Assam Tour Packages

About Assam

Assam sits along the Brahmaputra in the North East. It is green, quiet and still far less crowded than the usual hill stations, which is exactly why people who have done the standard circuits keep coming back to it. The distances are manageable, the roads are decent through the dry months, and most of the trip is spent between a national park, a river island and a tea estate.

Kaziranga National Park holds the largest population of the one horned rhino, and jeep safaris run there through the season across the Central, Western and Eastern ranges. Majuli, the river island, has the Vaishnav satras and the mask making village at Samaguri. Guwahati has the Kamakhya temple and the river sunset cruise, and the tea estates around Jorhat and Dibrugarh take bungalow guests who want to see how tea is picked and processed.

November to April is the working season, with Kaziranga open from roughly November to April and closed through the monsoon. Bihu in mid April is the big festival and the whole state slows down for it. We plan the flights, park permits, safaris and the estate stays together so you are not booking safari slots on your own after you land.

Best places to see

• Kaziranga National ParkA grassland and wetland park on the south bank of the Brahmaputra, best known for the one horned rhino, wild buffalo and swamp deer. The early morning jeep safari, starting around sunrise, gives the best sightings and the softest light.
• Kamakhya Temple, GuwahatiOne of the most important Shakti shrines in the country, set on Nilachal hill above the city. Go early in the morning to avoid the long queue, and keep Ambubachi in June in mind if you want the festival.
• Majuli IslandA large river island reached by ferry from Nimati Ghat, with Vaishnav satras where monks still perform dance drama. A full day is enough for the main satras and the mask making workshop at Samaguri.
• Brahmaputra sunset cruiseA short evening cruise from Guwahati past Umananda island, timed for sunset on the water. Pleasant and easy, and a good first evening after a morning flight.
• Jorhat and Dibrugarh tea estatesWorking estates with colonial era bungalows that take guests. Morning is the time for a walk through the gardens and the factory, when plucking and processing are both underway.
• SivasagarThe old Ahom capital, with the Rang Ghar pavilion, the Talatal Ghar palace and the tank the town is named after. Best in the late afternoon when the heat drops.
• Hoollongapar Gibbon SanctuaryA small forest near Jorhat and the only home of the hoolock gibbon in India. A guided morning walk is the way to see and hear them.
• Umananda and the Guwahati river frontThe small island temple in the middle of the Brahmaputra, reached by a short boat ride, with golden langurs on the island. Late afternoon suits it best.

Suggested itinerary

• Day 1 Arrive Guwahati, transfer to the hotel, Kamakhya temple in the afternoon and a sunset cruise on the Brahmaputra.
• Day 2 Drive to Kaziranga, about five hours, with a stop on the way. Check in and rest, evening at leisure.
• Day 3 Morning jeep safari in the Central range, afternoon safari in the Western range, tea and a cultural evening at the resort.
• Day 4 Drive to Jorhat, visit the Gibbon sanctuary, check in at a tea estate bungalow and walk the gardens.
• Day 5 Ferry across to Majuli for the satras and the mask making village, return to Jorhat for the night.
• Day 6 Day trip to Sivasagar for Rang Ghar and Talatal Ghar, back for the night at the estate.
• Day 7 Drive or short flight to Guwahati, shopping for Assam silk at Pan Bazaar, departure.

What is included

Best season

November to April is the season. Kaziranga stays open from about mid November to mid April and is shut through the monsoon, so a park visit is not possible in the rains. December and January are cool and dry with the best sightings, March and April are warmer and green, and mid April brings Bihu. The monsoon from June to September floods large parts of the plains.

Good to know

• Safari slots and park permits are limited in season and are booked in advance, so fix your dates early.
• Carry light woollens for December and January mornings, and a cap and sunglasses for the open jeep.
• Wear muted colours on safari, and leave bright plastic and loud speakers behind.
• Roads in the North East are slower than the map suggests, so plan four to six hours of driving between bases rather than long hops.
• Try the local thali with khar, tenga fish curry and pitha, and buy tea directly from an estate if you want the good leaf.
• Mobile network drops inside the park and in parts of Majuli, so tell family in advance.

Planning and cost

Flights or trains, hotels, transfers and sightseeing are arranged together by our team. Every plan is made for your dates and your group, so the cost is quoted after we know what you want. Price on request.