Northeast travel FAQs

Four to five nights covers Shillong, Sohra (Cherrapunji), Dawki and Mawlynnong at a comfortable pace. Add a night in Sohra or Nongriat if you want the Double Decker root bridge trek, and two nights for Kaziranga if you are combining Assam. A weekend is enough for Shillong alone.

October to April is the most reliable: dry trails, clear water at Dawki from about November, and cool, sunny days. June to September is monsoon, when waterfalls are at their fullest but treks get slippery and roads can close after landslides. Kaziranga is open roughly November to April.

Most travellers fly or take a train to Guwahati, then drive about 100 km (around 3 hours) to Shillong on a good four-lane highway. Shillong’s own airport at Umroi has very few flights, and there is no railway line into the city, so plan around Guwahati.

Meghalaya and Assam need no permit for Indian citizens. Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur require an Inner Line Permit (ILP) for Indians, usually issued online. Foreign nationals follow separate Protected Area rules in some states. Our permit checker lists the current rule for each state.

Kaziranga usually opens in phases from October or November and closes around the end of April or May, before the monsoon floods the grasslands. Jeep safaris run in the morning and afternoon, and elephant safaris early in the morning in some ranges. Dates change each year, so check before booking.

Yes, but give it at least 9 to 10 nights. Tawang is roughly two days’ drive from Guwahati with a night in Dirang or Bomdila on the way, so it adds four or five nights on its own. Meghalaya and Kaziranga together fit comfortably into 6 or 7 nights.

Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal, Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura see large numbers of tourists every year without trouble. Road safety on mountain routes and monsoon landslides are the main practical risks. Some parts of Manipur have had travel advisories in recent years, so we check current guidance before planning any Manipur trip.

A 4-night Meghalaya trip with standard hotels, breakfast and a private car typically starts around ₹14,000 to ₹20,000 per person for two people sharing. Kaziranga safaris, premium resorts, peak dates such as Durga Puja and Christmas, and solo travel add to the cost. Ask us for an exact quote for your dates.

Yes, in the dry months. The Umngot at Dawki and Shnongpdeng is usually glass-clear from about November to April, when boats appear to float on air. From June to September, monsoon rain turns it muddy and boating can be suspended, so time your visit for the dry season if clear water is the goal.

Guwahati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (GAU) is the main gateway for Meghalaya, Kaziranga and western Arunachal, with direct flights from most Indian metros. For upper Assam and eastern Arunachal, Dibrugarh or Jorhat can save a long drive. For Nagaland, fly to Dimapur.

Couples usually travel in a sedan such as a Dzire on the Guwahati–Shillong–Sohra circuit. For Arunachal, Kaziranga and larger groups we use SUVs such as the Innova, Xylo or Scorpio, and tempo travellers for groups of eight or more. Your quote names the vehicle type.

Shillong, Guwahati, Sohra, Tezpur and Tawang town have 4G on major networks. Coverage drops in Nongriat, Mawlynnong’s surroundings, parts of the Tawang road, Mechuka and inside national parks. Carry offline maps and tell family you may be out of touch for a day on treks.

UPI works in most shops and hotels in Shillong, Guwahati and Tawang town. Carry cash for village homestays, parking, boat rides at Dawki, root-bridge trail fees and small eateries, where network or card machines may not work. ATMs in remote towns can run dry at weekends.

Yes, with a Protected Area Permit arranged through a registered tour operator; rules on group size and fees have changed over recent years, so we confirm the current position when you enquire. Some border points, including Bum La, remain closed to foreign nationals.

Yes. We book jeep safaris through the official system and can request elephant safari slots where they run, subject to availability. Morning slots in the Central range fill first in peak months, so book at least two to three weeks ahead between December and March.

Landslides in the monsoon and snow on Sela in winter can close roads for hours or days. We watch conditions daily and reroute where possible. If part of a trip cannot run, our cancellation and refund policy explains what is refunded and what extra costs apply.

Yes. We plan school groups, family reunions and company offsites of 10 to 60 people, mostly around Guwahati, Shillong and Kaziranga, with tempo travellers or small coaches, conference-friendly hotels and a single point of contact for the group.

Yes, with the right choices. Shillong, Elephant Falls, Mawsmai Cave, Mawlynnong and a Dawki boat ride all suit children. Skip the full Nongriat trek with under-8s and avoid long monsoon drives. We plan shorter driving days and hotels with space for families.