Kaziranga National Park is a national park in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India. Kaziranga National Park is a famous national park of India situated in between two districts of Assam - Golaghat and Nagaon. The park is located on the banks of river Brahmaputra. . The sanctuary, which hosts two-thirds of the world's great one-horned rhinoceroses, is a World Heritage Site.
Kaziranga is home to the highest density of tigers among protected areas in the world, and was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006 (now the highest tiger density is in Orang National Park, Assam) . The park is home to large breeding populations of elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer. Kaziranga is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for conservation of avifaunal species. When compared with other protected areas in India, Kaziranga has achieved notable success in wildlife conservation. It is located on the edge of the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, the park combines high species diversity and visibility.
The history of Kaziranga as a protected area can be traced back to 1904, when Mary Curzon, Baroness Curzon of Kedleston, the wife of the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon of Kedleston, visited the area and after failing to see a single rhinoceros, for which the area was famous. She convinced her husband to take urgent measures to protect the dwindling species which he did by initiating planning for their protection. On 1 June 1905, the Kaziranga Proposed Reserve Forest was created with an area of 232 km 2 (90 sq mi). In 1985, Kaziranga was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its unique natural environment.
Kaziranga National Park, the famous reserve for Rhinos can be easily accessed through all modes of transport so tourists from worldwide visit the park in large number every year, to experience the exotic wilderness of the park.
: The nearest airport to Kaziranga National Park is at a distance of 96 kilometres in Jorhat town. Another airport closest to the park is at Guwahati, 225 kilometres away to the west of Kaziranga. Regular flights operate from these airports connect the city with the major cities of the world and major Indian cities.
: The nearest railhead to Kaziranga is 80 kilometres away at Furkating on east. It is joined by trains to all the major cities of the world and the country. One of the major railway stations closest to the city is Guwahati railway station. Another railway station, which is located at distance of 40 kilometres, is at Jakhalabandha where only one train operates weekly.
: Kaziranga is well connected with the major cities of the world and within the country through roadways as it has NH 37. Several public and private buses run on the roads.
There are many luxurious resorts and lodges where you can stay comfortably. Few of them include, Diphlu River Lodge, Resort Borgos, Kaziranga, Wild Grass Lodge, Kaziraga Resort and Aranya Tourist Lodge.
The monsoon in this region remains hot & humid and extends from June to September. But the park remains accessible during monsoon. Kaziranga enjoys its winter from November to January with a temperature varying from 5°C to 25°C. The winters remain mild and dry in Kaziranga.
The best season to enjoy at Kaziranga National Park is between November and April.
Kaziranga National Park offers two exclusive safaris like Elephant Safari and Jeep Safari that gives extensive view of the wilderness of Kaziranga National Park.
An Elephant ride through the jungle of Kaziranga National Park will give you a better view of rhinos & other wildlife. The elephant safari is organized by the Forest Department twice in a day, in the morning and the evening. The elephant safari allows only four tourists and a mahaout at a time. The safari charges include riding charges, and entrance fee. Camera fee is optional and you need to pay if you are carrying. You have to be at the pick- up point through a jeep in order to take the elephant ride. You will return back in the similar way. To avoid difficulty during the last moment, you should do advance booking of elephant safari. Priority is given to Western Range (Bagori) so that you can get the sight of Indian one- horned Rhinos. Besides viewing the rhinos, the safari provides opportunities for photography amidst the marshy areas and Donga Lake. Check out these North East India wildlife itinerary covering Kaziranga and Sundarbans.
Jeep Safari Like any other tiger reserve or wildlife sanctuaries one can enjoy jeep safari in Kaziranga also. The forest department arranges two shift of jeep safari for its visitors. The jeep is allowed to carry 6 persons at a time. Jeep safari can cover large area than the elephant safari. The jeep safaris can be booked nearby range headquarters.
Kaziranga National Park’s vegetation comprises of three major types such as grasslands on alluvial plains which includes tall elephant grass and short grasses as well along with tropical wet and semi-evergreen forests. The array of charming flowers adds glory to the vegetation of Kaziranga. Therefore, the aquatic flora includes lotus, water lilies and water hyacinth creating a beautiful ambiance. There are some species of climbing plants as well that enhances the outlook of the park.
Kaziranga contains significant breeding populations of 35 mammalian species, of which 15 are threatened as per the IUCN Red List. The park has the distinction of being home to the world's largest population of the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros (1,855), wild Asiatic water buffalo (1,666) and eastern swamp deer (468). Significant populations of large herbivores include elephants (1,940), gaur (30) and sambar (58). Small herbivores include the Indian muntjac, wild boar, and hog deer. Kaziranga has the largest population of the Wild water buffalo anywhere accounting for about 57% of the world population. The One- Horned rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger, Asian elephant, wild water buffalo and swamp deer are collectively known as 'Big Five' of Kaziranga.
