A close friend's wedding at Guwahati triggered the plans for a week long trip to the spectacular North East. A week (Oct 6th - Oct 13th 2018) of bliss to cherish. We were greeted at the Guwahati airport by Krishanu and Shuhel who conduct NE tour operations through 'This Travel Company' I would like to start this log with a big thanks to them for making this trip a really memorable one.
Nameri
On the first day we traveled around 230 kms from Guwahati to Lalimou Camp at Nameri via Tezpur. Nameri is a national park situated at the foothills of eastern Himalayas bordering Arunachal Pradesh. At around 4:45 in the evening, it started becoming dark and by 5:15 PM it was night already. This was an amazing first time experience in India for most of us who hailed from the South. It would really benefit if they practiced daylight savings in these states. We reached Lalimou Camp after it became pitch dark. The camp is located very close to the forest which makes it amazingly serene.
There were huge flying insects that created commotion that scared everyone. Though they appeared scary with all the looks and ruckus, I later looked up and found they were Indian cicadas and all the brouhahas they create were only mating calls. I really wonder how they get partners with these ear-piercing calls. The dinner was too good, especially the Gahori (pork) dry fry. It was only the next morning we realized how beautiful the place really is. We were supposed to go for a river rafting in the nearby Jai Bhoreli river, but the plan had to be cancelled because of some technical reason. The flora was very similar to Masinagudi if I'm asked to compare a place near Bangalore. Almost everywhere you can see Kans grass in abundance which I've not seen in the South. It's beautiful to see them gently move in the breeze.You can read my detailed review about Lalimou Camp here - Tripadvisor
Bomdila
We started the journey to Bomdila on the second day right after breakfast. At Bhalukpong we crossed the Arunachal border after a short photo session near Jai Bhoreli river. The amazing view of the river made us feel sorry about the missed rafting. It would've been an amazing experience. If any of you are planning to visit, make sure you get to include the rafting.
The change in weather was already noticeable at this point though we had not started climbing the mountains yet. It was very pleasant.
The journey through Arunachal Pradesh is an experience by itself. Once we are in the high range, there is no road per se. We were traveling by an Innova, driven by an experienced driver. The road or what was left of it along with the wicked hair pin bends would test any driver's skills. The cliffs on the sides caused goosebumps. The landscape reminded the Bhutan trip, but in Bhutan the road condition was a bit better, though both places are managed by BRO (Border Roads Organization).
There were boards cautioning land slide areas almost everywhere. As you can see on the picture here, these are rocky mountains and are very prone to landslides. So it goes without saying that one should avoid visiting these places during rainy season. It would be a different beauty then but there are chances your trip will be delayed due to slides. It seems there is no point in building roads here as they will be damaged in no time. En route to Bomdila we noticed that there is hardly any civilian population to be seen. Every few kilometers we ran into some defense establishments and trucks carrying military personnel. Given the past and ongoing Chinese aggression at the border, these precautionary measures don't seem to be unwarranted. We arrived at Doe-Gu-Khil guest house after sunset. This guest house is very close to the Bomdila monastery and is a very quiet and tranquil place to stay after a tiring journey. The temperature at night was at around 6 degree Celsius. After a peaceful night's sleep we visited the Bomdila Monastery in the morning before we set off for Sela Pass.
My Tripadvisor reviews about the guest house - Doe-Gu-Khil and the monastery - Bomdila Monsatery. Click links for more details.
The journey grew harder as we traveled towards Sela Pass because of the bad condition of the roads. The number of army trucks passing us was also increasing considerably. There was one point where we had to stop and give way to some 30 army trucks. Though everyone is aware about the fortification in place to nullify any untoward action from China, the sight of army trucks in such numbers is not really a relaxing one.
On the way to Sela Pass, we stopped at Nyukmadung to visit the war memorial for the martyrs of 1962 Indo-China war.
We were expecting to see snow at Sela Pass but unfortunately it was not snowing. The temperature was 1 degree Celsius but felt even colder with the breeze. The spectacular view is worth all the hardships endured in the travel without doubt. It reminded me of Inverness in Scotland. No picture can do justice to the beauty of this view. We spotted some yaks also near Sela Pass, roaming around in their furry coat.
