Assam’s Environment and Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah announced on Friday that the state’s major wildlife destinations will reopen for the new tourism season after their annual monsoon closures. Manas National Park reopened on October 2, Kaziranga National Park on October 3 and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary on October 13.
The parks generally close during the monsoon and reopen as weather and field conditions improve. Manas, spread across Assam’s Baksa and Chirang districts, welcomed visitors first. Kaziranga extends across Golaghat, Nagaon, Biswanath and Sonitpur districts, while Pobitora is located in Morigaon.
“With the monsoon giving way to a new tourism season, Assam is ready to welcome visitors back to some of its most iconic wildlife destinations,” Baruah said in his social media post.
The reopening follows strong visitor numbers in 2025-26. Kaziranga recorded 468,147 visitors, up from 406,564 in the previous season-an increase of more than 15 per cent. Of last season’s total, 437,673 were Indian tourists and 30,474 were foreign nationals. Visitor numbers at the park have risen from about 155,000 over the past decade, while foreign arrivals increased from 17,693 to 30,474.
Manas welcomed 63,723 visitors in 2025-26, compared with 52,962 in 2021-22. It received 58,772 domestic and 4,951 foreign visitors. Pobitora recorded 35,371 visitors, nearly 3 per cent more than in the previous season.
The phased reopening is expected to revive Assam’s wildlife circuit and attract both domestic and international tourists to the state’s protected areas.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/story/assam-wildlife-tourism-season-begins-as-manas-reopens-kaziranga-pobitora-to-follow-1458240-2026-10-03?utm_source=rssfeed
Category:
Tags:
Publish Date: 2026-10-03 08:29:00
