Kaziranga National Park Kicks Off Elephant Safaris for 2026-27 Tourism Season

A CORRESPONDENT

BOKAKHAT: From today, Padunya, Babu, Lakshimai, Bishnu, Phulan and Bir have taken on additional responsibilities at Kaziranga National Park.

These elephants are generally engaged in duties related to the protection of the world-famous national park, home to the iconic one-horned rhinoceros. However, during the six-month period of the 2026-27 tourism season, they will also shoulder the additional responsibility of carrying domestic and international tourists on their backs for wildlife safaris across the national park.

Elephant safari, one of Kaziranga's major tourist attractions, was officially launched today for the 2026-27 tourism season.

At 5:30 am today, following a traditional elephant puja at Mihimukh, the entrance to the Kohora range of the national park, Kaziranga Divisional Forest Officer Arun Vignesh formally inaugurated the elephant safari by cutting a ribbon in the presence of domestic and foreign tourists. The safari was led by Padunya, one of the Forest Department's captive elephants.

Tourists expressed their delight at getting the opportunity to witness Kaziranga's natural beauty and wildlife, particularly the one-horned rhinoceros, from close quarters while travelling through the morning mist at the beginning of the new tourism season. It may be mentioned that elephant safaris have commenced with 10 departmental elephants in the Kohora range at Mihimukh and 35 elephants in the Bagori range.

Elephant safari is a special attraction for tourists visiting Kaziranga. Every year, numerous domestic and international visitors flock to the national park to experience wildlife in its natural habitat while riding elephants through the grasslands and tall reeds in the gentle morning sunlight.

As in previous years, tourists from India as well as countries such as the United States, Australia and Thailand were seen enjoying the elephant safari today.

Tourist arrivals in Kaziranga are expected to increase with the beginning of the new tourism season. The commencement of elephant safaris is also expected to bring renewed enthusiasm among local residents, tourist guides, mahouts and others associated with the park's tourism industry. It may be noted that jeep safaris are available in the Kohora, Bagori, Agaratoli and Burapahar ranges of the national park, while elephant safaris are offered exclusively in the Kohora and Bagori ranges.

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