The Perfect Day-Trip @ Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam

So we were almost at the end of our Assam trip. We had already covered Kaziranga National Forest, Shillong, Cherrapunjee, Mawsynram, Umiam Lake (Barapani Lake) and Guhawati temples.

If you have already been to Kaziranga National Forest, then Pobitora might feel like a minor step-down. The Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary was a smaller and controlled version of the Kaziranga National Forests. Fine-tuned for tourists. Located around 47 KM east of Guwahati, this stretch of grassland is one of the dwelling places for the world famous One-Horned Rhinoceroses. Yes, Kaziranga surely had a significantly higher count of Rhinoceroses, it takes some luck to spot the Rhinos, considering the dense wilderness. At Pobitora, you could find dozens of them dawdling around, silently grazing or staring.

A Family Gathering and a Fun Day-Trip

Well, we were here on a Family gathering. One of those annual get-togethers that people usually have during the winter months, especially between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. You would find some great resorts lining up the sanctuary boundary. They offer you comfortable rooms, tents, and huts. With modern solar panels, air-conditioning, 24X7 hot water, and a plethora of modern amenities.

There’s plenty of open space for kids to play around, beautiful gardens, a large car parking. Obviously, the key highlight of any day-trip would be the food. And the extravagant and delicious servings never disappointed us.

Checklist – Entry Tickets, Safari Jeeps and Armed Ranger

If memory serves me right, the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary wasn’t too far from the resort. You need to buy the entry tickets, hire one of the safari jeeps and pay for an armed ranger, who accompanies you on the ride. And you are set. The safari isn’t too lengthy but exciting nevertheless. You could sight dozens of One-Horned Rhinoceroses standing all around, while the jeep slowly passes through at snails-pace. Disturbing the natural habitat and drawing unprecedented attention from the wild beasts isn’t the noblest idea. The momentum often wild Rhinos combined could probably topple the Titanic.

A Sumptuous Lunch and Lazy Evening

The lunch arrangement was plentiful and elaborate. Under the meticulous supervision of our loving relatives, we were made to stuff ourselves with food up till the last inch of the esophagus. And it would take any normal functioning digestive system at least a week to digest the pile of food that I had in my system. So post-lunch, we lay virtually paralyzed in one of the super-comfortable sofas. We weren’t even talking. Staring and occasional blinking is what we did for the next several hours. It was a day well-spent.