned Rhino in the world.

Wild Attractions in Kaziranga

Rhinos, Rhinos and more Rhinos...that's the story of Kaziranga. Thousands of tourists flock this wild habitat every year to catch a glimpse of the mighty beast, a fact which somewhat minifys the importance of other denizens that include the elephant, wild buffalo, tiger and swamp deer or barasingha. The over 52 mammalian species in the park include some rarely sighted varieties of Gangetic dolphin, Chinese pangolin, hoolock gibbon, hog-badger and the mystic flying squirrel.

The park is also a treasure trove of myriad variety of birds with over 450 different species adorning its skies. Commonly sighted birds include the Oriental honey buzzard, black-shouldered kite, black kite, brahminy kite, Pallas's fishing eagle, white tailed eagle, grey-headed fishing eagle, Himalayan griffon etc. Migratory birds including the grey leg geese, bar-headed geese, Ruddy shelduck, gadwall, falcated duck, red-crested pochard and northern shoveller also bless the area with their much awaited presence during the winters.

Other Attractions

Elephant Festival
The much awaited Kohora Elephant Festival, conceptualized in 2003, is celebrated every year during the month of January. A fete of great fervor and excitement, the festival entails activities like adventure sports, animal processions, cultural shows and food festival etc.

Sightseeing
Tourists can wander rubber-necking around the place. Some of the sightseeing options around the area include the lush coffee and rubber plantations at Karbi Anglong, Hathkhuli, Methoni, Difalu and Behora Borchpori. A jaunt to the nearby villages can also turn out to be an eliciting experience.

Safaris
Elephant and Jeep safaris are common forms of moving around the park. Take an elephant ride to bypass the towering grass and get the best look at the wild denizens. Moreover, the mahouts also double up as guides providing you with exciting chunks of information and other jungle tit bits. Jeep safari is another option to explore the insides of the forest. Timings for the same are 7:30 to 9:30 and 14:00 to 15:30.

Hot Getaways

Kohora
Giant pachyderms bathing and sprinkling water with their trunks in the stream near Minimukh camp at Kohora present a beautiful sight. The serene environs along with the cool climate never fail to attract a crowd of tourists.

Baghori
Baghori in the western part of Kaziranga has a number of watch towers that provide a panoramic view of the park. Climb up to one of them at the time of sun set to witness the breathtaking spectacle of amber hued sky adorned with colorful avians returning to their nests.