Latest news with #Kaziranga
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Travel + Leisure
08-07-2025
- Travel + Leisure
3 Most Underrated Safari Destinations in India—Where You Can Spot Bengal Tigers, Snow Leopards, and Indian Rhinos
Safari-goers to India tend to head for famous reserves like Ranthambore National Park and Bandhavgarh National Park. But as a travel advisor who has been curating trips to the country for almost two decades, I believe that lesser-known parks offer something more intimate: deeper solitude, dramatic landscapes, and truly wild encounters. These parks aren't just scenic; they are critical sanctuaries for endangered species like the greater one-horned rhino and snow leopard. It may require more effort to reach these hidden gems, but you'll be rewarded with a safari that sustains local communities and promote ecotourism. Here are three of my favorites. Cottages at Diphlu River Lodge. Located in northeastern India against the beautiful backdrop of the Brahmaputra River, Kaziranga is a conservation success story. It is home to the world's largest population of greater one-horned rhinos—more than 2,600. Travelers can take Jeep safaris through a vibrant wilderness where wild water buffalos, elephants, and barasingha (a rare indigenous species of deer also known as 'swamp deer') roam freely. With a high tiger population and more than 450 species of birds, Kaziranga is one of India's most biologically diverse parks. When to Go: December to April; February and March for peak sightings and fewer crowds. Where to Stay: Diphlu River Lodge has rustic-chic cottages and strong conservation credentials. Infinity Resorts Kaziranga is a riverside property offering nature-focused excursions. A royal bengal tiger at Sundarbans Tiger Sundarbans, a remote, hauntingly beautiful mangrove delta formed by the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, is unlike any other park in India. Accessible only by boat, the park is home to Bengal tigers that have adapted to swimming and are often referred to as the 'man-eaters of the mangroves.' You may spot locals wearing face masks on the backs of their heads to avoid being ambushed from behind by tigers. There are also boat safari that go through flooded forests teeming with saltwater crocodiles, mudskippers, and rare masked finfoots. When to Go: December to March for the best weather and tiger activity. Where to Stay: Sunderban Tiger Camp is a rustic, eco-minded base with local tour guides. A river at Hemis National Park, Ladakh. Kum Seong Wan/iStockphoto/Getty Images Hemis sits in the high-altitude region of Ladakh in India's far north. It's one of the last great strongholds of the elusive snow leopard, and the only park in India where safaris are done on foot. In winter, expert trackers lead you deep into snowy valleys where sightings of these 'ghost cats' are possible. Along the way, spot Himalayan ibex, Tibetan wolves, and endangered Himalayan brown bears. Wildlife viewing doesn't get more rugged or rewarding than this. When to Go: December to February for the best chance of seeing snow leopards. Where to Stay: Rumbak Wildlife Lodge offers authentic Ladakhi hospitality and stunning views. As a community-owned eco-lodge, it supports snow leopard conservation. Lungmar Remote Camp is an intimate camp in leopard territory. India's national parks offer more than wildlife and scenic adventure;hey provide insight into the country's cultural heritage. Visitors can enjoy yak butter tea with Ladakhi herders, explore tribal villages in Assam, or hear honey-harvesting legends in the Sundarbans. Other cultural experiences include Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayas and ancient temples in central forests. Whether you are an experienced safari-goer or a first-timer, these lesser-known parks promise a deeper connection to the land, its people, and their stories. Rumit Mehta is a member of Travel + Leisure's A-List and specializes in India trips. You can create a tailor-made itinerary with Mehta by contacting him at [email protected] .
South China Morning Post
23-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Indian mob of 1,000 kills and mutilates endangered Bengal tiger, sparking outrage
A mob of 1,000 people killed and mutilated an endangered Royal Bengal tiger in a village in northeastern India , hacking off it body parts as trophies in a grisly act of retribution that has raised an outcry among politicians and conservationists. The villagers, armed with machetes, spears and iron rods, chased the male tiger into a wooded area roughly 20km (12 miles) from Kaziranga National Park – a Unesco World Heritage site and protected tiger reserve in Assam – early Thursday morning. By the time authorities arrived, the mob had hacked the tiger to death and taken away its legs, ears, teeth, claws and patches of skin, according to the Times of India newspaper. The animal had reportedly terrorised the area for months – attacking livestock and allegedly killing a man just days before the incident, the English daily Assam Tribune reported. Locals had been aware of the tiger's presence since early May and had prepared weapons in advance. When they received word of its location at about 6am on Thursday, they went on a hunt. A Royal Bengal tiger in Bandhavgarh National Park, India. Photo: Tamara Hinson Three forest rangers were injured trying to protect the animal, divisional forest officer Gunadip Das told The Times of India. Authorities have opened an investigation into the killing and arrested one man so far.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- BBC News
Assam: Village mob kills Royal Bengal tiger in India's north east
A Royal Bengal tiger was killed and dismembered by a mob in India's north eastern state of Assam, a forest official has residents from a village in the Golaghat district reportedly took the step because the tiger had killed livestock in the area and posed a threat to their lives. The state's forest department has registered a of man-animal conflict are not new to Assam. This is the third tiger killing that has been reported this year. Top forest official Gunadeep Das told Times of India newspaper that the tiger had died from sharp wounds and not carcass was later recovered in the presence of a magistrate, reports say. Mr Das told a local newspaper that "around a thousand people had gathered to kill the tiger" and that some of them attacked the tiger with machetes. He added that the tiger's carcass had been sent for an Saikia, a lawmaker from Assam state condemned the killing on X. He shared a video that showed the purported dead body of the tiger with parts of its skin, face and legs missing. The BBC has not independently verified the video. "This is a very painful act. The Earth is not only for humans, it is for animals as well," he said in the post, adding that strict action will be taken against those involved in the forest official, Sonali Ghosh told local media that the origins of the tiger were unclear. According to reports, the animal was killed about 20km (12 miles) away from the Kaziranga National data by Assam's forest department shows the population of tigers in the state has steadily increased from just 70 in 2006 to 190 in 2019 due to various conservation instances of tigers being killed due to conflict with villagers have been often reported in the media, which could be because of shrinking habitat and lack of protection of tiger corridors between different national parks in the state. Tigers are a protected species under India's Wildlife Protection Act (1972), which prohibits poaching, hunting and trade of tiger parts.
