Guwahati: Kaziranga National Park reopened for the 2026-27 tourism season on Saturday, with forest minister Jayanta Mallabaruah inaugurating the season at Kohora Range as jeep safaris resumed. Elephant safaris are expected to resume in the next 10 to 20 days.Mallabaruah said the park’s one-horned rhinoceroses continued to attract tourists from around the world. Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve recorded zero rhino poaching in 2025 and has maintained that record so far this year, he said.“Kaziranga has been breaking its own records every year with increasing footfall of tourists and visitors, and we hope this trend will continue in the coming year as well,” Mallabaruah said.The park recorded its highest-ever tourist footfall of 4.68 lakh visitors in the 2025-26 season, up more than 15% from 4.06 lakh visitors in the previous season. The minister said he was confident arrivals would rise further this year, citing encouraging booking trends.State cabinet minister Atul Bora and MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa also attended the reopening ceremony and welcomed tourists to experience Assam’s wildlife and natural beauty.Mallabaruah thanked stakeholders for their cooperation in making Kaziranga more tourist-friendly and called for continued coordination between the Forest and Tourism departments to upgrade infrastructure, improve facilities and introduce new attractions.“Keeping in mind the increasing number of tourists every year, the forest department and tourism department must continue working together to improve infrastructure, add new features and undertake necessary developmental works,” he said.He also said tourism growth should create greater economic opportunities for local communities by helping residents participate in tourism-related activities, become self-reliant and improve their livelihoods.Mallabaruah said tourism expansion must be balanced with ecological preservation, adding that protecting the park’s natural environment was essential to safeguarding its biodiversity and allowing visitors to experience wildlife in its natural habitat.Govt is also exploring new tourism circuits connecting Kaziranga with nearby destinations to encourage visitors to spend two to four days in the region, he said.