Tripadvisor link - click here.
Sangti Valley
After a photo session at Sela Pass, we started the journey to Sangti Valley. By then we were all accustomed to the winding roads, the beautiful but frightening landscape. We passed the town of Dirang where we noted an institution dedicated for research on yaks - link. That was one of the very few non-military establishments that was spotted through out the journey. We took a deviation to Sangti Valley after the Dirang township and traveled through a gravel road. It was pitch dark already and we couldn't see the river on our side, we could only hear the flowing water. We stayed at a place called Letro home stay and this turned out to be one of the best places I've ever been to. If you are planning to visit Sela Pass or Tawang, I would highly recommend a day at Letro. Sangti Valley is so serene and unexplored. The next morning we all woke up to a view that will always be etched in our minds.
Sangti is surrounded by seven mountains and a breathtakingly beautiful river passes right through the valley. It is not a famous tourist spot and hence it is neither crowded nor polluted. As we had to get back to Guwahati to attend the wedding, we had to start our journey back.
Tripadvisor review - Link
The travel from Sangti Valley to Guwahati took about 13 hours. Everyone was exhausted and just wanted to rest up. We spent the next day at Guwahati and attended the wedding reception which concluded the first part of the trip.
Cherrapunji
The next day morning we hit the road again and proceeded to Meghalaya. Guwahati is very close to the border, so we crossed Khanapara and were inside Meghalaya in no time. The road conditions are amazing and most of the people are disciplined drivers. Geographically Meghalaya is very much comparable to Vagamon in Kerala, but much better in terms of waste/plastic management. Everyone pays extra attention to make sure that nobody throws plastic covers on the go. Every place is amazingly kempt. We stopped at a view point for Wah Kaba falls on the way but all we could see was a natural white curtain formed by the thick fog. Then we headed to Mawsmai cave, a natural limestone cave which is one of the primary attractions at Sohra, near Cherrapunji. A short distance of the cave is open for tourists to explore which itself is not a very easy one to tread. Next we stopped at the view point for Seven Sister falls. We could spot Bangladesh border from this view point, with the help of binoculars.
Nameri
On the first day we traveled around 230 kms from Guwahati to Lalimou Camp at Nameri via Tezpur. Nameri is a national park situated at the foothills of eastern Himalayas bordering Arunachal Pradesh. At around 4:45 in the evening, it started becoming dark and by 5:15 PM it was night already. This was an amazing first time experience in India for most of us who hailed from the South. It would really benefit if they practiced daylight savings in these states. We reached Lalimou Camp after it became pitch dark. The camp is located very close to the forest which makes it amazingly serene.
 |
| Cicada |
Bomdila
We started the journey to Bomdila on the second day right after breakfast. At Bhalukpong we crossed the Arunachal border after a short photo session near Jai Bhoreli river. The amazing view of the river made us feel sorry about the missed rafting. It would've been an amazing experience. If any of you are planning to visit, make sure you get to include the rafting.
 |
| Jai Bhoreli |
 |
| View point |
The change in weather was already noticeable at this point though we had not started climbing the mountains yet. It was very pleasant.
The journey through Arunachal Pradesh is an experience by itself. Once we are in the high range, there is no road per se. We were traveling by an Innova, driven by an experienced driver. The road or what was left of it along with the wicked hair pin bends would test any driver's skills. The cliffs on the sides caused goosebumps. The landscape reminded the Bhutan trip, but in Bhutan the road condition was a bit better, though both places are managed by BRO (Border Roads Organization).
 |
| Road (or the lack of it) |
There were boards cautioning land slide areas almost everywhere. As you can see on the picture here, these are rocky mountains and are very prone to landslides. So it goes without saying that one should avoid visiting these places during rainy season. It would be a different beauty then but there are chances your trip will be delayed due to slides. It seems there is no point in building roads here as they will be damaged in no time. En route to Bomdila we noticed that there is hardly any civilian population to be seen. Every few kilometers we ran into some defense establishments and trucks carrying military personnel. Given the past and ongoing Chinese aggression at the border, these precautionary measures don't seem to be unwarranted. We arrived at Doe-Gu-Khil guest house after sunset. This guest house is very close to the Bomdila monastery and is a very quiet and tranquil place to stay after a tiring journey. The temperature at night was at around 6 degree Celsius. After a peaceful night's sleep we visited the Bomdila Monastery in the morning before we set off for Sela Pass.
