Trip to Shillong (DSI-108)

Transfer from Guwahati airport/railway station to Shillong en route visit Umium Lake. Shillong became the first capital of the State of Meghalaya. Located in undulating pine covered hills, the city has a milder climate than tropical India. The city centre is 1496m above sea level and currently has a population of around 270,000. Home to several waterfalls, it is also known as the Scotland of the East. The British legacy is still visible in the architecture and food habits of the population. Overnight at Shillong.

Breakfast at the hotel and drive to Cherrapunjee. Cherrapunji in Meghalaya is one of the wettest places on the planet and the only place in India to receive rain throughout the year. The town of Cherrapunji is nestled in the East Khasi Hills about 50 km southwest of the state’s capital, Shillong. Cherrapunji, also known as Sohra or Churra, means ‘the land of oranges’. The cliffs of Cherrapunji also offer stunning views of the plains of Bangladesh. Visit to Arwah Cave, Nahkhalikai Falls, Mwasmai Cave, Seven Sister Falls, Dainthlen Waterfalls and Eco Park and Wei Sawdong Waterfalls. Return back to Shillong en route visit Elephant Falls. Overnight at Shillong.

Breakfast at the hotel and drive to Tezpur. Little more than a utilitarian stopover for travellers journeying into Arunachal Pradesh or Upper Assam, Tezpur is a charming town with some beautifully kept parks, attractive lakes and enchanting views of the mighty Brahmaputra River as it laps the town’s edge. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast drive to Dirang. Dirang is an almost picture-perfect Tibetan – Monpa stone village marred only by the main road. Above the picturesque stone houses rises a steep rocky hill topped with Old Dirangs Gompa and several walls. Overnight at Dirang.

After breakfast drive to Tawang. Enroute witness the snowcapped Sella Pass at 14000 ft and the Jaswant Garh War Memorial. (Legend has it that Jaswant (Mahavir Chakra Awardee (Posthumous) of 4th Batallion Garhwal Rifles), fought a lone battle against the invading Chinese during the 1962 war. His spirit is still believed to protect the place). Tawang is situated at an altitude of 3500m. The natural beauty and solitude of Gudpi and Chong-Chugmi ranges, Tawang chu River and Tawang Valley are mesmerizing. The inhabitants of the districts are all of Monpa tribes except Shyo village which is dominated by people of Tibetan Origin. Overnight at hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Proceed for sightseeing of 400 years (17th century) old Tawang Monastery which is the second largest monastery in the world after Potala Palace in Tibet. The building is about 113 feet long and 80 feet wide and houses valuable antiquities, books and manuscripts-handwritten and printed. Later visit Tawang War Memorial, a 40 foot high multi-hued memorial, has a structure constructed in stupa design. Dedicated to the martyrs of Sino-Indo War held in 1962, this memorial is nestled among beautiful peaks, which overlooks the Tawang-Chu valley.  Rest of the day free to stroll round the streets of the town.  Overnight in Tawang.

Breakfast at the hotel and drive to Bomdila. Bomdila is the headquarters of West Kameng district located at the height of 8500 ft above the sea level. It has a lot of attractions for the tourists with its cool climate, Apple orchards, artistic people, snow-capped Himalayan peaks and Buddhist Gompas. The Buddhist monastery of Bomdila is the repository of culture.  Explore the town in the afternoon. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast drive from Bomdila to Kaziranga. Kaziranga National park is a world heritage site famous for the Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceros. The landscape of Kaziranga is of sheer forest, tall elephant grass, rugged reeds, marshes and shallow pools.  Kaziranga also has a good number of Tigers and is home to large breeding population of Elephants, Wild Water Buffalo and Swamp Deer. Overnight at hotel.

Early morning elephant ride at the park & return to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast visit Kaziranga Orchid & Biodiversity Park. Later Jeep Safari in the Central range of the park. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast drive from Kaziranga to Guwahati. The gateway to the northeast and the largest and most cosmopolitan city in the region, Guwahati serves as the starting block for most Northeast itineraries. It’s a somewhat featureless city – a prosaic heap of glass and concrete for the most part – but there are a scattering of interesting temples to explore. Walk its back alleys and old quarters, however, and you will be able to salvage a generous amount of local flavour that lingers amid its suburban sprawl of ponds, palm trees, small single-storey traditional houses and old colonial-era mansions. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast visit Kamakhya temple - The temple is dedicated to goddess Kamakhya an incarnation of Sati. It is on Nilachal hill, says the Shiva Purana, that the yoni or creative organ of Sati fell when Vishnu, in a bid to save the world from the Shiva’s tandava nrittya or dance of destruction, cut her dead body into 51 pieces with his suddarshan chakra. Also visit Navagraha temple, Umananda temple, Balaji Temple, state Zoo. Overnight in Guwahati.

After breakfast transfer to the airport/railway station in time for onward connection. END OF SERVICES