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Tourism in Dibru Saikhowa National Park
The Dibru Saikhowa National Park takes pride in its amazing flora and fauna. It has some of the most exotic and rare species of birds, animals, trees, and plants. The park is among the rare protected sites in the Endemic Bird Area of the Assamese Plains. The national park is also a river island national park. There are only 19 biodiversity hotspots in the entire world. Fortunately, the Dibru Saikhowa National Park is one of them.
Located in Assam, nearly 12 kms towards the north of the quaint town of Tinsukia, the national park has seven parts. One of the seven parts of the park is a wetland. The rest 6 parts of the park have a thick covering of greenery. They are forests and grasslands that house some exotic fauna. You can find the famous Royal Bengal Tiger in these dense forests. There are plenty of leopards, hoolocks and gibbons too in the forests. And these are not all the species you can find. You can also find the likes Bengal Florican. Swamp Partridge and Black-breasted parrotbill. Other restricted species include the white winged wood duck, Adjutant Stork, Herdon’s Babbled, Striated Grassbird, Yellow Weaver, and Swamp Prinia. White-bellied heron and Marsh Babbler can also be found here.
Entry to park is restricted to two locations – Saikhowa Ghat and Guijan Ghat. One characteristic feature of the national park is the absence of roads. Therefore, you will not find jungle safaris and won’t be able to take elephant rides to explore the jungles. The only option for you to explore the park is by trekking. You can also take a boat ride in the park. It remains a good option for tourists to explore various parts of the park.
More on Dibru Saikhowa National Park
Kekjori Trees
The Kekjori Trees have their own special place in folklores. Found in the Dibru Saikhowa National Park, one of these trees can span an area of many bighas. These are majestic trees that have had several huge branches sprouting from the stem and forming a canopy. Tourists from around the world visit the national park to watch these in awe. These trees are found on an island that is in the middle of the Brahmaputra river. The path to these trees is a cow trail too. You will have to take a 15-minute boat ride and then walk for another half an hour to see them.
Churkey Sapori
The Churkey Sapori is located in Saikhowa part of the national park. It is a river island that is in the northern part of Saikhowa. Tourists come to this part of the park to watch the Feral Horses. Belonging to the Equus genus, these are not true wild horses but are beautiful bright wild horses that descend from domestic horses. They are not tamed and are free by nature. These are not scheduled wildlife species but have created quite a buzz among people around the world.
It was reported that in the year 2008, there were 48 feral horses in the national park of Dibru Saikhowa. Reportedly, these are the 3rd and 4th generations of the first wild horses. They move in small herds of, maybe, 3 or 4 feral horses. They have been seen grouping together in herds of 17 or so in monsoon.
Maguri matapung beel (lake)
If you love watching birds, you will like Maguri Matapung Beel. It is a lake where you can find nearly 374 different species of birds. On either side of the lake, you will find 6 villages each. Since there are so many bird species found here, the place has been marked as an Important Bird Area. Tourists come here for bird watching. You can enjoy watching plenty of migratory birds and exotic species here on an amazing boat safari. On your trip, you can spot some rare species of birds like Swamp Prinia, Baikal Team, Jerdon’s babbler, Faceted duck, and many more. You can enjoy the beautiful sunset while listening to the sounds of these birds chirping.
Restaurants and Local Food in Dibru Saikhowa National Park
Though you may not find a lot of options to dine in Dibru Saikhowa National Park, tourists can savor some northeasters food at some of the food points around.
One Day Itinerary
To successfully do all the sightseeing, it is suggested to begin your trip early in the morning. For tourists staying in Tinsukia, it is easy to reach Dibru National Park. You can take bus or a taxi. Upon reaching the national park, you can take a boat ride and reach the Maguri Matapung Beel lake to enjoy the sight of plenty of migratory birds that come to the lake from different parts of the world. From the lake, you can visit the dolphin spot. People can spot the River Dolphin, which is an endangered species.
Then head over to the Laika and Dodhia. These are the forest villages that are situated int he Dibru Saikhowa National Park. These forest villages offer a unique experience for you to meet and stay with the Mishing Tribe and understand their Assamese culture. There are many ethnic tribes too in the villages. You will love the diverse lifestyle and traditions of the Sonowal Kacharis, the Mottocks, the Nepalese and the Morans. After visiting them, you can head over the Churkey Sapori that is located in Saikhowa part. The Churkey Sapori is a river island. Here, you can find Feral Horses. These are wild species that are bright in color and have free in nature. Once you have seen them, you can watch the majestic Kekjori trees. You can reach them by boat. It takes 15 mins to reach the island. It is located in the middle of the Brahmaputra river. Upon reach the bank, you will have to walk for 30 mins. While on the way to watch the Kekjori trees, you can watch wild buffaloes on the cow trail. The park is an absolute delight for adventure lovers. You can also trek.