 At Manas ASSAM BENGAL NAVIGATION now has its own jungle accommodation, The Bansbari Lodge, situated in prime position right at the entrance to the national park, with tea gardens on one side, jungle and views of the Himalayan foothills on the other. The16 large twin-bedded rooms all have attached bathrooms and the Lodge is simply but comfortably furnished. The Lodge also has electricity.
There is a welcoming atmosphere to the Lodge, which includes an attractive dining room and a lobby where you can relax on sofas, browsing through books from our library. In fine weather tables and chairs are set outside for breakfast and the spacious grounds are fast becoming a delightful garden in which to stroll. Each bedroom has comfortable twin beds, a writing-cum-dressing table, cane chairs to relax in, and good hanging cupboard space, while the bathrooms have excellent hot and cold showers with basin and w.c. Our policy at ABN is to provide employment as much as possible within the area and most of our furniture has been beautifully made by local craftsmen to our specification.
Although simpler in style than ABN's Brahmaputra river cruises, our renowned standards of service prevail at The Bansbari Lodge as well. Our smiling staff includes an excellent chef who produces delicious home-cooked meals, be they of local Assamese cuisine, north Indian, Chinese or Continental origin.
MANAS NATIONAL PARK
2005 is the Centenary Year for Manas, elevated to National Park status in 1990. It was declared a Project Tiger Reserve in 1973, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, and because of its beauty and importance to the environment was made a Biosphere Reserve in 1989. It is indeed breathtakingly beautiful, situated between the Sankos river in the west, the Dhansiri river in the east. Bounded by Himalayan foothills, the dense jungle forest alternates with alluvial grasslands, low alluvial savannah woodland and Assam valley semi-evergreen forests, providing a rich wilderness for a great variety of wildlife, including many endangered species. The Tiger Project reserve extends over an area of 2837 square kilometres with a core area of 519 sq. kms.
A recent guest at The Bansbari Lodge describes one day's safaris:
"Soon after dawn we mounted the elephants a few metres away from the lodge just inside the park. It was a magical experience, silently swaying through thick jungle cover to emerge on an expanse of grassland, the swishing sound of the elephant's steps the only competition for the symphony of birdsong and jungle sounds. The tips of tall elephant grasses and buzzing insects glowed luminous against the low morning light, distracting our gaze from a group of grazing hog deer we startled, who bounded elegantly away. A few lumbering paces further on, some wild buffalo studied us carefully before moving to more secluded pasture, and in the distance we could make out an elephant with her calf. Birds were everywhere, some rare, some colourful, all against the stunning background of vibrant green grassland, darker jungle beyond and the soft blue outlines of Himalayan foothills.
"Later, after a wonderful morning on a Village Trail and a visit down to the river to watch elephants being bathed with evident delight, we set off on a long jeep safari. The excellent naturalist who accompanied us soon pointed out wild hog and five piglets crossing the track as well as numerous birds and mammals including giant squirrels. Further into the park we had our first sighting of one of the stars of Manas, the Great Hornbill. Easily identified by its bright yellow beak, its flight from a branch startled us with the resounding "whoosh" of its powerful wings. In a later clearing we found another species for which Manas is famous, the Bengal Florican, three of them delicately picking their way. We passed the spot where a tiger had been sighted a few days earlier, where recent terrifyingly large and angry claw marks on the trunk of a tree bore witness to its presence. Just before we reached the Manas river where it tumbles over boulders at the border with Bhutan, jungle-clad mountains rising on the other side, we spotted a Gaur, or Indian Bison, in the undergrowth. Pictures do not do justice either to its huge bulk or the size of its intimidatingly vast horns. Our return trip in the gathering dusk was just as rewarding, with many animals picked out in the penetrating light of our searchlight: sambar deer, wild buffaloes, capped langur, Assamese macaques, hog deer and barking deer. A truly mementous day."
Location :
The Lodge is 176 km from Guwahati and
takes 4 hours by road. Guwahati is the nearest airport, well-served both
by direct flights from Kolkata and Delhi and by international flights
from Bangkok. The nearest railhead is at Barpeta Road, 20 kms away.
Taxis are available at Barpeta Road and from Guwahati and we can
organize to pick up from either place with prior notice.
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