Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Northeast India: Shillong, Cherrapunji, Kaziranga and Majuli
9 days from Guwahati to Jorhat: the Khasi Hills of Shillong, two nights in Cherrapunji for the living root bridges, three in Kaziranga for rhino safaris, and a night on Majuli by ferry.
9 days · Guwahati to Jorhat · up to 12 guests
Janailar falls near Cherrapunji, Meghalaya Photo: Chirag1745, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Janailar_in_Cherrapunji_India.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days, 8 nights
- Start and end
- Guwahati to Jorhat
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 6.5 h on day 5
- Activity level
Moderate
Walks of 30 to 90 minutes at a time on hill paths, viewpoints and village lanes, at up to about 1,500 m in Shillong and Sohra. The optional double-decker root bridge trek on day 3 is about 3,500 steps down and the same back up, 5 to 6 hours in warm, humid air on steep and often wet stone steps; the easy option that day stays on the plateau. Everyone sees a living root bridge at Mawlynnong on day 4, a short walk down. Jeep safaris in Kaziranga are seated, about 2 to 3 hours each. Two road days, days 4 and 5, run five to six and a half hours with long stops.
- Meals included
- 8 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 7 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 420 (estimated price)
- Season
- Best in the dry season, November to April
Highlights
Why this trip
- Laitlum's canyons in the early morning, before the cloud fills them
- A long Khasi lunch in Shillong, pork and rice dishes of the hills
- The double-decker living root bridge at Nongriat, about 3,500 steps down, or an easier day on the Sohra plateau
- The single root bridge at Riwai and lunch in Mawlynnong village
- Three jeep safaris across Kaziranga's grasslands for the greater one-horned rhino, elephant-free
- A tea garden walk and tasting in the Assam plains
- The ferry across the Brahmaputra to Majuli, and masks made at Samaguri satra
- Morning prayers at a Majuli satra before flying out of Jorhat
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day. The longest is 6.5 h, on day 5.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 420 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 6.5 h, on day 5.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive at Guwahati, up to Shillong
Guwahati airport (GAU) to Umiam Lake, then Shillong
- Dinner
- Stay in Shillong
- Drive about 3 h
Your See Sight Tours guide meets you at Guwahati's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (GAU), with flights from Delhi, Kolkata and other Indian cities. We drive straight up into the Khasi Hills, about 100 km and three hours on a good highway, climbing from the Brahmaputra plain to Shillong at about 1,500 m. Halfway we stop at Umiam Lake, a reservoir ringed by pine hills, for tea and the view. Shillong is Meghalaya's capital, a hill town of churches, pines and steep lanes, and its cooler air is a relief after the plains. After check-in your guide walks the group round Ward's Lake, a garden lake from the British period in the centre of town, and through Police Bazaar, the busy main square.
Evening
Dinner is a welcome meal of Khasi dishes, with a vegetarian version on request, while your guide explains the week ahead, including the choice you make for the root bridge day.
Included
- Pick-up at Guwahati airport (GAU)
- Umiam Lake stop
- Walk round Ward's Lake and Police Bazaar
- Welcome dinner of Khasi dishes
Free time: Time to rest at the hotel before the evening walk
Activity: Plan to land at Guwahati by about noon so we reach Shillong in daylight; later arrivals are met and join at dinner.
Laitlum, Khasi lunch, on to Cherrapunji
Shillong to Laitlum, back to Shillong, then Sohra (Cherrapunji) and Nohkalikai Falls
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Sohra (Cherrapunji)
- Drive about 3 h
We leave Shillong at about 8 am for Laitlum, about 25 km and 45 minutes away, where the plateau ends in a sheer drop into deep, forested canyons.
Morning
Morning is the time to come, before cloud fills the valleys. We walk along the rim for about an hour on grassy paths, with villages on the valley floor far below.
Afternoon
Back in Shillong, lunch is at a Khasi eatery: jadoh, red rice cooked with pork, dohneiiong, pork with black sesame, and tungrymbai, fermented soybean, for those who want to try it, with vegetarian dishes too. In the early afternoon we drive about 55 km and an hour and a half south to Sohra, better known as Cherrapunji, stopping at the Mawkdok Dympep viewpoint over a deep valley. In the late light we reach Nohkalikai Falls, where a single stream drops about 340 m into a green pool.
Evening
Dinner is at the hotel.
