Kaziranga and Hollongpar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary; March 17-22, 2013

This trip has been a long held dream to visit one of the finest areas in the North-eastern state of Assam. Indeed for any one even remotely interested in wildlife and biodiversity, this is a must visit in a lifetime.

Kaziranga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the best known stories of strong conservation measures helping in turning around a wild area from the brink of decay and disaster. Read more about this at
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaziranga_National_Park

Kaziranga is best known for sighting the Indian One-horned Rhino; but it has many other attractions - the interesting habitat of terai grasslands, good diversity of mammals,  birds, insects etc.
 It is a long and interesting drive  of around 7 hours (about 270) kms from the nearest airport at Guwahati. Interestingly, in a period of 12 months this is the third time I landed at Guwahati airport - beginning to get that very familiar feel!

Another very interesting and amazing place is a lesser known and visited sanctuary - Hollongpar Gibbon Sanctuary where you can have a date with India's only ape - the Hollock Gibbon. A small sanctuary where you can explore on foot and feel that unique oneness with the land.

And as if this was not enough, tucked in another lesser known  but charming place - the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary on the outskirts of Guwahati city away from the dust and din and rolling in the lap of nature. Must thank Jet Airways for forcing me to spend one more day due to their inconvenient flight timings - quite a blessing in disguise really!
Read more of these wild  areas of Assam in the following posts and do remember to click on "Older Posts" at the bottom of this page to go to the next page for info about reaching and staying.

Enjoying Kaziranga

seems an odd photo to start a travel blog - this is a nest of the Red Ants high up in the tree canopy

What a wonderful pose of the Great Hornbill right in the open, shutterbugs went beserk doing clickety-click!

mating of the Red-breasted Parakeet

Red-breasted Parakeet perched near its nesting hole

this is what Kaziranga is best known for - the flagship species Indian One-horned Rhinocerous

Oriental Darter


Female (above) & below (male) of the Red Junjglefowl the ancestor of all our domesticated fowl


more of Kaziranga and the lovely resort - Jupuri Ghar

Lesser Adjutant

Indian Muntjac or Barking Deer

Square-tailed Drongo Cuckoo on a trail near the resort gave a good early morning surprise

Jungle Owlet

Herd of Hog Deer

Male Great Hornbill feeding the female - Hornbills are especially know for the care shown by males towards the female and young chicks

Black Redstart

Indian One-horned Rhinocerous near the lake

Grey-backed Shrike

Flameback

A beautiful shrub Clerodendrum verbasium

Assam Roof Turtles sunning themselves

the gorgeous Chestnut-headed Bee-eater

Emerald Dove

an interesting orchid, Dendrobium nobili

Slender-billed Vulture

could not get enough of this magnificent flagship species for which kaziranga is known for

Asian Elephant drying himself after a bath

Asiatic Water Buffalo with calves

My cottage at Jupuri Ghar - a charming resort with 8 ethnic cottages and a beautiful natural ambiance set amidst tea gardens

The dining area is open and lets you admire the environment while enjoying some delicious local cuisine served by the smiling staff






Panbari Range of Kaziranga

The Panbari range of Kaziranga shot into prominence few years back when a dutch Birder in his enthusiasm got too close to a wild elephant and was killed on the spot. Since then the area has been closed. However, while going to and from Jorhat, we stopped for 1/2 hour to explore the outskirts of this area set amidst rolling tea gardens. Here are some of the views
Hill Myna

A de-capacitated wing - Lime Butterfly

Yellow Pansy (female)

Lemon Pansy

Forest Calotes

Tortoiseshell beetle

A view of Panbari range

wondering what this is??? these are insects known as Tree hoppers

Hollongpar Gibbon Sanctuary

A lesser known but a must visit place about 120 kms from Kaziranga is the Hollongpar Gibbon Sanctuary that is home to 7 species of primates is the best place to see the only ape in India, the Hollock Gibbons. The sanctuary is beautifully surrounded by tea gardens on one side & unfortunately a railway track on another. It is a also good place to see the rich bird  and insect life as well. Got a fleeting glance of the Red-headed Trogon - regrettably could not get a photo of him! here are some glimpses.
Hollock Gibbon swinging on a Hollong Tree. Gibbons are apes & do not have tails. this is more than made up by their long limbs used for swinging between branches. they are canopy dwellers

Malayan Giant Squirrel

Common Birdwing

Vine Snake

Archduke

Golden Sapphire


Three-spot Grass Yellow

Our guide Deven Bordoloi with Mandar above & Adesh below, Nature India gifted him Grimmett's field guide - a very good gesture to encourage local naturalists to update their knowledge of birds


Chocolate Albatross

Clear Sailor

Tortoiseshell Beetle

Gaudy Baron

Cruiser (female)

Gaudy Baron

Moth pupa

 above & below - Black-faced Langur