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Get Up at Dawn and Go On The Amazing Elephant Safari at Kaziranga National Park, India
Published by Paromita Goswami, Writer
Country: India 
The Experience
Kaziranga National Park is home to one third of the world’s Great One Horned Indian Rhino. Spread across an area of approximately 429 km², this Indian national park is a special delight for the wildlife enthusiasts visiting the state of Assam in northern India.
Besides the One Horned Rhino, the Kaziranga National Park is home to several other species of Himalayan flora and fauna. Unlike other national parks in the country, Kaziranga National Park is well known for its biodiversity and visibility. The swamps, tall thicket of elephant grass, and the banks of Brahmaputra River, makes the national park the natural habitat of Indian elephants, swamp deer, barasingha, sloth bears, tigers, leopards, wild buffalo, pythons, and a wide variety of birds.
The Elephant Safari is the most convenient way of watching these species in their natural habitat. Starting at the break of dawn, the Elephant Safari is the best means to view the animals amid the tall elephant grass and swamps. You will get an opportunity to have a close encounter with the One Horned Rhino, a herd of Indian elephants, and other species. Early morning is the best time to take a glimpse of these animals, as during daytime most of them disappear in the shades to avoid the heat. Amazingly, with the Elephant Safari, it is very easy to find the One Horned Rhino posing for the camera: an inquisitive look for couple of seconds before it disappears among the tall grass. The Elephant Safari timings are 5.30 a.m. to 6.30 a.m., and covers the Baguri, Hole Path, Mihimukh, Kohora Central Path and Arimarah of the Kaziranga National Park in about an hour and a half. It is surely one of the most memorable parts of Kaziranga Wildlife Tour.
The effort of waking up at 5.00 a.m. in the winter morning for an Elephant Safari ride is surely worth experiencing. Due to a heavy rush of tourists, it is advisable to make advance bookings. If touring independently, the bookings can be made from the camp office at Kohora on the previous day. Tourists on package tours can confirm the same from their tour operator. Apart from the Elephant Safari, adventure enthusiasts can also enjoy the Jeep Safari at Kaziranga National Park. The Jeep Safari starts at 6.30 a.m., is accompanied by a guide, and lasts for about 3-4 hours. It covers deep interiors of the National Park along the river bank and lake area. You can easily come in close encounter with deer, wild buffaloes, wild elephant herds, One Horned Rhino, wild boar, and several varieties of birds.
Afternoon is the best time to cover the lake area as most of the wild animals gather around there to drink water or take a plunge in the cool lake water and escape the heat. Watching the birds catching fish, or turtles lazing on the wild floating logs in water, are common sights on the Jeep Safari. However due the bumpy dusty forest trail, the Jeep Safari can be very tiring and uncomfortable.
Besides the One Horned Rhino, the Kaziranga National Park is home to several other species of Himalayan flora and fauna. Unlike other national parks in the country, Kaziranga National Park is well known for its biodiversity and visibility. The swamps, tall thicket of elephant grass, and the banks of Brahmaputra River, makes the national park the natural habitat of Indian elephants, swamp deer, barasingha, sloth bears, tigers, leopards, wild buffalo, pythons, and a wide variety of birds.
The Elephant Safari is the most convenient way of watching these species in their natural habitat. Starting at the break of dawn, the Elephant Safari is the best means to view the animals amid the tall elephant grass and swamps. You will get an opportunity to have a close encounter with the One Horned Rhino, a herd of Indian elephants, and other species. Early morning is the best time to take a glimpse of these animals, as during daytime most of them disappear in the shades to avoid the heat. Amazingly, with the Elephant Safari, it is very easy to find the One Horned Rhino posing for the camera: an inquisitive look for couple of seconds before it disappears among the tall grass. The Elephant Safari timings are 5.30 a.m. to 6.30 a.m., and covers the Baguri, Hole Path, Mihimukh, Kohora Central Path and Arimarah of the Kaziranga National Park in about an hour and a half. It is surely one of the most memorable parts of Kaziranga Wildlife Tour.
The effort of waking up at 5.00 a.m. in the winter morning for an Elephant Safari ride is surely worth experiencing. Due to a heavy rush of tourists, it is advisable to make advance bookings. If touring independently, the bookings can be made from the camp office at Kohora on the previous day. Tourists on package tours can confirm the same from their tour operator. Apart from the Elephant Safari, adventure enthusiasts can also enjoy the Jeep Safari at Kaziranga National Park. The Jeep Safari starts at 6.30 a.m., is accompanied by a guide, and lasts for about 3-4 hours. It covers deep interiors of the National Park along the river bank and lake area. You can easily come in close encounter with deer, wild buffaloes, wild elephant herds, One Horned Rhino, wild boar, and several varieties of birds.
Afternoon is the best time to cover the lake area as most of the wild animals gather around there to drink water or take a plunge in the cool lake water and escape the heat. Watching the birds catching fish, or turtles lazing on the wild floating logs in water, are common sights on the Jeep Safari. However due the bumpy dusty forest trail, the Jeep Safari can be very tiring and uncomfortable.
When to Go to Kaziranga Park India
The best time to visit the Kaziranga National Park is from mid November to early April. It remains closed for visitors from mid-April to mid-October. This is the time of monsoons, and the mighty Brahmaputra floods the low lying areas of the National Park, forcing the animals to migrate.
The wide area of the National Park covers parts of Nagaon and Golaghat districts of Assam. The major cities nearby Kaziranga are Guwahati (217 km away) and Jorhat (97 km away). Reaching Kaziranga is very easy with good connectivity by air, road and train. The nearest international airport is Lokrpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati, which serves air carriers like Indian Airlines, GoAir and Jet Airways. The nearest railway station is Furkating. However, the most convenient way is to reach Guwahati and go to Kaziranga National Park by road, which takes about four to six hours.
