The National Parks of North East India

Day 1 Depart UK

Today depart the UK on the Emirates flight to Dubai. (N)

Day 2 Arrive Kolkata

Arrive into Dubai and connect onto the Emirates flight to Kolkata in the heart of Eastern India. One of the forward-thinking intellectual capitals of India, the city has long been noted for its wonderful architectural landmarks—many of which date from the period of the British Raj. Kolkata is also known as the 'soul of India', one of the most populous urban areas on earth and an intensely human city. (N)
Accommodation in Kolkata: The Elgin Fairlawn
Upgrade option: Oberoi Grand Hotel

Day 3 Kolkata

First thing this morning travel to the south of Kolkata to visit the Chintamoni Kar Bird Sanctuary which is home to a wide variety of birds and butterflies. Later return to the city centre, meet your guide and begin an afternoon of sightseeing. 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 1814. (B)
Accommodation in Kolkata: The Elgin Fairlawn
Upgrade option: Oberoi Grand Hotel

Day 4 Kolkata to Dibrugarh – by air / Dibrugarh to Tinsukia – 60kms

This morning fly to Dibrugarh where you will be met and driven to Tinsukia. Stay for three nights at 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 to many exceptional animals including over 350 species of bird. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Tinsukia: Wathai Heritage Bungalow

Days 5 & 6 Dibru-Saikhowa National Park

Over the next two days visit Dibru-Saikhowa National Park with a trained naturalist for two full days of wildlife viewing and birding. Dibru-Saikhowa is a bird watchers 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, Gangetic dolphin. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Tinsukia: Wathai Heritage Bungalow

Day 7 Tinsukia to Dibrugarh – 60kms via Digboi

After breakfast leave Tinsukia and drive to Digboi, South Asia's first oil town and location of a World War II Allied Forces Cemetery maintained by the Commonwealth and War Graves Commission. Leaving Digboi, continue to Dibrugarh where you will stay overnight. Later visit the Mancotta Tea Estate to learn all about tea—from its origin to how it is grown to its processing and tasting. This area of India is one of the oldest tea producing regions in the country and plenty of time will be spent enjoying the estate's 157 year old tea gardens. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Dibrugarh: Heritage Chang Bungalow

Day 8 Dibrugarh to Jorhat – 150kms via Sivasagar

Today drive to Sivasagar where a series of Ahom monuments, tanks and temples encompass the 600 year old history of the Ahom dynasty. Later continue on to Jorhat where you will stay for two nights at the charming 1920s Thengal Manor. Jorhat is one of Assam's major tea centres and, due to its location, is also an excellent base for exploring nearby Majuli Island. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Jorhat: Thengal Manor

Day 9 Jorhat – visit Majuli Island

After breakfast leave Jorhat and drive to Neematighat for the one-hour ferry ride to Majuli. A World Heritage Site, Majuli is located in the Brahmaputra River and is the largest inhabited river-island in the world. The island has long served as a monastic retreat to the local Vaishnavite community, is noted for its traditional Assamese and Mishing tribal architecture as well as for its beautiful rural setting. Majuli is also a bird-watchers' paradise. In the afternoon return to Jorhat. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Jorhat: Thengal Manor

Day 10 Jorhat to Kaziranga – 100kms

This morning leave Jorhat and drive to Kaziranga National Park. A World Heritage Site, Kaziranga National Park is located in a beautiful setting on the banks of the Brahmaputra River and covers a vast area. Predominately swamp with tall thickets of elephant grass, Kaziranga provides the ideal habitat for the Indian one-horned rhinoceros. There are also good populations of tiger, wild elephant, sambar, swamp deer, hog deer, wild pig and many other species. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Kaziranga National Park: Diphlu River Lodge

Days 11 & 12 Kaziranga National Park

Over the next two days explore Kaziranga and the surrounding area enjoying early morning and evening game safaris by jeep and on elephant back. Aside from the one-horned rhinos, 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 which are regularly seen. If possible, also visit a tea gardens and a Mising tribal village. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Kaziranga National Park: Diphlu River Lodge

Day 13 Kaziranga to Nameri – 120kms

This morning drive to Nameri National Park. Set on the Adabari Tea Estate the bungalows date back to the 19th century when they were owned by the British Assam Tea Company. The bungalows are surrounded by twenty-two acres of land and tea gardens and there are a wide variety of trees, plants, flowers, insects and birds. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Nameri: Wild Mahseer Tea Plantation Bungalows

Day 14 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. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Nameri: Wild Mahseer Tea Plantation Bungalows

Day 15 Nameri to Guwahati – 200kms / Guwahati to Kolkata – by air

After breakfast transfer to Guwahati Airport in for the flight to Kolkata. On your arrival you will be met and transferred to your accommodation located close to the international airport. (B)
Accommodation in Kolkata: Swissôtel Kolkata (or similar)

Day 16 Kolkata to the UK

Today transfer back to Kolkata Airport to catch the Emirates flight to Dubai. On your arrival connect onto the onwards Emirates flight to the UK. (B)

The National Parks of North East India

16 days from £3985 per person

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Itinerary: The National Parks of North East India

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