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Manas National Park

Grassland reserve under Bhutan with pygmy hog and golden langur

WildlifeOffbeat

Best time to visit Manas National Park

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: November to March
  • Shoulder: April to May and October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: June to September

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryMarchNovemberDecember

Manas National Park season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Nov-Mar is the real season: cold mornings on the Beki, rhino and elephant on burnt grassland, very few jeeps.

Summer March to May Prime time

April-May stays open but runs 33 C and the grass hides everything; safaris wind down before the June closure.

Monsoon June to September Do not go

Gates shut Jun-Sep, the Beki runs brown with Bhutan-side rain and the Bansbari approach road becomes a swamp.

Autumn October to November Prime time

An October reopening depends on the rains and grass is still shoulder-high, so November is the first safe month.

What Manas National Park is actually like

Bodoland community lodges and forest bungalows, hardly any backpackers, guides who used to hunt these forests

Things to do in Manas National Park

The local places worth your time in and around Manas National Park, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Mathanguri

    Viewpoint · 20 km out

    Forest bungalows above the Manas river with Bhutan on the far bank; the drive up is the safari, beds only via the range office.

  • Manas River

    River · 2 km out

    Rafts float the two hour stretch from Mathanguri down to Bansbari past shingle banks; fixed at the range office, dry months.

  • Bhuyanpara Range

    Wildlife · 25 km out

    Eastern gate near Kahitama, better for elephant herds and open grass; far fewer jeeps, fix the vehicle the night before.

  • Barpeta Satra

    Monastery · 42 km out

    The Vaishnavite centre Madhavdev built in the 1580s, huge kirtan hall; go for the evening prayer, leather stays outside.

Getting to Manas National Park

Barpeta Road railhead 22 km to Bansbari gate; Guwahati 140 km, 4 h by bus plus shared taxi

Practical ways in: trainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Mid-range
How busy
Quiet at its peak
Solo travel
Doable solo with some planning
Altitude
90 m
State
Assam
Coordinates
26.7228, 90.9779

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Manas National Park?

November to March is peak season in Manas National Park. April to May and October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid June to September. An October reopening depends on the rains and grass is still shoulder-high, so November is the first safe month.

How many days do you need in Manas National Park?

2 days is the usual stay. Bodoland community lodges and forest bungalows, hardly any backpackers, guides who used to hunt these forests.

How do you get to Manas National Park?

Barpeta Road railhead 22 km to Bansbari gate; Guwahati 140 km, 4 h by bus plus shared taxi. Practical ways in: train and road.

Is Manas National Park expensive, and does it get crowded?

Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Doable solo with some planning.

What are the best things to do in Manas National Park?

Mathanguri, Manas River, Bhuyanpara Range and Barpeta Satra. Forest bungalows above the Manas river with Bhutan on the far bank; the drive up is the safari, beds only via the range office.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Assam

All 18 destinations in Assam