North East for First-Time Foreign Visitors

Route: Arrive Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati; transfer to hotel

Your driver meets you at the airport and takes you to the hotel. Guwahati is the largest city in the North East and the main air gateway to the region. Most guests reach it through Delhi, Kolkata or Bengaluru.

If you land by early afternoon, the evening is for the Brahmaputra. A sunset cruise leaves from the city ghats and runs for about two hours. The river is very wide here, and in the dry season you can see sandbanks and fishing boats far out in the channel. If you arrive late, the cruise can move to the evening of Day 8.

Experience of the Day

• Airport pickup and hotel check-in

• Sunset cruise on the Brahmaputra

• First Assamese dinner

Food

Recommended: Paradise, a long-running Guwahati restaurant, for an Assamese thali.

Must-Try: Masor tenga, a light, sour fish curry, and khar, a dish made with an alkaline extract from dried banana peel.

Shopping

Assam tea, loose-leaf, from a tea shop in Fancy Bazaar or Paltan Bazaar.

Activities to Do

1. Rest after the flight

2. Brahmaputra sunset cruise, if you arrive in time

Route: Guwahati to Kaziranga (Kohora), about 200 km, 4.5 to 5 hours by road

The road runs east along the Brahmaputra plain through rice fields and small towns. Tea gardens start to appear as you get close to Kaziranga. Lunch is at the lodge.

The afternoon jeep safari starts around 1:30 pm in the Western range at Bagori. This range has the highest density of rhinos in the park, and the open grassland makes them easy to see. Water buffalo, swamp deer and hog deer graze around the same lakes.

Kaziranga became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. The 2022 census counted 2,613 greater one-horned rhinos here, about two-thirds of all that live in the wild.

Note on safaris

Jeep safaris run in fixed slots: morning from about 7:00 am and afternoon from about 1:30 pm, each up to two hours. The forest department sets routes and slots, and sightings are never guaranteed. Elephant-back rides are offered at the park, but this plan uses jeep safaris only.

Experience of the Day

• Drive through the Brahmaputra plain

• First jeep safari in the Western range

• Evening at the lodge

Food

Recommended: Lunch and dinner at your lodge, most of which serve Assamese dishes alongside continental food.

Must-Try: Duck with ash gourd, a traditional Assamese dish, where the lodge kitchen offers it.

Activities to Do

• Western range jeep safari (about 2 hours)

• Walk in the lodge grounds or a nearby tea garden

Route: Kohora (Central range) and Agaratoli (Eastern range)

The morning starts in the Central range at Kohora, the park's main gate. The track runs through tall elephant grass to open lakes, where rhinos and wild buffalo come down to drink in the early light.

Kaziranga looks the way it does because of the Brahmaputra. Every monsoon the river floods most of the park. The flood leaves fresh silt, and the silt feeds the tall grass that rhinos, buffalo and deer eat. The same flood is why the park closes from June to September. It is also why the rhinos are here in such numbers: the grassland renews itself every year.

The afternoon safari goes to the Eastern range at Agaratoli. It is quieter, with large wetlands. Spot-billed pelicans nest here, and the range is a favourite with birdwatchers.

Experience of the Day

• Dawn safari in the Central range

• Afternoon safari in the Eastern range

• Birdwatching on the Eastern wetlands

Food

Recommended: Dinner at the lodge.

Must-Try: Assam tea, taken with milk or plain, from the gardens around the park.

Activities to Do

• Central range jeep safari

• Eastern range jeep safari

• Midday rest at the lodge

Optional Nearby Excursions

• Kaziranga Orchid and Biodiversity Park near Kohora, between safaris (allow 1 to 2 hours)

• A short tea-garden walk near the park, when a garden is open to visitors

Route: Kaziranga to Shillong via Nagaon and Jorabat, about 255 km, 6 to 7 hours by road

The road runs west across Assam to Jorabat, then climbs south into Meghalaya. The air cools as you gain height. Shillong sits at about 1,500 metres, and pine forest replaces the rice fields.

Stop at Umiam Lake, a large reservoir about 15 km before Shillong, for a view over the water and the hills. You reach the city by late afternoon.

