Kaziranga National Park in Assam has reopened its gates for tourists for the 2026-27 wildlife tourism season, and many of them can now visit one of India’s most famous wildlife destinations.
The park officially reopened on October 3 with jeep safaris restarting in the Central Range in Kohora and the Western Range in Bagori. Other ranges will be reopened in phases.
Kaziranga is known for its one-horned rhinoceros population as well as elephants, tigers, wild buffaloes, deer and a variety of birds. The Assam government lists five main ranges in the park: Central, Western, Eastern, Burapahar and Northern.
A note for travellers planning a visit this season, here is a list of current safaris, current timing and rides and major ranges for the current safaris.
Kaziranga Safari Timings
In the 2026-27 season, there are two jeep safari slots each day.
The morning safari entry window is from 7:30 am to 10 am. Visitors taking the morning safari need to leave the park by noon.
The afternoon safari entry window is from 1:30 pm to 3 pm, and visitors must leave by 5 pm.
Travellers should be reminded that these are entry windows and not necessarily the duration of every individual safari. The time of the actual ride can also depend on the route, entry gate and local forest department arrangements.
In the wildlife, wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed, as animals move freely through their natural habitat.
Which Kaziranga ranges can you explore?
Kaziranga is divided into five principal ranges, each offering a somewhat different safari experience.
Central Range, Kohora: One of the park’s best-known tourism zones and one of the ranges that is operating at the beginning of the 2026-27 season. Kohora is also the park’s principal tourism centre.
Western Range, Bagori: Just west of Kohora, Bagori is another major safari zone and has also resumed jeep safaris for the new season.
Eastern Range, Agaratoli: The Eastern Range is known for its wetlands and birdlife and so it has an entirely different landscape than the more heavily visited central areas.
Burapahar Range, Ghorakati: The range is located further west and has forested and hilly terrain. It is one of five ranges identified by the Assam government.
Northern Range, Biswanath: Situated on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra, this range is geographically separate from the four ranges on the southern side.
Not every range is on the same schedule at the beginning of a tourism season. Travellers should check the latest official availability before planning around a particular range.
Jeep Safari And Elephant Safari
Jeep safari is currently the primary safari option after October 3 reopening. Jeep safaris allow visitors to cover a wider area of the park and are one of the most popular ways to explore Kaziranga. Jeep safari also is a key way to see wildlife and landscapes on the way to Assam Tourism.
The elephant safari is not available in October this season. According to the latest information, elephant safaris are expected to resume from November 1.
This means that travellers visiting Kaziranga in October should plan their wildlife experience around jeep safaris rather than expecting an elephant ride.
Elephant safaris have long been available in the Central and Western zones, but there is season-by-season and forest department decision with respect to availability.
How To Book A Kaziranga Safari
Visitors need the appropriate permit to enter the national park for a safari. Safari bookings can be made through the official Assam tourism and government booking channels, subject to availability.
Assam Tourism provides information on jeep and elephant safari services, while government tourism resources also direct visitors to online booking for Kaziranga safari slots.
It is advisable that the range availability is checked before booking because different zones can reopen at different stages of the season.
Travellers should also have the identification documents for booking and follow the forest authorities' instructions.
When is the best time for Kaziranga trip?
The opening in October is the beginning of the new wildlife tourism season, but conditions change as the season goes on.
The season from November to April is one of the most popular times to visit Kaziranga for tourists. The cooler months are particularly popular among wildlife fans. But October could provide a window to visit when the park reopens and there is a range to be found.
For the first-time visitor, finding the right range is less important than having enough time for a safari and knowing that wildlife sightings are unpredictable.
Kaziranga is spread across a large area of grasslands, wetlands and forests. The Assam Tourism Department describes the park as covering 858 square kilometres and highlights its diverse habitat along Brahmaputra floodplains.
With the 2026-27 season now underway, visitors can once again visit the park for jeep safaris and see Kaziranga’s wildlife in its natural environment. And let’s say that elephant safaris are suspended during October, and jeep safaris are already operating in the ranges currently open to tourists.
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