Wild and remote, India’s northeast is a wildlife lover’s paradise boasting fine reserves and protected areas which provide sanctuary to some of the rarest fauna of the subcontinent.
From the spectacular parks of Dibru-Saikhowa and Dehing Patkai close to Arunachal Pradesh, the Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary home of the hoolock gibbon, world-famous Kaziranga National Park with its large population of Indian one-horned rhinoceros, isolated Nameri and Orang national parks and the exceptional birdwatching at Manas and Raimona where it is possible to see the Bengal florican, the rarest bustard in the world, this itinerary showcases the very best of the region’s animal life and natural beauty. The journey starts and ends in Kolkata, however, the focus is on the wildlife and ample time has been set aside to fully explore and immerse yourself in this beautiful part of India.
Kolkata – Guijan – Dibru-Saikhowa – Dehing Patkai – Barekuri – Jorhat – Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary – Kaziranga – Balipara – Nameri – Orang – Manas – Raimona – Bongaigaon
Trip Highlights
- Dibru-Saikhowa is an important wilderness areas and home to tiger, leopard, sloth bear
- Kaziranga is famed for its considerable population of endangered one-horned rhinos
- Manas, in the Himalayan foothills, offers fine birdwatching with 400 species recorded
- Visit Barekuri where villagers protect and care for its population of rare hoolock gibbon
- The rainforests of Dehing Patkai National Park support a large elephant population
- Nameri has excellent birdwatching with more than 300 species recorded, many rare
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart the UK
Today depart the UK and fly to Kolkata via the Middle East.
Day 2
Arrive Kolkata
Arrival in Kolkata where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Known as the 'soul of India', Kolkata is renowned for its wonderful architectural landmarks, many of which date from the period of the Raj. The remainder of the afternoon will be at leisure to relax and acclimatise after your flight.
Calcutta Bungalow
The Elgin Fairlawn
Oberoi Grand Hotel
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Day 3
Kolkata
Today join your guide for an exploration of the city. Places of interest include St John's Church which has a memorial to the city's founder Job Charnock, the Writers Building which is now the seat of government and the silver-domed General Post Office. Also of interest is the imposing white marble Victoria Memorial, built in 1921 and the excellent Indian Museum which was established in the early 1800s.
Calcutta Bungalow
The Elgin Fairlawn
Oberoi Grand Hotel
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries
Day 4
Kolkata to Dibrugarh – by air / Dibrugarh to Guijan – 45kms
This morning fly to Dibrugarh where you will be met and driven to the charming Wathai Heritage Bungalow which is set on the Limbuguri Tea Estate close to Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. A pristine and little visited national park, Dibru-Saikhowa is one Asia’s most distinct and vibrant wilderness areas. With deciduous forest, swampy marsh and evergreen jungle, the reserve is a safe haven for many exceptional animals including over 350 species of bird.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Wathai Heritage Bungalow
Day 5
Guijan – visit Dibru-Saikhowa National Park
Today visit Dibru-Saikhowa National Park with a trained naturalist for a full day of wildlife viewing and birding. Dibru-Saikhowa is a birdwatcher’s paradise and is home to many rare species including Jerdon's bushchat, the black-breasted parrotbill, marsh babbler and Bengal florican. The reserve also provides the perfect habitat for tiger, leopard, sloth bear, slow loris and, along the river, the rare Gangetic dolphin.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Wathai Heritage Bungalow
Day 6
Guijan – visit Dehing Patkai National Park
After an early breakfast drive to Dehing Patkai National Park ready to explore the park on foot. Declared a national park in 2021, Dehing Patkai is home to the only virgin rainforest in Assam and is named after the river of the same name that flows through the reserve. Known for its elephant population, over 300 species have been recorded in Dehing Patkai and the reserve is also said to have the highest concentration of the endangered white winged wood duck in India.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Wathai Heritage Bungalow
Day 7
Guijan to Jorhat via Barekuri – 225kms
Today drive towards Jorhat stopping en-route in the village of Barekuri which is famous for its population of hoolock gibbon. This endangered species is protected and cared for by the villagers and, consequently, these primates always stay in and around the village. Later continue on to Jorhat, one of Assam’s major tea centres, where you will stay overnight.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Thengal Manor
Day 8
Jorhat to Kaziranga via Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary – 150kms
