chalets unlimited The town s best hotel is the Hotel Heritage (%2301839; Solicitor Rd; s/d from 478/588; a), which has

374 bird species have been recorded in the park, including such rarities as the whiterumped vulture (which may now be extinct in the park), greater spotted 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 to the wild thanks to a successful captive breeding chalets unlimited project run by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (www.durrell.org). Park fees include chalets unlimited the compulsory armed guard. Access is from Potasali, 2km off the Tezpur Bhalukpong road (turn east at one-house hamlet Gamani, 12km north of Balipara).

Only 40km from Guwahati, this small national park has the highest concentration of rhinoceros chalets unlimited in the world. Entrance fees are the same as Kaziranga National Park (see p 561 ). Getting into the park involves a boat ride over the river boundary to the elephant- mounting chalets unlimited station. From there it s a one-hour trip atop an elephant lumbering through boggy grassland and stirring up petulant rhinos.

The town s best hotel is the Hotel Heritage (%2301839; Solicitor Rd; s/d from 478/588; chalets unlimited a), which has well-maintained rooms, obliging staff and old-fashioned character. Nearby is the New Park (%2300725; Solicitor Rd; s/d from 687/880; a), which is a big new hotel with small but tidy rooms and hot showers.

Eastern and central Meghalaya are mainly populated by the closely chalets unlimited related Jaintia, Pnar and Khasi peoples, originally migrants from Southeast Asia. Western Meghalaya is home to the unrelated Garo tribe. Despite chalets unlimited their different ethnic backgrounds, these two groups use a matrilineal system of inheritance with children taking the mother s family name. A good time to be in Meghalaya is when the four day, state-wide, Wangala festival takes place. This Garo harvest festival is renowned for its impressive traditional dancing.