Kaziranga National Park, Assam:

Indian Rhinoceros in Kaziranga National Park
On the way from Kolkata back to Jaipur, I took a short weekend detour to the fantastic Kaziranga National Park in Assam.

An airplane took me from Kolkata to Guwahati, the largest city of Assam. At the airport a driver picked me up and together we drove another 250 km towards the east (~ 5-6 hours) to the tiny village Kohora, the base for visits to the Kaziranga National Park. During my two days there I stayed in the Wild Grass Lodge, which I can definitely recommend! I had booked a package deal, so accomodation, transport, meals, and safaris were already arranged in advance.
leaving Kolkata
leaving Kolkata
descending towards Guwahati
flat countryside along the Brahmaputra
flat countryside along the Brahmaputra
Wild Grass Lodge
Wild Grass Lodge
The major attraction of the Kaziranga National Park is the Greater One-horned Rhinoceros or Indian Rhinoceros. Originally, these majestic animals inhabited the entire Indo-Gangetic Plain, but excessive hunting and agricultural development decreased their numbers dramatically. After a minimum at the beginning of the 20th century, populations recovered and today there are around 3,500 rhinos living in the wild. Of these approximately 70 % live in the Kaziranga National Park!
On my first day, I started very early for a 1-hour elephant ride. This was recommended to me as being the best option to get close to the rhinos (5-10 m) who seem to care not the least for their giant relatives. However, in the meantime I heard and read a lot about the practice of elephant safaris and would not do it again since elephants are just not made for carrying tourists! During the subsequent four jeep safaris I saw approximately 100 rhinos (!) and I think that would have been enough in any case! Please don’t make my mistake, should you be in the area!
early morning in Kaziranga
morning light
Hog Deer in the grasslands
rhino portrait
rhino munching grass
rhino portrait
baby rhino
baby rhino following mom in the bush
elephant safari
two rhinos in the countryside
two rhinos
two rhinos
two rhinos
two rhinos
elephant safari
wild boars
Swamp Deer
Hog Deer
rhino portrait
rhino showing off in the morning light
rhino showing off in the morning light
After the elephant ride, I returned to the lodge for a quick breakfast and then started again for my first jeep safari. There are three areas in the national park which can be visited via jeeps: the western, central, and eastern zone. On my first tour, the guide took me to the central range. In the following hours we saw a lot of birds, numerous rhinos, Wild Water Buffalo (the park accounts for almost 60 % of the world’s population!), Hog Deer, and Swamp Deer (also called Barasingha). You can imagine, I had a great time!!
Indian Roller
Asian Openbill
Spot-billed Pelican
Wild Water Buffalo and Rhino
Rhinos and Hog Deer
a bathing rhino
Rhino and Hog Deer
Changeable Hawk Eagle
Changeable Hawk Eagle
Changeable Hawk Eagle
Changeable Hawk Eagle
Wild Water Buffalo
Wild Water Buffalo
Wild Water Buffalo
Rhino on a clearing
Rhino on a clearing
Woolly-necked Storks
Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle
grazing rhino
Darters sitting in a tree
pelicans and cormorants fishing together
Darters, cormorants, and Indian Spot-billed Ducks
driving through Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park
Pallas’s Fish Eagle
female Black-necked Stork
White-throated Kingfisher
Grey-headed Fish Eagle
Grey-headed Fish Eagle
pretty butterfly
pretty butterfly
pretty butterfly
pretty butterfly
Wild Water Buffalo
Wild Water Buffalo
Hog Deer
Swamp Deer
Grey-headed Fish Eagle
male Red Junglefowl
female Red Junglefowl
female Red Junglefowl
female Red Junglefowl
Asian Barred Owlet
Asian Barred Owlet
Asian Barred Owlet
Asian Barred Owlet
Asian Barred Owlet
Black-hooded Oriole
Common Hoopoe
Common Hoopoe
Ruddy Shelduck
The morning safari lasted from 7:45 am to around 11:00 am. After a rich lunch at the lodge, I started again at 1:30 pm for the afternoon tour, which would bring me to the eastern range and last until sunset at 5:30 pm. The first highlight awaited me already on the way from the lodge to the park entrance: a group of Capped Langurs in a forest next to the road! In the park itself, I again saw many rhinos, deer, and buffalo. The birding was fantastic including a couple of Great Hornbills, Oriental Pied Hornbills, endangered Lesser and Greater Adjutants, a number of eagles, the pretty Blue-bearded Bee-eater, and a sleepy Brown Fish Owl! In addition, I spotted several groups of wild Asian Elephants!
