Meghalaya tour: Living root bridges & Assam, Arunachal Pradesh
Thirteen days through three states: rhinos, monasteries, waterfalls and root bridges
A 13-day guided tour of Northeast India covering Meghalaya, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, with hotel pickup and English or Hindi-speaking guide. The itinerary moves from Guwahati through sacred temples and river cruises, climbs to Tawang Monastery and Bum La Pass at the India-China border, descends to Kaziranga National Park for elephant and jeep safaris among one-horned rhinos, then reaches Meghalaya's waterfalls and living root bridges. Transport is by vehicle matched to group size (Innova Crysta for 3–5 travelers, Luxury Urbania for 6–12, Luxury AC Coach for 12–20), with a trekking guide included for forest walks.
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Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and Guwahati sightseeing
- Pickup from Guwahati Airport or Railway station
- Visit Umananda Temple on Peacock Island
- Enjoy Brahmaputra River Cruise
- Overnight stay in Guwahati hotel
Day 2: Guwahati temples and travel to Bomdila
- Visit Maa Kamakhya Temple
- Visit Maha Mrityunjay Temple in Nagaon
- Overnight stay in Bomdila hotel
Day 3: Bomdila to Tawang via scenic spots
- Visit Bomdila Monastery
- Stop at Sela Pass and Sela Lake
- Visit Jaswant Garh War Memorial
- Visit Jong Falls
- Arrive in Tawang
- Overnight stay in Tawang hotel
Day 4: Tawang sightseeing and Bumla Pass excursion
- Visit Bum La Pass at India-China border
- Visit Madhuri Lake (Sangestar Tso)
- Visit Tawang Monastery
- Visit Urgelling Monastery, birthplace of 6th Dalai Lama
- Attend Light and Sound Show at Tawang War Memorial
- Overnight stay in Tawang hotel
Day 5: Tawang to Dirang and local exploration
- Visit Dirang Monastery
- Explore Sangti Valley
- Explore Dirang town
- Overnight stay in Dirang hotel
Day 6: Travel from Dirang to Kaziranga
- Travel to Kaziranga National Park
- Overnight stay in Kaziranga
Day 7: Kaziranga wildlife and cultural activities
- Elephant Safari in Kaziranga
- Jeep Safari in Kaziranga
- Attend Cultural Show at Kaziranga National Orchid Park
- Overnight stay in Kaziranga
Day 8: Kaziranga to Shillong sightseeing
- Visit Umiam Lake
- Visit Ward’s Lake
- Explore Police Bazaar market
- Overnight stay in Shillong hotel
Day 9: Shillong to Dawki and Cherrapunji
- Boating on Dawki (Umngot) River
- Visit Dawki border area
- Visit Mawlynnong village
- Visit Riwai Living Root Bridge
- Arrive in Cherrapunji
- Overnight stay in Cherrapunji hotel
Day 10: Trek to Nongriat and Rainbow Falls
- Trek to Nongriat village
- Visit Double-Decker Living Root Bridge
- Visit Rainbow Falls
- Overnight stay in Cherrapunji hotel
Day 11: Cherrapunji to Shillong sightseeing
- Visit Seven Sisters Falls
- Visit Kynrem Falls
- Explore Mawsmai Cave
- Explore Arwah Cave
- Visit Garden of Caves eco-park
- Visit Wei Sawdong Falls
- Visit Nohkalikai Falls
- Visit Elephant Falls
- Visit Mawphlang Sacred Forest
- Overnight stay in Shillong hotel
Day 12: Shillong to Guwahati via Jowai
- Visit Laitlum Canyon viewpoint
- Visit Jowai town
- Visit Krang Suri Falls
- Visit Phe Phe Falls (Pee Pee Falls)
- Overnight stay in Guwahati hotel
Day 13: Guwahati local sightseeing and departure
- Optional Guwahati local sightseeing
- Drop at Guwahati Airport
The experience
The tour starts with pickup from Guwahati airport or railway station and moves through a sequence that builds from spiritual sites to high-altitude passes, then into wildlife and water. Days one and two anchor in Assam: Umananda Temple on Peacock Island in the Brahmaputra, the Kamakhya Temple on Nilachal Hill (one of India's most revered Shakti Peethas), and a river cruise that may include Majuli Island and Kaziranga. The Maha Mrityunjay Temple at Nagaon, with its 126-foot Shivling, marks the transition before heading northeast.
