Domestic, Foreign Tourists Flock To Kaziranga National Park As Assam Government Withdraws COVID-19 Restrictions

Guwahati: The Kaziranga National Park (KNP) has witnessed a good number of visitors coming over to experience the natural flora and fauna from all around the world as soon as it re-opened for tourists on October 1.

The domestic, as well as foreign tourists, seemed very eager to explore the national park as they lined up and waited for their turns to ride the park's Jeep Safari to the delight of the jeep drivers who had been waiting for the lockdowns to be lifted.

The use of facemasks and hand sanitisers along with proper maintenance of social distancing was made mandatory by the authorities of the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. 

Speaking to a local news portal, one of the members of the Jeep Safari expressed his gratitude to Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and said, "On the 1st day of the reopening of the park we gave free safari rides to five tourist groups. We are really happy that finally the park has been opened for the tourists and we want to thank our CM for thinking about the plights we faced during lockdown and decided to reopen the park. We also want to thank the media persons who has publicize the news of reopening the park as a result of which we are observing such good number of footfall in the park."

The Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve had officially re-opened for tourists on October 1, 2021, after remaining shut for several months due to the pandemic.

The Forest Minister of the state Parimal Suklabaidya, Agriculture Minister Atul Bora and PCCF (Wildlife) were present at the inaugural ceremony.

Declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, the Kaziranga National Park is home to 2,401 one-horned rhinos, which is equivalent to two-third of the entire world's one-horned rhinos.

The forest of the national park is accessible only by roadways. However, one can reach the nearest point of the national park through railways and airways.

Here is how to reach Kaziranga National Park:

By Air: The two airports located nearest to the park are Guwahati International Airport and Jorhat Airport, located at a distance of 217 km and 97 km respectively from the park. The park is well connected by roadways from both airports. The Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, located in Guwahati, is the best option to arrive by air from any corner of India or abroad. A person can hire a cab or taxi from the airport to visit the park directly. The other option available is to go to the Bus stand at the Paltan Bazaar which is around 23 km from the airport, and then take the state-owned bus service or private bus to reach the park. Taking a bus will be a cheaper option than taking a cab or a taxi.

By Train: The railway station located nearest to Kaziranga Park is Furkating which is at a distance of 75 km from the park. Major railway stations like Guwahati, Kolkata, New Delhi and more are well connected to this station. The Guwahati Railway Station and Jorhat Railway Station, located at the distance of 240 km and 90 km respectively, are two major railway stations of the state that is closest to the national park. A person can hire a taxi or cab from the railway stations or take a bus from Paltan Bazar to reach the national park.

By Road: The Kohora town in which the main gate of the Kaziranga National Park lies is located on the National Highway NH 37. Kohora is connected to all the major cities of Assam such a Guwahati, Tezpur, Jorhat, Nagaon, Golaghat, Dimapur, Tinsukia, Sivasagar, etc. by the state transport buses or the privately run buses and minibuses. There are also many local transport services available that connect Kohora to other small towns. Major cities of Assam such as Guwahati and Jorhat are connected to the other parts of the country by the air, rail and road route. A person can travel to one of these cities and easily take a cab/taxi to reach the national park.

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