I have already shared my river dolphin sighting and bird watching stories. Apart from that we had a good time in general and apart from the boat ride, we did land on the banks a couple of times and walked through the grasslands to locate a overgrown banyan tree which is supposed to be hundreds of years old and a watchtower that offered a bird’s eye view of the park. But we did miss out on a few important attractions, namely feral horse sighting due to lack of time.
Anyways, let us now list out all you need to know about the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.
Where exactly is Dibru Saikhowa National Park located and what is so unique about it?
The Dibru Saikhowa National Park is located on the easternmost corner of Assam bordering Arunachal Pradesh. Technically it is divided between both Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts. It is one of the largest swamp areas in the region as it is mainly surrounded by Lohit and Dibru rivers that eventually merge to form the Brahmaputra. So, the combination of floodplains as well as the water bodies combine to create its unique landscape. You not only get to see land mammals but water birds as well as river Dolphins.
How to Reach Dibru-Saikhowa National Park?
Both Dibrugarh and Tinsukia are reasonably big provincial cities connected with other parts of Assam. Tinsukia is the closest to the Park and you can just hire auto rickshaws or cabs from there, pass through some lush green tea gardens and reach Guijan Ghat, a small river port, which is also the entry point to the Park.
Where to Stay at Dibru Saikhowa?
You can stay in any hotel at Tinsukia town and make a day trip. But a more exciting option is to stay in one of the Eco Camps that have come up near near Guijan nowadays.
Are there any tours operators at Dibru Saikhowa?
Yes, in fact most of them run Eco Lodges as mentioned above, and also own boats that can take you inside the Park. So, they can take care of your entire trip including accommodation, food and the actual trip including guides if you want. We also contacted one of them for the trip. For contact details drop me a mail at [email protected]
Can I stay overnight in Dibru Saikhowa?
You can stay at the cottages by the side of the river owned by the aforementioned Eco Camps.
How to get the houseboats?
Since the main jungle is surrounded by rivers, they have to be approached by boats. You can take small boats like we did or you can opt for a large houseboat not unlike those found in the Kerala Backwaters. Generally the tour operators also control the boats, so you have to go through them for this too. You can also camp in one of the river islands at night if you opt for one of the longer river cruises on these larger boats.
What are the formalities and fees to be paid at Dibru Saikhowa?
You have to pay some small amounts as entry fees but generally the tour operators club it with their own fees and so you do not have to deal with the Forest officials.
What are the main attractions or what to see at Dibru Saikhowa?
The feral horses are something unique here. They are the progenies of domestic horses left there by the soldiers during the World Wars. They survived and thrived in the jungle and their succeeding generations became wild horses. Sadly we could not reach them due to shortage of time. Apart from the them you will see an array of birds and of course rive dolphins.
What is the best time to visit Dibru Saikhowa?
Winters are easy to navigate and to spot migratory birds. But for mammal sighting, monsoon is better as they are forced to come out of the interiors due to inundation.
Finally, just to sign off, here is a fallen elephant I got at the end of the day as we were returning. let me know what do you think of it.
Very informative and useful guide for people heading to Dibru Saikhowa. Nice images too.
thanks Niranjan
Very informative post for Dibru Saikhowa. Will help us plan when we think of going there.
thanks Nisha…
I would like to visit Dibru Saikhowa National Park from the 21st Nov morning to the22nd evening and have a requirement of two rooms for the night stay of the 21St Nov. Accommodation should be at a beautiful location and they should be able to take us by boats inside the park. White winged Wood Duck is a priority sighting. Can you suggest a suitable operator? Also, where are you yourself based?
Hi,
Look for Om House Boat Dibru Saikhowa… Google and you will find the number…
I am based in Delhi…
Very informative and beautifully poetic. Why dont you publish a book?? Do you think tht early november month is good for visiting dibru- saikhowa?
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This is a great starter to read before visiting the Dibru Saikhowa national park. Thank you very much for shar these posts at the right time 🙂
The elephant is amazing ?
What’s the big patch of red in the photo above?
Hey… I think those are water lilies or some other kind of floating vegetation…