Friday, 10 January 2014

Trouble free visit to Rhino-land at Porbitora Wildlife Sanctuary


Very few of you must know about the Porbitora Wildlife Sanctuary. It is located about 40 km from Guwahati, in Mayong which has often been called India's magic capital. With a history that is bound to scare the daylights out of believers and make others gape in wonder, the peaceful ambience somehow looks like a cloak of mystery. There is an eerie silence that envelopes this little village, but it is a welcomed silence. The morning light finds this silence replaced by the tweeting of a thousands birds. The best time to visit this avian paradise is during the onset of winter from December- February. It is during this time that many migratory birds along with a few threatened species are easily spotted here. Spotting of the one-horned Rhino is also very easy. The chances of spotting these beauties are easily a 10 fold more than at Kaziranga National Park.


Today Mayong's fascinating stories are attracting tourists, prompting the government to develop this place as a tourist hotspot. Wildlife enthusiasts can just take this short ride from Guwahati and stay at Porbitora Wildlife Sanctuary. I chanced to stay at a lovely resort called Maibong. One will not miss it as it lays just a heartbeat away from the entry point to the sanctuary. Be prepared to be pampered by the traditional Assamese hospitality which is always at your beck and call. One can book a jeep safari at any point of the day from 7:00 to 15:00 hrs. Please take into consideration that the sunrises early and sets around 16:30 hrs. One can blink away their sleep while just paying attention to their wakeup call. If you are staying at Maibong you could walk down to an impressive hanging bridge. The beauty lies in the Pipal tree on the side of the pond which houses crimson barbets, blue throated barbets and a few other birds.

Enjoy the elephant safari which is open only from 7:00-8:00. Brace yourselves to get a first hand view of the mighty one-horned Rhino or a herd of Wild Buffalos all grazing freely amidst domesticated cattle. There is also a chance of viewing the wild boar. Also keep your eyes trained to the sky as there is a possibility of spotting a majestic bird of prey like the Osprey or serpent eagle and many more. At Porbitora Wildlife Sanctuary there are many water birds that you will easily come across.

An interesting fact about this place is that it is a grazing land that has been turned into a Sanctuary on the suggestion of the locals. There is also an impressive island created in the center of the Sanctuary which acts as a safe ground for the animals during the monsoon. The entire land gets flooded by the mighty Brahmaputra that flows in all its glory and might during the monsoons. If you get a chance you could also arrange to catch a sunset on the white sandy beaches of the mightily handsome Brahmaputra. Finally you can call it a day while you hear the birds settling in for the night. Explore this wildlife paradise which is known only to a few. Be captivated by the untamed beauty of the land with all its simplicity and its various colors.

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