This morning visit the Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, a protected and isolated area of forest set aside to provide a safe habitat for the hoolock gibbon. Aside from gibbon, the sanctuary is also home to capped langur, stump-tailed macaque, pigtail macaque, Assamese macaque and slow loris. After your visit continue to Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located beside the Brahmaputra River. Kaziranga provides an ideal habitat for the Indian one-horned rhinoceros and there are also good populations of tiger, elephant, sambar, swamp deer, hog deer and wild pig.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Diphlu River Lodge
Day 9-10
Kaziranga National Park
Over the next two days explore Kaziranga and the surrounding area enjoying early morning and evening jeep safaris. Aside from the one-horned rhinoceros, Kaziranga is also home to over 1,000 wild buffalo, sambar, swamp deer, elephant, python and tiger. There is also a wide variety of birdlife as well as river otters and dolphins.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Diphlu River Lodge
Day 11
Kaziranga to Balipara – 85kms
This morning drive to Balipara where you will stay for three nights at the Wild Mahseer Planters Bungalow. Set on the Adabari Tea Estate the bungalows here date back to the 19th century when they were owned by the British Assam Tea Company and, today, are surrounded by twenty-two acres of land and tea gardens with a wide variety of trees, plants and flowers that, in turn, support many insects and birds.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Wild Mahseer Planters Bungalow
Day 12
Balipara – visit Nameri National Park
Spend a full day today in Nameri National Park. Although the reserve is home to tiger, elephant, sambar, wild dog, clouded leopard and black bear, Nameri is best known for its excellent bird watching with over 300 species recorded. There is a sizeable population of the very rare white-winged wood duck as well as, among others, white-cheeked partridge, long-tailed broadbill, three different species of hornbill, amur falcon and lesser fish eagle.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Wild Mahseer Planters Bungalow
Day 13
Balipara – visit Orang National Park
Today visit Orang National Park where you will explore the reserve by jeep safari. Located on the north bank of the Brahmaputra River, Orang was established in 1985 and supports Indian one-horned rhinoceros, pygmy hog, elephant, water buffalo and tiger. It is the only stronghold of rhinoceros to the north of the Brahmaputra.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Wild Mahseer Planters Bungalow
Day 14
Balipara to Manas – 250kms
After breakfast leave Balipara for the long drive to Manas National Park which will take around seven hours. Set in the foothills of the Himalayas, Manas is a beautiful and pristine wildlife habitat that is not only a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site but also a Project Tiger Reserve, an Elephant Reserve and a Biosphere Reserve. It is considered the richest in species of all Indian wildlife areas and the only known home for the critically endangered Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare and pygmy hog.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Musa Jungle Retreat
Day 15
Manas National Park
Visit Manas National Park where the focus today will be on birdwatching. The main attraction here is the Bengal florican, the rarest bustard in the world, as well as the great hornbill. Close to 400 birds have been recorded in Manas with other species of interest being the greater adjutant, black-tailed crake, red-headed trogon, swamp francolin, marsh babblers and ibisbill.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Musa Jungle Retreat
Day 16
Manas to Bongaigaon via Raimona National Park – 210kms
This morning drive to the recently created Raimona National Park. Forming the westernmost buffer to Manas in the southern foothills of the eastern Himalayas, Raimona is best known for its population of golden langur as well as elephant, tiger, gaur, wild water buffalo, spotted deer, hornbill and, elusive, clouded leopard. Leave Raimona in the afternoon and continue by road to Bongaigaon where you will stay overnight.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Cygnett Park Meghna-Bongaigaon
Day 17
Bongaigaon to Guwahati – 180kms / Guwahati to Kolkata – by air
After breakfast leave Bongaigaon, drive to Guwahati airport and fly to Kolkata. On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel which is located close to the international airport terminal.
- Breakfast
Holiday Inn Kolkata Airport
Day 18
Kolkata to the UK
Today transfer back to Kolkata airport to good time to catch your flight back to the UK via the Middle East.
- Breakfast
Extending your stay...
Remote Habre’s Nest in the far east of Nepal is one of the best places to see the rare and elusive red panda in the wild as well as elusive cloud leopard, Himalayan black bear and 300 different species of bird. To reach, fly from Guwahati to Bagdogra and cross the Indo-Nepalese border.
