Manas National Park, Assam

Manas National Park in Assam, India, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and part of an Indian Tiger Reserve, Elephant Reserve, and Biosphere Reserve. It was declared a sanctuary on October 01, 1928, and was designated a World Heritage site in December 1985. The sanctuary is home to a great variety of wildlife, including tiger, Golden Langur, Wild Buffalo, Hispid Hare, Pigmy Hog, Capped Langur, Indian one-horned Rhinoceros, Elephant, Gaur, Hog Deer, etc.

The name ‘Manas’ is derived from the Hindu deity, the snake goddess ‘Manasa’, and is also shared with the Manas river that transverses through the park. Covering an area of 39,100 hectares, it spans the Manas River and is bounded to the north by the forests of Bhutan. The Manas National Park is part of the core zone of the 283,700 hectares Manas Tiger Reserve and lies alongside the shifting river channels of the Manas River.

Manas is known for its Project Tigers, Rhinos & Elephants, and is Assam’s one of the two Tiger projects. The scenic beauty and rare wealth of wildlife combine with this unique world heritage site to offer one of the most enthralling experiences.

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The park has two biomes; grassland and forest. About the half of the Park is covered by Grasslands of Terai and Bhabar type, the riparian areas have colonizing grasslands and woodlands of several species. The sanctuary has recorded 55 species of mammals, 380 species of birds, 50 of reptiles, and 3 species of amphibians. Out of this wildlife, 21 mammals are India’s Schedule I mammals, and 31 of them are threatened.

Manas is recognized not only for its rich biodiversity but also for its spectacular scenery and natural landscape which includes a range of forested hills, alluvial grasslands, and tropical evergreen forests. It’s home to India’s second-largest tiger population. Manas harbors the maximum number of endangered species from India as listed in the IUCN Red Book.

Best Time to Visit Manas National Park

The ideal time to visit the Manas national park is during the months of November to April.

How to Get there

Air: Manas Park is 176-km from Guwahati. The nearest airport is Borjhar, which is situated, 5-km out of town, and can be reached by rickshaw, auto-rickshaw, or airline buses.

Rail: The nearest railhead is situated at Barpeta road.

Road: Buses regularly ply from Guwahati to Barpeta Road in 4½ hrs.

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