Northeast on Wheels

12 Days

Motorbike

Assam - Meghalaya - Nagaland

Highlights

Spot the one-horned rhino in Kaziranga
Discover the vibrant and colourful dances of various Naga tribes at the Hornbill Festival
Be spoilt by tribal hospitality
Be a pioneer rider in this area

Difficulty: Experienced Biker

Overview
Itinerary
Map
Pictures

When rumbling engines reach the hilly regions of Northeast India, the misty landscape welcomes every traveler with open arms. A bike trip in this region can offer one of the most adventurous mountain bike trips in India. Slanting hills and the narrow passes between them, snow covered mountains and the dense green forests can allure any biker for an adventurous motorcycle tour in India.

The North Eastern India comprises of seven different states that are popularly known as the ‘Seven Sisters’ of India. Most of the trip will comprise rough, hilly and rocky passes. While in Assam, this bike trip will offer the chance to witness the great Brahmaputra river valleys, endless rows of tea plantations and one-horned rhinos.

The journey will then proceed towards Nagaland offering a beautiful ride through dense forests, hilly regions and some of the toughest terrains. At the Hornbill Festival, we witness the traditional dance and songs of the colourful Naga communities.

Finally, the trip heads towards Meghalaya, also known as the ‘Abode of Clouds’ filled with hills and mountains. This part of the motorcycle trip has to pass through some of the most beautiful waterfalls and the living root bridge.

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Day 1

Arrival in Guwahati

Meet and greet at the airport, then transfer to the hotel. Today the bike will be allotted to you And your tour leader will brief you about the terrain, traffic and food that you will be getting while in the trip. Night in resort.

Day 2

Guwahati - Kaziranga NP

After breakfast ride to Kaziranga. In the afternoon, you can enjoy a jeep safari in the National Park of Kaziranga. Night in resort.

Day 3

Kaziranga NP - 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. Enroute 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. Night in bamboo hut.

Day 4

Majuli

Full day discovery of Majuli. Explore the satras, its dancing monks and Mishing villages. This day will also acquaint you with Majuli's textile heritage as you visit small weaving villages along the Brahmaputra river that are entirely sustained by this cottage industry. After interacting with the weavers, it will soon become evident that the sociocultural life of these communities are significantly expressed in their textiles and patterns. Continue on to visit a mask painters’ workshop and a potters’ village. Pottery is made by hand from beaten clay (not on potters’ wheels) and burnt in driftwood-fired kilns; this is said to be the same method used by the people of the ancient Harrappan Civilisation. In addition, if you are interested, Majuli Island is a bird watchers’ paradise; it is home to nearly one hundred species of birds, including many rare and endangered species, such as the greater adjutant stork, pelican and the whistling teal.Night in bamboo hut. Night in traditional bamboo hut.

Day 5

Majuli - Kohima

Morning take a ferry ride across Brahmaputra River to arrive at Nimatighat and drive to Nagaland. Shifting from plains to hills will bring a change in the weather and make the temperature cool down. Night in hotel.

Day 6

Kohima

After breakfast ride to Kisama Heritage Village to witness the Hornbill festival. Whole day at the festival. Drive back to Kohima for overnight stay. OR After breakfast, exploration of villages around Kohima (World War II Cemetery, State Museum, Catholic Cathedral, Sales Emporium for souvenirs and ethnic crafts, Gurtel shop, Belho Weavers, Naga heritage Complex at Kisama – Kohima, Heritage Museum and Crafts Centre at Khonoma). Night halt in Kohima. Kisama (Naga Heritage Village): the Hornbill Festival is a major event that take place within the confines of this heritage village that is about 12 kms from Kohima. It is a yearly feature held from 1st to 10th of December, where a visitor gets an opportunity to get a ring side view of the richness and uniqueness of the Naga heritage, its people and culture.

Day 7

Kohima - Haflong

Early breakfast, ride to Haflong, the only hill station in Assam. Night in hotel. Literally translating to 'White Ants Hillock' in Dimashi, the main language spoken there, Haflong is situated at an altitude of 680 m from the sea level and has been nicknamed the 'Switzerland of the East'!

Day 8

Haflong - Shillong

After breakfast ride to Shillong. We will be driving to the capital of Meghalaya through forests and bamboo groves. Night in resort. Shillong – is the state capital of Meghalaya known as 'the abode of clouds'. It is one of India’s prettiest states inhabited by the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo tribes. They are known for the matrilineal society, which governs lineage and ancestral inheritance through the female line. The State’s natural beauty and traditional uniqueness make it stand out from the other States in the region.

Day 9

Shillong - Cherrapunjee

After breakfast, ride 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. Night in resort. 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 10

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 and swim in natural pools. Night in resort.