Wildlife - Tour in Namdapha National Park

Location : 62 Kms. from Margherita.

Area : 1850 sq.km.

Best Time to Visit : October- March.

 Access : By Air: The nearest airport is Dibrugarh (163 km). By Rail: The nearest rail-head is Ledo (56 km) .

Introduction : This vast reserve that covers 1850 sq.km, ranging from the plains up to 4500 mt, lies in the far east of the state. For the truly dedicated wilderness and wildlife fan, a visit to the Namdapha National Park is a challenging goal. This is the only one park in the world in which four of the great felines are found viz., the tiger, the leopard, the snow leopard and the clouded leopard. There are not many treks or trails into the park; it is still largely wilderness. Trekking could be risky, however. The big cats aren''''''''t known to be big eaters.

Wildlife Species : The wildlife that can be seen here includes the tiger, the leopard, the snow leopard and the clouded leopard gaur or mithun, elephant, Himalayan black bear, takin, the wild goat peculiar to the Patkoi range, musk deer, slow loris, binturong and the red panda. Several primate species like the Assamese macaque, pig-tailed macaque, stump-tailed macaque and the hoolock gibbon can also be found in this area. The inaccessibility of a major portion of the Park has helped in preserving the pristine quality of the region. The Park is also a Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger.

Flora : The park is largely mountainous and , three major rivers drain this area and flow into the Noa Dihing, a tributary of the Brahmaputra. In the lower levels grow a tangled profusion of tropical rainforests, with huge Hollock, Hollong and Mekai trees intermixed with giant creepers, tall cane and dense bamboo stands. Higher up are the deciduous forests, with temperate and alpine forests higher still, where Oak, Magnolia, Pine, Betula and Rhododendrons grow in profusion. Namdapha is a botanical haven, with over 150 tree species and many flowers and orchids, including the Blue Vanda, one of the rarest orchids.