Located on the floodplains of the Brahmaputra River in Assam, Kaziranga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with forests, wetlands, and grasslands, making it an ideal location for wildlife encounters. The park is home to the largest population of Indian one-horned rhinoceros and is also home to tigers, eagle species, pythons, elephants, and more. After a five-month monsoon break, the national park is all set to welcome visitors back on October 1. This heralds the commencement of the 2024-25 season as the park gets ready to share its unrivalled natural wonders with the world again. Due to the potential for flooding from the Brahmaputra River, the national park is closed yearly from May to October.
In a letter dated September 7, the Office of the Divisional Forest Officer, Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, announced, “This is for general information of all concerned that the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve under jurisdiction of Eastern Assam Wildlife Division will be opened for tourists for the season 2024-25 from Oct 1, 2024 onwards, subject to weather conditions.”
However, the letter also mentioned that due to current road conditions caused by severe weather, the park is only partially open for jeep safaris in a limited number of ranges. “In view of present road conditions due to inclement weather, the park is partially opened only for Jeep Safari in 03 (three) Ranges namely, Kaziranga Range, Kohora; Western Range, Bagori & Burapahar Range, Ghorakati with the following routes and timings until further notification/orders,” it said.
Dr Sonali Ghosh, the Field Director of Kaziranga National Park, has emphasised that visitors' safety and enjoyment will be the top priority during the upcoming tourist season. Dr Ghosh is the first woman to lead the 118-year-old Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve
Unfortunately, this year's floods in Assam have led to the heartbreaking loss of 215 animals at Kaziranga National Park. Ghosh highlighted that 13 one-horned rhinos tragically perished after drowning in floodwaters within the national park.
Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, located in Assam's Golaghat and Nagaon districts, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its one-horned rhinoceros population. The tiger reserve covers 1,355 square kilometres and is considered a conservation success story with around 2,613 greater one-horned rhinos as per the March 2022 census. The park also boasts a significant population of tigers. If you plan to visit, please note that visitors can enjoy jeep safaris during two daily shifts: 7:30 AM to 10 AM and 1:30 PM to 3 PM.
The nearest railway station is Furkating which is located at a distance of 75 km from the park. The nearest well-connected station is in Guwahati, as is the nearest airport. You can drive down by road (NH 37). It takes 4-5 hours, depending on the time of travel and traffic congestion.