Hoollongapar Gibbon WLS

1 dayBest: Nov–MarForests#hoolock gibbon#canopy#primate

Home of the hoolock gibbon

Why this weekend?

Hoolock gibbonsCanopy walkwaySlow loris

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The day-by-day plan

Day 1 · The ape forest
- 6 am dawn entry
- Gibbon chorus
- Canopy trails
- Macaque loop
- Midday departure

Geography & terrain

Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary — the Gibbon forest — is a 21-sq-km moist evergreen patch in Jorhat district's tea country, 25 km from Jorhat town, its tall hollong trees sheltering India's only apes, the hoolock gibbons.

History & culture

Reserved as a forest in 1881 for railway timber and declared a sanctuary in 1997, the patch survives as an island of evergreen forest inside a sea of tea; its fame rests on hosting the eastern hoolock gibbon and the record counts of macaque species that share the strip with India's only ape population.

Where to stay

Budget

₹1,500–3,500/night

Mid-range

₹3,500–7,000/night

Comfort

₹7,000+/night

Things to do

Hoolock gibbons
Dawn duets
Macaque species
Hollong canopy
Evergreen silence

Eat & drink

Duck curry with khar
Masor tenga (sour fish)
Aloo pitika
Pitha (rice cakes)

Getting there

Fly: Guwahati (GAU)
Train: Guwahati & Dibrugarh junctions
Road from Guwahati: varies by district — 50–550 km
Getting around: City buses, autos, shared sumos

Budget snapshot

Total: ₹6,000–12,500 (1 days)
Per day · Stay: ₹1,500–7,000/night
Per day · Food: ₹600–1,000
Per day · Transport: ₹1,200–1,600
Per day · Activities: ₹2,500–2,900

Month by month

Jan · Best: 7–23°C · Light rain
Feb · Good: 10–26°C · Light rain
Mar · Good: 14–30°C · Moderate rain
Apr · Hot: 18–32°C · Moderate rain
May · Pre-monsoon: 21–33°C · Heavy rain
Jun · Monsoon: 23–32°C · Heavy rain
Jul · Monsoon: 24–32°C · Heavy rain
Aug · Monsoon: 24–32°C · Heavy rain
Sep · Monsoon: 23–32°C · Heavy rain
Oct · Good: 18–30°C · Moderate rain
Nov · Best: 12–27°C · Light rain
Dec · Best: 8–24°C · Light rain

Practical info

Language: Assamese (Hindi/English common in towns) (English understood in tourist spots)
Best window: Nov–Mar
Connectivity: good 4G in towns
UPI/cards widely accepted; keep small cash for hill and market stops

Practical tips

The gibbons sing at first light — the 6 am entry is non-negotiable
The forest is small and quiet; the guides know every tree
Carry a light tripod — the canopy light collapses by noon

Frequently asked questions

Why is this sanctuary special?

It holds India's only apes — the hoolock gibbons — plus record primate diversity in a single small forest.

Will I hear the gibbons?

Almost surely at dawn — their duet is one of India's great forest sounds.

How long is the visit?

The dawn hours are the season; most visitors leave by mid-morning.