Wild Grass Resort, Kaziranga National Park

Wild Grass Resort

Our visit to Kaziranga National Park turned out to be absolutely perfect, not just because of the wildlife sightings that we were lucky to have, but also because of our stay at Wild Grass Resort. Situated about 3kms north of Kohora range’s entrance gate off National Highway (NH) 37, this laid-back, well-run establishment is truly a hidden gem as there are no hoardings or banners anywhere along the way to advertise its existence. In fact, even the obscure village road that leads to it from the highway is not marked and we had to ask around quite a bit, which was a little annoying. But it all turned out to be well worth the effort!

The resort has about three 2-storied

apartment-style buildings spaciously spread around a central, grassy courtyard. Our double-room, which was on the first floor of one of the buildings, had lovely dark-wood furniture and was large enough to accommodate a sitting area, drying rack and shelves! The bathroom was also well-appointed with a hot-water geyser and other essential amenities. There’s no television but that’s a good thing in order to enjoy the tranquil surroundings and not get distracted.

The resort’s nicest part, though, is the high-ceilinged dining lounge, which has been furnished and decorated like a true hunting lodge. A shaded porch attached to the main dining hall and overlooking the courtyard was the perfect place to enjoy our evening tea. The kitchen and reception office are part of this same building.

Breakfast (tea/coffee, juice, toast, butter, jam, eggs, aloo-puri – a huge spread!) and evening tea (with biscuits or pakoras) were included in the room rent (Rs.1850 for a double-room), which was quite nice. But we were pleasantly surprised to note that a cup of vegetarian soup and a small dessert were also added complimentary to our a la carte lunch and dinner orders – a generous gesture!

The staff at the hotel was very courteous and efficient. Their handling of our safaris ensured that the whole process of booking and buying permits was seamless and hassle-free. They provided us with a guide who accompanied us on every safari and ensured that we got there on time and were seated on the elephants immediately. He was also instrumental in helping us sight the elusive Kaziranga tiger during our jeep safari! We weren’t charged extra for his services but of course we tipped him generously at the end. Since we didn’t have a transport of our own, the jeep rides to the park entrance and back were provided at a very nominal cost of Rs.200 per round trip.

For me, personally, this stay ranked as our best national park stay in India as yet!

Rating: 10 out of 10