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first and the oldest national park in
Assam. This national park is situated in the Golaghat
District, about 217 kms. from Guwahati. It is also a World
Heritage site. Kaziranga National Park is spread over an area
of 430 square kms. The landscape of Kaziranga consists of
sheer forest, tall elephant grass, rugged reeds, marshes and
shallow pools. Elephant grass grows up to a few meters making
it an ideal grazing ground for the famed one-horned
rhinoceros. Kaziranga National Park is the natural home of the
great one-horned Indian rhinoceros and is an important tourist
attraction of Assam. Kaziranga was declared as a national park
in 1974. No lover of wildlife misses an opportunity to see
this National Park which is a lovely spot on the banks of the
Brahmaputra river.
Wildlife Attractions in the Kaziranga National Park
The central range of the National Park is predominantly
covered by grasslands. Rhinoceros are the main attraction in
the Kaziranga National Park. Once almost extinct, there are
now more than one thousand rhinoceros in this park alone,
thanks to the protection given to this animal by the
Government of India. No one is allowed to kill the animal but
despite the efforts of the Indian Government, some 40
rhinoceros are killed by poachers every year. Their horns are
in great demand in Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan for their
presumed medicinal value. Wildlife which can be seen in the
central range are Rhinoceros, Wild Asiatic buffaloes,
Elephants, Langur and Deer. The tigers are not often seen
during day time but they are there. The eastern range of the
Park, which is a thick jungle with water bodies makes it ideal
for watching bird life. Some of the rare species found in
Kaziranga National Park are Indian Bison, Swamp Deer, Sambar,
Hog Deer, Sloth Bear, Tiger Leopard, Leopard Cat, Jungle Cat,
Hog Badger, Capped Langur, Hoolock Gibbon, Jackal, Goose,
Hornbill, Adjutant Stork, Ibis, Cormorant, Egret, Heron,
Fishing Eagle. During winter, a large number of migratory
birds can also be seen here.
Jungle Safari in the Kaziranga National Park
In Kaziranga, visitors can see wildlife riding on an elephant
– that is the most suitable transport for viewing the rhinos,
safe and secure. A mahout guides you comfortably through the
fields to the heart of the sanctuary where soon a rumbling
noise warns you that you are in the vicinity of the great
rhino. The mahout knows where to stop and how to handle the
situation in the face of an angry rhino.
Best time to Visit the Kaziranga National Park
The Park can be visited by jeep, car or on the back of the
elephant. The best season to visit the park is from November
to March. The park is closed from mid of April to mid of
October.
Hours to Visit the Kaziranga National Park
The Kaziranga National Park can be visited on elephant back in
the early morning from 0500 to 0600, 0630 to 0730 and in the
afternoon from 1530 to 1630 hrs. It can be also visited on
jeeps or any other vehicles from 0800 to 1100, in the
afternoon from 1400 to 1630 hrs.
How to reach Kaziranga National Park
By Air:
Jorhat, about 88 kms. away is the nearest airport to Kaziranga
National Park. The Indian Airlines connects Jorhat to Kolkata
via Guwahati.
By Rail:
The nearest railway station is Furkating, about 75 kms. away
with a metre gauge line to Guwahati.
By Road:
Kaziranga National Park is on the National Highway 37 which
crosses the Brahmaputra from Goalpara Ghat in Western Assam. |
