Things to do in North East India

In continuation with the earlier post on top things to do in North East India, which appeared on Indian Holiday's travel blog, we bring to you some more ideas on planning your holidays in North East, one of the most pristine and culturally rich regions in India.

For inspirations’ sake Let us begin with a wonderful quote

“A good traveler has no fixed plans and does not intent on arriving”- Lao Tzu

A visit to ‘The Land of Seven Sisters’ will certainly make you believe that this is true. With handful of population and several remote regions, it is often considered as the tribal region of India.

There are wonderful treks to verdant jungles & Himalayas, natural caves, cascading waterfalls, living root bridges, spectacular Buddhist monasteries, abundant wildlife and the thriving culture that makes North East India one of the best and relatively unexplored destinations to go for holidays in India.

Although the mountainous scenery is arresting, the northeast region remains the least visited part of India. Internal conflicts between communities in North East India, along with its sensitive location bordering Bhutan, China and Myanmar, remain an issue.

Avoid visiting North East during monsoon as the region is lashed by heavy rain. You could plan a visit to North East for summer holidays and these days this region is also becoming a popular destination for honeymoon in India. During winter, you could experience snow too at some of the high altitude destinations. Several treks could be undertaken in North East as well as road trips if you are an adventure enthusiast.

Here are 10 more things to do in North East India for a fulfilling vacation

The Nohkalikai Falls - India’s Tallest Plunge Waterfall, Cherrapunji

Nohkalikai Falls - The tallest plunge waterfall in India

One of the most beautiful and photogenic falls in India, the Nohkalikai Falls tumbles down from a height of 335 meters. It is just a 10 minute drive from the main town of Cherrapunji. The fall is located at another blunt end of the plateau. From the periphery of the cliff, the waterfall appears like a large white rope in a sea of green forests. Ironically, every beautiful place got its popularity after a sad story.

A woman named Ka Likai remarried a man but her second husband became jealous for treating her daughter with so much love, perhaps more than him. One day while she was away at work, her husband cooked the girl and served it to her. After she finished her food, she started looking out for her baby girl. She looked everywhere, but sadly she found only a little finger of her daughter in a betel nut basket. Heartbroken to know what her husband did, she jumped off the fall and the fall came to be known as “Nohkalikai”, which is literally translated as ‘Jump of Ka Likai’.

The entry fee for Nohkalikai Falls is Rs. 10.

Kaziranga National Park - Exclusive Indian Home to One-Horned Rhinoceros

Kaziranga National Park in Assam - A UNESCO inscribed World Heritage Site

If you are a wildlife enthusiast, visiting Kaziranga National Park is definitely one of the top things to do in North East India for you.

Nestled on the South Bank of Brahmaputra River in Assam, Kaziranga National Park is the single home of One-horned Rhinoceros, located in the Golaghat and Nagaon district of Assam.

The park is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The landscape encompasses tall green grass, marshland and dense tropical moist broadleaf forests. There are several water bodies in the park, which serves as a promising site for wildlife exploration.

The best time to visit the Kaziranga National Park is between November and April.

Flora of Kaziranga National Park

The national park boasts of a quite rich and diverse flora. The park is mainly covered by dense and tall elephant grass. These beautiful swamplands feature a wide cover of lotus, water lilies and water hyacinth. Large mass of semi-evergreen fore are the vegetation that breaks the monotony of these grasslands.

Fauna of Kaziranga National Park 

Home to around 1,855 one-horned Rhinos, the Kaziranga National Park houses their highest population in the world. The animals found here include Indian Elephants, Jungle Cats, Capped Langurs, Wild Boar, Jackal, Wild Buffalos, Pythons and Monitor Lizards.

[Plan your trip to Kaziranga National Park]

Kisama Heritage Village - Naga Culture on Display, Nagaland

Kisama Heritage Village - Apart from the traditional tribal architecture and galleries.

Designed in the form of an ancient Naga Village, Kisama Heritage Village offers an authentic feeling of true Naga Village and the experience of travelling back in time. After converting into Christians, Nagas have abandoned most of their tribal culture and traditions.

It is only recently that they are trying to revive their past. The annual festival of Naga tribes, Hornbill Festival, is celebrated here with various Naga tribes converging for a weeklong cultural, dance and sporting bash. It is now organized by the State Tourism of Art and Cultural Departments every year from December 1 to December 7.

Temi Tea Garden- The Only Tea Garden in the North-East, Sikkim

Temi tea garden is one of the famous hill stations of Southern Sikkim.

The Temi Tea Garden, established in 1969 by the Government of Sikkim, is located in South Sikkim in the northeastern part of Sikkim. It is the only tea garden in Sikkim and considered one of the best in India.

The garden is laid over a gradually sloping hill. You will be mesmerized to see the sight of the lush tea gardens with its tea pickers and winding roads. The total area of this Tea Garden is spread over approximately 435 acres.

It employs around 450 people and produces 100 matrix ton of tea annually. Temi Tea Garden has been awarded with the ‘All India Quality Award’ by the Tea Board of India for 2 consecutive years.

