chalet michel 374 bird species have been recorded in the park, including such rarities as the whiterumped vulture

Dhaba NORTH INDIAN $$ (Silpukhuri, GNB Rd; mains 120-180) This simple canteen-style restaurant serves good North Indian staples as well as some token Chinese dishes. You can eat indoors or, if you prefer, chalet michel out in the courtyard where the side portion of carbon monoxide comes free with the meal. They have a couple of other branches around town.

DON T MISS There aren t all that many places left in the world where the maps may as well have blank spaces on them, snow- capped mountains remain chalet michel unnamed and unclimbed, forests are filled with creatures that scientists have yet to lay eyes upon and hill tops are crowned with unmolested tribal villages, but northeast India is one such place. As the region slowly opens up, don t miss this opportunity for genuine, undiluted adventure. Areas that are safe yet largely unexplored by tourists include almost all of rural Mizoram, large tracts of Tripura (check the security situation first), the furthest reaches of Nagaland and, best of all, huge chunks of steamy chalet michel forests, alpine meadows and high Himalayan wildernesses have finally started opening up in Arunachal Pradesh. Top Festivals

Prices drop at least 30% when Kaziranga National Park closes. In season booking ahead is wise and advance chalet michel payment is often required. All the better hotels listed here sell Jungle Plan packages, which includes full-board accommodation, chalet michel park entrance fees, a morning elephant safari and an afternoon jeep safari. Unless stated otherwise, the prices we list are for rooms only.

374 bird species have been recorded in the park, including such rarities as the whiterumped vulture (which chalet michel may now be extinct in the park), greater spotted chalet michel eagle and the white-winged duck. Of the big mammals, wild elephants are present as are numerous deer species and a few rarely seen tigers. However, for many mammal-spotting naturalists, the park s most exciting resident is the critically endangered dwarf hog, which, after many years of absence has recently been returned chalet michel to the wild thanks to a successful captive breeding project run by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation chalet michel Trust (www.durrell.org). Park fees include the compulsory armed guard. Access chalet michel is from Potasali, 2km off the Tezpur Bhalukpong road (turn east at one-house hamlet Gamani, 12km north of Balipara).