Rhino country and the cloud plateau, in one trip
Assam and Meghalaya sit next to each other and could not be less alike: one is a flood plain of grassland and tea, the other a limestone plateau in permanent cloud. Doing both in one trip is the single best-value week in the North East.
Kaziranga holds roughly two thirds of the world population of the greater one-horned rhinoceros, in grass that grows taller than the jeep. Sightings are not a matter of luck here so much as a matter of which range you drive.
Then up onto the Meghalaya plateau for the waterfalls, the root bridges and the Umngot river. Eight days, one vehicle, two completely different landscapes.
This is the plan as we would run it. Days can be swapped, dropped or added — say what you want changed and we will rebuild it before you pay anything.
Day 1
Met at the airport. Kamakhya Temple on the hill above the city, the Assam State Museum if there is time, and a sunset cruise on the Brahmaputra, which is a genuinely enormous river and best understood from the middle of it.
Day 2
East along the Brahmaputra, about four and a half hours through tea country. Check in at Kohora, and take the afternoon jeep safari into the Central range, which is the classic grassland drive and the one with the highest rhino count.
Day 3
The elephant-back safari goes out at first light into grass that a jeep cannot enter, and it is the closest you will get to a rhino. Afterwards, breakfast and a slow morning. Afternoon jeep safari into the Western range at Bagori, which is wetter and better for water birds, pelicans and more rhino.
Elephant safari slots are allocated by the forest department in small numbers. We book as early as we can and the charge is only taken if a slot is actually allotted.
Day 4
A long drive south and up onto the plateau, around six hours, with a stop at Umiam Lake as the road climbs. Shillong by evening.
Day 5
Elephant Falls, Shillong Peak, the Don Bosco Museum and Ward Lake in the morning; Laitlum Canyons in the afternoon for the drop into the valley.
Day 6
South to Sohra, two hours along the escarpment. Nohkalikai Falls, the Seven Sisters falls, Mawsmai cave and Arwah cave, and the Eco Park at the edge of the plateau with Bangladesh below.
Day 7
Down to the Umngot river at Dawki for the boating, then Mawlynnong village and the single-decker living root bridge at Riwai. Back up to Sohra in the evening.
Day 8
Off the plateau to Guwahati, about four and a half hours from Sohra. Book flights after 3 pm.
Hotels are named on your written itinerary before you pay. The properties below are the ones we normally use in this band; if one is full on your dates we substitute a hotel of the same standard and tell you which, rather than leaving you to find out at check-in.
One private vehicle from Guwahati airport and back, for the whole eight days. Safaris are run in forest-department jeeps with a department guide, as required.
Up to 4 travellers normally ride in a Wagon R, Swift Dzire or similar; 5 to 7 in an Innova, Xylo or Scorpio; 8 and above in a Tempo Traveller or a second vehicle. On the North Sikkim and Silk Route legs the vehicle is always a Bolero, Sumo or Scorpio, because that is what those roads take.
Your written confirmation carries the exact advance, the balance date and the cancellation schedule for your trip. Those numbers, not this page, are the ones that apply. Full terms are on the booking conditions page.
General questions: permits, seasons, packing and how to get here
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Fill this in and we will come back with a proper day-by-day itinerary for your dates, with named hotels and one all-in price. No payment is taken at this stage and nothing is confirmed until you say so.
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Dates, how many of you, and anywhere you have your heart set on — that is enough for us to start. You will get a day-by-day plan with named hotels and one all-in price, in writing, before you pay anything.
