A Season of High Hopes
On October 3, 2026, Assam's famed UNESCO World Heritage Site officially welcomed its first visitors in a ceremony led by state officials at the Kohora Range. Following a record-breaking 4.68 lakh visitors in the 2025-26 season, authorities are optimistic
about another successful year, citing encouraging early booking trends. The reopening is a crucial event, not just for tourists, but for the local economy, which relies heavily on the influx of visitors. Officials have stressed the importance of balancing this tourism growth with robust ecological preservation to protect the park's precious biodiversity.
The Bagori and Kohora Ranges Are Go
Immediately available to visitors are the much-anticipated jeep safaris in two of the park's most popular zones: the Western Range at Bagori and the Central Range at Kohora. The Bagori range is particularly celebrated for its high density of the greater one-horned rhinoceros, offering visitors an excellent chance of spotting the park's most iconic resident amidst its sprawling grasslands. The reopening is being conducted in phases, so other zones like the Eastern (Agaratoli) and Burapahar ranges are expected to become accessible as tracks dry out and are repaired post-monsoon. For now, the focus is squarely on the thrilling experiences offered within the currently accessible areas. To kickstart the season, a rare golden tiger was even reportedly spotted in the Kohora Range, adding to the excitement.
Planning Your Safari Adventure
For those eager to jump into a jeep, safaris are operating in two daily slots. The morning session runs from 7:30 AM to 10:00 AM, and the afternoon session is from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM. It is highly recommended to book safaris in advance to secure a spot, especially given the anticipated high demand. While several online portals offer booking services, visitors can also arrange safaris through their hotels or at the central booking office near the park entrance. One of Kaziranga's other major attractions, the elephant safari, remains temporarily suspended. Park officials have indicated that these are expected to resume within 10 to 20 days, likely by early November, once all necessary preparations and pathway checks are complete.
More Than Just Majestic Rhinos
While Kaziranga is rightly famous for being home to two-thirds of the world's one-horned rhinoceros population, its biodiversity is staggering. The park boasts the highest density of tigers in the world and is a critical conservation area for these elusive big cats. Visitors on safari should also keep their eyes peeled for other members of Assam's 'Big Five': wild Asiatic water buffalo, herds of Asian elephants, and the rare eastern swamp deer. Beyond the large mammals, Kaziranga is a certified birdwatcher's paradise, with hundreds of resident and migratory species inhabiting its diverse wetlands, forests, and grasslands.
How to Get There and What to Know
Kaziranga National Park is well-connected by road, located about 217 km from Guwahati and 95 km from Jorhat, which has the nearest airport. The closest major railway station is Jakhalabandha, approximately 50 km from the Kohora Range. For the best experience, tourism officials suggest planning a trip of at least two to three days to explore the park's different ranges adequately. The ideal months for visiting are typically between November and April, when the weather is pleasant and the receding grasslands make wildlife sightings more frequent. Visitors should be aware that safaris in early October might involve shorter circuits as some tracks are still under repair from monsoon damage.