In the evening, walk around Police Bazaar, the busy centre of town. Shillong has a strong live-music culture, and several cafés have bands on weekend nights.

Note on the long drive

This is the longest road day of the trip. The highway is good, and the driver plans a tea stop and a lunch stop. Assam and Meghalaya have had occasional border tensions in some districts. BizareXpedition checks local conditions before the drive.

Experience of the Day

• Climb from the Assam plain into the Khasi Hills

• Umiam Lake viewpoint

• Evening in Police Bazaar

Food

Recommended: Trattoria in Police Bazaar, a small, well-known spot for Khasi food.

Must-Try: Jadoh, red rice cooked with pork, and dohneiiong, pork cooked with black sesame.

Shopping

Police Bazaar for Khasi woven shawls and Meghalaya's local Lakadong turmeric.

Activities to Do

• Drive to Shillong

• Stop at Umiam Lake

• Walk in Police Bazaar

Route: Shillong to Mawlynnong, Riwai and Dawki, and back to Shillong, about 200 km round trip

The road runs south to the edge of the Khasi Hills, above the plains of Bangladesh. The first stop is Mawlynnong. In 2003 Discover India magazine called it Asia's cleanest village. Every house keeps a bamboo bin at the gate, plastic bags are banned, and the village council sets the rules.

A short walk away is the Riwai living root bridge. It is a single span over a stream and an easy walk for most guests.

The day ends at Dawki on the Umngot river, right on the Bangladesh border. In the dry season the river carries very little silt. The water turns so clear that you can see the stones on the bottom, and the boats look as if they are floating in the air. In the monsoon the same river runs brown and fast. A short boat ride on the Umngot is included.

Note on visiting villages

Mawlynnong and Riwai charge a small village entry and parking fee, which is included. These are lived-in homes. Ask before photographing people, and use the bamboo bins for any litter.

The Human Story

Mawlynnong's rules are set by the village council and followed by families on their own. Children help sweep the lanes, and the bamboo bins are woven by people in the village. Tourist income goes to families who run the homestays and small kitchens.

Experience of the Day

• Mawlynnong village walk

• Riwai living root bridge

• Boat ride on the Umngot at Dawki

Food

Recommended: A simple Khasi lunch at a village kitchen in Mawlynnong.

Must-Try: Fresh pineapple and local oranges sold by the roadside in season.

Activities to Do

• Village walk in Mawlynnong

• Short walk to the Riwai root bridge

• Umngot boat ride

Optional Nearby Excursions

• Sky View, a bamboo platform in Mawlynnong with views towards Bangladesh

Route: Shillong to Cherrapunji (Sohra), about 55 km, 1.5 to 2 hours plus stops

Start at the Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures in Shillong. Its seven floors cover the peoples of the North East: their dress, tools, weapons and faiths. It is the best single introduction to the region you will get.

The road to Sohra runs across open grassland on the plateau. Stop at the Mawkdok viewpoint over the Dympep valley. Cherrapunji once held the world record for the most rain in a single year, set in 1860 to 1861. Nearby Mawsynram now records more rain on average, but the Sohra plateau is still one of the wettest places on earth.

In the afternoon, see Nohkalikai Falls, one of the tallest plunge falls in India, then walk through the lit passages of Mawsmai Cave. End the day at the Seven Sisters Falls viewpoint if the light is good.

Note on Mawsmai Cave

The cave has narrow, low sections where you need to bend or squeeze through. It is lit and short. Skip it if you do not like tight spaces; the falls viewpoints are nearby.

Experience of the Day

• Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures

• Mawkdok viewpoint over the Dympep valley

• Nohkalikai Falls

• Mawsmai Cave

Food

Recommended: Orange Roots in Sohra, a popular vegetarian restaurant on the main road.

Must-Try: Pumaloi, a steamed rice cake eaten with Khasi curries.

Shopping

Sohra's market for local honey, cinnamon and bay leaf.

