John Muir once said – “The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
Just like our oceans, our forests hold some beautiful secrets and unique species. Scientists have estimated that there are over 8.7 million of plant and animals in existence. However, only 1.2 million of those species have been identified.
One such specie, found only in Nepal, Pakistan and India is the ONE HORNED RHINOCEROS. Once widespread in the Asian continent, the population of these specie plummeted due to hunting. But with active conservation the rhino population is thriving and increasing.
Out of the total population of one horned rhino’s, two-thirds of them are found at the Kaziranga National Park in India. In this blog, I will be sharing a detailed guide of how you can reach this place, where to stay, all about the jungle safari and more. So without any further ado, lets begin…
Brief facts about Kaziranga
Kaziranga is a National park located in the Golghat and Nagaon districts of Assam. Apart from Rhinos, the park also has the highest density of tigers among protected areas and was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006.
The park is a vast expanse of tall elephant grass, marshland and dense tropical moist broadleaf forests, crisscrossed by four major rivers, including the Brahmaputra.
The BIG FIVE at Kaziranga –
a) The Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceros
b) Asiatic Wild Buffalo
c) Asian Elephant
d) The Tiger
e) Swamp Deer
Apart from a variety of mammals that can be spotted at Kaziranga, there are also 478 species of birds (both migratory and resident).
Fun fact – The park celebrated its centennial in 2005.
How to reach Kaziranga
The nearest airport to Kaziranga is the Jorhat airport (97 kms). However, there are no direct flights to Jorhat (Stopover at Guwahati and Kolkata). The second nearest airport is Guwahati (239 km).
I would recommend booking a flight to Guwahati and either take a bus or car to reach Kaziranga. You can enjoy the rich Assamese culture and head to Kaziranga the next day.
Regular bus services are also available from Guwahati, Jorhat, Nagoan and all major cities/towns of Assam. For booking buses I would recommend checking the RedBus app. (That’s where I booked my Bus tickets too).
Watch my vlog here ↓
How to book the Jungle Safari
Kaziranga has two options for Safari
a) Elephant Safari
b) Jeep Safari
Kaziranga has three major zones for both the Safari’s
a) Kohora (central) zone
b) Bagori (western) zone
c) Agaratoli
Depending on the range you choose the prices of the Jeep Safari would vary. The Elephant Safari for Indian Nationals is only available at the Western range, for foreign nationals the Central range.
The timings of the Jeep Safari are: Forenoon 7:30 am to 9:30 am and Afternoon 2 pm to 4 pm.
Timings of the Elephant safari are: 1st Ride – 5 am to 6 am and 2nd Ride – 6 am to 7 am. (Note: The seats of the elephant safari are limited).
For booking your safari check out the KazirangaNationalPark-india.com. Prices, safari details and more information about the zones can be easily found at this link.
Where to stay
There are a lot of resorts to choose from when you are planning your trip to Kaziranga. All the resorts are located within the park.
I stayed at the Borgos Resort and for me this was one of the most magnificent resorts I have stayed at. The property is beautiful and has spacious rooms, huge lawns, restaurant, gift shop and a stunning swimming pool. The national park is 5 minutes away from this resort. The resort has outstanding bamboo décor and is luxurious in all aspects.
Apart from resorts you can also choose to stay at Hotels and Homestays. But I would highly recommend staying at a resort.
Other things to do in Kaziranga
My trip was a one day trip so all I could do was the jungle safari. But if you have more time on your hands, you can indulge in the following activities too –
a) Visit the National Kaziranga Orchid Park
b) Explore the Kakochang Waterfall
c) Tour the tea estate
d) Experience the local/tribal life
Best time to visit Kaziranga
The best time to visit Kaziranga is during the months of November to March.
But as per our Jeep Safari driver, if you want to see one horned rhinos in full glory then March is the best time. You thinking why so, since the tall elephant grass dries down and its easier to spot animals.
Days required to explore Kaziranga
A two nights three days stay is perfect and more than enough to explore the beauty of Kaziranga.
So that’s my ultimate travel guide for a short trip to Kaziranga National Park!
If you have any specific queries, put them in the comments section below. Will get back to you soon.
Love,
Rituparna
Lovely blog 😊 visiting next month for anniversary trip. Could you share if safari booking is via hotel or website? Thanks
You can book the safari via the official safari booking link I have shared in the blog. You will get best prices there. Book the west zone for rhino watching
Thanks for sharing this blog about Kaziranga National Park
Glad you liked it 🙂
Very insightful Ritu! Would definitely want to visit this place some time.
Thank you so much! I hope you get to visit this place soon 🔜
Nice blog! Covers a lot of details and I am tempted to visit this place 😃
I hope you get to visit this place soon!!
Appears to be an amazing place.. thank you for the insights.
Great you liked the blog. Hope you get to go there soon!!!