Exploring India Following the Path Less Traveled

For the adventurous willing to follow the path less traveled, this list of places in Northeastern India might intrigue the traveler in you with some basic information to help prepare your itinerary.

Not as well known to those not from the Northeastern part of India, the destination offers a variety of excursions. The seven states of this region, better known as the Seven Sisters, include: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. These states are mostly hilly and exude a depth of natural beauty.

Assam serves as the gateway to the NE with Dispur as its capital whereas Guwahati serves as the travel hub. Daily flights are available from Delhi and Kolkata or you can even take a train to Guwahati to access any other place in NE. There are three main attractions in Assam: the Kaziranga National Park, Majuli – the biggest river island and Kamakhya, a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya and one of the oldest Shakti Pithas, is within Guwahati city limits. You can either take a bus or hire a taxi from the airport to get there. It will take you a couple of hours to offer puja at the temple and explore the surrounding attractions like the tortoise pond.

The Kaziranga National Park is a world heritage site and hosts two-thirds of the world’s great one-horned rhinoceroses. Around 200 kms from Guwahati, the park can be easily accessed by road through a car or bus. There are various resorts and guesthouses near the park where you can stay, but be sure to book ahead. Take an animal safari and explore the park on an elephant’s back. The park remains closed during the monsoon in India. Majuli is located on the river Brahmaputra, the only male river in India. You can reach Majuli from Guwahati by road and it has several budget accommodations available. Avoid going during the monsoons. Apart from the natural beauty, Majuli also has various religious sites.

Travel to the capital Itanagar from Guwahati by road, train or flight. The capital city has various attractions like Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Ita Fort, The State Museum, Ganga Lake, Polo Park and more. One of the major tourist attractions in this state is the town of Tawang offering great scenic beauty with Tibet to its north, Bhutan to its southwest and Sela range of West Kameng to its east. It houses various lakes and one of the oldest monasteries in India. Declared as a World Heritage Site, Ziro offers some of the best attractions in Arunachal Pradesh. While you are here, be sure to visit Talley Valley, fish farm and Wild Life Sanctuary. Both these places can be accessed by road from Itanagar with various budget places available for lodging.

Fly in or drive down to Imphal, the capital of Manipur, from Guwahati or from cities like Kolkata and Delhi. The Loktak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the NE is located just one-and-half hours drive from Imphal and is also known for floating phumdis. You can also pay a visit to the Imphal War Cemetery and explore the Women’s Market, a market run exclusively by women. Hotels that suit your budget are available to stay.

Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, is a three-hour drive from Guwahati and is a haven of natural beauty. You can stay at the one of the resorts on the banks of the Barapani or Umiam lake, 45-minutes drive from the city, if you are looking to enjoy some peace, tranquility and scenic beauty. While in Shillong, you can also visit the Shillong Peak and Elephant Falls or go boating on Wards Lake. A couple of hours drive from Shillong will get you to Cherrapunji, the place that receives the highest rainfall in the world, and spend a day or two exploring. The Double Decker Living Root Bridge, Mawsmai Cave, Nohkalikai Falls, Seven Sisters Falls and Eco Park are some of the area’s major attractions. Various resorts and hotels are available to provide a memorable tourist experience. On your back, you can also check out the Mawlynnong Village known to be Asia’s cleanest village. Another tourist draw here is the Dawki River, which is located a couple of hours drive from Shillong.

You can get to Kohima, the capital, by flight or bus from Guwahati or even take a train to Dimapur, a major city of the state. The best time to visit is perhaps the first week of December because that’s when the world famous Hornbill Festival is hosted. The festival first began with the intention of encouraging the different tribes of Nagaland to come together, but today serves as a major tourist attraction. Hosted at the Naga Heritage Village located 12 kms from Kohima every year from December 1-7. While there, you can also check out the Kohima War Cemetery among various other places.

The capital of Tripura, Agartala, is accessible via air, rail and road from Guwahati, Delhi and Kolkata. The locale boasts a range of temples and wildlife sanctuaries to visit. Ujjayanta and Neermahal are the two palaces of the Tripura royal family. Apart from that you can visit the Heritage Park and the Tripura government museum.

One of the most tourist friendly states in India, Ladakh, is still less explored. Though off late, it has become a popular biking destination. If you are the adventurous sort, then you can join one of the biking groups traveling to Leh to explore the place. For those who seek thrill at their own pace, Leh is accessible via air and road. Though, you have to book the trip far in advance specially for accommodations as the destination is not open to tourist all year round. The scenic beauty there is a cure for sore eyes.

Not many connect Bihar with Buddhism, but interestingly this is the place where the religion took shape. While Patna is the capital city, major tourist attractions of this state are in Bodhgaya. Apart from the ruins of the Nalanda University, Bodhgaya also houses the Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhi Tree, the Great Buddha Statue, Thai Monastery, Royal Bhutan Monastery, among others. You can easily spend three days in the city if you want to explore at your own pace. You can get to Patna by air or train from any of the major cities and then get to Bodhgaya by road or train. There are all types of accommodations available here.