Traveling to Kaziranga – Less known facts

While I was at Dzukou Valley, I met this one traveler, who had many questions about Kaziranga. She was traveling to Kaziranga next while I was coming from there. So I was able to provide her with some clarity and give her some tips for traveling to Kaziranga.

She told me she wasn’t able to find a lot of information online. And, being a travel blogger, I think it’s only fair to share everything I know about Kaziranga here. In the end, if there are any more questions that you have about Kaziranga, I’ll be happy to answer them for you.

So a little introduction, Kaziranga is famous for one-horned Rhino and you can also spot deers, rhinos and a couple of other animals. They are beautiful creatures who either eat or sleep. That’s what I saw them doing. Before we started on the safari, I was just praying to be able to see one Rhino, just one even if it was very far away, somewhere in the bushes. But halfway in, after about an hour, I got very used to looking at them – close, far, not so close, and not so far. Along, with some unique birds. Hornbill is the only one that I could point out with name but I did see about 15-20 different kinds of birds during the entire safari.

Visiting Kaziranga National Park

My initial plan was to take the elephant safari that starts early in the morning at around 5:30 am. Because I thought that they might take the elephant closer to the Rhinos and I could have a better look at them than jeeps. But some confusion happened between the guys that were supposed to take me for the safari and the one that I was staying with, my host. So the elephant safari did not get booked, and I had to take a Jeep. Which I was happy about later. Someone pointed out to me that taking the elephant safari was playing a part in animal cruelty.

To take an elephant safari for Kaziranga, you have to book one day in advance when it’s not peak season which costs INR 950/person for an Indian national.

So, since that did not happen. No one booked me a seat for elephant safari in advance which takes a maximum of 4 people/elephant, I had to take a jeep safari. Now I didn’t have to book a Jeep in advance. It cost me INR 2950 for a jeep safari which takes a maximum of 6 people. But since I was traveling solo, I had to bear the cost all by myself. Also, one more thing about jeep safari, it starts at 7:30 in the morning.

Read more: 5 ways to find offbeat places for traveling

The difference between an elephant and jeep safari to Kaziranga

• Elephant safari starts early in the morning at 5:30 while jeep safari starts at 7:30 am.
• On the Elephants, a maximum of 4 people can sit but jeeps take a maximum of 6 people.
• Elephant safari lasts for about an hour (as I was told). Jeep safari although lasts for as long as you want it to. In my case, it lasted for 2.5 hours. You can ask the driver to stop the jeep and enjoy the sounds of the forest for as long as you like.
• Elephants stay close to the start point and don’t go all the way in. Whereas jeeps take a longer route and take you further in.
• Elephants are silent and add to the sounds of the jungle. Jeeps are loud and you’ll have to ask the driver to shut down the engine from time to time if you want to listen to the sounds of the jungle.
• Taking an elephant safari means playing a part in and supporting animal cruelty.

Other than elephants and jeeps, there is a third way to enjoy Kaziranga national park. On a cycle.

Yes, there are cycle tours that you can take of Kaziranga. But you have to pre-book them as well. For more details please do take a look at the link.

Staying in Kaziranga – Accommodation

There are many accommodation options available there, so if you are traveling to Kaziranga, you don’t have to worry.

The basic plan of Kaziranga is one main road from start to end, that enters and exits Kaziranga. One side of the main road is the national park, and the other side is where people live, small villages and streets.

Read more: Hostel / Hotel / Homestay – Where to stay while traveling

Your options for accommodation in Kaziranga;

1. When you enter Kaziranga, you will be at the main market where you can get down and ask around. The good old backpacker style. There are a couple of options to look around and choose from. In case you don’t like/find anything there, just keep walking ahead on the road, and asking around for homestays. The locals will guide you in the right direction.
2. Find something online. The most reliable way to be 80% sure that you will find a place to stay. But, beware, some places don’t let you stay unless you have made the payment in advance. They do not accept payment on the spot. So if you are traveling or having trouble with the network, I hope you are carrying a tent.
3. Other than hotels and homestays, you can even camp in Kaziranga. In the midst of all those sounds from the wild and under those countless stars. Camping is a great option.

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While Traveling to Kaziranga

Irrespective of what you have heard before, you won’t see wild animals walking on the road. Nothing more than a wild dog or a pig.

While getting to Kaziranga you will come across many signboards that ask you to drive safe and not hurt any animals if you ever come across them. But I spoke to the locals a lot of times, and most of them said that you don’t see animals walking out of the national park and on the road. Maybe once a year some animal forgets its way back home and that’s about it.

There are no street lights as you walk past the main market, so be sure to carry a torch. Also, carry the strongest mosquito/insect repellant that you can find.

Not having street lights, in my opinion, just adds to the experience. You can see the stars a lot better, listen to the crickets, some birds, and other residents of the wild. It makes you feel a lot closer to nature.

Traveling to Kaziranga is easy. It is very well connected by road. The food is great, the people are great, most of them speak broken Hindi and some of them speak English. So communication is not difficult either. The highlight of that place is the national park followed by tea plantations.

Read more: Do’s and Don’ts of Backpack Traveling

Would you like to share your Kaziranga experience too?

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