Included
- Laitlum canyons and a rim walk
- Khasi lunch in Shillong
- Mawkdok Dympep viewpoint
- Nohkalikai Falls viewpoint
- Dinner in Sohra
Easier option: Stay at the first Laitlum viewpoint, a few minutes from the vehicle, rather than walk the rim.
More active option: Walk part of the way down the steep path below the Laitlum viewpoint with your guide, about 45 minutes down and back.
Free time: Early evening free in Sohra
Activity: Three drives of about an hour each. From January to April Nohkalikai carries much less water than after the monsoon.
The living root bridges, or an easy plateau day
Sohra to Tyrna and Nongriat and back, or Sohra plateau viewpoints
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Sohra (Cherrapunji)
- Drive about 1 h
Today the group splits by choice. Walkers leave at about 8 am for Tyrna village, 20 minutes away, with your guide and a local Khasi guide. From there about 3,500 steep stone steps lead down through forest and over two steel suspension bridges to Nongriat, where the double-decker bridge spans a stream: two tiers grown over generations from the roots of rubber fig trees.
Afternoon
The steps are often wet and the gorge is warm and humid even in winter, so we go slowly, with a long rest and a simple lunch in the village before the climb back, about two to two and a half hours up. Allow five to six hours in all. Everyone else spends an easy day on the plateau with the vehicle: Mawsmai Cave, the Seven Sisters Falls viewpoint and Thangkharang Park, which looks straight down over the plains of Bangladesh, with lunch in Sohra.
Evening
The groups meet for dinner.
Included
- Either the double-decker living root bridge trek at Nongriat with a local Khasi guide, village fee and lunch in Nongriat
- Or Mawsmai Cave, the Seven Sisters Falls viewpoint, Thangkharang Park and lunch in Sohra
- Dinner in Sohra
Optional experiences
- From Nongriat, the walk on to Rainbow Falls, about another 1 to 1.5 hours each way, for strong walkers who start early
Easier option: The plateau day: Mawsmai Cave (a short lit passage you can skip), the Seven Sisters Falls viewpoint and Thangkharang Park, with short walks only and a free afternoon.
More active option: The double-decker root bridge at Nongriat: about 3,500 steps down and back up, 5 to 6 hours with rests, in humid heat.
Free time: Afternoon free for the plateau group; the trekkers rest from late afternoon
Activity: Choose the trek only if you can climb stairs for two hours with rests; there is no vehicle access to Nongriat and no way out except the steps. Wear shoes with grip and carry water. Everyone sees a living root bridge at Riwai tomorrow.
Mawlynnong and the Riwai root bridge
Sohra to Mawlynnong and Riwai, then Shillong
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Shillong
- Drive about 5 h
This day runs about five hours on the road, an hour over our usual cap, because Mawlynnong sits on the southern edge of the plateau near the Bangladesh border, south and east of both Sohra and Shillong, a detour off the road between them with no shorter way to reach it; we break it in the middle with about three hours on foot.
Afternoon
We leave Sohra at about 8:30 am and drive about two to three hours east to Mawlynnong, a Khasi village known for its clean, flower-lined lanes, where we walk with a local guide and have lunch in the village. Nearby at Riwai, a short walk down steps leads to a single living root bridge over a stream, so the whole group sees one, trekkers or not. In the afternoon we drive about two to three hours back up to Shillong and arrive by about 5 pm.
Evening
The evening is free, with dinner on your own around Police Bazaar.
Included
- Guided walk in Mawlynnong village
- Lunch in Mawlynnong
- The Riwai living root bridge
Easier option: See the Riwai bridge from the top of the steps and wait in the village.
Free time: Evening free in Shillong, with dinner on your own
Activity: Two drives of about 2 to 3 hours on winding hill roads, with about three hours on foot between them. If you get car sick, sit at the front and tell your guide.
Down to the Brahmaputra plain and Kaziranga
Shillong to Jorabat and Nagaon, then Kaziranga (Kohora)
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Kaziranga
- Drive about 6.5 h
This is the longest road of the trip, about 265 km and six to six and a half hours, over our four-hour cap because there is no shorter road from the Khasi Hills to Kaziranga and no useful flight; we break it twice. We leave Shillong at about 8 am and drop back past Umiam Lake to Jorabat on the edge of Guwahati, then turn east across the Assam plain, with a tea stop on the way.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down Assamese thali near Nagaon: rice, dal, fish curry, greens and a sour tenga, with vegetarian plates as well. The last stretch follows the national highway along the southern edge of Kaziranga, with tea gardens on one side and the park's grassland on the other, where rhinos and deer are sometimes seen from the road.
