STUFF

Trip organisation. The trip was expertly organised by Jo Thomas of Wild About Travel. Jo will tailor the trip to your needs. I cannot speak too highly of Jo's organisation, care and attention. We paid Jo approx £1550 per person for organising the trip. This included accommodation, meals, transport, services of guide and driver etc Both Abid (guide) and Kanik (driver) are highly recommended. Flights....see below.
Flights. We flew BA direct Heathrow to Delhi and took a Spicejet flight to Guwahati. Total cost both flights was £620 per person. Try and get a seat on the left hand side on your outbound flight to Guwahati and you might just see Mount Everest!
Tourist visas and restricted area permits - you will need both. We got great pre-travel advice from Jo Thomas who looked after our Restricted Area Permits via Peter Lobo in India. We got our visas in the end from Trailfinders but you can also get them yourselves online from the Indian Embassy. This can be a protracted process so do your research, start several months before your trip and before filling in the form ..... stock up on the paracetamol!
Stay healthy. Check.... in good time for the latest advice on vaccinations, anti-malarials and health recommendations with a site like MASTA. Are you OK with altitiude? The top of the Sela Pass is 13700 feet and the campsites at Eaglenest are around 8000 feet. Don't forget any medication. Take out travel insurance and check it covers you for the areas you intend to visit. Only drink bottled water.
Money - we changed GBP into rupees at the airport in Delhi. Not sure we went anywhere (outside Delhi) where we could have used a credit or visa card. The only things we spent money on were bottled water, beer, snacks/chocolate, tips and small incidental purchases, such as Assam tea to bring home! At the end of the trip we donated our remaining rupees to sponsor a child to attend a school in Kaziranga NP where Abid was a governor.
Getting around. The drive to the top of the Sela pass, is not for the faint hearted and will take you ALL DAY with a very early start. Plan for problems. I wouldn't want to do it after heavy rain or in snowy or icy conditions! The tracks at Eaglenest are for the most part in good condition but there are one or two hairy moments if you are of a nervous disposition! Our driver Kanik was safe and we never once felt that he was going too fast or not driving with necessary care and attention.
Take with you - clothes for the lowland heat around Kaziranga and also for the Himalayan cold (snow possible). We took and used our own cosy sleeping bags, merino wool thermals and head torches at Eaglenest and Dirang. You can't charge up batteries at Eaglenest so have a few spares that are fully charged. We took mozzy nets but did not need them at this time of year.
Safety. Use your common sense! Don't wander off on your own in either Delhi or in the mountains or forests. Be very careful crossing roads.
If we were going again....and we'd like to! I'd go in late March or early April when some of the skulkers might respond better to the tape and therefore be easier to see. If you're not keen on camping at Eaglenest, then leave it out and spend more time at Nameri, Dirang and Kaziranga for a more chilled out trip!
Finally. No repsonsibility can be accepted for any inaccuracies or omissions. Read several other trip reports, get a Rough Guide and read it! The best advice is to get a professional like Jo Thomas to plan this trip for you!