Worldroom MICE Tourism Guide: India 2008


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	Worldroom National Tourism Guide INDIA 2008archive


	Located in the Golaghat and Nagaon district of Assam, this UNESCO world heritage sight boasts as a 'biodiversity hotspot'. Home to the world's largest population of the Great One-Horned Rhinoceros (over 1500), Kaziranga National Park attracts visitors from all over. Situated between latitudes 26°30' N and 26°45' N, and longitudes 93°08' E to 93°36' E, Kaziranga opens its doors to visitors from Mid-November to early April months, being closed from mid-April to mid-October due to heavy monsoons. Located on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra river, Kaziranga National Park covers an area of 378 km², a total addition of about 430 km² being made along the boundary of the park to provide habitat for the increasing wildlife population, and to ensure movement of animals in safety across to the Karbi Anglong hills. Kaziranga National Park has been recognized for its population of the Great One-Horned Rhinocerous. This pre-historic survivor reminds one of a soldier or a gladiator transported in time. Its massive structure, and folds of heavy skin inspire awe and give off images of coats of armour. This probably was the reason for its limitless poaching in the past, leading to Kaziranga being declared a national wildlife park. Kaziranga Game Sanctuary, as it was called till 1938, was declared a reserve forest and renamed Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary in 1950. It was given national park status officially in 1974, and was declared as a UNESCO world heritage sight in 1985. Apart from the Great One-Horned Rhinoceros, Kaziranga National Park also boasts of large populations of elephants, swamp deers, wild buffaloes, wild boars, pythons (including the mighty King Cobra) and large cats. Kaziranga national park was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006, having the maximum density of tigers among protected areas in the world (one per five km²). Kaziranga National Park also has the largest populations of the Wild Asiatic Water Buffalo, and Eastern Swamp Deer. Kaziranga National Park has been recognized as an important Bird Area by Birdlife International. Having a large population of migratory birds, water birds, predators, scavengers and game birds, it offers an opportunity to get lost in a birding paradise. These include the Oriental Honey Buzzard, Black-Shouldered Kite, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite, Pallas's Fishing Eagle, White Tailed Eagle, Grey-Headed Fishing Eagle, Himalayan Griffon, etc. Greylag Geese, Bar-Headed Geese, Ruddy Shelduck, Gadwall, Falcated Duck, Red-Crested Pochard and Northern Shoveller migrate to the marshes in the park in huge numbers, during winters, from Central Asia. One of the very attractive features of Kaziranga National Park is the Elephant Safari it offers. Mahouts, as they're called, train the Elephants, and offer rides on them through the park. These rides are usually provided to the visitors at dawn. The experience of being in the forest on an elephant, in the silence of it, with the wild animals roaming about you unconcerned is as close to a true wildlife safari adventure, as can be. Safaris are also provided in Jeeps or 4WD vehicles. Visitors can also use their own vehicles, however, they cannot enter the park without an official guide accompanying them. Observation towers to view the wildlife and the landscape are situated at Sohola, Mihimukh, Kathpara, Foliamari and Harmoti. Apart from viewing the wildlife and the birds in the park, the landscape at Kaziranga National Park, ranging from tall elephant grasses, to marshland and dense forests, interspersed with numerous lakes, and a view of the snow capped Himalayas in the distance make Kaziranga all the more enchanting. Hiking in the Kaziranga National Park, however, is not allowed, owing to the potential of dangerous man-animal conflicts. Outside of Kaziranga National Park, its surrounding areas also offer a curious tourist much to do. The Karbi Anglong village nearby offers interesting and peaceful walks through coffee and rubber plantations. Assam is also well-known for its tea gardens, and one can spend a good day browsing through the process of manufacture of India's favorite drink. The people of the village of Karbi Anglong are friendly and one can learn quite a lot of their ways of life by spending a few hours in their company. One can reach Kaziranga National Park by Air, Road, or railway. There are 2 airports in the vicinity of Kaziranga National Park, one being at Guwahati (217 kms from the park), and one being at Jorhat (97 Kms from the park).The nearest railway station is at Furkating, some 75 kms from the Kaziranga National Park. Buses owned by Assam State Transport Corporation and private agencies between Guwahati, Tezpur and Upper Assam stop at the main gate of Kaziranga on NH-37 at Kohora. The park has a wide range of accommodation including rest houses, lodges and dormitories which are mostly government owned. One can find lodgings inside the park also. Some private agencies also provide lodging outside of the park. The prices at Kaziranga for safaris are not very expensive, being at about Rs. 500 for two hours by Jeep, and Rs. 750 for an hour-long elephant safari. The entrance fee to the park is at about Rs. 250, however the fees for carrying photographic equipment can be quite high. Kaziranga National Park provides a visitor the chance to go back into nature as it used to be, without the sounds of cars and horns burning into one's ears. One can feel the pulse of the forest as one sits motionless and quiet, in a jeep or on an elephant-back, waiting and listening, for sights of majestic beings one does not get to see often. This experience of silence, and sights, makes a visit to Kaziranga National Park a highly rewarding experience.