Kaziranga National Park, situated in the northeastern state of Assam, India, is a UNESCO World Heritage site acclaimed for its remarkable conservation success, particularly in protecting the Indian one-horned rhinoceros. Established in 1905, Kaziranga covers an area of approximately 430 square kilometers, encompassing a diverse array of habitats such as alluvial grasslands, tropical moist forests, marshes, and numerous water bodies.

Flora and Fauna
Kaziranga is renowned for hosting the world's largest population of Indian one-horned rhinoceroses, with more than 2,400 individuals. This biodiversity hotspot also supports significant populations of other megafauna, including Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer. The park is recognized as a Tiger Reserve and has one of the highest tiger densities among protected areas in India. Additionally, Kaziranga is a haven for birdwatchers, boasting over 480 bird species, including several migratory birds, raptors, and waterfowl.

Habitat and Ecosystem
The park's landscape is dominated by tall elephant grass, marshland, and dense tropical moist broadleaf forests. The Brahmaputra River, which flows through the northern boundary, plays a crucial role in shaping the park's ecology. Annual flooding during the monsoon season rejuvenates the grasslands, ensuring a continuous supply of fresh vegetation for herbivores and maintaining the dynamic ecosystem balance.

Conservation and Tourism
Kaziranga's success in rhino conservation is attributed to stringent anti-poaching measures, effective park management, and the involvement of local communities. The park employs armed forest guards, modern surveillance technology, and community awareness programs to protect its wildlife.

Tourism in Kaziranga is well-regulated to minimize environmental impact. Visitors can explore the park through guided jeep safaris and elephant rides, offering a chance to experience its wildlife and scenic beauty up close. The park's infrastructure includes several lodges and eco-friendly accommodations, supporting sustainable tourism practices.

Kaziranga National Park stands as a beacon of conservation, demonstrating how dedicated efforts can lead to the successful preservation of endangered species and their habitats while promoting eco-tourism and benefiting local communities.

Flora

A total of 550 plant species have been recorded which includes several medicinal plants. The tree forests occupy a comparatively higher ground along the central portion of the reserve and on its eastern portions. Along the bank of the Brahmaputra, scattered and sparse growth of Simul, Koroi and Bhelkor are seen in patches, indicating new colonization by such species with grasses. The progress of woodland formation is affected by fires and periodic floods. The important flora species include: Bombax ceiba, Albizzia procera, Albizzia odorotissima, Albizzia lucida, Careya arborea, Premna latifolia, Lagerstroemia parviflora, Dillenia pentagyna and, Zizyphus jujuba. The undergrowth comprises of grasses like Erianthus ravaneae, Saccharum spontaneum, Saccharum procerum, Imperata cylindrical and species like Clerodendron, Alpinia allughas and Leea. There are patches of Barringtonia acutangula and Creteva religiosa in the lowlying marshy area along with Lagerstroemia flosreginae in slightly higher grounds. In general, the forests comprise of several species such as Bombax ceiba, Albizzia, Crataeva religiosa, Aesculus pandana, Premna latifolia, Premnabengalensis, Lagerstromia parviflora, Lagerstroemia speciosa, Trewia nudiflora, Tetrameles nudiflora, Stereospermum chelonoid, Alstonia scholaris, Spondias mangifera, Vitex peduncularis, Vitex trifoliate, Dysoxylum procerum, Eugenia, Ehretia acrominata, Chikrasia tabularis, Ficus cuneata, Ficus glomerata, Ficus religiosa, Ficus bengalensis, Bischofia javanica, Dillenia indica, Pterospermum  acerifolium, Cedrela toona, Anthocephalus chinens, Bridelia retusa domatorum and Erythrina indica.

Fauna

Kaziranga has rich faunal diversity. The recorded species include: 35 of mammals, 480 of birds, 17 of turtles, 35 of snakes, 24 of frogs and 42 of fishes. Many endangered and threatened species like Rhino, Tiger, Eastern swamp deer, Elephant, Buffalo, Hoolock  gibbon, Capped langur and Gangetic river dolphin are commonly found in the habitat.

By Air to Guwahati/ Jorhat / Dibrugarh/ Silchar:
Most convenient way to reach Kohora is to take a flight to Guwahati for all those coming from outside the North-east India. Guwahati has regular flights to and from Delhi, Kolkata, Imphal, Agartalla, Bagdogra, Dibrugarh, Silchar and Jorhat. One can alight at Guwahati and proceed by road to Kohora/ Bagori; and it may take about 4-5 hours of road journey. Jorhat has flights from Guwahati and Kolkata. One can alight at Jorhat, and travel one and half hours to Kohora by road. Silchar is well connected with Guwahati and Kolkata. However, the road journey could be long and arduous. One could also alight at Dibrugarh and travel by road to Kohora, but the road journey would be long and arduous.

By Rail to Guwahati/Jorhat:
One can reach by railways to Guwahati, which is well connected to the rest of India. From Guwahati, one can, then, go by road to Kohora. There are also trains to Jorhat from Guwahati/ Dibrugarh. One can alight at Jorhat and drive by road to Kohora.

By Road from Guwahati:
Kohora is the main tourist hub for Kaziranga. Its on the National Highway 37 (NH 37) which is linked to Guwahati on the west and Jorhat on the east. From Guwahati, it can directly be reached by road (NH 37). It takes anything from 4-5 hours depending upon time of travel and traffic congestion. The route from Guwahati is Guwahati – Sonapur – Khetri – Jagiroad – Nelli – Dharamtul – Nagaon (bypass) – Puranigodam – Samaguri – Kaliabor Tiniali (junction from where one can divert to Tezpur) – Jakhlabandha – Burapahar (Ghorakati) – Bagori – Kohora.

By Road from Jorhat:
Kohora can also be reached from Jorhat (and further east from Sibsagar which is about 56 km east of Jorhat on the NH 37, and also Dibrugarh which further east on NH 37 about 140 km from Jorhat). Kohora is about 88 km west of Jorhat. The route from Jorhat to Kohora is Jorhat – Dergaon – Rangamati – Badulipar – Kamargaon – Numaligarh Tiniali (divert here for NH39 to Golaghat & Dimapur) – Behora – Bokakhat – Kohora.

Route Start Point Destination Transport Distance Duration
Route 1 Guwahati Airport, Kaziranga (Kohora) By road (NH37) 250 Kms 5 hrs
Route 2 Rowroya Airport, Jorhat Kaziranga (Kohora) By road (NH37) 105 Kms 2 hrs
Route 3 Guwahati Railway Station Kaziranga (Kohora) By road (NH37) 210 Kms 4 hrs
Route 4 Tezpur Kaziranga (Kohora) By road (NH37) 90 Kms 2 hrs