Flanked by the mighty Brahmaputra on one side and the Eastern Himalayas on the other, Kaziranga national park is India’s great conservation success story. Often called the Serengeti of the east for the budget traveller, Kaziranga is a biodiversity hotspot. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. It is a dream of everyone to visit Kaziranga National Park see the worlds prime attraction one-horned rhino ones in a lifetime. Here we pointed out a few tips as a backpacker’s guide to visiting Kaziranga National Park before you plan to visit.
What to see in Kaziranga National Park?
This park is a safe haven for the great Indian one-horned rhinoceros. Besides these majestic animals, a healthy amount of tigers also thrives inside the park’s boundaries. Though tiger sighting is very rare one can spot a tiger in some favourable time.
Bird watchers are also rewarded with over 100 species of several local and migratory birds making their pit stop inside the national park.
This is the only place in India where you can spot the mother and baby rhinos playing in mud puddles, Kaziranga National Park is a nature lovers dream. The abundance and diversity of flora and fauna are truly magnificent.
Backpackers making their way to the national park never leave dispirited as the vistas on offer are diverse, ranging from a large number of lakes, ponds, marshlands, streams & grasslands to dense tropical forests. Traveller’s getting to Kaziranga can plan a 2 or 3-day trip as there is so much to explore inside the park.
The 4 accessible ranges of the park all offer different sights and sounds. You can also spend your time at the animal rehabilitation centre where baby rhinos and elephants are taken care of. Jeep and Elephant safaris are the best for tracking animals. You can always camp near the Brahmaputra and kill time.
Kaziranga National Park is segmented into Northern, Eastern, Western, Central & the Burapahar regions. The Northern region is not usually open to tourists. The Brahmaputra bursts its banks in the monsoons, converting parts of the national park into floodplains.
How to reach Kaziranga National Park?
The best and cheapest option to reach Kaziranga is by following the NH-37, State-owned and private buses are available from Guwahati and other regions of Assam. Regular bus services are present from the interstate bus terminus in Guwahati. It is a 5-hour journey to Kaziranga and you can get down at Kohora(central gate- Kaziranga National Park).
State transport bus cost Rs 250 – Rs 300 from Guwahati to Kaziranga. You can find a vacant sit without pre-booking your ticket to Kaziranga. But in pick season it’s difficult to get a seat without prior reservation. If you want a comfortable seat in front side it’s better to pre-book your bus ticket. But its very difficult to find any available seat during festival season. Shared taxis are not available to Kaziranga. You can hire a private taxi to Kaziranga at around Rs 3,400 – Rs 4,500 per day basis.
Several airports are nearby, but your best bet would be to fly down to the LGB international airport at Guwahati (217 kilometer away) and take public transportation to reach Kaziranga. One can also book a cab from the Guwahati airport or Guwahati railway station to Kaziranga for a comfortable journey.
The nearest railway station is at a distance of 75 kilometres from the National Park in Furkating railway station located at Golaghat town. There is no direct bus or shared taxi available from Furkating to Kaziranga.
Budget accommodation in Kaziranga National Park
Budget options are limited. Kohora is the best place to find relatively cheap accommodation options. There are several lodges operated by the forest department. Mentioned below are some of the budget options.
- Jonaki Kareng
- Aranya lodge
- Dhanshree Resort
- Bonraja
- Wildgrass lodge
- Florican lodge
- Deuta’s Cottage
These are some budget option for a stay near Kaziranga National Park. These resort/hotel will cost you around Rs 1000 – Rs 2500. Dormitories are available for student or backpackers at around Rs 800 in Deuta’s Cottage.
Sightseeing and Safaris in Kaziranga
The One-Horned Rhino takes centre stage here; it is the only place in India where this majestic animal thrives. Rhino calf’s playing amongst the wet grass and mud puddles are a great sight to the traveller. Besides the rhinos, a large population of elephants and tigers are also present inside the Kaziranga National Park. The Asiatic water buffalo and the swamp deer from the various other attractions of the national park
The park is home to 450 species of birds and 100 of migratory birds make their short halts inside the national park, some of the coming from the far east corners of Siberia.
You can go on bird trails, boat cruises near the riverside during your stay.
Kaziranga national park safari and other activities
The park provides regular Jeep Safari and Elephant safari into the national park. These safaris are the perfect occasion to see the rhinos in their environment, slowly burning time and playing with their calf’s.
Tickets can be booked from the range offices nearest to you and usually require you to wake up early to get to the ranges offices within the specified time.
Tired of waiting in lines? Nexplore books the safari of your requirement and provide pickup and drop facilities from the hotel to the central gates.
Lots of other activities and things to do are available near Kaziranga National park. Some of these are Tea Garden visit, a short walk in the nearby tribal villages etc. Admiring beautiful and rare orchids native from Northeast India and exploring the small stone cave and watching the traditional Karbi tribes home and lifestyle and enjoy delicate local food at Kaziranga National Orchid & Biodiversity Park is a must to activities on your trip to Kaziranga. The entry fee at Kaziranga Orchid park in Rs 100 per person.
Online Elephant Safari booking at Kaziranga
Online Jeep Safari booking at Kaziranga
Safari season and timing in Kaziranga National Park
Jeep Safari in Kaziranga National park safari is available from 1st of November to the 15th of May.
Elephant safari generally starts from 15th November when roads inside the parks are properly open after the flood is over inside Kaziranga. Elephant Safari continues and lasts till 30th April every year. Safari starts in the early morning hours and continues for an hour.
Elephant Safari Timing
Kaziranga National park safari begins from the range offices & starts at 4:30 am in the morning and goes on until 7:30 AM.
Best time to visit Kaziranga
The Kaziranga National Park remains open from the 1st of November to end of the April. The tropical climate means that it is very hot and humid during the month of April and May. Sometimes these period changes based on weather. The best time to travel is December- January with moderate temperatures and cold nights. Due to visitor’s safety, it is recommended not to travel in the monsoon months, as the Brahmaputra floods its banks often.
Solo travellers and backpackers come to enjoy the exotic wildlife at Kaziranga. However, hiking and trekking inside the park are prohibited. For the budget traveller, finding cheap accommodation can be an issue. At Nexplore, we provide pocket-friendly packages to travellers of all ages, with pickup and drop facility available from Guwahati to Kaziranga national park.
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You can read more about Kaziranga National Park in our Kaziranga Travel guide. If you wish to book a package tour for Kaziranga please drop us a mail at support@nexplore.org.
