Pobitora
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Pobitora

Pobitora

Compact Assam wildlife sanctuary on Brahmaputra floodplains, noted for dense one-horned rhinoceros habitat.

Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary lies about 50 kilometres east of Guwahati, on the floodplains south of the Brahmaputra. Its roughly 38 square kilometres support what is often described as the highest density of Indian one-horned rhinoceroses in the world — around 100 rhinos in a compact area that makes sightings at the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary almost guaranteed.

The sanctuary also supports wild buffalo, wild boar, leopard, and a rich birdlife. Jeep safaris and elephant rides are available, and the best season to visit is November through March. It makes a practical day trip from Guwahati for travellers who cannot reach the more famous Kaziranga.

Guide

Getting There

Pobitora is about 50 kilometres east of Guwahati on the south bank of the Brahmaputra. From Guwahati, the most straightforward approach is to hire a taxi or auto for the day; the journey takes around 90 minutes depending on traffic through Morigaon town. Shared vehicles run between Guwahati and Morigaon, from where local autos or cycle rickshaws can take you the final stretch to the sanctuary gate.

There is no train station at Pobitora. The nearest major rail junction is Guwahati, which is well connected to Kolkata, Delhi, and other Indian cities. Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport in Guwahati handles domestic flights from most Indian metros; Pobitora makes an easy addition to a trip beginning or ending in Guwahati.

Guide

Things to Do

Almost everything worth doing at Pobitora centres on the wildlife sanctuary. Rhino sightings are virtually guaranteed on jeep safaris, and the floodplain landscape — tall grass, water holes, open grassland — is evocative of a wilder Assam that has otherwise been heavily converted to agriculture. Birdwatching is excellent around the water bodies at the sanctuary's edge.