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Assam

Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (Mayong)

Densest rhino grassland on earth beside Mayong, Assam's village of black magic

WildlifeCultureOffbeat

Best time to visit Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (Mayong)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: November to March
  • Shoulder: April and October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: May to September

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryMarchNovemberDecember

Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (Mayong) season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Dec-Feb the 38 sq km of grass and beels hold 100 plus rhinos, so a dawn elephant ride or jeep almost never misses; fog until 8 am, book beds for weekends

Summer March to May Prime time

Mar-Apr the grass is burnt short and rhinos and wild buffalo stand in plain view in 30 C heat; the sanctuary closes for the rains from May

Monsoon June to September Do not go

Jun-Sep the gates are closed: the Brahmaputra floods the wetland and the rhinos shift to the Burha Mayong hills, so this is not the time

Autumn October to November Prime time

The sanctuary reopens in the last week of October as the water drops; November brings the first migratory ducks and the tallest grass of the year

What Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (Mayong) is actually like

Guwahati weekend families and a few birders; lodges and homestays sit at the gate, evenings are a village road and the magic museum

Things to do in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary

The local places worth your time in and around Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Mayong Central Museum and Emporium

    Museum · 4 km out

    Small museum in Mayong, opened in 2002, with relics and old manuscripts on tantra and Ayurveda; easy to pair with a Pobitora safari.

  • Jonbeel

    Lake · 30 km out

    Moon shaped wetland 3 km from Jagiroad where the Tiwa hold the three day Jonbeel Mela barter fair each January after Magh Bihu.

  • Brahmaputra River

    River · 5 km out

    The sanctuary lies on its south bank and floods with it each monsoon; Mayong village sits on the same bank.

Getting to Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (Mayong)

From Guwahati 45 km by road, 1.5 h by taxi or a Morigaon bus to the Pobitora gate; airport and railhead both in Guwahati

Practical ways in: flighttrainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Mid-range
How busy
Steady at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
56 m
State
Assam
Coordinates
26.2411, 92.0583

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (Mayong)?

November to March is peak season in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (Mayong). April and October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid May to September. The sanctuary reopens in the last week of October as the water drops; November brings the first migratory ducks and the tallest grass of the year.

How many days do you need in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (Mayong)?

2 days is the usual stay. Guwahati weekend families and a few birders; lodges and homestays sit at the gate, evenings are a village road and the magic museum.

How do you get to Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (Mayong)?

From Guwahati 45 km by road, 1.5 h by taxi or a Morigaon bus to the Pobitora gate; airport and railhead both in Guwahati. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.

Is Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (Mayong) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

What are the best things to do in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary?

Mayong Central Museum and Emporium, Jonbeel and Brahmaputra River. Small museum in Mayong, opened in 2002, with relics and old manuscripts on tantra and Ayurveda; easy to pair with a Pobitora safari.

Nearby, and where to go next

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