The Park lies off the National Highway No.37 between Guwahati and Jorhat and is well connected by buses operated by both ASTC (Assam State Transportation Corporation) and private tour operators. There are many resorts and luxury hotels in Kaziranga to accommodate tourists. Wild Grass lodge, Bonhabi Resort and Landmark Woods needs special mention. Several government-owned guest house and tourist lodges are also located in Kohora, Kaziranga. These are Bonashree, Aranya , Kunjaban and Bonani Lodge, and are much cheaper and offer the nearly the same luxury as the privately-owned resorts.
The wide area of the National Park covers parts of Nagaon and Golaghat districts of Assam. The major cities nearby Kaziranga are Guwahati (217 km away) and Jorhat (97 km away). Reaching Kaziranga is very easy with good connectivity by air, road and train. The nearest international airport is Lokrpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati, which serves air carriers like Indian Airlines, GoAir and Jet Airways. The nearest railway station is Furkating. However, the most convenient way is to reach Guwahati and go to Kaziranga National Park by road, which takes about four to six hours.
The Park lies off the National Highway No.37 between Guwahati and Jorhat and is well connected by buses operated by both ASTC (Assam State Transportation Corporation) and private tour operators. There are many resorts and luxury hotels in Kaziranga to accommodate tourists. Wild Grass lodge, Bonhabi Resort and Landmark Woods needs special mention. Several government-owned guest house and tourist lodges are also located in Kohora, Kaziranga. These are Bonashree, Aranya , Kunjaban and Bonani Lodge, and are much cheaper and offer the nearly the same luxury as the privately-owned resorts.
Odds n' Ends
Kaziranga does not have any nightlife other than enjoying drinks in your own room. As all the safaris start at dawn and end by midday, the evenings are free for sightseeing till dusk. There are several coffee and rubber plantations nearby where you one can take a leisure stroll. Also trek down to the native Karbi villages to meet the local folk here. The Karbi tribe is the ethnic tribal group in Assam, and “Kaziranga” derives its name from this tribe.
The Department of Forest and Assam Tourism organize the Elephant Festival every year between January and April to promote tourism in Kaziranga National Park. It lasts for a few days and is a great opportunity to watch the elephants dressed in their best and catwalking in huge procession amid the fascinated crowd of tourists. They also take part in various games, like race and football. The Festival also showcases the culture and tradition of Assam with folk dance and music. Merging your Kaziranga trip during the Festival time is a great way to discover the area.
The Department of Forest and Assam Tourism organize the Elephant Festival every year between January and April to promote tourism in Kaziranga National Park. It lasts for a few days and is a great opportunity to watch the elephants dressed in their best and catwalking in huge procession amid the fascinated crowd of tourists. They also take part in various games, like race and football. The Festival also showcases the culture and tradition of Assam with folk dance and music. Merging your Kaziranga trip during the Festival time is a great way to discover the area.
Want a Guide?
- Conducted Tour to Kaziranga
- Assam Tourism department offers well planned tour to tourist destinations like Kaziranga National. Several other tours are also organized by them
- Kaziranga Weekend Package
- Destinations Covered: Guwahati - Kaziranga National Park - Guwahati
- Tours of Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary
- Destinations Covered : Delhi - Guwahati - Kaziranga
Places to Eat
- Wild Grass Lodge, Kaziranga
- Lodge provides three meals in a day, including tea and coffee. Lodge also provides breakfast & packed lunch upon departure.
Recommended Places to Stay
- Wild Grass Lodge
- The Wild Grass Lodge is a Jungle Lodge located outside Kaziranga National Park in the state of Assam. It is about 200 km away from Guwahati. It is an attractive rural style hotel with grounds having more than 40 species of trees over 200 species of shrubs, creepers and climbers.
- Bon Habi Jungle Resort
- Bon Habi lodge is just a short walk from Kaziranga National Park, main entrance gate of Kohora Central Range. It provides visitors a truly exciting and rewarding jungle experience. The mainstay of Bon Habi lies on those people who dedicate their service for a cozy, homely and secured stay of all our esteemed guests.
- Landmark Woods
- Resort offers jungle safari and elephant ride, escorted trekking and bird watching by our in-house naturalist guide.
- Aranya Lodge Kaziranga
- Hotel Aranya Lodge is run by the Assam government. The hotel is spread in 7 acres of lush green area. The hotel offers clean and comfortable rooms to its visiting guests. Elephant ride is available at the Mihimukh entrance.
More Experiences Nearby
- Climb to the Top of Potala Palace, the Dalai Llama's Former Winter Residence
- Climbing Tibet’s Potala Palace at 3,700 m (12,100 ft), is a difficult task indeed. The Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, made famous as the winter residence of the Dalai Lama until 1959, was first built by a Tibetan king in AD 637, and used primarily as a meditation retreat. Potala Palace was rebuilt in 1645 to be used as the fifth Dalai Lama's seat of government. Today, Potala Palace is situated between two major monasteries in old Lhasa, and is a museum housing thousands of shrines, statues and manuscripts within its countless rooms. Clearing the last turn on the last ...251 miles away.
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Books and DVDs
- Lonely Planet India
- Highlights include more than 200 traveler-tested maps, thousands of places to stay and eat for all budgets, excellent health information, all you need to know about transportation options, and a 32-page color section on India's religions.
- Frommer's India
Media References
- Kaziranga National Park, Assam famous for one-horned rhino, has the highest density of tigers in the world (newspaper)
- This was revealed in a report titled ‘Monitoring of Tigers and Prey Animals of Kaziranga National Park,’ released by Assam Forest and Environment Minister Rockybul Hussain at the State Zoo here on Thursday.
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