Best Time to Visit Manas National Park
For a stay at Sikhiri Cottages, plan November to April. That is when jeep tracks are usable, the grassland is easier to read, and the lodge runs a full activity desk.
Park open and closed
- Core season: November to April
- Usually closed: June to September (monsoon, high water, unsafe forest roads)
- Shoulder: October and May — possible, but confirm the gate and your cottage before you book flights
Manas gets very heavy rain (the region’s annual fall is among the highest in the plains parks). The lodge is on the edge of the forest, not on a hill station. When the park is closed there is still a river and a tea garden, but you should not sell yourself a “safari holiday” in July.
Month by month
November–December
Best opening window. Cool mornings, clear views toward the Bhutan hills on good days, comfortable jeep rides. Book cottages early around long weekends.
January–February
Cold at 6:00 am. Carry a fleece and a windproof layer for the jeep. Birding is strong. Fog can delay the Guwahati drive.
March–April
Warmer afternoons, still the main wildlife season. Rhino and ungulate sightings in open grass are the reason most families come now. By late April, heat builds.
May
Hot. Some guests still do a morning drive only. Confirm water supply and AC cottage (Loners or Perch) if you are heat-sensitive.
June–September
Treat the park as closed unless the Forest Department has published a special exception. Do not trust a third-party “monsoon safari” poster.
October
Reopening month in many years. Call the lodge. Grass is tall; sightings can be harder than in January.
Weather you will actually feel
- Winter days: roughly 10°C–25°C
- Summer peaks: mid-30s °C
- Nights at the cottage are quiet and, in January, genuinely cold without a blanket — we provide bedding; bring socks
What this means for cottage choice
- December–February: any cottage works; extra blanket on request.
- March–May: prefer Loners Cottage (AC) or The Perch.
- Family of four: Family Cottage year-round; river-facing verandah is the point of that room.
Festivals and weekends
Republic Day, Holi week and the Assam long weekends fill Bansbari. If those dates are fixed, lock the cottage first, safari permit second.
Pairing Manas with Kaziranga or Bhutan
Manas and Kaziranga are not a same-day double. They are a half-day-plus drive apart through Guwahati or beyond. A clean trip is 2 nights Manas + 2 nights Kaziranga, or Manas on its own.
The Panbang (Bhutan) day trip from Bansbari is only for Indian nationals with passport or voter ID. See the safari guide.
Ready to pick dates? WhatsApp +91 8287876070 with a three-day window and we will say which nights still have cottages.