Kaziranga Jeep & Elephant Safari

A safari in Kaziranga National Park is the defining experience of any Assam trip. Open 4x4 jeeps, each carrying up to six guests with a driver and a forest guard, follow set routes through the park's ranges — Central (Kohora), Western (Bagori), Eastern (Agaratoli) and Burapahar. Morning drives start soon after sunrise, when mist lifts off the beels and animals are active; afternoon drives catch golden light on the grass.

Rhinos are seen on almost every safari, often at close range, along with wild water buffalo, swamp deer, hog deer, wild boar and elephant herds. Watchtowers overlooking wetlands give the chance to scan for tigers, otters and birds such as pelicans, storks and fish eagles. Each range has its own character, so we recommend at least two or three drives in different zones.

Elephant-back safaris have long been offered at dawn in the Central and Western ranges. They allow close, quiet approaches to rhinos in tall grass, but animal-welfare organisations raise concerns about the use of captive elephants for tourism. We are transparent about this debate and happily plan jeep-only safaris; if you do choose an elephant ride, we book only the official forest-department rides.