Kaziranga National Park Welcomes Visitors for 2026-27 Season
Kaziranga National Park Reopens for Tourism
Following the reopening ceremony, Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah and Minister Atul Bora took a jeep safari through the national park.
Guwahati, Oct 3: Kaziranga National Park has officially reopened its gates to tourists for the 2026-27 season, with jeep safaris commencing immediately and elephant safaris anticipated to start within the next 10 to 15 days.
The reopening was celebrated by Assam's Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah alongside Border Minister Atul Bora, who were joined by senior officials from the forest department.
During the event, Mallabaruah highlighted that the park's reopening aligns with the state's annual tourism schedule, although some preparatory tasks are still in progress.
“Today is a joyous occasion for us. Each October, we aim to welcome tourists back to Kaziranga. This year is no different, as we have opened the national park for visitors. While some work remains, jeep safaris are underway, and we expect to launch elephant safaris soon,” he stated.
The minister noted a consistent increase in tourist numbers at Kaziranga and expressed optimism that the UNESCO World Heritage site would achieve new tourism milestones this season.
“The influx of tourists to Kaziranga has been on the rise annually. The park consistently surpasses its own records, and we are hopeful that this trend will continue,” Mallabaruah remarked.
He credited the growing interest in tourism to local stakeholders who have fostered a welcoming atmosphere around the park.
“Thanks to the support from the Kaziranga community and stakeholders, a beautiful, tourist-friendly environment has been established, contributing to the annual increase in visitor numbers,” he added.
During the 2025-26 tourism season, Kaziranga saw its highest-ever number of foreign visitors, with 30,474 international tourists recorded by March 31, 2026, a significant rise from the 17,693 foreign tourists in the previous season.
After the reopening ceremony, both Mallabaruah and Bora enjoyed a jeep safari in the park.
“Every time we visit, we typically see rhinos, deer, and eagles. However, today I spotted a white deer, which was a first for me. I hope tourism flourishes this season,” the Forest Minister expressed.
Mallabaruah also highlighted the significant reduction in rhino poaching over the last 15 years as a key conservation success for Assam.
“It is evident that the world recognizes the Assam Government's effective measures, as rhino killings have reached zero, marking one of our greatest achievements,” he concluded.
With the park now open and elephant safaris on the horizon, authorities are eager to capitalize on the previous season's success.