 |
| Bomdila Monastery |
My Tripadvisor reviews about the guest house - Doe-Gu-Khil and the monastery - Bomdila Monsatery. Click links for more details.
The journey grew harder as we traveled towards Sela Pass because of the bad condition of the roads. The number of army trucks passing us was also increasing considerably. There was one point where we had to stop and give way to some 30 army trucks. Though everyone is aware about the fortification in place to nullify any untoward action from China, the sight of army trucks in such numbers is not really a relaxing one.
On the way to Sela Pass, we stopped at Nyukmadung to visit the war memorial for the martyrs of 1962 Indo-China war.
  |
| Battle of Nyukmadong |
Tripadvisor link - click here.
Sangti Valley
After a photo session at Sela Pass, we started the journey to Sangti Valley. By then we were all accustomed to the winding roads, the beautiful but frightening landscape. We passed the town of Dirang where we noted an institution dedicated for research on yaks - link. That was one of the very few non-military establishments that was spotted through out the journey. We took a deviation to Sangti Valley after the Dirang township and traveled through a gravel road. It was pitch dark already and we couldn't see the river on our side, we could only hear the flowing water. We stayed at a place called Letro home stay and this turned out to be one of the best places I've ever been to. If you are planning to visit Sela Pass or Tawang, I would highly recommend a day at Letro. Sangti Valley is so serene and unexplored. The next morning we all woke up to a view that will always be etched in our minds.
Tripadvisor review - Link
The travel from Sangti Valley to Guwahati took about 13 hours. Everyone was exhausted and just wanted to rest up. We spent the next day at Guwahati and attended the wedding reception which concluded the first part of the trip.
Cherrapunji
The next day morning we hit the road again and proceeded to Meghalaya. Guwahati is very close to the border, so we crossed Khanapara and were inside Meghalaya in no time. The road conditions are amazing and most of the people are disciplined drivers. Geographically Meghalaya is very much comparable to Vagamon in Kerala, but much better in terms of waste/plastic management. Everyone pays extra attention to make sure that nobody throws plastic covers on the go. Every place is amazingly kempt. We stopped at a view point for Wah Kaba falls on the way but all we could see was a natural white curtain formed by the thick fog. Then we headed to Mawsmai cave, a natural limestone cave which is one of the primary attractions at Sohra, near Cherrapunji. A short distance of the cave is open for tourists to explore which itself is not a very easy one to tread. Next we stopped at the view point for Seven Sister falls. We could spot Bangladesh border from this view point, with the help of binoculars.
 |
| Inside Mawsmai |
We knew the name Cherrapuji from school days when it was the place that used to receive the highest rainfall in the world. So that name had always been synonymous to wetness and rains and it did live up to our expectation. It was drizzling almost always and there was not a hint of sunlight. Even in the gloomy weather Cherrapunji carries a certain charm, a feeling of tranquility.
Then we visited Noh Ka Likai fall which is the tallest plunge waterfall in India. The name loosely translates to 'the leap of Likai' and carries a dark history. There is a board that depicts the story as you can see in this picture here.
You can read more about this falls here - Wiki
Tripadvisor review - link
We stayed at the Sa-I-Mika resorts which is situated in one of the many misty hills at Sohra/Cherrapunji. We reached there after sunset so couldn't explore much that night. Next morning we woke up to realize how amazing that location was.
More details about the resort in my Tripadvisor review - link
After breakfast from Sa-I-Mika, we set off to Umiyam, the last place of stay in the itinerary. Next stop was for another waterfall named Wei Sawdong. It was a steep climb down on a rough path. It is just a trek of 15 minutes but it does a thorough strength test of all the muscles in the leg. The view of the falls is undoubtedly worth that tedious effort.