Evening
We reach our lodge near Kohora by about 4 pm, with time to settle in before dinner and a briefing on the safaris.
Included
- Tea stop on the road
- Assamese thali lunch near Nagaon
- Dinner at the lodge
Free time: Late afternoon free at the lodge
Activity: About 6 to 6.5 hours on good highways with two long stops. The road is busy with trucks near Guwahati and Nagaon; your guide may vary the stop times with traffic.
Kaziranga: the Central and Western ranges
Kohora to the Central range, then the Western range at Bagori
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Kaziranga
- Drive about 1 h
Kaziranga National Park, a World Heritage Site since 1985, protects grassland, swamp and forest on the south bank of the Brahmaputra and holds about two-thirds of the world's greater one-horned rhinos, along with wild water buffalo, swamp deer, wild elephants and a few tigers that are rarely seen.
Morning
We take the first morning jeep safari into the Central range from the Kohora gate, when the light is soft and the animals are out on the grassland, in open jeeps shared only by our group, no more than four guests to a jeep, with the forest guard the park requires.
Afternoon
Back at the lodge for lunch and a rest through the midday heat. In the early afternoon we drive about 15 km west to Bagori for a second safari in the Western range, where the short grass and pools usually give close views of rhinos and buffalo.
Evening
Dinner at the lodge.
Included
- Morning jeep safari in the Central (Kohora) range
- Lunch at the lodge
- Afternoon jeep safari in the Western (Bagori) range
- Dinner at the lodge
Easier option: Skip the afternoon safari and stay at the lodge.
Free time: Midday free at the lodge between safaris
Activity: Each safari is about 2 to 3 hours seated on dusty tracks; bring a scarf, a hat and binoculars. Ranges are allotted by the forest department and may be swapped between days. Elephant-back rides are offered in the park; we do not include or arrange them.
Kaziranga's eastern wetlands and a tea garden
Kohora to the Eastern range at Agaratoli, then a tea garden near Kohora
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Kaziranga
- Drive about 1 h
A third safari, this time in the Eastern range from the Agaratoli gate, about 20 km east. This side of the park has more water: beels, the shallow lakes left by the floods, where in winter you see pelicans, storks, ducks and other birds along with rhinos and buffalo at the edges.
Afternoon
We go in the first morning slot, when the birds are most active, and are back for lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon we walk through one of the tea gardens that border the park with a local guide, among shade trees and rows of bushes, hearing how Assam's strong, malty tea is grown, then sit down to a tasting. Whether we see plucking or the factory at work depends on the month. Late afternoon is free: a rest, a walk to a nearby village, or a drink on the lodge verandah.
Evening
Dinner is at the lodge.
Included
- Morning jeep safari in the Eastern (Agaratoli) range
- Lunch at the lodge
- Tea garden walk and tasting (plucking and factory work depend on the month)
- Dinner at the lodge
Free time: Late afternoon free at the lodge
Activity: Tea is plucked roughly March to November; from December to February the bushes are pruned and factories may be idle, so the visit focuses on the garden and the tasting.
Across the Brahmaputra to Majuli
Kaziranga to Nimati Ghat near Jorhat, ferry to Majuli, then Kamalabari and Samaguri
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Majuli
- Drive about 2.5 h
Morning
After breakfast we drive about 100 km and two and a half hours east along the plain to Nimati Ghat, near Jorhat, where the state ferry crosses the Brahmaputra to Majuli in about an hour to an hour and a half, carrying people, motorbikes and cars. Majuli is a large, low river island and the centre of Assam's neo-Vaishnavite satras, monasteries in the tradition of the 15th and 16th century saint Srimanta Sankardeva.
Afternoon
After lunch on the island we visit Uttar Kamalabari satra, where the monks keep the dance, music and drama of the tradition, and then Samaguri satra, where a family of mask makers builds large masks of bamboo, clay and cloth for the bhaona plays, and shows how they are made.
Evening
Late afternoon we walk down to the riverbank for the sunset over the water. Dinner and the night are in a simple stay on the island. Sailing times are confirmed at booking; if the ferry is suspended, we keep the group in a hotel on the Jorhat side and visit the satras on a revised day.
