Nameri is the gentle, green one, a forest along the Jia Bhoroli river in Assam, below the Arunachal hills, and it is one of the finest places in India to watch birds.
You do not drive here. You walk in with an armed forest guard, and you float down the river on a raft. You take the permit through the official Assam government site, sewasetu.assam.gov.in, and you arrange the walk and the raft at the Nameri eco camp. You come in the cooler months, mostly for the birds and the calm.
Who needs to book
You need a permit and a guide for every person who enters the forest. You cannot walk in on your own; a trained forest guard goes with each group, for your safety, because there are elephants and other wildlife. The raft trip is arranged at the camp with the forest team.
Walk and raft, in plain words
Nameri gives you two quiet joys. The nature walk takes you on foot through tall forest with a guard and a guide, where you move slowly and watch and listen. The river raft is a soft float down the clear Jia Bhoroli, with the Arunachal hills ahead, and you drift past sandbars where birds gather. Neither is a fast jeep safari. Both are about being in a beautiful place at a slow pace.
The birding
Nameri is famous for birds, and birdwatchers come from far for it. The star is the rare white winged wood duck, and you also look for hornbills, ibisbill on the river stones in winter, and many forest birds. Bring binoculars, come early, and keep quiet on the walk, because patience is rewarded here.
How to book, step by step
Open the official Assam government site, sewasetu.assam.gov.in, and take the permit for Nameri. Add each traveller with identity details, and give the correct nationality. At the Nameri eco camp, arrange the nature walk and the river raft with the forest team, and confirm your guard and guide. Reach the camp early, because the walks and rafts go in the cooler part of the day. Carry the same original identity you used for the permit.
What it costs
Your cost has a few parts: the entry permit and any camera fee, the guard and guide charge, and the raft charge. The forest department sets these, and the camp gives you the raft price. We do not print a fee we cannot see clearly on the official source, because these figures change. You will get a clear price at the camp before you go.
Documents you need
You need one government photo identity per traveller for the permit. Indians can use Aadhaar. Foreigners use a passport. Carry the same original to the camp, because staff match it to the permit.
Season, so you plan the right months
You get the best of Nameri in the cooler, drier months, from about November to April, when the river is clear and the birds are many. The monsoon swells the Jia Bhoroli and the forest closes to visitors. Plan for the winter window, and start early in the day for the walk and the raft.
Common mistakes to avoid
- The biggest mistake is expecting a jeep safari, because Nameri is a walk and a raft, not a drive. Do not try to walk in without a guard, because it is not allowed and not safe. Do not come in the monsoon, when the park closes. Do not rush; Nameri rewards a slow, quiet visit.
Questions people ask
Is there a jeep safari at Nameri?
No. You explore Nameri on foot with a guard, and by raft on the Jia Bhoroli river.
What is Nameri famous for?
Birds, above all the rare white winged wood duck, in a calm riverside forest below the Arunachal hills.
Where do I take the permit?
On the official Assam government site, sewasetu.assam.gov.in, and you arrange the walk and raft at the Nameri eco camp.
When is the best time?
From about November to April, the cool and dry months.
Is it safe to walk in the forest?
Yes, with a trained armed forest guard, who goes with every group.