5 Feisty Itineraries to Tour in March-April and September-October (North-East India Based)
Come March or September and here we are making plans to make
use of this particular month. March marks the onset of Spring while September marks the end of Monsoons and the
onset of Autumn and thus a perfect timing for the off-season touring. In eastern
India especially in Bengal the month of October marks the Durga Puja period
which is considered the highest paying season here for the tourism business. A
month prior to that is thus the perfect timing for the budget itinerants. Here
enlisted five such itineraries which would not only go by our pockets but also
by our cameras; the landscape is ablaze
with the colours of nature- be it spring or autumn.
Sikkim (Rinchenpong- Kaluk- Hee- Bermiok- Uttarey)
Rinchenpong and Kaluk are two villages set amidst
the greeneries of the mountains, lesser known, though lately is appended to the
list of budding tourist attraction. Both the villages being closer to the range
physically, offer magnificent and unruffled views of Mt. Kanchendzonga. This panoramic
view continues in Hee, Bermiok, Dentam and Uttarey.
Places to Visit: Rinchenpong Monasteries, a park in tribute to
Rabindranath Tagore, Poison Lake. Hee- Patal holds a bronze statue of Mahatma
Sirijuna which gets reflected by the Chayataal Lake. Also the Sirijuna holy
cave and the Sirijuna Falls at Martam is a must-visit. Noteworthy are the two waterfalls which is
situated somewhere between Hee Khola and Bhalukhop. Towards Uttarey one would
cross the Singshore Bridge and can visit the Tenzing Hillary Park and the Trout
farm at Maneybong.
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| A viewpoint on the way to Uttarey amidst the prayer flags. |
Activities: Mountain biking through Hee-Bermiok; Boating at Yuma Samyo Mangheem at Hee- Kyangbari; Nature walk.
Routemap: Siliguri-
Jorethang- Soreng/Reshi- Kaluk –Rinchenpong- Kaluk- Hee- Bermiok- Dentam-
Uttarey-Siliguri
Days Required:
5D/4N
Approximate Cost: INR 20000/- (All
total in a small vehicle)
Meghalaya (Shillong- Mawlynnong- Cherapunjee- Mawsyram)
Literally meaning the abode of the clouds, Meghalaya
is one of the beautiful attraction among the seven sisters of the incredible
North-Eastern India. Meghalaya boasts of Mawsynram as the wettest place on
Earth and Mawlynnong as the cleanest village in India and the crystal clear
Umngot river at Dawki.
Places to Visit: Kamakhya temple at Guwahati can be
visited before starting for Shillong. Local sightseeing in Shillong includes
the Cathedral church of Mary Help, Lady Hyadri Park and the Shillong golf
course. Shillong- Cherrapunjee thoroughfare has viewpoints of Shillong peak (literally
the highest peak of the place) and Elephant Falls (the water columns are
a delight to the eyes). The main attractions are however in Cherrapunjee;
notable mentions are the Nohkalikai Falls, the Mawsmai Seven Sisters falls,
Mawsmai caves, Khoh Ramaiah, Nongriat Village and Lumshynna Cave in Arwah and
the double-decker living root bridge. Mawlynnong has the noteworthy attraction
of the living root bridge. The Dawki river is a must-visit for its unearthly pellucid
beauty.
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| Boating through the pellucid waters of Umngot river, Dawki |
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| Double Decker Bridge, Mawlynnong |
Activities: Caving
at Mawsmai and Lumshynna Cave. Boating in the jewelled Umngot river.
Routemap: Guwahati-
Shillong- Cherrapunjee- Mawlynnong-Dawki-Tamabil- Guwahati
Days Required:
5D/4N
Approximate Cost: INR 16000/-
(All total in a small vehicle)
Arunachal Pradesh (Itanagar- Ziro- Hapoli- Daporijo- Along- Pasighat)
One of the most diversified states of India is this
most eastern state of the mainland. Literally meaning the land of the first
dawn, Arunachal hosts 26 ethnic tribes and is an anthropologically rich land
with serenity personified.
Places to Visit: Ita fort, ‘ the fort of bricks’,
Ganga Lake or Geykar Sinyik, the Jawaharlal Nehru museum displaying the rich
heritage of Arunachal by the depiction of the tribal culture, the Buddha Vihar.
Ziro is considered as one of the most breathtakingly beautiful valleys of India.
Hapoli is rather the twin sister town of Ziro. One day stay in Ziro is must to
relish the place fully. It is home to Apatani and Nishi Tribe, their villages
offer an ethnic tour with the houses made with Bamboo and Cane. Ziro Putu
hillock offers an birds eye view of the valley. One can opt foe an evening
stroll around the market. Daporijo is another tribal attraction with the
Tagins, Galo, Hillmiri, and Nah tribes. Aalong is situated on the banks of River
Siang hosts Kane wildlife sanctuary; the hanging bridge over the river made
with bamboo and cane is one of the tourist spot here. Pasighat, known as the
gateway to the Arunachal is the oldest town of the state and is also located on
the banks of river Siang. It is also home to the Pasi and Minniyong tribes.
