Have you ever wanted to go to Bhutan but were put off by the high fees (which aren't really that high if you think about it being all inclusive but anyway)? Well you can go to Bhutan for free! But there is a catch. You need to a) go to India, b) visit Manas NP, and lastly c) ask/persuade your guide to take you across the border. The border is less than an hour from the park entrance near the park ranger quarters but there are no border guards, no passport checks, there is a small hut and an open gate so maybe it is used sometimes or it was used before. Okay for one this ain't Paro so you will not continue to the Tiger's Nest on this trip. Second you will not see much because the guide won't risk taking you far in.

To get to Manas I took the train from NJP after returning from Darjeeling. It takes a good 6 hours but I find the 2AC beds adequate to nap and have enough space to feel luxurious. The Indian police also eradicated the peddlers a couple of times and it was quiet for a bit. Once you reach Barpeda Road the world looks very suburbian. There are tuktuk lined up east of the station who probably expect to take people to Manas in January but not so much in November, and I am quite sure I was the only tourist in the park who came by train. The road up north got washed away at one point and is really bumpy and dusty. The driver had no problem with it and was happy to pick me up again the next day.

I chose to stay at the Musa Jungle Retreat. It was a bit more pricey than others but it gave me a clear picture of the jeep safari costs and not whatever the park website had, e.g. I have to pay pickup, 500 camera fee?? They charged me 200 for that instead. The rooms were also super comfortable, pattio space is huge with space for hanging clothes, naturally fenced off with low bushes, hot water shower, oh wait I'm reviewing the park!! The only option I got was a 3h private tour, and includes a driver/guide plus an armed guard (against aggressive animals or aggressive humans?)

Right, so Manas is actually two parts divided by a political boundary. The Bhutan side, Royal Bhutan NP, sounds better, and should be Bhutan's first WHS right now. It's almost like all the animals ran away up north. I hardly spotted anything on the Indian side. Sure, there was a rhino grazing at the park entrance but those can be found en masse at Kaziranga which ultimately is the better place to go. The park has had troubles in the past but maybe it should be reviewed if there is still enough criteria to keep it on as a WHS. Should the Royal Manas area be included it would maybe make sense again, but until then I can only recommend visiting the north area which for non-Indians is only officially done from Bhutan by a major tour including lengthy road trips.