Travel Realizations

Celebrating Experiences

An enchanting forest safari in Kaziranga National Park in India – A world heritage site!

When we reached the forest office to secure our passes for an elephant safari at the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, the morning was awakening. The unique smell of the forest was heightening my senses. I heard a morning sonata sung by the birds. When I tried looking at the forest from the entrance gate, I saw closely knit trees standing tall, giving the forest a boundary.

When I tried looking at the forest from the entrance gate, I saw closely knit trees standing tall, giving the forest a boundary Click To Tweet

Important facts

When I visited the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in India, I did the Elephant Safari. At that time, I was unaware of the torture that an elephant goes through to get domesticated. As a responsible travel blogger, now I don’t recommend doing an elephant safari. However, since I wanted to write about my experience of seeing the majestic one-horned rhinoceroses with you,  wrote this travelogue. Now that I know the facts behind the elephant safari, I do not recommend it to my readers. 

Early morning in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve

Early morning
When we reached the forest office to secure our passes for an elephant safari at Kaziranga national park and tiger reserve, the morning was awakening.
Kaziranga forest from afar
When I tried looking at the forest from the entrance gate, I saw closely knit trees standing tall, giving the forest a boundary.
Forest office
Forest offices at Kaziranga
Early morning
When we reached the forest office to secure our passes for an elephant safari at Kaziranga national park and tiger reserve, the morning was awakening.
Early morning
When we reached the forest office t...
Kaziranga forest from afar
When I tried looking at the forest from the entrance gate, I saw closely knit trees standing tall, giving the forest a boundary.
Kaziranga forest from
When I tried looking at the forest ...
Forest office
Forest offices at Kaziranga
Forest office
Forest offices at Kaziranga

The pullover which I was wearing was not sufficient for the early morning cold in the woods. I saw a small shop selling hot tea in bhaars (clay cups). Without thinking anything else, I ordered four cups for me and my family. Sipping tea from the bhaar is a quintessential Indian thing. I looked at the board at the entrance gate and came to know about the kind of animals present in the forest and an estimate of their population. Kaziranga National Park, which is a world heritage site, is famous for its one-horned rhinoceroses.

An enchanting forest safari in Kaziranga National Park in India - A world heritage site, Travel Realizations

An enchanting forest safari in Kaziranga National Park in India - A world heritage site, Travel Realizations

One-horned rhinoceros

Kaziranga National Park, which is a world heritage site, is famous for its one-horned rhinoceroses. Click To Tweet

Elephant Safari

After reading the facts and figures I was all prepared to embark on an elephant safari. It was fun to see how the elephant was engulfing tons of bananas given by tourists.

I was all excited to begin our much awaited elephant safari!

It was fun to see how the elephant was engulfing tons of bananas given by tourists. Click To Tweet

Travel Realizations, Kaziranga, elephant safari, forest safari, Indian forest safaris

I loved the way this man was enjoying his job.I ambled for a short while. When I turned around, I saw a group of elephants with their respective mahouts. There were two wooden platforms 15 to 20 feet above the ground with wooden staircases. Tourists had to climb onto the wooden platform before sitting on the elephant’s back. Everything was a new experience and I was keenly observing every detail.

A group of elephants
The group was all set to start the forest safari.
Wooden platform
Tourists had to climb up this wooden platform to sit on an elephant's back.
Wooden platform
I must say that these wooden platforms are a simple and easy solution for tourists of all ages.
A group of elephants
The group was all set to start the forest safari.
A group of elephants
The group was all set to start the ...
Wooden platform
Tourists had to climb up this wooden platform to sit on an elephant's back.
Wooden platform
Tourists had to climb up this woode...
Wooden platform
I must say that these wooden platforms are a simple and easy solution for tourists of all ages.
Wooden platform
I must say that these wooden platfo...

A man with a gun

When we got our turn to climb up the stairs of the wooden platform and finally sit on the elephant’s back, my pulse raced. I was excited and happy for being able to start something new. For the safety of tourists, there was a man with a gun with each group. I was curious and asked the man sitting with us, whether he had shot any animals? He smiled and said “No”.

Travel Realizations, Kaziranga, elephant safari, forest safari, Indian forest safaris, a man with the gun

The Gun Man

The elephant was engulfing tree branches

Our superstar elephant was moving through the bushes. I was surprised when I saw, how the elephant was engulfing tree branches and plants in one go while going around the forest.

Travel Realizations, Kaziranga, elephant safari, forest safari

The elephant walking through the bushes

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Meeting with the one horned Rhinoceros

Whenever we saw a bird, a deer or anything and everything, we chattered excitedly. When we first saw rhinos, it was an incredible feeling. An emotional moment. I heard the staccato sound of several camera shatters from other tourists sitting on their elephant carriages.

Groups of tourists
Tourists sitting on their elephant carriages
A Rhinoceros
Our first glimpse of one-horned rhinoceros in Kaziranga forest
A Rhinoceros and his pal
When we first saw rhinos, it was an incredible feeling. An emotional moment.
A Rhinoceros
This rhinoceros was enjoying the beautiful warm morning.
Groups of tourists
Tourists sitting on their elephant carriages
Groups of tourists
Tourists sitting on their elephant ...
A Rhinoceros
Our first glimpse of one-horned rhinoceros in Kaziranga forest
A Rhinoceros
Our first glimpse of one-horned rhi...
A Rhinoceros and his pal
When we first saw rhinos, it was an incredible feeling. An emotional moment.
A Rhinoceros and his
When we first saw rhinos, it was an...
A Rhinoceros
This rhinoceros was enjoying the beautiful warm morning.
A Rhinoceros
This rhinoceros was enjoying the be...

Meeting with wild buffaloes

The sun began to glow and my one pullover proved enough by that time to keep me warm. Along the way, the mahout gave us many interesting bits of information. He was able to get us quite close to the rhinoceroses. On our way back we met several wild buffaloes too.

Travel Realizations, Kaziranga, elephant safari, forest safari

A group of wild buffalo


Travel Realizations

Kaziranga forest is a world of its own. Disconnecting from the outside world for a few hours was refreshing. Now that I am finishing my blog post, I relived the whole experience once more. It brought all the moments back in a flood of emotions and memories.

Kaziranga forest is a world of its own. Click To Tweet

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Chirasree Banerjee

Hello. My name is Chirasree. I have been traveling for almost 11 years to places all over the world. I enter into a separate reality during my travels and enjoy the allure of escape from the mundane. I seek beauty through nature and human-made creations. Because beauty is powerful. I seek knowledge. I observe, absorb, and write about the places I visit and the profound realizations and inspirations that each place has to offer.

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