The Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh is one of the largest national parks in India. Established in the year 1974, the reserve was initially a wildlife sanctuary before becoming a National Park and a Tiger Reserve in 1983. The name, ‘Namdapha’, is derived from the words ‘nam’ and ‘dapha’, derived from the Arunachali and Assamese dialect of the Jingpho language, and is combined mean ‘the origin of water’. In the 20th century, the park had been a major crash site for several pilots due to the air turbulence that frequented the area. This brought the area to initial international highlight. Soon, its ecological importance was recognized and the park took its shape. The Namdapha region is also a refugee camp from the immigrants of the neighboring Bangladesh, who are now being permanently settled as the Chamkas. The park has a remarkable altitude variation, ranging from 200 meters to more than 4000 meters, and is a major international hotspot. The park is the only reserved territory in India that inhabits four of the ‘big cat’ species, i.e., the tiger, the leopard, the clouded leopard as well as the snow leopard. Another highlight is the Red Giant Flying Squirrel, which is native to the reserve, and is a critically endangered species under the IUCN. Other habitants of the park include the Indian wolf, Asiatic black bear, red panda, red fox, yellow-throated marten, Eurasian otter, the Indian elephant, wild boar, musk deer, Indian muntjac, hog deer, stump-tailed macaque and more than 450 species of birds, including varieties of falcons, kingfishers and partridges. The floral root variant of the flower Rufflesia is also seen in the park.

The Namdapha National Park is located in the Changlang district in the northeast state of Arunachal Pradesh in India. It is a part of the Eastern Himalayan region, and shares an international border with Myanmar. It stretches through an extensive area of 1,985 square kilometers, making it the 4th largest National Park in the country. The landforms in the park includes peaks as high as 4,571 meters, and is nestled between the Patkai range and Dapha Bum range of Mishmi Hills. The sub-division town of Miao in Changlang is the entry point to the National Park. From Miao, Deban town is 26 kilometers away, Tinsukia is 115 kilometers away, Dibrugarh is 160 kilometers away and Guwahati is 599 kilometers away. A well-connected roadways system is available to reach the national park. The Arunachal Pradesh State Transport Buses (APSTB) are scheduled daily from Dibrugarh to Miao, via Tinsukia through the NH 37. In addition, there are also private vehicles to be hired. The nearest railhead is the Tinsukia Railway Station located 140 kilometers from Namdapha Park. From there, one can reach the reserve via the state buses or private vehicles and taxis. The nearest airport is the Mohanbari Airport in Dibrugarh, about 180 kilometers from the park. The Guwahati Airport, about 600 kilometers away, is the second closest. Buses ply daily from these airports to reach Miao.

The Namdapha National Park provides for several activities inside the park like Elephant safari, trekking, boating, etc. The park does not allow jeep safaris because the sanctuary is home to a large amount of birds that might come under a threat due to vehicles in the park. In addition, the entire region has uneven terrain. The tigers are mainly present in the core region of the park and therefore, very hard to be seen, even by the forest officials. However, this in no way diminishes the attraction of the park. The elephant safari, along with the mahouts, can be booked on reaching Miao. It is one of the best way to explore the park, as visitors can enjoy the serene of the forest without making a noise, and thereby, be able to spot much of the undisturbed fauna. It is the best way to spot the birds. The next adventure that can be enjoyed is the trekking. All those who are hale and hearty, enjoy trekking through this mountainous routes. Trekkers can easily navigate the rain forests as per their own convenience, although they must be very cautious. Additionally, the several lakes and rivers that are in and around the park have boating and river crossing activities for the tourists. The park remains open from 08:00 am to 05:00 pm, and all the bookings of the park activities are made on reaching the site. There are two permits required to enter the park, one is the tourist permit given by the Forest Director of the national park and the second is the cross-border permit required when entering the state of Arunachal Pradesh.

The Namdapha Tiger Reserve experiences heavy rainfall during the monsoon and late monsoon months of July to October. These heavy downpours often overflow the waterbodies within the area and also magnifies the risk of landslides. Therefore, it is the best to refrain from visiting the park during this time. The months of April and May are quite hot and almost without rainfall, whereas the winters, though cold, are dry and pleasant. Therefore, the most favorable time to visit the park is from November to March. The reserve activities too can be enjoyed the best during this time, and there are more possibilities of animal sighting.

The Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve is one of the busiest national parks in the country, attracting heavy crowd every year. This is because the area offers unparalleled beauty and an entire palate of biodiversity that are very rare in the current century. The place boasts of some of the most unique blend of uncommon flora, and a huge number of ranging wildlife species. In addition to these are the thrills of the highlands, like some exquisite lakes, rivers and trekking terrains. The bamboo forests in the park are another delight that attracts tourists from all around the world. The park is a sure visit for anyone who wishes to enjoy the panoramic views of the nature, enjoy some unforgettable adventures and spend some quality time in the lap of calm.