You can see rhinos, migratory birds, dolphins, and experience Assamese village life — all with a beautiful view of the Brahmaputra River.
Setting the Scene
The Rhino and River Wildlife Retreat & Spa truly lives up to its name. Before you even reach the resort, you may spot rhinos near the road — I saw three! Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is small but has India’s highest number of one-horned rhinos in one area, so sightings are almost guaranteed. The Brahmaputra River flows right behind the resort.
The drive from Guwahati airport takes about 1.5 hours through fields, villages, and landmarks celebrating singer Zubeen Garg. The resort is located next to Mayong village, famous for its old stories of white and black magic. Locals still talk about its magical past.
When you enter the resort, you see tropical gardens, cozy cottages, soft lighting, and hear relaxing flute music. There’s no front desk — all formalities are done in advance so guests feel relaxed from the start.
Backstory of the Resort
The 5-acre property originally belonged to the Assam tourism department. While the cottages were built, the resort was never fully opened. Now, under new owners and management, the place has been brought to life again. They restored the riverbank, added gardens, a spa, recreation room, dining area, pool, and a kitchen garden.
The Rooms
The cottages follow traditional Assamese style. Everything inside supports local artisans — notebooks made from water hyacinth, handmade snacks, and napkins woven locally.
There are 16 log-hut cottages with gabled roofs. The dining area has a mix of old Assamese charm and modern design. Since the river floods in monsoon, the cottages are built on stilts — and you can even catch fish from your walkway!
The river is the main attraction. From the balcony, you see the Brahmaputra and a few cows, nothing else. Small thoughtful touches stand out, like a wooden tic-tac-toe game and terracotta room name plates shaped like rhino skin.
Food and Drinks
The Assamese dishes are a highlight. When the resort didn’t have a kitchen, they loved the food from a small eatery nearby so much that they hired the lady who cooked there. Now, she works with Chef Ashish Rana.
The restaurant offers Indian, Asian, and Western food, but the Assamese dishes are special. They use local ingredients in creative ways —
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khar is served as a dip,
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pitika becomes an arancini ball,
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black rice is used as a salad.
Meals come with homemade pickles. The bar serves global cocktails with local spirits — even their “margarita” has rice wine and bhut jolokia chilli.
The Neighbourhood
Step outside the resort and you’re in Mayong village. You’ll see goats, women weaving gamosa towels, and farmers working.
Mayong was once famous for magic (tantra-mantra). Some old manuscripts are now displayed in the local museum, showing ancient scripts and objects once used in magic rituals.
Local bezes (traditional healers) still live in the area. One elderly bez says he specialises in curing snake bites and has seen ancient mantras in action.
Service
Half the staff are from nearby villages. They are friendly, warm, and thoughtful. They even arranged a special bamboo-cooked pork meal from a local eatery because they found out I liked pork. The service feels personal and caring.
Accessibility
The resort is on flat land and wheelchair-friendly, though some boat or elephant activities may be difficult for people with mobility issues.
Activities
The resort offers:
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village walks
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bird watching
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river cruises
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cultural performances
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rice wine–making sessions
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jeep and elephant safaris
The elephant safari gets you closest to rhinos. The park has over 100 rhinos, plus wild buffaloes, boars, pangolins, and migratory birds in winter.
You may even spot the rare Gangetic dolphin in the river.
One evening, the staff arranged a small riverside picnic on a sandy island — we watched the sunset while drinking tea. It felt magical, without any magic spells needed.
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