7 Sisters Road Trip

26 Days

Discovery

Arunachal Pradesh - Assam - Manipur - Meghalaya - Mizoram - Nagaland - Tripura

Highlights

A complete tour of the Seven Sisters
A melange of landscapes, people, culture and art & craft
An experience to cherish for a lifetime

Overview
Itinerary
Map
Pictures

The seven states comprising of Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura (often called the Seven Sisters) make up the most geographically isolated and least visited part of India. Due to its inaccessibility from the rest of world, it has been fortunate enough to maintain most of its natural diversity and cultural heritage. Sharing international borders with China, Myanmar (Burma), Bhutan and Bangladesh, it has an unusually rich diversity of ethnic groups, languages, religions and landscapes.

You will start you journey in Assam, the gateway to the north-east, a state known for its breath taking scenic beauty, rarest flora and fauna, lofty green hills, vast rolling plain, mighty waterways and a land of fairs and festivals.

You will then proceed to Meghalaya, the “abode of cloud” and interact with the Khasis, a matrilineal society and also discover the living root bridges.

Back in Assam, you will explore the beautiful Kaziranga National Park famous for its one-horned rhino and endless fauna. Your trip will lead you to Majuli, one of the biggest river islands in the world and visit the vaishnavite satras.

Crossing the mighty Brahmaputra, you will head to Arunachal Pradesh, one of the most splendid, variegated and multilingual tribal areas of the world. This land, encompassing wide alpine geographical diversity and corresponding climatic conditions varying from tropical to temperate and Alpine, and a wide variety of wild life flora and fauna with concomitant life form, has now started gaining acclaim as a world biodiversity heritage spot.

Your journey continues to Nagaland, the land of the fierce head-hunters. Life in Nagaland is replete with festivals throughout the year as all the tribes have their own festivals, which they greatly cherish. They regard their festivals sacrosanct and participation in them is compulsory. They celebrate their distinct seasonal festivals with pageantry, colour, music and fanfare. Most of these festivals revolve round agriculture, which is still the mainstay of the Naga society.

You will then head to Manipur, the land of rich valleys surrounded by beautiful hills and lakes, a land of gentle people full of laughter and joy. You will also relax on the banks of the beautiful Loktal Lake.

The beauty of Mizoram lies in its unique harmony between man and nature. The clouds come to rest in the valleys, rainbows abound, small waterfalls gurgle past, greenery is all encompassing handicrafts are in plenty, the shawls are colourful, the markets exude cheer. Wherever one turns, a separate type of beauty unfolds and cheerful and innocent laughter is all pervasive.

Finally, you will proceed to Tripura, the ancient home of the Bodos and witness Unakoti unique sculptures.

This road trip will give you a complete understanding of the Northeast but is only meant for people with a taste for raw adventure. It is impossible to describe the nuances that make this area unique, challenging and interesting. Get to any one place and the result will be that you will return for more.

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Day 1

Arrival in Guwahati

Welcome at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Night in hotel.

Day 2

Guwahati - Shillong

In the morning, drive to Shillong, the state capital of Meghalaya. Explore the city. Night in hotel.

Day 3

Shillong - Cherrapunjee

After breakfast, drive to Cherrapunjee, where the sign 'the rainiest place on planet Earth' greets you. The road to Cherrapunjee through the East Khasi Hills winds through dense pine and oak forests, full of ferns and orchids. En route are dramatic gorges and ravines, waterfalls and limestone caves. After whole day of sightseeing, stay at hotel. Cherrapunjee is one of the wettest places on earth, and established a world record of an incredible 2 621 cm (1 032 in) of rain in 1861. It continues to record an average rainfall of 1 143cm (450 in) in the monsoon months of July to September.

Day 4

Cherrapunjee

Breakfast at the hotel. Today go for a trek (around 3000 steps) to the root bridge of Cherrapunjee with a local guide. You have the option of visiting the single decker bridge or unique double decker bridge. Picnic. Night in resort. The roots of a species of the Indian Rubber Tree are directed in the desired direction across the river, by passing them through hollowed out betel nut trees. These then take roots in the soil once they reach the desired destination. These bridges are so strong that they can carry the weight of 50 or more people at a time. Also known as the “Umshaing Double Decker Root Bridge”, this bridge is unique, a one of its kind in the entire world.

Day 5

Cherrapunjee - Kaziranga NP

Early breakfast. Long drive to Kaziranga National Park. Night in hotel/resort.

