Discover Assam and Shillong Northeast India – Research Trip

Wednesday 15th July – Siliguri, India – Guwahati

Morning

• Arrive at your convenience into Bagdogra Airport – serving the city of Siliguri, which is well connected to many cities within India, Paro in Bhutan, Kathmandu in Nepal, and Bangkok.
• Pre-tour meeting will be held at 11:00am at Siliguri Railway Station to discuss the tour itinerary and to meet your fellow travellers and YPT guide.
• For those joining from our Sikkim Forgotten Kingdom tour, we’ll have breakfast before beginning the 5 hour drive from Darjeeling to Siliguri. We’ll stop to get our provisions for the long train journey ahead!

Afternoon

• We start our 7 hour train journey towards Guwahati, boarding the train at 12:00pm.
• Take this time to enjoy the scenic journey through the plains of northern West Bengal and Assam. Watch tea estates, river valleys, and small towns pass by as the light changes across the landscape.
• Arrival in Guwahati at 7:00pm.
• We’ll go for dinner and drinks, sampling Assamese cuisine, where you can try the everyday dish of Assam, Masor Tenga (Assamese Sour Fish Curry).
• Overnight in our hotel in Guwahati.

Thursday 16th July – Guwahati

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• For those arriving into Guwahati Airport, which is well connected to a mix of domestic Indian cities and a few international countries, such as Bhutan, Singapore, and Thailand, you’ll be greeted by someone from our team at the airport and transferred to the hotel for pre-tour meeting at 10:00am. 
• Visit Kamakhya Temple for a darshan, perched on Nilachal Hill, one of Assam’s most important spiritual sites, famous for its ancient rituals and tantric legends.
• Take a boat ride to Umananda Temple on Peacock Island in the Brahmaputra River, the lifeline of Assam, vast and mighty, it nourishes the land and fuels the local economy.
• We’ll explore the Assam State Museum (Kalashetra Museum). It’s the best place to understand Assam’s history and culture. You’ll see ancient coins, manuscripts, tribal artifacts, traditional masks, musical instruments, and sculptures to understand how the region has lived and grown.

Afternoon

• Stop for a local lunch, where you can try more of the local Assamese dishes, including the famous Assam pork cooked with bamboo shoot curry.
• Pre-tour meeting will be held at 1:00 pm in the hotel lobby to go over the itinerary and meet your fellow travellers.
• Dinner and drinks at a local spot highlighting traditional Assamese flavours.
• Overnight in our hotel in Guwahati.

Friday 17th July – Shillong

Morning

• Early breakfast at hotel
• We’ll start our 5 hour drive to Shillong, often called the “Scotland of the East,” famous for its rolling hills and colonial-era architecture. On the way, we’ll stop at a scenic lake for photos and a quick stretch.

 Afternoon

• Visit Elephant Falls, a series of three-tiered waterfalls just outside the city.
• Head to Shillong Peak, the city’s highest point, for panoramic views of the surrounding hills, made even more special when clouds drift through the valleys below.
• Explore the Air Force Museum, home to vintage aircraft and memorabilia showcasing India’s aviation history.
• Then visit the Wards Lake, an artificial lake right in the middle of the city, and the Botanical Garden, where you can find some exotic plants.
• Evening drinks and a short walk in the downtown area, taking in Shillong’s colonial architecture and pub scene.
• Overnight in Shillong.

Saturday 18th July – Cherrapunji

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Start our 3-hour drive to Cherrapunji, in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district, as we leave Assam Behind. Stop at Mawkdok Dympep Valley, a viewpoint in one of the world’s wettest places, to take in waterfalls and deep gorges.
• Explore Seven Sisters Falls, seven separate streams, said to symbolize the seven celestial sisters of Khasi folklore. And Nohkalikai Falls, the tallest plunge in India, and the Wah Kabe Falls, considered sacred by some, where people often leave offerings in the pool at its base.

Afternoon 

• Visit Arwah and Mawsmai Caves, two of Meghalaya’s famous limestone caves. Arwah is dotted with stalagmites and stalactites, while Mawsmai is tight, winding passages and shimmering rock formations.
• Optional adventure activities, including boating or local guided walks.
• Dinner and drinks in Cherrapunji, where you can try local Khasi specialties like Jadoh (spiced rice with meat), Dohneiiong (pork cooked with black sesame), and fresh river fish.
• Overnight in Cherrapunji.

Sunday 19th July – Cherrapunji Trek

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Full-day trek to Tyrna Village and Double Decker Living Root Bridge (approx. 3500 steps up and 3500 down). Tyrna is a Khasi village, home to an indigenous people known for their matrilineal society, traditional homes, and deep connection with the forest. Along the trail, you’ll pass dense forest, streams, waterfalls, and reach the Double Decker Living Root Bridge, a bridge grown from the roots of rubber trees. It’s the only two-level root bridge in the area that’s strong enough to walk on.

Afternoon

• Lunch by the waterfalls in the village.
• We’ll visit the Rainbow Falls, where the cascading water often catches the sunlight to create a rainbow, offering stunning views and photo opportunities.
• For those not trekking, you can explore the surrounding village, visit local markets, and enjoy nearby viewpoints.
• Dinner and drinks for our last night in the quite quaint town of Cherrapunji.
• Overnight in Cherrapunji.

Monday 20th July – Mawlynnong – Shillong

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit Mawlynnong Village, voted Asia’s cleanest village in 2003, with well-kept streets and flower-lined paths. Nearby, we’ll explore the Living Root Bridge, perched over a deep, rocky gorge, where you can see the natural balancing rock formation. You’ll get the chance to spot the Indo-Bangladesh border from the village viewpoint.

Afternoon

• Drive to Dawki in the West Jaintia Hills, a quiet gateway to Meghalaya’s border region with Bangladesh.
• We take a boat ride on the crystal-clear Umngot River to the Bangladesh border at Tamabil. The water is so transparent that you can see the riverbed, as well as the fish. This is a traditional fishing village area, which supports those on both sides of the border. 
• Return to Shillong with a scenic drive through the lush valleys, waterfalls and more. There will be lots of chances for photo stops. 
• Dinner and drinks in Shilling Town.
• Overnight in Shillong.

Tuesday 21st July – Shillong – Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• We’ll start our 7-hour drive to the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the eastern region of Guwahati. Renowned for hosting one of the largest populations of Indian one-horned rhinoceroses. We’ll stop for photos and lunch on the route.

Afternoon

• Check into our hotel or homestay.
• We’ll enjoy a relaxed walk around the nearby village, taking in the rural atmosphere and experiencing local life.
• Dinner and drinks at a local restaurant.
• Overnight in our resort next to Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.

Wednesday 22nd July – Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary – Guwahati

Morning

• Trip highlight – accompanied by a knowledgeable local guide, we’ll tour the area around the park and the nearby jungles to see the one-horned rhinoceros in its natural habitat. In addition to rhinos, the sanctuary is home to wild buffalo, wild boar, Asiatic elephants, several species of deer, and an impressive variety of birdlife.
• We head to the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra River, one of Asia’s great rivers and the lifeline of Assam. Stretching wide across the plains, its powerful waters shape the region’s landscape and agriculture.

Afternoon

• Transfer to Guwahati, enjoying the last views as the tour comes to an end.
• Farewell dinner and drinks in Guwahati, the capital of Assam, with our local hosts treating us to an Assamese feast.
• Overnight in Guwahati.

Thursday 23rd July – Guwahati

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Tour concludes. YPT can assist with onward transport to Guwahati Airport or railway stations for onward travel.