At a glance :

Place : From Guwahati, 176-km, Assam

Area : 391 square kilometers

Well known as : Mathanguri

Best season to visit : November - April

The picturesque Manas National Park lies on the foothills of Bhutanese Himalaya; it is the most spectacular pristine wildlife locale in the state of Assam in India. In comparison to other national parks, it is one of the best parks in the world, which features the natural beauty and view of its stunning landscape. This place is not only a common park that various wildlife dwells in, but in the year 1985, it was designated as a part of UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, a Biosphere Reserve, an Elephant Reserve, and also a Project Tiger Reserve. This park is renowned for golden leaf monkey and tigers which can be seen wandering in this place. The Manas National Park is named after the beautiful Manas River, which is also named by the goddess Manasa; it divides the regions of Bhutan and India. The park preserves a lush dense forest which extensively covers the area over 2840 square kilometer. It is the oldest park in the state of Assam which was established in the year 1928, mainly as an appropriate forest. Later in the year 1973 the project of tiger was designated, where many tigers were habitant in this park. The Manas National Park ensures you will experience an alluring and remarkable vacation for lifetime.

The Brahmaputra Valley, terrestrial eco area, partially evergreen forest are rich in various Indian wildlife species in different areas. These regions are only home for many unusual and endangered species including Pygmy Hog, Assam Roofed Turtle, Golden Langur, Hispid Hare, and a lot more. Among the eighteen Indian Project Tiger, this national park is ranked on the ninth. Visitors who love adventure and wildlife can visit this place for experiencing some thrill and excitement in their trip to this park at Assam. The Manas River streams from the western side of the park, where later it divides into two major rivers namely the Bholkaduba and Beki. Including this two rivers and other small five rivers, it exhaust the reserve which dwells on a spacious low lying terrace, that is located under the foothills of outer Himalaya.

The wildlife sanctuary is a habitat to a immense kind of wildlife that are endangered species in this park, it includes Hog Deer, tiger, Gaur, Golden Langur, Elephant, Wild Buffalo, Great Indian one-horned Rhinoceros, Hispid Hare, Capped Langur, Pigmy Hog, and many more. The Manas National Park is recognized for its most famous Project Tigers, Elephants, and Rhinos, it is also one of the popular tiger projects among the two in the state of Assam. The attractive beauty and the uncommon wealth of this wildlife blend with the world’s unique site which offers most enchanting experiences for visitors. The Manas National Park preserves habitant of twenty endangered species of mammals which include various rare red pandas, golden langur, pygmy hog, hispid hare, etc. The major attraction of this park is Giant hornbill, which is sub divided into two species including the grey and pied types are found here.

This national park is rich in various birds and mammals, which includes ergets, elephants, florican cormorants, tiger, great hornbill, panther, gharial, python, monitor lizard, leopard, otter, civet cat, clouded leopard, hog deer, gaur, swamp deer, wild-buffalo, sambar, great one horned rhinoceros, sloth beat, rare golden langur, squirrel, capped-langur, and numerous other species of predatory and migratory birds. The main problem in this park is the hunting of rhino.

Fauna :

The Manas National Park is one of the melting points at the east and west, with several species residing at the easternmost and westernmost point of this range which represents it as a gateway for various species exchanging between the Malayan and Indian faunas.

It preserves around fifty five mammals, fifty reptiles and only three amphibians are yet recorded. This park has twenty of ‘India's Schedule I’ wildlife among which thirty three animals are listed as the most threatened species. While exploring in this park visitors can easily spot some of wild animals like the Pygmy Hog Sus salvanius, Assam Roofed turtle Kachuga sylhetensis, Hispid Hare Caprolagus hispidus, Golden Langur Presbytis geei, and the Asiatic Wild Buffalo Bubalus arnee.

Bird life :

The varied habitat of the Manas National Park is an ideal home for several specialized two winged birds. This national park boasts the major population of endangered and rare species the Bengal Florican; visitors can also witness the Great Hornbill. It lists over three hundred and eighty species and the adjacent hilly terrain in the region of Bhutan which easily preserves around hundred of birds. In this place while exploring the terrains, you can spot birds like Ibisbill, Greater Adjutant, Finn's Weaver, Black-tailed Crake, Rufous-vented Laughingthrush, Red-headed Trogon, Hodgson's Bushchat, Bristled Grassbirds, Rufous-rumped, Swamp Francolin, Wreathed Pied Harrier, Jerdon's Babblers, Marsh, Rufous-necked Hornbill, and many other bird species dwell on the foothills of Himalaya.

Facilities provided in sanctuary :

There are many facilities available for tourist in the Manas National Park. Special arrangements are offered where you can ride on an elephants back to view various wild animals here. Early in the morning from the Mathanguri area, many elephants leave by carrying tourists on their back, this ride is held for around three hours. Before entering this park one has to pay entry fees along with the camera charges if you are carrying for following the rules and regulations. Special concession is provided to school and college students those who are visiting the Manas National Park.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS :

Barpeta :

Barpeta has diverse attractions including the most popular Vaishnava monastery. The statue of Acharya Madhabdev’s is also installed inside this monastery and it is also a Kirtan Hall which is famous as a touring spot.

Accommodation :

In this place, there are many accommodation facilities available for tourist to stay. In Assam, there are two main tourist lodges of the Tourism Department. Among two, one is situated at the Barpeta Road which is at a distance of forty kilometers away from the Manas National Park. While the other lodge is located at the Bansbari region, which is just at a distance of twenty kilometer away from the Barpeta Road. The State Forest Department provides two major bungalows at the region of Mathanguri, which is located deep inside the forest area. But in this park, no facilities for catering is offered, hence, visitors should make sure to carry their own foodstuff from the Barpeta Road which can be available by various shops.