Day 6

Kaziranga NP

In this delightful day, you will embark on thrilling jeep safaris which will go deep inside the wilderness of the national park, through grasslands and teeming forests. There are four forest belts in Kaziranga, namely Agoratoli (eastern range) which is primarily dense forest, Kohora (central range) grasslands and home to majority of the rhinos, Bagori (western range) has mixed grasslands and forest and the offbeat Burapahar range which has a hilly forested terrain. Apart from the jeep safaris in the forest ranges and wildlife corridors, visitors can also enjoy a river safari at the confluence of Dhansiri and Brahmaputra rivers to spot the river dolphins, aquatic species, migratory wetland birds and also perhaps the tiger! Night in resort. Kaziranga NP is a World Heritage Site, home to more than 75% of the world’s total population of the Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceros. It is on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra River. Besides Rhino, the Asiatic Water Buffalo numbering over 1200, elephants over 1000, tigers more than 120, Swamp deer, Barking deer and Hog deer can be seen. About 400 species of birds are also found: Swamp Francolin, Kalij Pheasant, Grey lag Goose, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Shoveller, Northern Pintail, Streak Throated Woodpecker, Bay Woodpecker, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Great Hornbill, Osprey, Palas’s Fish Eagle, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Pied Falconets, Lesser Adjutant Stork, Greater Adjutant Stork, Black necked Stork, Grey-headed Lapwing, Indian White Backed Vulture, Long Billed Vulture, along with a large number of Spotted Billed Pelican.

Day 7

Kaziranga NP - Jorhat

After breakfast drive to Jorhat. Afternoon visit the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary or the villages nearby. Night in hotel.

Day 8

Jorhat - Majuli

After breakfast, drive to Neematighat and take a boat cruise to Majuli (1 or 2 hrs upstream boat cruise - the time depends upon the water level of the river) - one of the largest inhabited river island in the world and famous for the Vaishnavite Satras or monasteries and its culture. E nroute there is a possibility of sighting flocks of migratory water birds and the Gangetic River Dolphin. Visit the monasteries and interface with tribes on the island. Overnight in bamboo hut. Majuli Island is a World Heritage Site located in the Brahmaputra River. The island has long served as a monastic retreat for the Vaishnavite community and is noted for its beautiful rural setting and the traditional Assamese and Mishing tribal architecture. On arrival, you will be transferred by road to a monastery, en route pass through both Assamese and Mishing Villages - the Mishing houses are typified by being built on stilts and their ‘long house’ style of design. At the monastery you will be given an orientation tour of the monastic cells and temple. These Satras were set up by Srimanta Shankerdev, the leader of Vaishnavite revivalism in the 16th Century. These are active and nurture the traditional dance form ‘Satriya’ (which is the 5th nationally recognized dance form other than Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali and Manipuri), music and crafts (mask- making), besides religious teachings.

Day 9

Majuli - Ziro

Morning take a ferry ride across Brahmaputra river to arrive at North Lakhimpur and drive to Arunachal Pradesh. Shifting from plains to hills will bring a change in the weather and make the temperature cool down. Night in hotel.

Day 10

Ziro

After breakfast, drive to the Shiv Mandir and then come back to the valley. After that you can visit the high altitude fishing farms where they grow fishes in the paddy fields. Then visit Hong and Dutta (Apatani villages) and the craft centre where you could do some shopping as well. Drive up to the view point near old Ziro and enjoy the view of the valley from top. Night in hotel or homestay. We recommend you to opt for the services of a local guide in order to get a real taste of the Apatani lifestyle. Please contact us.

Day 11

Ziro - Daporijo

Morning visit Apatani villages and later on proceed for Daporijo enroute visiting Tagin and Hill Miri villages (now a days they are also called Nyishi). Night in hotel.

Day 12

Daporijo - Along

Morning drive for Along. En route, visit of the tribal villages. The main tribe of this area is Adi Gallong. Rest of the day, visit the local market and museum. Night in hotel. The Adis are quite a number of tribal groups, scattered over the Siang districts and the Lower dibang valley district of Arunachal. One of the most striking features of the Adi society is its highly organised political institution represented by the kebang.

Day 13

Along - Pasighat

Today morning leave for Pasighat enroute visiting more tribal villages. On arrival, check-in at your hotel. In the evening, sightseeing of Pasighat town. Night in basic hotel. Pasighat is the oldest town of Arunachal Pradesh. The town was established in 1911 by the British. Pasighat is situated on the banks of the river Siang and is at a height of 152 m from the sea level. Its population is almost 23,000.

Day 14

Pasighat - Dibrugarh

Drive upto Oryamghat where we enter Assam to take the ferry across the braided flow of the Brahmaputra. Keep an eye out for freshwater dolphin during the winter months! After reaching the other side of the Brahmaputra, drive to Dibrugarh. Evening walk around town. Night in hotel. The river Brahamaputra is the confluence of the Siang and Lohit river of Arunachal Pradesh.The ferry service Pasighat to Dibrugarh is a lifeline for this tribe Located in the upper northeast corner of India, Dibrugarh is well connected with the rest of India. Dibrugarh is famous for tea. It has the world’s largest area covered by tea gardens.

Day 15

Dibrugarh - Mon

Post breakfast we drive to Sibsagar to visit the Ahom monuments and temples which encompass the 600 year old history of the Ahom Dynasty. After crossing the Assam-Nagaland border, we encounter some hilly terrain. Night in guest house.

