Assam [India], October 13: Manas National Park in Assam is now home to around 12 black leopards, according to Sunil Basumatary, the in-house naturalist at Musafir Jungle Resort, and the local guides and trackers who work the park every day. With black cubs born in 2026, the number is expected to keep rising.
For the 2026–27 season, Musafir Jungle Resort is taking the lead in introducing these black panthers to the world, with safaris led by its own trackers and custom itineraries for photographers and travellers.
Musafir has already hosted a black panther photography workshop by Fujifilm, led by Bengaluru-based wildlife photographer and Fujifilm X-Ambassador Rajharsha Narayanswamy. Next, wildlife filmmaker and YouTuber Rohan Patkar, whose channel has more than 19.9 lakh subscribers, brings his team to Musafir for the Black Panther 5.0 Expedition from 27 to 31 October 2026.
A black panther is not a separate species but a leopard with a black coat, a variation known as melanism. For years, Kabini in Karnataka was India’s best-known black leopard site, famous for a single cat. Manas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Bhutan border and one of India’s hidden gems, has a breeding population: a mother was seen with two black cubs in 2026, and in July the Assam Chief Minister’s Office shared footage of the “Ghost Rider at Manas”.
“Kabini made India fall in love with one black panther. Manas has a family of them,” said Rishav Guhathakurta, co-founder of Musafir Jungle Resort. “We believe Manas is now the best place in India to see a black leopard. We want the world to meet them the right way: with trackers who have given their lives to these cats, and an itinerary built for each guest. We will never promise a sighting, but we can promise people who know this forest.”
“Having spent countless hours tracking the black panther, I’ve realised it’s not just about the sighting anymore. It’s about understanding its movements, respecting its unpredictability, and knowing that even after all these visits, the forest still has the power to surprise me,” said Rajharsha Narayanswamy, wildlife photographer and Fujifilm X-Ambassador.
Tracker-led black panther safaris and workshops
Musafir’s in-house trackers read pugmarks and alarm calls, know the trees the cats use, and start each drive in the Bansbari range, minutes from the resort gate, where most sightings happen. Photographers get tailor-made itineraries and workshops with drive slots chosen for the light; travellers and families can join the four-night Black Panther Expedition or shorter tracker-led safaris.
Manas is about five to six hours by road from Kaziranga, so many travellers now visit both: rhinos at Kaziranga, then the black panthers of Manas. Sightings are rare and never guaranteed. Manas National Park is open from October to May. To join the Black Panther 5.0 Expedition or plan a black panther safari, visit www.musafirresort.com or WhatsApp +91 81230 12999.