Days three through six climb into Arunachal Pradesh. The route passes through Bomdila Monastery, then Sela Pass at 13,700 feet where Sela Lake freezes in winter. Jaswant Garh War Memorial honors a soldier from the 1962 Sino-Indian War, and Jong Falls (also called Madhuri Falls after the Bollywood film shot there) drops nearly 100 meters into the Tawang River. Tawang itself sits at 10,000 feet and holds Tawang Monastery (India's largest Buddhist monastery with over 500 monks) plus Urgelling Monastery, birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama. A light and sound show at the Tawang War Memorial recounts the 1962 conflict. From Tawang, a day trip reaches Bum La Pass at 15,200 feet on the India-China border, and Madhuri Lake (Sangestar Tso), a high-altitude alpine lake sacred to the Monpa people. Dirang Monastery and Sangti Valley, where endangered black-necked cranes breed, break the return journey.
Days seven and eight shift to Kaziranga National Park in Assam, a UNESCO site protecting over 2,400 one-horned rhinos: the world's largest population. An elephant safari rides through tall grasslands. A jeep safari covers the park's mix of wetlands and forests. The park also holds tigers, wild buffalo, swamp deer, and over 450 bird species. An evening cultural show at the Kaziranga National Orchid Park features Bihu and Karbi dances, traditional music, and Assamese cuisine on thalis.
Days nine through twelve enter Meghalaya's waterfalls and living root bridges. Umiam Lake and Ward's Lake near Shillong offer respite before the route reaches Dawki on the India-Bangladesh border, where the Umngot River's crystal-clear water creates the illusion of boats floating above the surface. Mawlynnong, called Asia's Cleanest Village, sits near a double-decker living root bridge made from rubber tree roots: a Khasi engineering technique. Cherrapunji (Sohra), the "land of living root bridges," anchors the deepest exploration: Nongriat's Rainbow Falls and another living root bridge require a 3–4 hour trek. Seven Sisters Falls plunges 315 meters in seven segments. Kynrem Falls drops 305 meters in three tiers. Mawsmai Cave, Arwah Cave, and the Garden of Caves showcase limestone formations and fossilized marine life. Wei Sawdong Falls, Nohkalikai Falls (India's tallest plunge waterfall at 1,115 feet), and Elephant Falls complete the cascade. The Mawphlang Sacred Forest, a 192-acre subtropical rainforest preserved by Khasi custom, offers a quieter counterpoint. The final push returns through Laitlum Canyon (meaning "End of the Hills"), Jowai in the Jaintia Hills, and Krang Suri Falls near Amlarem before the last night in Guwahati.
What’s included
- Hotel pickup from Guwahati airport or railway station.
- English or Hindi-speaking guide for all 13 days.
- vehicle transport matched to group size (Innova Crysta, Luxury Urbania, or Luxury AC Coach).
- accommodation in 3- to 5-star hotels across all destinations.
- Kaziranga elephant safari and jeep safari.
- entry to Kaziranga National Orchid Park and its evening cultural show.
- trekking guide for forest walks to living root bridges and waterfalls.
- GST (Goods and Services Tax).
Before you book
Prices and times updated 15 days ago
Operated by Ashok North East Travels
Is this one for you?Hotel pickup means you don't arrange transport to the starting point. The guide speaks English or Hindi throughout, so language is settled at booking. The 13-day span lets you reach both the high-altitude passes of Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya's deepest waterfall treks without rushing. Each region gets time to unfold rather than a sprint through highlights.
Traveler reviews
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Hindi.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (6 to 16 years); Child (2 to 5 years); Infant (under 2).
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What's the best time of year to see all the waterfalls at full flow?
The monsoon season from June to September brings the most dramatic water volume across Cherrapunji's waterfalls, including Seven Sisters Falls and Nohkalikai Falls. Post-monsoon (October–February) offers clear skies and lush greenery but lower water levels.
Do I need a special permit to visit Bum La Pass on the India-China border?
Yes, Bum La Pass requires an Inner Line Permit because it sits on the India-China Line of Actual Control. The operator arranges this as part of the tour. Indian Army personnel maintain the border and visitors must comply with their regulations.
How long does the trek to Nongriat's living root bridge and Rainbow Falls take?
The trek from Tyrna village to Rainbow Falls takes 3–4 hours. The double-decker living root bridge lies approximately 1.5–2 hours' trek from Nongriat village itself, so plan a full day for both if you want to see them together.
What vehicles are used, and how many travelers fit in each?
Groups of 3–5 travel in an Innova Crysta; groups of 6–12 use a Luxury Urbania; groups of 12–20 travel in a Luxury AC Coach. The vehicle is assigned at booking based on your group size.
Are the elephant and jeep safaris at Kaziranga included, or do I pay extra?
Both the Kaziranga elephant safari and jeep safari are included in the tour price, along with entry to the Kaziranga National Orchid Park and its evening cultural show.
What physical fitness level do I need for the living root bridge treks?
The treks to Nongriat and the living root bridges involve steep, uneven terrain and several hours of walking. A moderate level of physical fitness is recommended. The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or pregnancy.
Meghalaya tour: Living root bridges & Assam, Arunachal Pradesh
13d · EN +1 · at your hotel
from US$ 2,585 per person
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