Day 16

Mon

Visit of Longwa village of Lower Konyak Tribe, on International Border or India and Myanmar (Burma). Later on visit the Shanhah Chingnyu village, where still you might find the Human Skulls kept as a Head Hunting Memory of the Naga Group. Night in guest house. Situated at an altitude of 900 m Mon is the land of the Konyaks (One of the fiercest tribes in the world). Even though there is a legal administrative system, but actually it is ruled by tribal chiefs called Anghs (locally known as ‘Wang’ meaning the beginning of everything). Mon is the only district in Nagaland to have this unique institution of Anghship. The word of his is law in these parts. His succession is hereditary in nature. The Konyaks believe that they were direct descendants of Noah, for they have Biblical names like Mosa, Kaisa, Aron and so on. The konyaks are famous for their tattooed faces, blackened teeth and barbaric practice of Headhunting.

Day 17

Mon - Mokokchung

After breakfast, drive to Mokokchung, home of the Ao Tribe. Overnight at basic hotel/guesthouse. Mokokchung – this picturesque town is the cultural and administrative centre of the Ao Nagas. The prowess of the Ao warriors is reflected in gorgeous red and black shawls with the white decorated band that signified their victory over their enemies. Visit Aliba village to see the largest log drum. Their valour is reflected in the gorgeous hand- woven woollen shawls. It is situated at an altitude of 1325 m. above sea level. Visit Mopungchukit village and its Museum. Visit Longkhum, an important village with interesting handicraft centre. “Spring Villa” – a museum is another add on to the trip where one can absorb the art and culture of the Aos.

Day 18

Mokokchung - Kohima

After breakfast, we will proceed to Kohima. Enroute, you can visit Wokha, the Lotha and Angami tribe belt and Tuophema Tourist Village. Evening free at leisure. Night in Hotel. Perched at 1450 m above sea level, Kohima, famous for turning back the Japanese invasion during World War II, is the capital of Nagaland and a cosmopolitan town of the different tribes.

Day 19

Kohima - Imphal

After breakfast drive to Imphal through Kigwema, Jakhama, Viswema-Khuzama-Mao villages. You will be amazed by the spectacular landscapes in a New World. Arrive Imphal and check into your hotel for overnight stay. The people and tribes of Manipur include Meities, Naga and Kuki-Chin-Mizo groups and other colourful communities, which have lived n complete harmony for centuries. These are the propel whose folklore, myths and legends, dances, indigenous games and martial arts, exotic handlooms and handicrafts, are invested with the mystique of nature and an indefatigable 'joie de vivre'. Andro Village is famed for its fireplace which is never allowed to get extinguish. 27 km towards east of Imphal is the ancient Scheduled Caste village of Andro, there is one Cultural Complex established by the Mutua Museum, Imphal. It consists of potteries of the North Eastern Region of India. There is a 'Doll-House' where dolls of 29 recognised tribes of Manipur (both male and female) are in display.

Day 20

Impal - Loktak - Imphal

In the morning, depart for Moirang. It was here that the flag of the Indian National Army was first unfurled on April 14th, 1944. Visit the INA Museum and the centre of Meitei folk culture. Later continue to Keibul Lamjao National Park which is the only floating National Park in the world on the Loktak Lake. Relax at Sendra Island. Road back to Imphal. Night in hotel. Loktal is a saucer shaped fresh water lake that attracts many species of birds. Part of it forms a rare ecosystem. This huge and beautiful stretch of water is like a miniature inland sea. From the tourist Home, set atop Sendra Island, visitors can get a bird’s eye view of the lake and the life on it: the fisherman and their families who live in neat huts on its shores.

Day 21

Imphal - Aizawl

Morning visit War Cemeteries, commemorating the memories of British and Indian soldiers who died during the Second World War, these cemeteries are managed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Serene and well maintained, the graves carry little stone markers and bronze plaques recording the sacrifice of those gallant soldiers. Early afternoon, transfer to the airport to board the flight for Aizawl. On arrival, transfer to the hotel for check-in. Night in hotel. The road between Imphal and Aizawl is in really bad condition and accommodation really basic. In order to avoid any bad surprise, we will fly to Aizawl.

Day 22

Aizawl

Whole day sightseeing including State Museum, Handlooms and Handicrafts centre and traditional Mizo tribal village around Aizawl. Night in hotel.

Day 23

Aizawl - Kailashahar

Drive to Kailashahar. In the afternoon, visit of Unakoti beautiful sculptures. Night in basic hotel.

Day 24

Kailashahar - Agartala

After breakfast, road to Agartala, state capital of Tripura. Afternoon at leisure. Night in hotel.

Day 25

Agartala - Udaipur - Agartala

Excursion to Udaipur. On the way, we will visit the fantastic Neermahal Palace which is situated in the middle of a lake. After lunch, we will visit the Reange Villages for a cultural show and to see the tribal people. Night in hotel. Udaipur is a small town of Tripura and famously known as lake city of Tripura. Famous Mata Bari Temple is located here where they conduct animal sacrifices to please the goddess. It was the old capital of Tripura.

Day 26

Departure from Agartala

Transfer to the Agartala airport and flight to Guwahati. End of our services.