 |
The Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, a Project Tiger reserve, lies among
the foothills of the Bhutan Himalayas, in the far eastern state of Assam. The park, which
spreads over 2,837 sq km, is a vast, relatively unspoilt expanse of low-lying sal forests
and grasslands. The core area of the reserve lies in Kokrajhar and Barpeta districts,
whereas its outlying areas spread over the neighbouring forest reserve divisions of North
Kamrup, Western Assam Wildlife Division, Kachugaon and Haltugaon. To the north lies the
Royal Manas National Park, in Bhutan. |
Initially known as North Kamrup, Manas was designated a wildlife
sanctuary way back in 1928 and in 1985, was declared a `World Heritage in Danger’
site. The only tiger reserve in Assam and also famous for the rare golden langur and the
red panda, Manas is one of
the best-kept national parks in India. It’s home to India’s second-largest tiger
population, and although a ride through the park may not guarantee a tiger sighting, you
might see some other beauties. Manas’ other denizens include elephants, rhinos, swamp
deer, gaur, and more elusive species, such as the clouded leopard, golden cat, pangolin,
fishing cat, pygmy hog and leopard. Manas has more than 450 species of birds, of which the
great pied hornbill and the Bengal florican are among the leading stars.
Entry Requirements
Entry fees for
the park are Rs 200 for foreigners and Rs 10 for Indians, with
additional charges been tagged on for cameras.
Access
Manas National Park is 176km from Guwahati, which is the nearest
major airport. The capital of Assam, Guwahati has regular flights coming in from most
major cities in India, and getting to Manas from here isn’t a problem. It actually
makes a lot of sense to drive down because the roads are very motorable. State transport
authorities and private operators have bus services to Manas from Guwahati. You can also
hire taxis to Manas from Guwahati.
The roadhead closest to Manas is the town of Barpeta Road, which is
at a distance of 41 km from the park.
Within the park, elephant rides are your best bet for seeing
wildlife, although boats are also available for wildlife-watching trips down the Manas and
Hakua rivers. The wildlife is best seen on elephant back at dawn.
Best time to visit
The best months
to visit are October to April. Avoid the monsoons (June to September) when heavy rains can
flood the park and wildlife stay away.
Accommodation
For
accommodation there are two lodges maintained and run by the tourist department. The state
department has two bungalows located at Mathanguri inside the forest with little or
no catering facilities. For reservations contact Tourist Information Officer, Barpeta
Road, Assam, India 781315; Tel: 03666-232749.
Further
information about Manas can be obtained from the Field Director, Project Tiger, P.O.
Barpeta Road, District Barpeta, Assam-781315. |
