A visit to Assam without exploring The Kaziranga National Park? Well, that’s impossible! We spent a beautiful day and a half at this breathtaking world famous national park of India and were left truly amazed. Here is a list of the things we did and explored at the Kaziranga that are a must try on a trip there. You can catch our entire journey through The Kaziranga National Park as well as our other adventures through Assam on our YouTube Channel, ‘The Crimson Canvas’.
1. Jeep safari through the Kaziranga National park
The best way to immerse yourself in the natural surroundings of the beautiful Kaziranga National Park is to hop into a jeep and explore nature's beautiful gift to humanity. The jungle safari in an open jeep is the best way to explore the rare and exciting plants and animals of the Kaziranga. While it may not cover the entire perimeter of the National park as that could take a day or two, you do manage to cover substantial ground and witness with your bare eyes the fauna and flora of the place at the most affordable prices. Trained wildlife professionals accompany you on the trip and even provide you with binoculars to get a magnified view of the serene surroundings although you do get close enough to witness it clearly with your bare eyes. The Kaziranga is divided into four zones and you get to pick a zone you want to explore through in order to see the birds, tigers, rhinos and plenty more. This is a total treat for a typical wildlife enthusiast and was one of my most enjoyable experiences throughout my journey in Assam. Hence, if you plan on visiting Assam, a safari through the Kaziranga National Park is undoubtedly a must try.
2. Elephant safari through the Kaziranga National Park
Want to capture the animals at the Kaziranga National Park more closely? Well, then the elephant safari through the park is a better option than a jeep safari. You can hop on to an elephant along with a wildlife guide and stomp through the terrain of the Kaziranga. You might not even need a binoculars for a closer view of the birds and animals as the elephant safari is best known for the proximity at which you can view the animals when on it. Although the elephant safari covers a shorter distance it is a more raw and unfiltered experience through this beautiful National park, but the only problem you may face is the fact that it only takes place in the wee hours of the morning. The elephant safari takes place only once a day and kicks off at 5:30 AM, so if you really are a nature enthusiast and want to look the animals in the eye (figuratively) you need to get a good night's sleep and set your clocks for an early yet unforgettable morning. While we did take the elephant safari, there have been plenty of great reviews about it, so if you want a close up of every animal and bird in the Kaziranga National Park this ride is definitely a must try.
3. Watch the endangered One Horned Rhino
Some might say that the reason for such frequent visits by tourists and nature enthusiasts to the Kaziranga National Park is the endangered one horned rhino that resides here. The pride of Assam, this one horned rhino is found only in three places in India and all those three fall within Assam. The Kaziranga National Park is world famous for the fact that it holds the world's highest population of this endangered species of rhino. Apart from being found in Assam in India, the one horned rhino is also spotted in Nepal, Pakistan and Bhutan. A species that limits itself only to the Asian sub continent. The magnificent rhino when spotted can be easily identified by its singular horn because of which it gets its name, the rest of its body appears as if the rhino has put on a sheet of armor and is ready for battle. The jeep safari and elephant safari are the best ways to witness the majestic rhino up close and endure its beauty. We were totally stunned as we witnessed the beauty of the one horned rhino and you can watch our experience through our video on the Kaziranga National Park. I bet our amazing experience will push you to go on an adventure of Assam soon enough.
4. Meet the indigenous Karbi tribe of Assam and join them in a meal
The indigenous Karbi tribe of Assam resides along the perimeter of the Kaziranga National Park and support ecotourism around Kaziranga by serving their indigenous cuisine to the visiting tourists by offering the true taste of Assam. Trying out the food of the Karbi community was a cherry on the icing as it was one of the most organic and flavorful meals you could ever have. We also got an opportunity to witness how their food is cooked using hollow bamboo shoots which impart more flavor to the cooking. Surprisingly we were also served welcome drinks and water in the hollow bamboo shoots sealed at one end. One of the drinks we had was a fermented rice drink that was so delicious and brought out the authenticity and uniqueness of the Karbi tribe. We were served a beautiful plate of food that represented all organic colors and left us licking our fingers. We even had the opportunity to taste the world's hottest pepper that the tribe grows and that was an explosive experience. Not many people visit the Karbi tribe for a meal, but they are open to tourist, Hence, I would advise all those visiting Assam, especially those visiting Kaziranga to go check out this place that is featured on our video and help support this indigenous community.
5. Explore a nearby tea plantation
Assam is one of the world's largest tea producers and traders and going to Assam and not visiting a tea plantation would just sound scandalous. Luckily, the Karbi tribe extended their hospitality towards us post our meal and showed us around a tea plantation located in the vicinity. The view of the lush green tea plantation was breathtaking and my eyes just couldn’t get enough of the green I was seeing. They even let us pluck tea leaves with them with a basket hanging down my back. It was a tedious task no doubt and I salute the handwork and effort they put into the entire process. This whole experience has taught me how to appreciate tea even more than I already do as it is one of India’s most loved beverages.
6. Visit the National Orchid Park
After the safari there are many places you can visit within the Kaziranga National Park and one of those places happens to be the National Orchid Park. A crazy fact about the beautiful ensemble is that it houses more than 600 varieties of orchids that range from slightly weird and deadly looking ones to the most beautiful and serene.
7. A visit to the museum
Just a few meters from the National Orchid Park lies the Kaziranga museum which showcases the culture and heritage of the longest ruling Ahom dynasty of North East India. Apart from that you can also see on display handicrafts and traditional articles of the various Assamese tribes on display. The museum also houses a local snack bar where you can try out a wide variety of local Assamese snacks and if you want to buy something to take back home in memory of the Kaziranga National Park you can always visit the souvenir shop. The best part however, was the even space located on the grounds of the museum where we saw the locals perform various indigenous Assamese dances, which was definitely a treat to the eyes. Do visit such local places as you can help boost the local economy by helping out the local tribes that reside there.
We resided at the Bon Habi Resort (http://www.bonhabiresort.com) just a short walk from the Kaziranga National Park and had a great cozy and secure experience there. However, there are many more resorts, lodges and hotels that you can check out for best deals and hospitality for a good stay. Our video titled, ‘Let's explore the unseen side of Assam | Kaziranga National Park | Assam Tourism’ (link: https://youtu.be/tBLaLmWd66s ) is available on our YouTube Channel, ‘The Crimson Canvas’ . Do check it out to witness our raw and unfiltered experience through The Kaziranga National Park that left us speechless.