The Ultimate travel experience at Kaziranga National Park

It was really a great experience because I was at a World Heritage Site, home to over 1500 one horned rhinos and largest protected tiger population in the world. The most thrilling activity there is an elephant safari planned at 5 am into the forest reserve. The trained mahout (A mahout is an elephant rider, trainer, or keeper) told us “Everybody wants to spot Royal Bengal Tiger” but I can only make you sure that you will freeze when you see real one. I was also sure that I am not in a Zoo; spotting or any rare species depends on only luck.

The morning at Kaziranga was extremely cold but we were carrying enough woolen clothes. I was enough lucky to spot first animal one-horned rhino and swamp deer. We spotted rhinos with their little ones. The mahaouts would ask us to guess the age of the little rhino. This was my first time seeing a rhino in the wild. A very strange type of pink flower grows in the national park, in plethora. It’s very attractive and when I asked what it was called, our guide said. "Rhino-potty flower". It is a wild flower that grows only on rhino ordure.

We were extremely lucky to spot not only one but three tigers. Seeing the tiger in natural habitat made everyone happy. Unfortunately I could not manage to take the photograph of wild big cat. This time our wildlife mission accomplished successfully. With more than 110 wild big cats in the sanctuary this year, the forest department claims they have already seen many cubs that are yet to be counted.

There are many tribal villages situated around the Kaziranga National Park. We met local Assamese women engage in sewing shawls and local traditional Sarees. What they make is astonishing, without the slightest use of electricity. You can buy their products directly; it’s okay to pay a bit more, if you are sure that money is going in the hand of most deserving and needful person. Villagers were very much hospitable and also eager to interact with us urban residents.

During afternoon we preferred to go on Bramaputra River, watching endangered Gangetic Dolpin. This species of dolphin found in Bramaputra River are much smaller than the ones found in the oceans. The government has initiated many special measures to revive the dolphin population in the River Bhramaputra, and continue to create awareness and educate fishermen along the riverbed on sustainable fishing practices, as told to us by fishermen around Silghat.

I would love to go back to Kaziranga and explore its hidden wilderness again.