Located on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra River in the far North East of India, Assam, Kaziranga National Park covers an area of approximately 430-sq-kms with its swamps and tall thickets of elephant grass making it the ideal habitat for the Indian One-Horned Rhino. Due to limitless poaching of this prehistoric survivor, the Kaziranga National Park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1940.

Major Wildlife Attractions of Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary

Beside ofcourse the great one horned Indian Rhino, the other major wild attractions include a large population of Indian Elephants, Indian Bison, Swamp Deer or Barasingha, Hog Deer, Sloth Bears, Tigers, Leopard Cats, Jungle Cats, Otters, Hog Badgers, Capped Langurs, Hoolock Gibbons, Wild Boar, Jackal, Wild Buffalo, Pythons, Monitor Lizards, etc.

Kaziranga National Park is a birding paradise; the grasslands are a raptor country that can be seen on safari makes a remarkable experience. These 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. Huge numbers of migratory birds descend on the parks lakes and marshy areas during winters, including Greylag Geese, Bar-Headed Geese, Ruddy Shelduck, Gadwall, Falcated Duck, Red-Crested Pochard and Northern Shoveller.

Kaziranga is the only national park reserve in India where the rhinoceros can be seen in its natural habitat. You also get to see the tiger, elephant, the hyena, Indian deer, sambar (spotted deer), nilgai (blue bull), chinkara and the chowsingha (antelope), along with the crocodile and the long-tailed langur. Kaziranga is also home to a wide variety of exotic birds.

What make the Kaziranga National Park quite different from the other forest reserves in India is its sheer size and the abundant variety of flora and fauna. And it’s probably the only forest where you can still look a rhino in the eye.

Kaziranga National Park - Wildlife

One Horned Rhino
Kaziranga has become the last breeding ground of the fabled one-horned Indian rhino, once found throughout the Himalayan foothills. But today, rhinos are confined to a few sanctuaries in Assam, Bengal, and Nepal. They are vulnerable, shortsighted vegetarians, whose much sought after horn is nothing but harmless compressed hair! The supposedly armor plated rhino only has thick folds of gray skin over its shoulders and hocks. The short squat legs, quaint chapatti-roll ears, and silly little tail make it appear ungainly. Thriving in Kaziranga’s flat elephant grass country dotted with shallow swamps and dense jungles, rhinos only have short tusks for warding off attacks. Rescued rhino calves become quite friendly, eating out of your hand if they trust you.

Indian Elephant
Elephant herds of 2000 or more keep migrating between Kaziranga, Darrang, and the Mikir Hills. These animals have a propensity for using common travel corridors, and frequently find their ancient migration routes blocked by buildings and fences. One can see entire families indulging in playful river baths, snacking off wild bananas and jackfruit, or scratching itchy hides against some tree. Only solitary bulls are prone to create trouble by charging or contesting right of way. This wonderful, wise animal too is extremely vulnerable today because of its size, and need for vast quantities of food and water.

Royal Bengal Tigers
Tigers, on the other hand, seem to be thriving due to stringent protection measures by the state government and WWF re-education programs linking wildlife tourism to rising incomes and employment for the local people. These powerful animals don’t attack unless they are injured or when protecting their cubs. These predators are most active in the early morning, late afternoon and evening, lying up during the middy heat. At night, one often hears roaring or yowling if intruders disturb to tiger or leopard on a kill or resting site.

Other Wildlife Species
Other wildlife species that you would come to appreciate and notice in Kaziranga, a few lakes inside the park are home to 5,000 birds, the most important being cranes and flamingoes. Both greater and lesser flamingoes rummaged among aquatic vegetation for food.

Other Attractions In Kaziranga

Elephant Safari : The vast open country makes Kaziranga National Park very accessible and wildlife viewing fairly pleasurable. Here one can leave in the early hours of the dawn for an elephant-back-ride. Authorized and trained Mahouts who guide visitors through the park train the Elephants. One could see wild Elephant herds roaming around or Indian Rhinos browse past visitors unconcernedly. Since Kaziranga wildlife Sanctuary is easily accessible, its provides a chance to see animals in the wild at such close quarters, thus making a trip to this National Park a very rewarding experience.

Sightseeing in Kaziranga : Tourists can stroll through the lush coffee and rubber plantations of the nearby Karbi Anglong. Or visit the Karbi villages, meet the Karbi people and observe their way of living. Yiu can also venture through the tea gardens that Assam is so famous for and watch how one gets one's daily cup of tea. Film shows on wildlife can be arranged at the various tourist lodges in Kaziranga, on request.

Best Time to Visit Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga's visiting season is from mid-November to early April months. During the monsoons, the Brahmaputra River bursts its banks, flooding the low-lying grasslands and causing animals to migrate from one area to another within the Kaziranga National Park.

How to Get there
Air : The nearest airport is situated at Guwahati, which is 217-km away from the park. The other airport is located at Jorhat, 97-km from Kaziranga.
Rail : The nearest railhead is Furkating, situated 75-km away from Kaziranga National Park.
Road : The main gate for Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary, at Kohora on the NH-37, consists of a handful of cafes and a small local market. ASTC and private buses stop here on their way to and from Guwahati, Tezpur and Upper Assam. Some private buses also retain a seat quota for Kaziranga passengers.