Travel Asia

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is a National Park, a Project Tiger Reserve, an Elephant Reserve and a Biosphere Reserve. The park is well known for its  rare endemic and endangered wildlife like the Assam Roofed Turtle, Hispid Hare, Golden Langur and Pygmy Hog.

The park was declared a sanctuary on October 1, 1928. The Manas Tiger Reserve was created in 1973. Prior to its declaration as a sanctuary, it was used by the Cooch Behar royal family and Raja of Gauripur as a hunting reserve. There is only one forest village, the Agrang, which is located in the heart of the park. Several villages surround the park which is directly or indirectly dependent on the park.

There are two major biomes present in Manas. These are the grassland biome and the forest biome. The main vegetation types that is present in the park are: Sub-Himalayan Light Alluvial Semi-Evergreen forests in the northern parts, East Himalayan mixed Moist and Dry Deciduous forests (the most common type), Low Alluvial Savanna Woodland and Assam Valley Semi-Evergreen Alluvial Grasslands which cover almost 50% of the Park. The park also plays host to some 55 species of mammals, 380 species of birds, 50 of reptiles, and 3 species of amphibians. Out of these wildlife, 21 mammals are India’s Schedule I mammals and 31 of them are threatened.

The best way to watch wildlife at the park is to use powerful binoculars, with night vision facilities at night. The ideal way to explore a majority of the Manas National Park in Assam is in a 4-wheel drive petrol vehicle. A boat ride on Manas River which commences its ride from Mathanguri and ends around 35km away is another popular option. The third option, which is a favourite with most visitors, are the elephant rides organised by the park authorities from Mathanguri. These take you deep in to the densest areas of the forest and often right in between some of the wildlife there, including elephants, rhinos and wild buffaloes. The park is closed in the Monsoon season. There is a forest lodge inside the park which is located at Mothanguri. Manas Jungle Camp has four ethnic cottages in a som plantation at the park boundary.

The park can be reached by land through the nearest railhead which is Barpeta Road which is right next to the park boundary and entrance, the nearest highway which is NH31 or the nearest city which is Guwahati.