Included
- Ferry from Nimati Ghat to Majuli
- Lunch on Majuli
- Uttar Kamalabari satra
- Samaguri satra and its mask makers
- Sunset on the Brahmaputra
- Dinner on Majuli
Free time: Late afternoon free by the river
Activity: Ferry times vary with the river; low water or morning fog can delay sailings, and we adjust the day around them. If the ferry is suspended, we stay on the Jorhat side and see the satras on a revised day. Majuli's rooms are simple, with private bathrooms.
Satra prayers, back to Jorhat
Majuli to a satra and a Mising village, ferry to Nimati Ghat, then Jorhat Airport (JRH)
- Breakfast and lunch
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
An early start, if you like, for the morning prayers at one of Majuli's larger satras, with chanting, cymbals and drums in the prayer hall; your guide explains how a satra's monks and lay families live together. After breakfast we walk through a village of the Mising people, who build their houses on stilts against the floods and weave on looms under them.
Afternoon
Late morning we take the ferry back across the Brahmaputra to Nimati Ghat, then drive about 20 km to Jorhat for lunch and on to Jorhat Airport (JRH), arriving by about 2:30 pm.
Evening
Book a flight leaving after about 4 pm, or ask us to add a night in Jorhat. If you want to see more of India, we can quote a connection to Darjeeling and Sikkim or to Delhi for the Golden Triangle.
Included
- Morning prayers at a Majuli satra
- Walk in a Mising village
- Ferry from Majuli to Nimati Ghat
- Lunch in Jorhat
- Drop-off at Jorhat Airport (JRH)
Activity: Book a flight out of Jorhat after about 4 pm; the ferry depends on the river, so leave a margin.
- Guwahatistart
- Shillong1 night
- Sohra (Cherrapunji)2 nights
- Shillong1 night
- Kaziranga3 nights
- Majuli1 night
- Jorhatend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: November to April is the dry season and the only time Kaziranga is open to visitors; the park closes for the monsoon, broadly May to October, as the Brahmaputra floods the grasslands. November and December are clear and mild, with fresh green after the rains and still-full waterfalls. From January the grass is burned in patches, which makes rhinos and swamp deer easier to see, and winter brings migratory birds to the wetlands, but Meghalaya's waterfalls thin out and morning fog on the Brahmaputra can delay the Majuli ferry; if it is suspended we keep the group on the Jorhat side and see the satras on a revised day. March and April are hot and humid, with the first pre-monsoon storms.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who have seen the Golden Triangle and want a different India: hill tribes, river islands and rhinos
- Wildlife lovers who want three safaris in Kaziranga without elephant rides
- Walkers who want the double-decker root bridge, and companions who would rather not, on the same trip
- Travellers curious about food, faith and craft: Khasi cooking, the satras and the mask makers
- Solo travellers who want a small group and a single price shown up front
Not for you if you want
- Travellers who need step-free access: viewpoints, root bridges and satras involve steps and uneven ground
- Anyone who dislikes long road days: two days run five to six and a half hours
- Travellers who want high-standard hotels every night: the Majuli stay is simple
- Anyone who struggles in humid heat, especially on March and April departures
- Travellers who want tigers: Kaziranga has them, but sightings are rare
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
8 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Shillong1 night
- Sohra (Cherrapunji)2 nights
- Shillong1 night
- Kaziranga3 nights
- Majuli1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 8 nights: 2 in Shillong, 2 in Sohra (Cherrapunji), 3 near Kaziranga and 1 on Majuli
- Central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard in Shillong and Sohra and a 3-star-plus lodge near Kaziranga's Kohora gate; on Majuli, where rooms of that standard are scarce, the best available cottage or guest house with a private bathroom; we name each hotel when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Guwahati airport (GAU) and drop-off at Jorhat Airport (JRH)
- Our own vehicle and driver for the group for the whole trip, with drives of about 1 to 3 hours on most days and two longer days (about 5 hours on day 4 and 6 to 6.5 hours on day 5) broken by long stops and a sit-down lunch
- Three jeep safaris in Kaziranga, no more than four of our guests per jeep
- The ferry across the Brahmaputra between Nimati Ghat and Majuli, both ways
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 9
- A local Khasi guide for the Nongriat trek, the forest department guard or guide on each Kaziranga jeep, and local guides at sites that need them
Activities
- Shillong: Umiam Lake, Ward's Lake, Police Bazaar and Laitlum canyons
- Sohra (Cherrapunji): Mawkdok Dympep viewpoint, Nohkalikai Falls, and either the double-decker living root bridge trek at Nongriat or Mawsmai Cave, Thangkharang Park and the Seven Sisters Falls viewpoint
- Mawlynnong village and the Riwai living root bridge
- Kaziranga National Park: jeep safaris in the Central (Kohora), Western (Bagori) and Eastern (Agaratoli) ranges
