GUWAHATI: "Gupta Kashi" village, recently honoured as the Best Tourism Village of India by the Union Tourism Ministry inaugurated a boat safari on Monday as part of the "Greater Kaziranga" concept. The village is situated near the Bishwanath Ghat in Assam.
This initiative by the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) authorities, aims to make the extensive additions to the park, situated away from the core areas, easily accessible to tourists during the upcoming tourist season.
The boat safari, inaugurated by Biswanath MLA Promod Borthakur, promises to offer visitors a unique perspective of the natural wonders within the newly added areas of Kaziranga.
The sixth addition to the renowned Kaziranga National Park is the largest among all additions, covering an approximate area of 401 square km. Its landscape predominantly features riverine expanses, adorned with numerous islands and floodplains locally known as "chaporis."
Khagesh Pegu, the Deputy Director of Kaziranga Tiger Reserve and the Divisional Forest Officer of Biswanath Wildlife, shared insights into the unique biodiversity of the region.
"The chaporis in the sixth addition boasts a diverse presence of wildlife, including rhinos, tigers, and swamp deer. The river itself serves as an excellent habitat for aquatic animals, hosting the Gangetic river dolphins and various other species," Pegu explained during a media interaction.
Additionally, Pegu highlighted the conservation benefits resulting from the recent addition to Kaziranga. "With the sixth addition, there is now unhindered protected area connectivity to Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuary and further to Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve," he added.
The river stretches within the newly added area provide an ideal setting for river tourism, with boat rides available at Bhomoraguri bridge and now, inaugurated at Biswanath Ghat.