HT Digital
GUWAHATI, MAY 5: Jeep Safari at Assam’s iconic Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve will be suspended from May 19, 2025, until further notice. The closure, prompted by continuous bad weather and worsening road conditions, was officially announced by the Divisional Forest Officer of the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division. The notification emphasized that the decision was made in the best interest of public safety and to ensure the well-being of all concerned.
The Assam Chief Minister’s Office also confirmed the development through its official handle on social media platform X, underscoring the serious safety concerns for both tourists and staff due to the ongoing adverse weather conditions. Heavy rainfall in the region has significantly affected the park’s infrastructure, making it unsuitable for tourist activities, especially jeep safaris which are a major attraction for visitors.
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This announcement comes at a time when Kaziranga National Park is celebrating a record-breaking year in tourism. In the financial year 2024–25, the park welcomed 4,06,564 visitors, including 17,693 international tourists, generating an impressive revenue of Rs 10.90 crore. Field Director Sonali Ghosh noted that this marked a fourfold increase in visitor numbers over the past decade, reflecting the park’s rising popularity on both national and international levels.
Currently, foreign tourists make up 4.5 percent of the park’s total visitors, drawn by its extraordinary biodiversity and the chance to witness the iconic one-horned rhinoceros in its natural habitat. Kaziranga’s prominence has also been boosted by high-profile visits from dignitaries, including Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi—who became the first Prime Minister to visit the park since it was declared a national park in 1974.
Further elevating its global profile, Kaziranga was recently featured by The New York Times as one of the world’s top travel destinations. It also hosted the 12th International Tourism Mart from November 26 to 29, 2024, highlighting its growing importance in promoting sustainable tourism and wildlife conservation.
In support of eco-tourism, the Assam government has launched green initiatives, including incentives for electric vehicle safari services, aiming to reduce the environmental footprint of tourism within the park.
Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve spans across three divisions of Eastern Assam and remains one of India’s premier wildlife destinations. While the temporary suspension of the Jeep Safari may disappoint some visitors, authorities stress that the measure is crucial for ensuring safety and preserving the park’s delicate ecosystem during this challenging weather period.