- A tea garden walk and tasting near Kaziranga
- Majuli: Uttar Kamalabari and Samaguri satras with the mask makers, a satra's morning prayers and a Mising village
- All entrance and village fees for included sights
Meals
- 8 breakfasts
- 8 lunches, including a Khasi lunch in Shillong, lunch in Mawlynnong village and an Assamese thali on the road to Kaziranga
- 7 dinners, including a welcome dinner of Khasi dishes, every dinner in Sohra and Kaziranga, and dinner on Majuli
Not included
- Flights to Guwahati and from Jorhat
- Indian visa
- Travel insurance
- Dinner on day 4 in Shillong
- Drinks
- Tips for guides, drivers and jeep crews
- Optional activities, such as the walk on from Nongriat to Rainbow Falls
- Camera fees at sites that charge for cameras
- Personal expenses and purchases
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 420 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Eight nights' accommodation, 8 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 7 dinners, airport transfers at Guwahati and Jorhat, our own vehicle and driver, a See Sight Tours guide throughout, three Kaziranga jeep safaris, the Majuli ferry both ways, the root bridge trek guide and village fees, a tea tasting and every site entry in the day plan. Flights, the visa, drinks and tips are extra.
Is the Northeast India tour a small group trip?
Yes. Between 7 and 12 guests, never more. A small group fits one vehicle on the hill roads, three jeeps in Kaziranga with no more than four of us in each, and a satra prayer hall without crowding. If you want fewer people, choose the private style, with your own guide and vehicle.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide is with the group from Guwahati airport on day 1 to Jorhat Airport on day 9, with our own vehicle and driver. A local Khasi guide leads the root bridge trek, a forest department guard rides on each Kaziranga jeep, and local guides join where sites need them. We name your guide when we confirm dates.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderately fit for the trip as a whole: walks of 30 to 90 minutes on hill paths and village lanes, and seated jeep safaris. The double-decker root bridge trek is the exception, about 3,500 steps down and back up in humid heat, and it is optional. The easy plateau day on day 3 needs no special fitness.
How hard is the double-decker living root bridge trek?
Hard but steady. From Tyrna it is about 3,500 steep stone steps down to Nongriat and the same back up, usually five to six hours with rests, in warm, humid air on steps that are often wet. There is no road out, so choose it only if you can climb stairs for two hours. Everyone sees a root bridge at Riwai on day 4.
Is there a single supplement for solo travellers?
Yes, CAD 420 at the indicative price, shown before you book. You can also ask to share with another solo guest of the same gender; we try to match you but cannot promise it, so plan on the supplement. Solo guests get the same rooms, tables and jeep seats as everyone else.
When is the best time to visit Kaziranga and Meghalaya?
November to April, and only then for this trip. Kaziranga closes to visitors in the monsoon, broadly May to October, while the Brahmaputra floods its grasslands. November and December are mild with full waterfalls; January to February bring birds and easier rhino sightings; March and April are hot and humid.
Do I need a visa or a special permit for Assam and Meghalaya?
You need an Indian visa but no special permit. Most visitors, including Canadians at the time of writing, can apply online for an e-Tourist Visa; check the official site when you book. The Restricted Area and Inner Line Permits for Sikkim and some other northeast states do not apply on this route. Carry your passport for hotels and safari bookings.
What happens if the Majuli ferry is not running?
We keep the group in a hotel on the Jorhat side and visit the satras on a revised day once the ferry runs again. There is no bridge to Majuli yet, sailings change with the water level, fog can delay them and the last ferry leaves in mid-afternoon, so we confirm sailing times at booking and plan the day around them.
Will I see a rhino in Kaziranga, and are there elephant rides?
Very likely a rhino: Kaziranga holds about two-thirds of the world's greater one-horned rhinos, and three safaris on three ranges give good chances, though nothing in the wild is certain. Tigers live in the park but are rarely seen. Elephant-back rides are offered there; we do not include, sell or arrange them.
How does booking work?
You request to book on this page, with no payment taken. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. The price shown is indicative until we confirm it for your dates.
Can I go on my own dates?
Yes. The private style is your party only, with your own guide, vehicle and driver, on a date you choose between November and April, from about CAD 4,310 per person sharing. If you would rather travel independently, without a guide, ask us for a quote; that is an inquiry rather than a set trip style.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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