Central India offers a very different wildlife experience to Assam. Kanha National Park is one of the region’s finest reserves and supports a diverse range of wildlife including the majestic tiger and elusive leopard. Kanha is a morning’s drive from Nagpur which is linked to Kolkata by air.
Corbett National Park is the oldest wildlife reserve in India and named after hunter-turned-conservationist Jim Corbett. Set on the banks of the Ramganga River, Corbett can be reached by road from Delhi and supports a remarkable variety of animal and birdlife.
Fly from Kolkata to Chitwan National Park via the Nepalese capital Kathmandu. Set within Nepal’s lowland terai, the swamps, grasslands and forest harbour a great diversity of wildlife including tiger and one-horned rhinoceros, leopard, elephant, sloth bear and crocodile.
Guide to Price
18 days from £5250 per person
What's Included
- International and domestic flights
- Private car and driver
- Sightseeing with local English speaking guides
- Accompanying tour escort in North East India
- Wildlife viewing with local naturalist
- Hotel accommodation and taxes
What's Not Included
- Cost of visas
- Travel Insurance
- Expenses of a personal nature
from £5250
Travel Information
Getting There
British Airways fly direct from London Heathrow to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. Virgin Atlantic have daily flights to Delhi and Vistara fly direct to Delhi. Emirates, Oman Air, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways also have excellent connections via their respected hubs to Kolkata, Kochi, Trivandrum, Kozhikode, Goa, Jaipur and Lucknow and fly from airports all over the UK.
Flying Times From UK
Direct flights from the UK take between 8 and 10 hours depending on the destination. Flights with stops en-route take between 12 and 14 hours.
Time Zone
India is +5½ hours ahead of GMT.
Visa Requirements
Holders of British Citizen passports are able to apply for an e-Tourist Visa (eTV). There are three different eTVs - a one month eTV (valid for 30 days), a one year eTV (valid for 365 days) and a five year eTV (valid for 5 years). Applications for the one month eTV can only be made within 30 days of travel to India. Applications for the one year eTV and five year eTV can only be made within 120 days of travel to India.
Please note that the very latest an Indian eTV application can be made is 4 days prior to travel to India. The eTV becomes active from the date of entry into India. It is not valid for Protected or Restricted areas.
All international passengers arriving in India are required to complete an e-Arrival Card up to 72 hours prior to arrival India. This applies to all nationalities and must be submitted online via the official portal https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival
Do’s & Don’ts
Smoking and drinking in public places is prohibited in India – with smoking this includes public areas in hotels, restaurants and bars.
E-cigarettes and related products are banned in India. You will be unable to buy e-cigarettes or bring them into the country.
Always ask permission before entering a temple and remember to remove your shoes and any leather objects such as bags, belts or wallets. It is fine to wear socks.
When in a Buddhist temple you should always walk in a clockwise direction with the main building to your right.
Modest, loose-fitting clothing is preferable and is essential when visiting religious places. When visiting a Sikh Gurudwara the head needs to be covered.
Permission should always be asked before taking a person’s picture.
When eating, only the right hand should be used. Indian culture considers the left hand to be unclean.
Money
The currency of India is the Indian Rupee (INR) and comes in notes and coins. Exchanging money is easy and can be done at international airports, most hotels or banks and it is always a good idea to ask for some small denomination Rupee notes. ATMs are now common and reliable in all main cities and credit cards are widely accepted by most hotels, shops and restaurants. In rural areas or wildlife reserves ATMs and money exchange facilities are limited so having cash is essential.
Please note that there are restrictions on bringing Indian rupees into India. Visitors, including tourists, are not permitted to bring any amount of Indian currency into the country. Pounds sterling and other foreign currencies are allowed to be brought into India. For more information please visit the FCO’s Foreign Travel Advice for India.
Tipping
This is left to your discretion, however, tipping for good service in India is part of everyday life. In restaurants and for room service a 10% tip is appreciated and at smaller hotels and homestays a communal ‘tip box’ is common.
