Sometimes, we feel like escaping in the lap of nature. Today we will explore Pobitora wildlife sanctuary another home of one-horned rhinoceros close to busting Guwahati city. As told in my previous posts, after a one-day tour of Guwahati, we went all geared up for our next journey.
If you miss my previous posts on Assam tour. Here the links for you –
Majestic Guwahati city and around: Assam travelogue Part 6
Exploring bird watchers paradise Dibru Saikhowa National Park: Assam Travelogue Part 5
Assam Travelogue Part 4: Sibsagar travel guide – interesting facts you don’t know about the city
Majuli Island-The cradle of Assamese culture: Assam Travelogue Part 3
Tea tour in the oldest tea garden of Assam: Assam Travelogue Part2
How to spend a day in Kaziranga National Park
After a journey of close to 45 km through some of the most scenic villages and pristine landscape, we came close to the Mayong village and Pobitora. We took the road which connects NH37 with Pobitora. It is a pleasant journey which passes through beautiful tea gardens and a part of Pobitora sanctuary which is visible from the road.
Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary
This is a famous wildlife sanctuary. It had a majestic hill range in the north while in the south; it had the vast plains of Sonarpur. On reaching Pobitora and after parking our vehicle, we saw the beautiful hanging bridge located in the entrance of Pobitora. We spent some fun time on the bridge and enjoying the scenic beauty of Pobitora forest. My kid also felt very happy playing in the small children park located nearby.
After that, we decided to go for Jeep Safari which we pre-booked earlier. At first sight, the entrance of Pobitora wildlife sanctuary seems to be a vast paddy field. Soon, we spotted some great water bodies and rare migratory birds like purple Heron, Black Bittern, and more. When we moved further ahead, things changed soon, and we found ourselves in a dense forest under the shades of tall trees. The one-horned rhinos were there in large numbers. We all became excited and started clicking innumerable pictures to our heart’s content.
I had no idea that Pobitora held within it such an amazing variety and number of waders, ducks, geese and storks, most of them migratory. It was with uncontrolled joy that I surveyed the carpet of birds on the marshy lands. There they were, some of them flying around in flocks, some scouring for food underwater with upturned bottoms while some just sat bored (can they be called that?). Lesser adjutant storks and a few raptors circled around overhead. A multi-coloured group descended on the scene, revealing themselves to be the gorgeous northern lapwings. A few black-necked storks stood as if on vigil, dwarfing the ducks.
But we had to say them goodbye and the Jeep safari ended after around 1 hrs and we return back to the entrance. If you want to explore the game forest of Pobitora, Elephant safari is the best option. Elephant safari starts from 5 am in the morning and continue till 7 am. It’s better to book both elephant and Jeep Safari in advance. As in pick season, elephants safaris are generally pre-occupied.
River cruising is also available near Pobitora but due to lack of time we skipped it and start our journey back to Guwahati city via Mayong village.
Read more about Pobitora Forest at Wikipedia.
Mayong Village:
It is a mystical village at a distance of 30 minutes from Pobitora. As per the legends, the place had some strange connection to the epic Mahabharata. The place is famous all over the world for black magic. Even people from other countries visit here to learn the same or experience the mystical aura of this village.
We visited ancient temples in Mayong. However, what personally I love is the stone inscriptions in this place. There is an old museum too that we visited in course of our Mayong tour.
How to reach Pobitora:
There is not any direct bus service available to Pobitora from Guwahati. You need to book a taxi in advance to reach Pobitora from Guwahati. Contact us to a book a cab for Pobitora.
Best Time to Visit:
November to March is the best time to visit Pobitora wildlife sanctuary.
Where to stay:
Few resorts available for stay near Pobitora and Raja Mayong village located near Pobitora. Some best option to spend the night at Pobitora is Arya Eco Resort, Maibong Eco Resort, Zizina OTIS Resort, Pobitora Village Eco Camp etc.
Entry ticket and Safari cost:
The entry ticket of Pobitora is available at the gate. It cost Rs 650 per person for Jeep safari and Rs 3200 for a group of 4 people in Elephant Safari.
Click here to book Jeep Safari
Click to book Elephant Safari at Pobitora
If you are looking for more information on Pobitora tour please check out the page dedicated to Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary on our website, or email us at support@nexplore.org to start planning your trip! We also offer one-day tour in Pobitora Sanctuary.
