Kaziranga National Park

History

The area today that falls under the region of Kaziranga National Park in Assam was not properly settled in the late 19th century. There was also a rampant mismanagement of the forest resources in the region. It was primarily a hunting ground of the British officers of the then British Government ruling India. 

In the year 1904, Baroness Mary Curzon, the wife of India’s Viceroy Lord Curzon, took the initiative to declare the region as a reserve forest, in order to protect the wildlife and maintain the biodiversity of the area. A renowned animal tracker of those times, Balaram Hazarika, has shown her the beauty of the forest on a short expedition. This led the Baroness to bring the attention of the administration to the need of conserving the area. The area for game hunts was considerably reduced. 

The region was given the status of a National Park by the Indian Government in the year 1974. Today, Kaziranga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the highest tiger density in the whole world. 

Useful Information

Total area – 858.98 sq km

Core area – 430 sq km

Elevation range – 40 to 80 meters

Latitude – 26°30 N to 26°45 N

Longitude – 93°08 E to 93°36 E

Nearest river – Mora Dhansiri, Diphlu

Nearby hills – Barail Hills, Mikir Hills  

Avg. annual rainfall – 2134 mm 

Flora of Kaziranga National Park

Kaziranga has various categories of vegetations, across its lovely terrains. Some regions are predominant with savanna woodlands of the alluvial nature, while other parts are marked by semi-evergreen forests. There are also some parts of the Park that have moist mixed-deciduous vegetation, and also some regions have inundated grasslands. 

The western parts of the Park have tall grasses, and the area of grasslands is much higher in this region, compared to the eastern parts. There are lots of big trees and shrubs spread across the forest lands of Kaziranga. Some of those are Duabana grandiflora, Sterculia urens, Leea indica, Bridelia retusa, etc. 

Aquatic floras are in abundance in Kaziranga, too. As there are many lakes and beautiful ponds in the Park, the variation in aquatic floras is amazing. One of the most common plants is hyacinth. Another invasive aquatic plant is Mimosa invisa.

In recent years, greater initiatives have been taken by the authorities to improve the ecological balance of the Park, with a focus on implementing better conservation plants of the flora varieties prevalent in the area, which you would realize exploring the area when you avail Kaziranga affordable packages. 

Fauna of Kaziranga National Park

The more it is said about the faunal species of Kaziranga, the less it would seem. The richness of the faunal species in the Park is among some of the best in the whole world. Besides having the largest tiger density in the world, the Park also boasts of the highest one-horned rhino population, which you could witness availing Kaziranga adventure packages. There are about 35 distinct mammal species in the Park. 15 of these species are considered to be endangered. 

The Park is also an abode to hundreds of water buffalos, swamp deer, and elephants. You could also spot some Gaurs and Samba deer roaming in the jungles. 

Kaziranga is also home to Indian leopards. Lovers of big cats would thoroughly enjoy exploring the magnificence of the Park availing Kaziranga wildlife packages. The density of tigers in the Park is approximate 1 in every 5 sq km. You could also spot Jungle Cats and Fishing Cats in the Park. 

Kaziranga also not only home to large-sized mammals, but also has several specials of small-sized animals. One such example is the rare Hispid Hare. You could also spot Indian Mongooses, and Civets, here when you avail Kaziranga affordable packages. A total of 9 out of 14 species of primates found in India can be spotted in the Park. 

Kaziranga National Park is also a wonderful place where you can spot lots of avian species, such as Ferruginous Ducks, Openbill Storks, Slender-billed Vultures, Lesser Kestrels, Bengal Floricans, Blyth’s Kingfishers, etc. in your Kaziranga holiday packages. 

Climate

There are mainly 3 seasons prevailing in the Park – summer, the monsoons, and winter. The summer months are usually dry, and windy. Days are hot, and temperatures can soar to a level of late thirties in degree Celsius, in April and May. The humidity levels are moderate during this period. 

Next, the monsoons arrive, which begin from June and continue till the month of September. A special elaboration is required to understand the nature of monsoons in Kaziranga National Park. The region is said to be one of those areas to receive the highest rainfall in the country. In some of the years, the Park faces floods, when several fauna and flora species are severely affected, including big-sized mammals. 

The Park is close for the tourists during 4 months of monsoons. You can visit the Park again after it reopens in October. The concerned administration has taken some bold steps in recent times to counter the issues of flooding in the region, in order to protect the animals and trees of the Park. 

Best Time to Visit Kaziranga National Park

The best time to visit the Kaziranga National Park is between October and May. You can either choose the winter months or the summer months to go for Kaziranga safari tours. The Park is closed in the monsoon months, due to the heavy rainfall it receives during this period. Also, the terrain of the Park becomes muddy, and not very suitable for exploration, in these months. 

The climactic conditions of the Park improve to a great extent from the mid-weeks of October. There is a mild, cool breeze, and it becomes immensely comfortable to travel to various corners of the Park. The humidity level in months of November to February is low, too. There is dryness in the air. The maximum temperature in winter months hovers around 25 degree Celsius, while the minimum temperature can dip down to somewhere around 5 degree Celsius. 

Several tourists also visit the Park in summer months, during April and May, availing Kaziranga family packages. Though it might seem a bit uncomfortable to explore the Park in these months, yet the probability of getting glimpses of big cats from close ranges is maximum in this period. 

How to Reach Kaziranga National Park

Reaching Kaziranga National Park is possible by three modes – rail, road and air. While planning your Kaziranga National Park itinerary, you need to ascertain the budget of the tour, before opting for the right transportation choices. The following points provide you with some good details on this matter. 

By rail: If you want to visit Kaziranga Park via railways, then there are three ways to do so. The first one taking a train straight to Guwahati Rail Station, which is about 240 km away from the Park. You can rent a car from the station, directly traveling to the Park. The second option is taking a train to Jorhat Station, which is approximately 90 km away from the Park. You need to hire a vehicle after reaching Jorhat. The third choice is boarding a train to Furkating, which is the closest train station to the Park, at a distance of 75 km. 

By road: You can drive to Kaziranga from different cities and towns in Assam, such as Guwahati, Nagaon, Tinsukia, Jorhat, etc. You can also hire the services of a private vehicle from Dimapur, Tezpur, Sivasagar, etc. 

By air: The nearest airport to the Park is Jorhat Airport. The biggest airport nearest to the Park is the Guwahati Airport. You can take a flight to these places, and then rent a car. 

Connectivity & Distances

Distance from entry gate:  

Railway station: Furkating Railway Station, Jorhat Rail Station  

Bus Stand: Jorhat Bus Stand 

Airport: Jorhat Airport, Guwahati Airport 

Nearest city/town: Golaghat, Nagaon, Furkating 

Place to Visit Near Kaziranga National Park

There are some really interesting places near in and around the Park, which you visit, and it is wise measure to plan the Kaziranga National Park itinerary by prioritizing these places. It would help you to stay organized in your tour, and enjoy it to the fullest extent. 

Kakochang Falls – In the vicinity of the Park, you could visit the magnificent Kakochang Falls on a weekend trip, which are treats to the eyes. The white curtains of waters falling from a height would surely mesmerize you. 

Deopahar Ruins – If you are interested in historic places, then you can conveniently visit the Deopahar Ruins from the Park availing weekend tour packages, with your family and friends. The archeological wonders would capture your imagination. 

Jorhat – You could visit Jorhat, a lovely Assamese town, on a weekend trip, where you can know more about the local culture and tradition, in more details.