This trip has been a long held dream to visit one of the finest areas in the North-eastern state of Assam. Indeed for any one even remotely interested in wildlife and biodiversity, this is a must visit in a lifetime.
Kaziranga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the best known stories of strong conservation measures helping in turning around a wild area from the brink of decay and disaster. Read more about this at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaziranga_National_Park
Kaziranga is best known for sighting the Indian One-horned Rhino; but it has many other attractions - the interesting habitat of terai grasslands, good diversity of mammals, birds, insects etc.
It is a long and interesting drive of around 7 hours (about 270) kms from the nearest airport at Guwahati. Interestingly, in a period of 12 months this is the third time I landed at Guwahati airport - beginning to get that very familiar feel!
Another very interesting and amazing place is a lesser known and visited sanctuary - Hollongpar Gibbon Sanctuary where you can have a date with India's only ape - the Hollock Gibbon. A small sanctuary where you can explore on foot and feel that unique oneness with the land.
And as if this was not enough, tucked in another lesser known but charming place - the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary on the outskirts of Guwahati city away from the dust and din and rolling in the lap of nature. Must thank Jet Airways for forcing me to spend one more day due to their inconvenient flight timings - quite a blessing in disguise really!
Read more of these wild areas of Assam in the following posts and do remember to click on "Older Posts" at the bottom of this page to go to the next page for info about reaching and staying.
Enjoying Kaziranga
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| seems an odd photo to start a travel blog - this is a nest of the Red Ants high up in the tree canopy |
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| What a wonderful pose of the Great Hornbill right in the open, shutterbugs went beserk doing clickety-click! |
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| mating of the Red-breasted Parakeet |
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| Red-breasted Parakeet perched near its nesting hole |
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| this is what Kaziranga is best known for - the flagship species Indian One-horned Rhinocerous |
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| Oriental Darter |
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| Female (above) & below (male) of the Red Junjglefowl the ancestor of all our domesticated fowl |
more of Kaziranga and the lovely resort - Jupuri Ghar
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| Lesser Adjutant |
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| Indian Muntjac or Barking Deer |
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| Square-tailed Drongo Cuckoo on a trail near the resort gave a good early morning surprise |
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| Jungle Owlet |
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| Herd of Hog Deer |
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| Male Great Hornbill feeding the female - Hornbills are especially know for the care shown by males towards the female and young chicks |
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| Black Redstart |
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| Indian One-horned Rhinocerous near the lake |
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| Grey-backed Shrike |
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| Flameback |
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| A beautiful shrub Clerodendrum verbasium |
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| Assam Roof Turtles sunning themselves |
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| the gorgeous Chestnut-headed Bee-eater |
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| Emerald Dove |
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| an interesting orchid, Dendrobium nobili |
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| Slender-billed Vulture |
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| could not get enough of this magnificent flagship species for which kaziranga is known for |
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| Asian Elephant drying himself after a bath |
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| Asiatic Water Buffalo with calves |
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| My cottage at Jupuri Ghar - a charming resort with 8 ethnic cottages and a beautiful natural ambiance set amidst tea gardens |
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| The dining area is open and lets you admire the environment while enjoying some delicious local cuisine served by the smiling staff |
Panbari Range of Kaziranga
The Panbari range of Kaziranga shot into prominence few years back when a dutch Birder in his enthusiasm got too close to a wild elephant and was killed on the spot. Since then the area has been closed. However, while going to and from Jorhat, we stopped for 1/2 hour to explore the outskirts of this area set amidst rolling tea gardens. Here are some of the views
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| Hill Myna |
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| A de-capacitated wing - Lime Butterfly |
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| Yellow Pansy (female) |
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| Lemon Pansy |
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| Forest Calotes |
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| Tortoiseshell beetle |
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| A view of Panbari range |
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| wondering what this is??? these are insects known as Tree hoppers |
Hollongpar Gibbon Sanctuary
A lesser known but a must visit place about 120 kms from Kaziranga is the Hollongpar Gibbon Sanctuary that is home to 7 species of primates is the best place to see the only ape in India, the Hollock Gibbons. The sanctuary is beautifully surrounded by tea gardens on one side & unfortunately a railway track on another. It is a also good place to see the rich bird and insect life as well. Got a fleeting glance of the Red-headed Trogon - regrettably could not get a photo of him! here are some glimpses.
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| Hollock Gibbon swinging on a Hollong Tree. Gibbons are apes & do not have tails. this is more than made up by their long limbs used for swinging between branches. they are canopy dwellers |
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| Malayan Giant Squirrel |
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| Common Birdwing |
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| Vine Snake |
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| Archduke |
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| Golden Sapphire |
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| Three-spot Grass Yellow |
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| Our guide Deven Bordoloi with Mandar above & Adesh below, Nature India gifted him Grimmett's field guide - a very good gesture to encourage local naturalists to update their knowledge of birds |
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| Chocolate Albatross |
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| Clear Sailor |
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| Tortoiseshell Beetle |
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| Gaudy Baron |
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| Cruiser (female) |
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| Gaudy Baron |
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| Moth pupa |
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| above & below - Black-faced Langur |
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