Manas National Park is located in the state of Assam in northeast India. It is a world-famous UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best tiger reserves in the country. It is also a biosphere reserve and an elephant reserve. Manas is situated at the foothills of Eastern Himalaya. The Park is adjoining with the Royal Manas National Park of Bhutan. The Manas river (a tributary of Brahmaputra river) flows through the park and separates it from the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan. There are five other small rivers that flow through the park. Manas is famous for its unique biodiversity and picturesque landscape. It is a dense forest and a major attraction in the tourism circuit of North East. It is a combination of alluvial grassland, forested hills, and typical tropical green forests.
Manas was declared a sanctuary in the year 1928. Prior to this it was a reserve forest and was used as a hunting reserve by the Royal family of Cooch Behar and the king of Gauripur. Manas was declared a Tiger reserve in the year 1973. In 1985 it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Finally, in 1990 the Manas National park was formed with the addition of Kokilabari, Panbari, and Kahitama reserve forests. When the park was formed the area was 500 sq km. The area was expanded to 950 sq km in 2008.
Manas National Park's journey starts from Guwahati. The national park is about 140 km from Guwahati and in the North-Western side from Guwahati. It takes around 5 hours to reach Manas national park from Guwahati by road. We are one of the major tour operators and we provide exclusive travel arrangements including cab service.
The best season and time to visit this park is from November to April. The park is open during this period. June to September is the time when the park is closed due to heavy rain. The park is partially open in the month of May and October.
If you start from Guwahati in the morning (7 am), you reach Manas National part around 12 pm at noon. Check-in at the hotel, have lunch and take some rest. Most of the hotels are located outside the Manas National Park.
Tea Garden:
You can see tea gardens everywhere outside Manas National park. Experience the beautiful tea gardens. You can walk around the tea garden for some time and enjoy the beauty of nature. It is an awesome experience. You can see different species of birds in such places.
Beki River:
Beki River is very close. you can go and visit the river. Beki river is not a different river, it is a part of the Manas River. The river is just 1 km away from the Banshbari. The route is very simple. One straight road goes towards the river. We recommend you take a walk up to the river and you will reach the river in 10 to 15 minutes. In the afternoon time, you can see the beautiful sunset from the riverbed and also if you are lucky you might experience wildlife. The river is really nice and big enough. You can also do a boat ride across the river. It is a very pleasant ride of around half an hour.
Forest Safari and Manas River:
Safari is the most important activity in Manas National park. You have to get ready by 6 am in the morning. The safari jeep will pick up from your hotel itself and it will take you to deep inside the forest for safari. The safari route is straight to the north and it ends at the India – Bhutan Border. It will take around 3 to 4 hours to complete the safari. The endpoint which is the India – Bhutan border and the places is locally known as Manthanguri. At the beginning of the forest it is mostly grassland and forest gets deeper after a while. During the safari, you can experience wildlife. You can see Peacock, different species of birds, elephants, wild buffalo, One-horned rhinos and many other wild animals. Once you reach the endpoint of the safari you see the beautiful Manas river.
Manas has got a sub-tropical climate. Most of the time it is hot and humid and also the park receives a huge amount of rainfall. Between May and September, the park receives rainfall. November to March is the dry period. December January is the main winter season here.
Manas is home to one of the richest vegetation in the country. Manas is a combination of low alluvial savanna woodland, east Himalayan mixed moist and dry deciduous forest, sub-Himalayan light alluvial semi-evergreen forest and Assam valley semi-evergreen alluvial grasslands. The total number of 543 plant species are recorded in the core area.
It is home to a large number of mammals, reptiles, and birds. It also includes a few amphibians. The diverse fauna of Manas includes the large mammals such as the Indian elephants and Tigers, Asian water buffaloes, Indian leopard, gaurs, clouded leopards, Indian Rhinoceros; a variety of Deer such as the Hog, Barking, Samber, chitals, etc. Other wildlife includes the Dholes, black panthers, barasingha, golden langur, etc.
Manas is the abode of some critically endangered species such as Assam roofed turtle, pygmy hog and the hispid hare. Manas is a bird watchers paradise. Birds like fishing and crested serpent eagles, falcons, great hornbills, jungle fowls, bulbul, pelicans, bee-eaters, grey and pied hornbills are found here. Manas houses the largest population of Bengal florican which is another endangered species.
The journey started more than a decade ago when a financial consultant, a social activist and a biology researcher came together to start a business in tourism that none of them knew about. But travel is something they loved and enjoyed, and so they decided to change the paradigms in their own way. And they remarked “travel is more than a profession, it’s a passion”. Read More [+]
