Kisama, near Kohima
Hornbill Festival, Nagaland
Ten days in December when the Naga tribes gather at Kisama — dance, song, food and craft, with village visits around it.
5 – 6 days ex Dimapur Explore
Meghalaya, Assam & Nagaland
Northeast India
Living roots and river islands
Best time to visit
October to April
Ideal duration
7 – 10 days
Good for
Adventure · Wildlife · Mountains · Family
Overview
Living roots and river islands
The northeast is where India gets genuinely remote. Meghalaya alone holds the wettest places on earth, root bridges grown across rivers, and limestone caves that go on for kilometres.
Most first trips combine Meghalaya with Assam: Shillong and Cherrapunji for the gorges and waterfalls, then Kaziranga for rhino country and a tea estate on the way back. Roads are slow, distances deceptive, and the payoff is that you will barely see another itinerary like yours.
Why visit
What makes Northeast India worth the journey.
01
Living root bridges
Ficus roots trained across streams over decades — the double-decker at Nongriat is a full day of walking.
02
Kaziranga
Grassland and one of the densest populations of one-horned rhino anywhere, best seen at first light.
03
Mawlynnong and the clean villages
Khasi villages built around bamboo waste systems, communal gardens and genuine local hospitality.
04
Majuli
The river island on the Brahmaputra, with satras, mask-makers and almost no traffic.
Best time to visit
Northeast India, season by season.
In short: October to April.
October – November
Clearest months
Rain has stopped, waterfalls are still full and visibility across the gorges is at its best.
December – February
Cool and dry
Comfortable days, cold nights and the best window for Kaziranga safaris.
March – April
Spring
Orchids in bloom, warm afternoons and thinner crowds before the rains return.
May – September
Monsoon
Extraordinary rainfall in Cherrapunji. Landslides are frequent and many treks are unsafe.
Photographs of Northeast India
In Northeast India
Where to stay and what to do in Northeast India.
Shillong, Meghalaya
Cherry Blossom Music Festival, Shillong
Autumn in Shillong, when the Himalayan cherry trees bloom pink and the city fills with music — with Sohra and the root bridges alongside.
5 days ex Guwahati Explore
Something else in Northeast India?
These are the stays and trips we publish. Most journeys we run are built from scratch — tell us the days you have and what you want out of them.
Build a custom routeTravel tips
Practical notes for Northeast India.
- 01
Inner Line Permits are required for Arunachal Pradesh — we arrange these in advance.
- 02
Roads are slow. Assume an average of 35–40 km/h when planning a day.
- 03
The Nongriat descent is roughly 3,000 steps each way. Good shoes are not optional.
- 04
Carry cash. Card acceptance drops off quickly outside Shillong and Guwahati.
FAQ
Northeast India questions we get asked.
How do we get to the northeast?
Guwahati is the main gateway, with direct flights from Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Shillong is a three-hour drive from the airport.
Is the root bridge trek difficult?
It is a steep stepped descent and climb, around five to six hours round trip. Manageable at a steady pace if you are reasonably fit, but not suitable for weak knees.
Which permits do we need?
Meghalaya and Assam need none for Indian citizens. Arunachal Pradesh requires an Inner Line Permit, and foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit — both handled by us.
Can Kaziranga and Meghalaya be combined?
Yes, and it is the trip we recommend most. Seven days covers Shillong, Cherrapunji, Dawki and two nights at Kaziranga comfortably.
Keep exploring
Other regions worth a look.
Start your journey
Plan a trip to Northeast India.
Tell us your dates and how you like to travel. We will come back with a route and an indicative cost within a working day.