Capped Langur
Capped Langur
Capped Langur
Capped Langur
Capped Langur
Capped Langur
Capped Langur
Capped Langur
Capped Langur
wildlife in Kaziranga National Park
Changeable Hawk Eagle
Changeable Hawk Eagle
Rhinos and Lesser Adjutant
Wild Water Buffalo and Greater Adjutants
Wild Water Buffalo
male Great Hornbill
female Great Hornbill
male Great Hornbill
male Great Hornbill
male Great Hornbill
male Great Hornbill
male Great Hornbill
female Great Hornbill
Great Hornbill couple
Great Hornbill accompanied by Black Drongo
Swamp Deer
Purple Heron, Grey Heron, and Great Egret
Black-necked Stork and Asian Elephant
Black-necked Stork and Asian Elephant
Wild Water Buffalo
Wild Water Buffalo
Swamp Deer
Swamp Deer, Asian Elephant, and Wild Water Buffalo
Changeable Hawk Eagle
Changeable Hawk Eagle
Bronze-winged Jacana
Indian Spot-billed Ducks
Oriental Pied Hornbill
Oriental Pied Hornbill
Hog Deer
Hog Deer
Green-billed Malkoha
Green-billed Malkoha
Green-billed Malkoha
female Red-breasted Parakeet
Hog Deer carrying a Jungle Myna
Blue-bearded Bee-eater
Blue-bearded Bee-eater
Blue-bearded Bee-eater
Blue-bearded Bee-eater
Blue-bearded Bee-eater
dense forest
dense forest
driving through Kaziranga National Park
Grey-headed Fish Eagle
Rhinos
Asian Elephant
Grey-headed Fish Eagle
Indian Roller
Rhino and Wild Water Buffalo
at the shore of the mighty Brahmaputra
at the shore of the mighty Brahmaputra
driving through Kaziranga National Park
sleepy Brown Fish Owl
safari in Kaziranga National Park
squirrel
squirrel
Rhesus Macaque
Rhesus Macaque
three rhinos
Grey-headed Fish Eagle
male Kalij Pheasant
male Kalij Pheasant
Grey-headed Woodpecker
Grey-headed Woodpecker
Alexandrine Parakeet couple
Alexandrine Parakeet couple
Hog Deer
Asian Elephants
Asian Elephant
Asian Elephants
Asian Elephants
Asian Elephants
Asian Elephants
sunset in Kaziranga National Park
sunset in Kaziranga National Park
Swamp Deer and Wild Water Buffalo
Swamp Deer
After this fantastic first day in a true wildlife paradise, I was wondering what would come on the following day – well, you have to click here to find out! 😉
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That looks like a great destination Matthias! Thanks for some excellent photos.
yes, I had a fantastic time!!! Thank you for your comment!
Another brilliant post, Matthias. What a wonderful glimpse into the wildlife paradise that India must have been before humans arrived on the planet.
yes, indeed… I could have easily stayed there for a week and just enjoy safari after safari!! 🙂 thank you for your comment!! 🙂
Great post
thanks a lot – glad you liked it!! 🙂
welcome
Wonderful album!
thank you, Debahuti!! 🙂
Hoping to get to India for some birding in 2017, so I find your blog and pictures very interesting.
I hope you make it!! India has A LOT to offer – put Kaziranga on your list!! 🙂 (and thanks for your comment!!)
In so many months ur is the best post i have seen abt wildlife on wp. Kaziranga really is a plc to go 2 c wildlife
wow – thank you!! I am very happy that you like the post that much!!
Woo-hoo! Thanks for taking us along on your fantastic day of safaris Matthias. Great to see such an abundance of wildlife, especially so many rhinos. Your photos are great and your adventure terrific~~
thank you!! 🙂 yes, I was also very amazed by the sheer abundance of rhinos!! and still they poach them even in the national park and although their horns are comparatively tiny… what a stupid waste!!
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