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| Ziro Valley. [Credits: Arunachal tourism] |
Activities: Trek
to Kile Pakho in Ziro and bird watching here. Rafting is done in river Siang
however, it depends on the seasons. [Tsang
Po of China is known as Siang in India, so it is advised to check the weather
reports before opting this itinerary]
Routemap: Dibrugarh-
Itanagar- Ziro- Hapoli- Daporijo- Aalong- Pasighat- Dibrugarh
Days Required:
8D/7N
Approximate Cost: INR 32000/- (All
total in a small vehicle)
West Bengal (Lolegaon- Icche Gaon- Sillery Gaon- Lava- Rishop)
North Bengal, Bengalis’ mountain paradise is more
than just Darjeeling. This itinerary is more of an offbeat one and thus more
close to Nature’s drill.
Places to Visit: Changey falls and the canopy walk
lo are the main attractions in Lolegaon dropping you in the pristine lap of
Nature. Amidst the hanging bridges or the clear waterfall, one would find
solace to the otherwise blues of their life. The other viewpoints include
Jhandi Dara and Tiffin Dara, wherefrom the majestic view of the Kanchendzonga
range is viewable. One day stay in Icche gaon and Sillery gaon is recommended
for nature lovers. Icchegaon entry is known for the looping roads and
natural beauty. Sillery gaon is located in the valley surrounded by mountains
on three sides and right opposite to Icche gaon. Tinchuley is a known name
here. From there, during the day, Kanchendzonga steals the fame, while in the
nights the twinkling lights of Ravangla and Namchi on the opposite hills provide the nightshow. On clear days the meandering Teesta is an appreciated
view. Another notable place is the Damsang fort. However, for the best view of the
range, post-November is the best time. Rishop and Lava offer similar getaways
and also is the postern to Neora Valley National Park. While in Lava, a visit
to the Lava Monastery is must.
 |
| On the way to Rishop from Lava. |
Activities: Trek
through Neora Valley, and bird watching here. Nature walk at Icche gaon and
Sillery gaon. [Trekking through the
forest starts from the mid-September after the monsoons]
Routemap:
Siliguri- Lolegaon- Icchegaon- Bhalu Marg- Sillery Gaon- Rishop- Lava-
Siliguri
Days Required:
6D/5N
Approximate Cost: INR 16000/- (All
total in small vehicle)
West Bengal (Kurseong- Chatakpur- Lepchajagat- Mane Bhanjang- Singalila)
Another offbeat of West Bengal and perfect for the
nature lovers.
Places to Visit: The roads connecting the places are by itself
beautiful offering picturesque views. The Darjeeling Himalayan railway and the
Eagle’s Crag in Kurseong are great attractions here. The others offer high
altitude forests trails to visitors. Chatakpur is famous for biking and
trekking and if you are lucky enough you might get a glimpse of Mt. Everest
from here. The Chatakpur forest homes the Great Himalayan Black Bear, Leopards,
Barking Deer and Antelopes. Lepchajagat is another such place to get engaged
with Nature’s aura, during the day you trek while in the night get yourself
placed by a fireplace, cuddle in with a cup of hot beverage (Darjeeling tea
mostly) and lose yourself to the sounds of the crickets, you might find the
jungle reverberating too. Singalila too offers a forest trek through the
national park. Maney Bhanjan is famous for the land rovers of the village. Hire
one and set off for Sandakphu.
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| A viewpoint in Chatakpur |
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| A sunny day in Maney Bhanjang |
Activites: This
particular itinerary has many activities if you choose to do it. Nature walks
trek or even bike through the forests. One might trek to Sandakphu even but
that would be the job of a minimum of 5 days.
Routemap: Siliguri-
Kurseong- Chattakpur- Lepcha Jagat- Maney Bhanjang- Singalila- Siliguri
Days Required:
7D/6N (Spent 2 days in Chatakpur)
Approximate Cost: INR 20000/- (All
total in a small vehicle)
8 comments
I liked these detailed itineraries, costs/ places to visits/ things to do etc. And your photos are veryyy cool! Thanks for the information!
ReplyDeleteWow! It makes me wish I was in India for longer so I could explore a bit more! Definitely going to have to come back and try out your itineraries.
ReplyDeleteYou really have some great ideas there. I love the look of the double decker bridge! I love hikes and walking around in nature so many appeal to me
ReplyDeleteIndia is one of those places with just so much to see and do. I prefer to travel to lesser known areas of a country, so all of these really appeal to me
ReplyDeleteThese itineraries look fantastic and you have some brilliant nature shots. I love the agriculture terraces in Ziro Valley, it reminds me a lot of Sapa in Vietnam. And Umngot river looks beautiful!
ReplyDeleteyour picture is so great !!
ReplyDeleteThat's some great inspiration - I wish I lived a bit closer so I could try some of these trips!
ReplyDeleteSo many great ideas! Hopefully one day I can visit.
ReplyDelete