Activities to Do

• Museum visit in Shillong

• Viewpoints on the Sohra plateau

• Walk through Mawsmai Cave

Optional Nearby Excursions

• Arwah Cave, a quieter limestone cave with fossils in its walls (allow 1.5 hours)

Route: Sohra to Tyrna by car (about 30 minutes), then on foot to Nongriat and back

From Tyrna, about 3,500 stone steps lead down through forest and villages to Nongriat. On the way you cross streams on steel suspension bridges, and then the double-decker root bridge at Umshiang: two spans of living roots, one above the other.

The Khasi grow these bridges from the aerial roots of the rubber fig tree. The roots are trained across a stream, often through the hollow trunk of an areca palm, and left to grow. It can take 15 years or more before a bridge is strong enough to use. The usual explanation for why the Khasi build them is the rain. Timber rots fast in one of the wettest places on earth, but a living bridge keeps growing, and it gets stronger with age. The double-decker at Nongriat is thought to be about 200 years old.

In 2022 the living root bridges were placed on UNESCO's tentative list for World Heritage status, as Jingkieng Jri. Nongriat village has natural pools below the bridge, and the walk back up is the hard part of the day.

Note on fitness

The trek is steep and the steps can be slippery. Going down is easy; coming back up is hard work, about 1.5 to 2.5 hours of climbing. Wear shoes with good grip. If the trek is not for you, the Riwai root bridge on Day 5 is an easy alternative, and the day can be spent at viewpoints and falls around Sohra instead.

The Human Story

Nongriat's families still use the root bridges every day to reach their fields and the next village. The guides on the trail are mostly from the villages below Tyrna, and the homestays in Nongriat are run by local families.

Experience of the Day

• Descent through Khasi villages to Nongriat

• Double-decker root bridge at Umshiang

• Natural pools below the bridge

Food

Recommended: A packed lunch, or a simple meal at a Nongriat homestay kitchen.

Must-Try: Local tea and a snack at the small shops along the steps.

Activities to Do

• Trek to Nongriat with a local guide

• Swim in the pools, if you wish

• Rest on the way back up

Optional Nearby Excursions

• Rainbow Falls, about 1.5 to 2 hours further on from Nongriat, for strong walkers who start early

Route: Sohra to Guwahati, about 150 km, 4 to 4.5 hours by road

The road returns through Shillong and down to the Assam plain. You reach Guwahati by early afternoon.

Kamakhya Temple stands on Nilachal Hill above the city. It is one of the most important Shakti Peethas, temples to the goddess, in India. The inner shrine has no idol. Worship centres on a rock in the form of a yoni, kept wet by a natural spring. The present temple was rebuilt in 1565 by the Koch king Nara Narayan.

Queues can be long, and the inner shrine is dark and crowded. Your guide will explain what is happening and where you can and cannot go. The view over the Brahmaputra from the hill is worth the visit on its own.

Note on Kamakhya Temple

Kamakhya is an active place of worship. Animal sacrifice is part of the tradition here. Dress modestly, remove shoes before entering, and follow the temple's photography rules. Your guide can arrange a visit to the outer complex only, if you prefer.

Experience of the Day

• Drive down from the Khasi Hills

• Kamakhya Temple on Nilachal Hill

• Views over the Brahmaputra

Food

Recommended: Dinner at your hotel or an Assamese restaurant in the city.

Must-Try: Pitha, Assamese rice cakes, often filled with coconut or sesame.

Shopping

Assam silk: muga (golden) and eri (soft, warm) silk from a government emporium or a silk shop in the city.

Activities to Do

• Drive to Guwahati

• Guided visit to Kamakhya Temple

• Evening at leisure

Route: Fly Guwahati to Bagdogra (about 1 hour 5 minutes), then drive to Gangtok, about 125 km, 4 to 5 hours

A morning flight takes you west from Guwahati to Bagdogra, near Siliguri in West Bengal. Your Sikkim driver meets you at arrivals.

The road follows the Teesta river up into the hills. At Rangpo you enter Sikkim, and your Restricted Area Permit is checked. The river runs green and fast below the road, and the air gets cooler as you climb to Gangtok at about 1,650 metres.

