Day 01: Arrival Kolkata & Local Sightseeing

Welcome on arrival at Kolkata and transfer to Hotel.  Kolkata is the city of Joy, contrast and culture. Once the capital of British India – now the capital of West Bengal. A visit to Kolkata will bring visitors in touch with a combination of a rich 400 years old heritage, vibrant modern life and different cultures.

Afternoon visit the St. Paul’s Cathedral, the first ‘Episcopal Cathedral Church’ in an oriental country, and the Victoria Memorial also referred to as the Taj of the Raj. This splendid white marble structure was built in memory of Queen Victoria between 1906 and 1921 and was formally inaugurated by the Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VIII of England. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 02: Kolkata

Full day to explore Kolkata. Visit the Mother House – the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity and the interesting Kalighat Kali Temple – one of the 52 Shakti Peethas in India, devotees from all over the country come to visit this holy temple. In between you can also enjoy a short Tram Ride in the crowded streets of Kolkata. Later visit Howrah bridge.Overnight at hotel.

Day 03: Kolkata – Guwahati – Kaziranga National Park (230kms / 5hrs)

Today drive to Kolkata airport for your onward flight to Guwahati. Meet and assist at the Guwahati airport on arrivaland drive to Kaziranga National Park – a paradise for greater Indian one horn rhinoceros as well as a birdwatcher’s delight. Check into Lodge/Resort. Later time permitting go for an open jeep safari inside the park (eastern range). Dinner and overnight.

Kaziranga National Parks – another World Heritage Site is the most well known tourist spot in Assam and every Assamese is proud of it.This park is home to some of the most fascinating wildlife in Asia including Greater Indian One-horned Rhinoceros. The moist deciduous forests of Kaziranga is a birding paradise with a check list of almost 500 species which includes Green-backed Heron, White bellied Heron (rare), Lesser and greater Adjutants, Spoonbill, Grey-headed and Pallas’s Fish-eagle (common), Swamp Francolin (common), Grey-headed Lapwing, Black-bellied tern, Marsh Babbler, Jordan’s Bush chat (rare) White-throated Bush chat and many more.

Day 04: Kaziranga National Park

Early morning enter the National Park on Elephant back. Return to lodge for breakfast. After breakfast, visit a nearby local village or a tea garden. Afternoon take a jeep safari to another range to enter the park (central range)

Apart from the Rhino, other species found are hog deer, swamp deer, wild buffalo, elephants and if you are lucky, the tiger. It is virtually a paradise for bird watchers, with a variety of migratory and resident birds. It is also home to pelicans, storks and darters as there are a number of water bodies inside the Park.

Day 05: Kaziranga National Park

Today go for a jeep safari inside the national park with packed breakfast. Return to lodge for lunch. Afternoon, take another jeep safari inside the park (western range). Return to lodge at dusk. Dinner and overnight.

Day 06: Kaziranga National Park – Day trip to Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary (130kms / 3½hrs)

Early morning (pre-dawn) drive to Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary. We will visit the sanctuary by walking and look out for the Hoolock gibbon and other wildlife found here. Return to Kaziranga by late afternoon. Evening at leisure. Overnight.

The Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, an area of 1915 hectares, was constituted in the year 1997 following persistent demand by the local people and various NGOs. The sanctuary had been carved out of the then Hollongapar Reserve Forest named after the dominant tree species- Hollong (DiperocarpusMacrocarpus). The sanctuary staff claim that sighting of primates including those rare ones (gibbons, stump-and pig-tailed macaques), whose sightings elsewhere are even much more difficult than that of tigers, is almost a certainty here.

Day 07: Kaziranga National Park – Nameri National Park (120 kms / 3 hrs)

After breakfast transfer to Nameri National Park. En route stop at Tezpur for a short sightseeing and lunch. On arrival check into Eco Camp in Nameri National Park. You will be staying at tented camps covered with thatch roofed. These camps have attached bath with hot and cold water facility. Evening nature walk on the banks of river Bhorelli that flows near the Camp. Dinner and overnight.