[Plan your Holiday in with these Sikkim Tour Packages]

Kangla Fort - Rediscover the History of Manipur, Manipur

Kangla fort is an old palace at Imphal in Manipur.

Once the seat of Meitei rulers, Kangla Fort is a famous edifice situated on the banks of Imphal River. This beautiful, partly in ruins fort, serve as an entrance to the rich heritage of Manipur and its culture. It is situated in the heart of Imphal city and the pride of Manipur.

It is encompassed by greenish-blue moats on all sides and dotted with plethora of giant trees. It is one of the holiest spots for the Meetei community of Manipur.

In 1891, Kangla Fort came under the British occupation, when they conquered this ancient capital of Manipur, and Assam Rifles occupied it in 1947.

Colored with numerous mind-enthralling anecdotes and myths, Kangla Fort has the power to charm locals and tourists alike. Besides, on the southern side, there is a museum, which houses many interesting artifacts relating to Manipur’s history.

Best Time to Visit: September to April is the best time to visit Kangla Fort. However, at present restoration, work is in progress and hence entry to majority of sites in the palace is restricted.

Ptso Lake - Picnic Spot of Tawang Residents, Arunachal Pradesh

Ptso Lake is one of the most popular tourist places to visit in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh

A visit to North East India is incomplete without visit to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. This place is fast emerging as one of the popular off the beaten path places to visit in India and one of the places for summer holidays in India.

Perched at an altitude of 4100 meters, PTso Lake, also known as Lake Pankang Teng Tso, is one of the major attractions in Tawang besides the Twang monastery. The name Pankang Teng Tso Lake is derived from Pankang Tree whose log was collected by the Tibetan Government until the year 1914.

The lake lies on the strictly unavailable Tawang-Lhasa road. The same road houses the famous ‘Taktsang Monastery’, founded by Guru Padmasambhava in the 8^th century. This lake is immersed in beauty and splendor of Mother Nature.

Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit Lake Pankang Teng Tso is from April to October. These are summer months and therefore all the attractions remain open. During summer season, the temperature is low and weather is pleasant.

[Also check out 5 more places to visit in India in summer]

Seven Sisters Waterfalls - The Perfect Namesake of North-East Indian States

Seven Sister Waterfall is one of the must visit places in Sikkim

Located 32 kilometers away from Gangtok, on the North-Sikkim highway, the Seven Sisters Waterfalls is often seen in three distinct tiers. It is a small footbridge built over the river to provide clients a scenic locale for photography session. A further climb up the steps leads to another breathtaking view of the waterfalls. A must see picturesque beauty of nature. Tourism department has built a waiting shed and cafeteria where visitors can enjoy a break and shoot pictures.

Visiting Hours: The visiting hours for Seven Sisters Waterfalls are between 08:00 hrs to 17:00 hrs.

Entry Criteria: The entry to Seven Sisters Waterfalls is free for all visitors.

Talatal Ghar - Largest Ahom Monument, Assam

Talatal ghar is a famous historical monuments of Assam

Talatal Ghar is the largest among Ahom monuments and was initially built as an army base. It is located near Rang Ghar and was built by Rajeswara Singha. It has three underground storey’s (closed for tourists) and four above the ground. The ground floor features store rooms, servant quarters and stables, while the upper floors were built for the royal family. It has been built with bricks and features an arched door that resembles Mughal architectural style.

There are two secret underground tunnels that connect to Dikhow River and underground palace respectively. They were used as routes to escape enemy attacks. Besides, tourists can also explore ammunition store known as ‘Khar Ghar’ situated close the palace.

[Plan your Holiday in with these AssamTour Packages]

Bihu Dance Festival - Energize Your North-East Trip

Bihu, the celebration of harvest season is the official state dance of Assam and representative of its culture

When it comes to National festivals of Assam, Bihu certainly tops the chart. The festival is celebrated in the month of mid-January (Maagh Bihu), April (Bohaag Bihu) and mid-October (Kaati Bihu). These festivals are known as Bohang Bihu, Maagh Bihu and Kaati Bihu. The seven day festival is marked by traditional Bihu dance. During the performance, tourists are served with rice & beer.

It is the folk dance of Assam and is clear vision. These dances are mainly performed during rituals and religious ceremonies of a particular community. Most of these performances are dedicated to worshipping specific God of a specific community.

Unakoti Hills - An Ancient Shaivite Worship Place, Tripura

Unakoti hills is the famous archaeological place of Tripura

The literal meaning of Unakoti Hills is one less a crore in Bengali. The hill plays host to an ancient Shaivite worship place with stone idols and huge rock-cut images of Lord Shiva. It is the prime tourist spot of Unakoti district in the Kailashahar subdivision of Tripura. The hill dates back to the 7^th & 9^th century.

According to the regional people, there was a sculptor & potter named Kallu Kumhar. As per the belief of local tribals, all these images were carved by Kallu Kumhar. He was a devotee of Parvati and wanted to accompany Shiva and Parvati to their abode on Kailash Parvat. On Parvati’s persuasion, Shiva put a condition in front of Koti to sculpt a Koti image of Lord Shiva in a single night. There are various stone as well as rock-cut images at Unakoti.

Contributed by Ashish Gupta

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