GUWAHATI: Elephant safaris have opened up for tourists at the Bagori Range and the Kohora Range of the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) starting today, November 2. Elephant safaris began at 5:30 AM today morning. The reopening date has been delayed by one day this year owing to the late floods. Because of the late rains, the ground was not dry enough to conduct elephant safaris, Kaziranga officials said.
Kaziranga was opened for tourists for the season on October 2 this year. However, only jeep safaris were allowed. KNP officials say “Elephant safaris are delayed by almost a month every year as we have to ascertain that the safari route is dry enough for the elephants to carry the weight of tourists on their backs. This year, the reopening date for elephant safaris was delayed by a day owing to late floods in the region. We were waiting for the ground to dry up. Fortunately, the sun shone bright and there was ample sunlight. So we have resumed safaris for tourists for this season today.”
The rates per person remain the same as of now, says the DFO EAWL of Kaziranga National Park, Ramesh Gogoi. He said “We will be conducting safaris at the same rates as before. Rates are ₹900 per person. Safaris last around one hour. However, we are still awaiting the revised rates. It will be announced in due time.”
Ramesh Gogoi said, “It is a full house today and it is just day one of the elephant safari reopenings!” He says that 27,300 tourists and 278 foreign tourists have visited Kaziranga till now after jeep safaris resumed on October 2.