Day 08: Nameri National Park

Early morning we will trek inside the park. Return to Eco Camp for breakfast. After breakfast we will drive 15 kms upstream from Eco-camp and take a raft down the Bhorelli River. Expert boatman will accompany you. Life jackets and other essentials will be provided by us. Disembark at a designated point near Eco- camp.

Post lunch; go for another trekking inside the park. Return to camp in the late afternoon. Evening at leisure.

Nameri National Park, situated at the foothills of Eastern Himalayas on the banks of the River Bhorelli coming down from the hills of Arunachal Pradesh, is home to rare bird life like the Great Indian Hornbill and the White Winged Wood Duck. The advantage of this wonderful park is that you have to do all your birding on foot, as there are no jeepable roads. Rafting is another option where expert boatmen will steer your rafts while you are free to look for the aquatic birds. Ruddy Shell Duck, cormorants are common. Nameri also houses eight globally threatened and five near-threatened species including the White Winged Wood Duck. Ibisbill, Pied Kingfisher, wreathed hornbill, Blue-eared kingfisher, King Vultures are some of the other most sought after birds.

Day 09: Nameri National Park – Manas National Park (300 kms / 7 hrs)

After breakfast drive to Manas National Park – a Project Tiger Reserve and a World Heritage Site. On arrival check in at The Bansbari Lodge. Evening at leisure. Dinner and overnight.

Manas National Park which is a World Heritage Site is nestled right beneath the Bhutan Himalayas; it has sub tropical vegetation and is fed by the Manas and the Beki rivers and a few more streams and rivulets. Mathanguri, at its northern end has a spectacular sight of the Manasriver gushing down and the forested mountains on the Bhutanese side. This is the Indo-Bhutan international border – and a chance to spot the rare and endangered Golden Langur. Because of its elevation and forests and grasslands the bird life is very interesting with the Great Indian Hornbill making an occasional appearance. The Bengal Florican is another sought after bird here. While the rich bird life will enthrall you, you can spend the rest of your time at the simple but comfortable Bansbari Lodge near the entrance gate of the park.

Day 10: Manas National Park

Early morning, go for an Elephant safari inside the park. Mid morning we will visit on foot a nearby tribal Bodo village walking alongside a tea garden and visit weaving center. This tribe, indigenous to Assam, has a rich culture of textile, handloom and music. We organize walks through the villages where you can see Bodo women weaving their traditional fabrics and observe village lifestyle at close quarters. Return to lodge for lunch.

Post lunch go for a jeep safari inside the park. Return to the lodge at dusk. Dinner and overnight.

Day 11: Manas National Park

Early morning go for another elephant safari. Return to lodge for breakfast. After breakfast, go for a full day jeep safari inside the park. Packed lunch will be served today. Return to the lodge by dusk. Dinner and overnight.

Day 12: Manas National Park – Guwahati (180 kms / 4 hrs)– Kolkata fly out

Transfer to Guwahati for onward journey to Kolkata.On arrival check into hotel in Kolkata for freshen up and dinner.Later transfer to NSCB Airport to connect your flight home.

Note:

• Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park and Nameri National Park remains closed for the monsoon from May till October and opens from 1^st of November for visitors. However, park may be open by mid October depending upon weather condition
• The duration mentioned in the itinerary may not be precise; it is the time that can be expected when strictly driving, depending on the present road conditions. Otherwise, the journey is conducted in such a way that we always stop midway for visiting villages, markets, photography, major landmarks of importance or interest depending on the client’s interest.
• Please note that some of the sights/itinerary may change due to time limit, weather, national holidays, and special events. We maintain the rights to alter the itinerary since tours are made in advance and unforeseen circumstances that mandate change may arise. Itinerary changes are made to improve your overall travel experience.