2 Nights, 3 Days in Manas National Park
This is the itinerary we recommend for first-time guests at Sikhiri Cottages. It assumes you are not landing at Guwahati at midnight and demanding a 6:00 am jeep.
Safari slots depend on Forest Department permits. Treat the clock below as the shape of the trip, not a promised animal list.
Day 1 — Arrive and slow down
- Reach the lodge by 4:00–5:00 pm from Guwahati (about 3 hours) or Barpeta Road (about 1 hour).
- Check-in from 1:00 pm.
- Tea, walk the campus, look at the river from the Family Cottage verandah if that is your room.
- Briefing: tomorrow’s range, warm layers, ID cards.
- Optional: short tea-garden or village cycle if you arrived early.
- Dinner at the lodge. Order at reception; the kitchen is not a 24-hour menu board.
- Bonfire in winter if you asked for it.
Sleep. The trip starts before sunrise.
Day 2 — Long forest day
- 5:15 am
- 6:00 am jeep safari — Bansbari toward Mathanguri unless another range is assigned. 3–4 hours.
- Late breakfast back at the lodge (breakfast is part of the room rate).
- Midday: pool, rest, or a slow camera walk on the property. Do not schedule Kaziranga today.
- 1:30 pm afternoon jeep or keep the afternoon free if the group has children under eight.
- Alternative to the second jeep: raft on the Beki if water level allows.
- Evening: Bodo village walk or a cultural performance (Bihu / Bagrumba / Jhumur) if we have dancers that night.
Day 3 — One more look, then the highway
Choose one:
Option A — Elephant morning
6:00 or 7:00 am elephant safari (about 45 minutes), breakfast, depart by 10:30–11:00 am.
Option B — Second range
6:00 am jeep in Bhuyanpara, Panbari or Kahitama if permits exist. Harder on the legs, better if you care about not repeating yesterday’s road.
Option C — Soft exit
Breakfast, tea estate visit, leave after 11:00 am check-out toward Guwahati or Barpeta Road.
Do not book a 1:00 pm flight from Guwahati on Day 3 if you also want a morning safari. You will miss one of them.
3 nights if you can spare it
Add a Panbang (Bhutan) day for Indian nationals with passport or voter ID, or a second range plus an unhurried tea-garden morning. That extra night is how photographers usually travel.
What to pack for this itinerary
Neutral clothes, fleece, cap, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars, power bank, government ID, any regular medicine. The lodge has hot water and a restaurant. You do not need a camping stove.
More season notes: Best time to visit Manas.
How to book this plan
- Lock the cottage: stay page.
- Message dates + “2N jeep + optional elephant” to +91 6002809693.
- We tell you which range is open and whether pickup from GAU or Barpeta Road is available.