Heaven for One-Horned Rhinoceros
Kaziranga National Park is located in the Nagaon and Golaghat districts of Assam. It is famous for preserving the One-Horned Rhinoceros. It is one of the oldest national parks in Assam. Its strategic location is further beautified by the presence of the Brahmaputra River flowing to its north, while the Karbi Anglong hills lie to the south. It is also known as Kazironga Rastriyo Uddan.
Impressively, it is also marked as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. It was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006. BirdLife International has also declared it an Important Bird Area. According to history, the wife of Viceroy Lord Curzon, Mary Victoria Leiter Curzon, had visited Kaziranga in 1904 and was very disappointed not to spot even one rhinoceros in the area. This led to the establishment of the Kaziranga Proposed Reserve Forest in 1905. It was officially declared as the Kaziranga Game Sanctuary in 1916. It was later, in 1938, finally opened for visitors. Forest conservationist P.D. Stracey renamed it Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary in 1950.
Following are the main tourist attractions of Kaziranga National Park
Flora: The four distinct vegetation types present in Kaziranga National Park are Tropical Semi-Evergreen Forests, Tropical Moist Mixed Deciduous Forests, Alluvial Savanna Woodlands, and the Alluvial Inundated Grasslands. The green and tall, easily spotted elephant grass found in this national park helps in camouflaging tigers. Commonly seen trees include cotton, kumbhi, elephant apple, and Indian gooseberry. Sugarcanes and spear grasses characterize the flora of the national park. Flowers like lotus, water hyacinth, and water lilies grow easily in the swamps.
Fauna: Kaziranga National Park is known for its high density of One-Horned Rhinoceros along with a decent population of Indian Elephants and Wild Buffaloes. The probability of spotting herds of around 200 elephants trailing from the Mikir Hills to the swamps is higher in this national park. Other mammals present include Royal Bengal Tiger, Pangolins, Barking Deer, Indian Gaur, Hog Deer, Rhesus Macaque, and Eastern Mole. Bird lovers can also find innumerable migratory birds, game birds, water birds, and scavengers in the park. A few easily spotted birds include the Black-necked Stork, Baer's Pochard, Asian Openbill Stork, Black-bellied Tern, and others.
The excursions from the Kaziranga National Park
Tourists love going for jeep and elephant safaris in Kaziranga National Park. It becomes easier to capture special moments as photography is allowed in the park. Tourists can also enjoy birdwatching while walking on foot, especially along National Highway 37.
Tourists can also explore the nearby places around Kaziranga National Park:
Nameri National Park: It is located 90 km away from Kaziranga National Park. Situated in the Sonitpur district of Assam, this national park is considered one of the best elephant reserves. Wildlife trekking, angling, and river rafting are the main attractions.
Guwahati: It is 194 km away from the national park. It is known for religious temples such as the Kamakhya Temple, Bhuvaneswari Temple, Basistha Ashram Temple, and boating along the Brahmaputra riverside.
When to Reach: The best time to visit Kaziranga National Park is between November and April. The park is closed from 1st May to 31st October.
How to Reach
Air: The nearest airport to the national park is located at Rowraiah (Jorhat), which is 97 km away.
Rail: The nearest railway station is at Furkating, approximately 75 km away from the national park.
Road: Regular buses connect the main gate of the national park, located at Kohora, with Tezpur, Guwahati, and other cities in Upper Assam.