For drivers and guides, hotel staff and at national parks, the following amounts should act as a guideline. Please note that these figures are based on two people travelling together:
Tour driver: INR1000 to INR1200 per day (not per person)
Tour guide: INR1000 to INR1200 per day (not per person)
Naturalist (national parks): INR1000 to INR1200 per day (not per person)
Jeep Driver (national parks): INR 500 per day & per safari (not per person)
Hotels (communal tip for all staff): INR 1000 to INR 1500 per day (not per person)
Food & Drink
India is known the world over for its food and especially its vegetarian cuisine. Spice plays an important role in dishes throughout the country as do breads, rice, pickles and chutneys. Although nearly every region has its own speciality, there is a divide between the cuisine of northern India and southern India – the north with its meat dishes influenced by the Mughals and the lighter, fruitier, coconut based dishes of the south. Desserts are common in India with kulfi ice cream and gulab jamun two of the best known and most popular. Nearly all tend to be very sweet, milk based or fried.
The most common drink in India is chai tea which can be bought on nearly every street corner. The yoghurt drink lassi – whether sweet, salty or fruity – is also easy to find. The popularity of coffee has spread from the south whilst Indian beer is well-respected. There is also a fledgling wine industry centred on Nashik in Maharashtra.
Accommodation
There is a huge breadth of accommodation in India with styles varying across the country. India is famed for its heritage properties, the majority of which tend to be found in the north of India. These come in all shapes and sizes from beautifully restored buildings and luxury palaces operated by distinguished hotel groups to small privately owned forts and ancestral homes.
Homestays are also very popular and found throughout the country. Whether a grand and luxurious family residence, heritage property or simple abode, they offer a high level of service and a unique glimpse into everyday Indian life. Please let us know if you would like to include a homestay into your itinerary. In more remote regions, hotels are likely to be clean and simple whilst wildlife accommodation is generally either in jungle lodges or comfortable tented camps. For those looking to relax there are many excellent beachside hotels and an increasing number of retreats specialising in both Ayurveda and yoga.
Shopping
With wholesale markets and bazaars, innumerable shops and stores, India is a shopper’s paradise. The country is best known for carpets and dhurries with Rajasthan, Kashmir and Leh best for these. There is also a bewildering range of clothing, fabric and leatherwear found not only in the smallest of villages but also the largest cities. Gems, silver and jewellery (valuable or costume) are popular throughout the country but especially in Jaipur and Hyderabad whilst Kochi is noted for its antiques. Spices can be bought all over India but purchased straight from plantations in the south. Darjeeling, Assam and the Western Ghats in south India are all known for tea.
Suggested Reading
For India travel advice, Footprint, Rough Guides, Lonely Planet and Bradt have excellent guide books whilst Nelles Maps have comprehensive and up to date maps of the Indian subcontinent. There is also a wide range of literature including from famed authors such as RK Narayan, Vikram Seth, Paul Scott, VS Naipaul, Arundhati Roy and Salman Rushdie. Vivek Shanbhag's more recently translated book 'Ghachar Ghochar' also comes highly recommended. Other good books on India include:
‘India: A History’ by John Keay
‘The Great Arc’ by John Keay
‘No Full Stops in India’ by Mark Tully
‘India in Slow Motion’ by Mark Tully and Gillian Wright
‘City of Djinns’ by William Dalrymple
‘White Mughals’ by William Dalrymple
‘Chasing the Monsoon’ by Alexander Frater
‘The Tears of the Rajas’ by Ferdinand Mount
‘Plain Tales from the Raj’ by Charles Allen
‘Mughal Architecture and Gardens’ by George Michell
'Tea, Love and War: Searching for English Roots in Assam' by David Mitchell
Health
Your doctor is the best person to advise you on staying healthy whilst abroad but current recommended vaccinations are Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Tetanus and Diphtheria. Yellow Fever is compulsory, but only if you have visited an affected Yellow Fever area within 5 days prior to your arrival. In some instances anti-malarial tablets may also be needed. For current information on health advice you may wish to visit the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website Travel Health Pro on https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/. The Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad (MASTA) website (www.masta.org) is also a useful resource.
Travel Advice
For current information on India the best resource is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice) which is a comprehensive resource and updated regularly. We would also recommend visiting the Safer Tourism Foundation website (safertourism.org.uk) before you travel and will be happy to address any questions or concerns you may have.
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Our Reviews
What our clients say
All in all a super special holiday
MR & RR - India - March 2024
All in all a super special holiday. Thanks so much for helping to put it together. The guides and drivers are always so important and they were excellent and kind throughout. Assam and Nagaland are so different from mainland India...a very relaxed vibe in beautiful surroundings. We would happily return.
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