We stayed at a property named 'Cafe Umbir' near Umiyam lake on the last day of the trip. You can read my Tripadvisor review here - link.
Now comes the food and beverages segment.
Assamese cuisine tops the list (for my taste buds). Right from a simple peanut masala to a pork dry fry everything is delicious. The best pork I've tasted ever was at Lalimou Camp, Nameri. Even vegetarian food is very palatable. You get rice, daal and vegetable everywhere. Main ingredients are salt, turmeric and cumin. There are no pungent masalas and definitely everything is tummy friendly.
Assam has a kind of big lemons which could be squeezed directly on your rice or curry. Even it's zest could be eaten raw.
Wiki - Nemu Tenga.
Food in Arunachal Pradesh was similar to Assamese food, but not as tasty. May be the terrain poses a setback with procuring fresh raw materials.
Meghalaya has two different types of cuisine viz. Khasi and Garo. We got the opportunity to try both varieties. Special mention goes to smoked meat dishes from Sue's kitchen near to Shillong. Smoked beef tasted very similar to beef jerky.
If you are visiting North East, make sure to try out the whiskies - Oaken Glow and Sterling Reserve. You don't find these in the South. In Arunachal, you can have a taste of their local rice brew.
You can read more about this falls here - Wiki
Tripadvisor review - link
We stayed at the Sa-I-Mika resorts which is situated in one of the many misty hills at Sohra/Cherrapunji. We reached there after sunset so couldn't explore much that night. Next morning we woke up to realize how amazing that location was.
More details about the resort in my Tripadvisor review - link
After breakfast from Sa-I-Mika, we set off to Umiyam, the last place of stay in the itinerary. Next stop was for another waterfall named Wei Sawdong. It was a steep climb down on a rough path. It is just a trek of 15 minutes but it does a thorough strength test of all the muscles in the leg. The view of the falls is undoubtedly worth that tedious effort.
 |
| Wei Sawdong Falls |
Now comes the food and beverages segment.
Assamese cuisine tops the list (for my taste buds). Right from a simple peanut masala to a pork dry fry everything is delicious. The best pork I've tasted ever was at Lalimou Camp, Nameri. Even vegetarian food is very palatable. You get rice, daal and vegetable everywhere. Main ingredients are salt, turmeric and cumin. There are no pungent masalas and definitely everything is tummy friendly.
 |
| Gahori Dry Fry |
 |
| Peanut Masala |
Wiki - Nemu Tenga.
Food in Arunachal Pradesh was similar to Assamese food, but not as tasty. May be the terrain poses a setback with procuring fresh raw materials.
Meghalaya has two different types of cuisine viz. Khasi and Garo. We got the opportunity to try both varieties. Special mention goes to smoked meat dishes from Sue's kitchen near to Shillong. Smoked beef tasted very similar to beef jerky.
 |
| Smoked Beef |
 |
| Smoked Pork |
 |
| Veg Thali |
If you are visiting North East, make sure to try out the whiskies - Oaken Glow and Sterling Reserve. You don't find these in the South. In Arunachal, you can have a taste of their local rice brew.
Travel advise
Some points worth noting for anyone intending to travel to North East.
1. Book your tickets in advance. October worked out costly for us because of Puja festival. So try avoiding festival months if you're tight on budget.
2. Be ready for hectic traveling. Especially in Arunachal Pradesh. Every day you will be travelling a minimum of 6 to 8 hours. There is nothing to see except the beauty of the nature. Be ready to sit back and relax. If there are kids traveling with you, be ready to tackle the tantrums.
3. Most of the restaurants provide food only after a minimum waiting period of one hour. In one place it took 35 minutes to get a normal veg thali. So consider that waiting time when you order food anywhere. If you have kids with you, make sure you carry some snacks.
4. Breakfast included in most resorts are very simple and limited in quantity. Don't expect a continental spread with unlimited portions.
I loved my first trip to the North East and I'm sure I'll visit again. Ideally one should spend at least a week in each state to have a relaxed experience.
