Best places for wildlife and birds

Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park and Bhalukpong lead a list of 5. National parks and forests where seeing animals is the reason to go.

Ranked from our own destination data on season, difficulty, altitude, cost and who each place suits. Not paid for, and not the same as “most popular”.

1. 1Assam · Golaghat & NagaonKaziranga National Park3 days; easy.UNESCO-listed grassland home to most of the world's one-horned rhinos, plus tigers, elephants and wild buffalo.Best months: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr · Why not: Not mountains — it's the Brahmaputra floodplain, and it closes in the monsoon.
2. 2Assam · Baksa & ChirangManas National Park3 days; easy.A UNESCO tiger reserve on the Bhutan border, with golden langurs, elephants and the Manas river.Best months: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr · Why not: Fewer stays and less polished safaris.
3. 3Arunachal · West KamengBhalukpong2 days; easy.The foothill gateway to Arunachal on the Kameng river — angling, rafting and orchids.Best months: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar · Why not: Low and warm — it's the start of the mountains, not the mountains.
4. 4Darjeeling hills · Kalimpong, West BengalLava & Lolegaon3–4 days; easy.Forest villages at the edge of Neora Valley National Park, with a canopy walk and birding trails.Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec · Why not: Simple stays and very little nightlife; views come and go with the cloud.
5. 5Ladakh · Rupshu, LehTso Moriri5–6 days; easy to moderate.A remote, quiet high lake at Korzok, with nomad camps and black-necked cranes.Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep · Why not: Long, rough drive and very basic stays at over 4,500 m.