In the evening, walk MG Marg, Gangtok's pedestrian main street. It is clean and car-free, with cafés and shops on both sides.

Note on the Sikkim permit

Every foreign national needs a Restricted Area Permit to enter Sikkim. It is free. BizareXpedition applies for it before you travel, using your passport and Indian visa details. Keep your passport with you on this drive.

Experience of the Day

• Flight across the North East

• Teesta river drive into Sikkim

• Evening on MG Marg

Food

Recommended: Taste of Tibet on MG Marg, a long-standing spot for momos and noodle soups.

Must-Try: Momos and thukpa, a Tibetan noodle soup.

Activities to Do

• Flight to Bagdogra

• Drive to Gangtok

• Walk on MG Marg

Route: Gangtok to Rumtek (about 24 km) and back, with city sightseeing

Rumtek Monastery sits on a hillside across the valley from Gangtok. A monastery stood here from the 18th century. When the 16th Karmapa, head of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, left Tibet in 1959, he found it in ruins and rebuilt it. The new monastery was inaugurated at Losar in 1966. A golden stupa inside holds his relics.

Back in Gangtok, visit the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology. Its museum holds old manuscripts, thangka paintings and ritual objects. Then walk around Do Drul Chorten, a white stupa ringed by prayer wheels.

Finish at Enchey Monastery, above the town, or at a viewpoint facing Kangchenjunga if the sky is clear.

Note on Rumtek

Rumtek has armed security at the gate, a result of a long dispute over the Karmapa succession. Carry your passport for the check. Photography is not allowed inside the prayer hall.

The Human Story

Many of the monks at Rumtek and Enchey are young novices who study, eat and pray together. Prayers happen at set times, and visitors are welcome to sit quietly at the back.

Experience of the Day

• Rumtek Monastery and its golden stupa

• Namgyal Institute of Tibetology

• Do Drul Chorten and its prayer wheels

Food

Recommended: A Sikkimese meal at a local restaurant in town.

Must-Try: Gundruk, fermented leafy greens, as a soup, and sel roti, a ring-shaped rice bread.

Shopping

The Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom in Gangtok for Tibetan-style carpets, thangka paintings and carved tables.

Activities to Do

• Guided visit to Rumtek

• Museum at the Namgyal Institute

• Walk around Do Drul Chorten

Route: Gangtok to Tsomgo Lake and back, about 40 km each way

The road to Tsomgo climbs fast. It rises from about 1,650 metres at Gangtok to about 3,750 metres at the lake in under 40 km, past army camps and prayer flags. This is the old trade road towards the Nathu La pass and Tibet.

Tsomgo is a glacial lake held in by steep slopes. In winter it can freeze over and snow lines the road. Get there before noon, since cloud tends to come in during the afternoon.

The afternoon is free in Gangtok. You can ride the ropeway over the town or rest before the drive out tomorrow.

Note on Tsomgo permits and altitude

Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit for Tsomgo, arranged through a registered agency, and must travel in a group of at least two foreign nationals. Foreigners are not allowed beyond the lake to Nathu La. At 3,750 metres, walk slowly and drink water. Snow can close the road in winter; if it does, the day switches to monasteries and viewpoints around Gangtok.

Experience of the Day

• The climb from Gangtok to 3,750 metres

• Tsomgo Lake

• Free afternoon in Gangtok

Food

Recommended: Hot tea and momos at the stalls by the lake.

Must-Try: Butter tea, the salty Tibetan tea, if you want to try it.

Activities to Do

• Morning at Tsomgo Lake

• Gangtok ropeway

• Last evening on MG Marg

Route: Gangtok to Bagdogra airport, about 125 km, 4 to 5 hours by road

The road runs back down the Teesta valley to the plains. Your driver drops you at Bagdogra airport for your onward flight. Bagdogra has direct flights to Delhi, Kolkata and other major cities.

Experience of the Day

• Last views of the Teesta valley

• Airport drop at Bagdogra

Food

Recommended: Breakfast at the hotel before you leave.

Must-Try: A packet of Sikkim or Darjeeling tea for the journey home.

Activities to Do

• Drive to Bagdogra

• Onward flight