A travel Guide to Assam

Assam Tourism

Assam is one of India’s Northeastern states, which are collectively known as the seven sisters of India. The entire northeast region is famous for its enchanting beauty with unique culture & traditions, and Assam India is no exception to it.

Assam is surrounded by the mighty Himalayas in the North and the beautiful plains of Bengal in the South. The rapid rivers emerging from the Himalayas and the diverse flora and fauna of the wildlife reserve mainly contribute to the best Assam tourist attractions. The wildlife reserves of Assam are famous for the indigenous one-horned Rhino, which is also the mascot of Assam Tourism. The region’s history, culture and the humbleness of native people add more charm to the Assam tours.

Apart from the natural Assam attractions, the state cast the colours of festivities, traditional dances and local silk garments on its visitors. The ages-old temples with their spiritual ambience also add to the Assam tourist places. The state also offers distinctive cuisines of various flavours and aromas for the food lovers

Places to visit in Assam

1. Kamakhya Temple: A Unique Temple

Among the most visited Assam tourist places, the Kamakhya Temple tops the list with its mind-blowing scenes and people’s devotion towards it. If you are a religious person who often visits temples, or you love history and culture and love to gather knowledge about different places, the temple is the best place for you to visit. The temple is very old and dedicated to the goddess Shakthi. An astounding fact is that during June, the water of the river changes to red, which people believe is the menstruating blood of Goddess Shakti.

2. Kaziranga National Park: Home of One-Horn Rhino

The world-famous Kaziranga National Park is located in Assam. The wildlife park has been declared as a world heritage site because of its diversity. It is home to many rare species of plants and animals. The rare one-horn Rhino is the centre of attraction in this park, but it also includes other beautiful animals like swamp deer, elephant, gibbon, flying squirrel, and the famous Bengal Tiger. Among all the places to visit in Assam, Kaziranga National Park is the best place for all kinds of travellers. There are options of jungle safari, jeep safari, and elephant safari that take you to the interior parts of the park.

3. Assam State Museum

Assam State Museum is one of the oldest museums of Northeast India and the biggest multi-purpose museum in India. It was started in 1940 and has been showcasing the rich history and culture of Assam. If you are travelling with an Assam travel guide and you have a keen interest in history, then you must ask him to take you to this museum. The museum is a symbol of artistry in the state and showcases the ivory paintings, prehistoric sculptures, metal works, and costumes of the native people.

4. Majuli Island: A Riverine Island

Assam tourism allows you to see breathtaking sceneries in every direction you go, and its greatest example is Majuli Island. Spreading over the area of 452 sq km between the Brahmaputra water, it is the largest river island in India. During the monsoon, the island gets submerged into the water, but during other seasons it forms picturesque landscapes that make people want to stay here forever. Near Majuli Island, there are other small but equally beautiful islands, such as Auniati, Kamalabari, and Garamur.

5. Guwahati Planetarium

Our desire to know more about the universe has no boundaries, just like the universe itself. For astronomy lovers, the Guwahati Planetarium is the best place on the list of Assam attractions. The planetarium works as an astronomical research centre, but also displays the celestial space and reveals its deep secrets to its visitors. Thousands of people come here every year to get mesmerised by meteor showers and eclipse. The planetarium building also has a beautiful structure that people love to gaze at. Some of the most luxurious hotels are also located in Guwahati.

Things to do in Assam

Here are some of the best activities that people of every age would love to do in Assam.

Watch Wildlife closely on Safaris

With the presence of the beautiful and enchanting wildlife reserve, visiting Kaziranga National Park should be your priority if you are searching for things to do in Assam. If your Assam travel guide has not included it in the list, you must ask him to add it. The Jungle safari in the park gives you the amazing opportunity to see the wild animals from a close distance. It takes you to jungles, grasslands, and nearby wetlands that have their own mysterious ecosystem.

Set sail on River Cruises

You travel by cars and buses every day. But what about travelling on a cruise? The river cruises of Brahmaputra are one of the best elements of Assam tourism. These cruise trips allow you to see nature from a different perspective. The cruise of Assam Bengal Navigation sails through the Kaziranga and Manas national parks where you can enjoy incredible scenic views and wonderful wildlife with charismatic animals and colourful birds.

Take part in Local Festivals

Magh Bihu, also known as the harvest festival, is the most popular festival of Assam that runs for a whole week. In this cheerful time, the native people of Assam perform dances, play sports and games, enjoy bonfire and bullfight, and organise feast of fish delicacies and traditional sweets. Tourists come here in January to celebrate these festivals.

Take a walk in Tea Gardens

Assam produces the most excellent quality of tea in the entire world. The produce is exported to all over the world from here. The Assam hills are covered with lush green tea plants that make tracts and look very beautiful. In November, the tea producers organise an annual Tea Festival in Jorhat, in which they exhibit their rich heritage through ethnic fairs and traditional food.

Go on a Spiritual Journey

In Assam, most people practice Hinduism or Buddhism. So, there are many temples and monasteries all over Assam where tourists can visit as a pilgrimage destination. Kamakhya and Bamunimaidan temples in Guwahati are the most visited pilgrimage sites of Assam.

Best time to visit Assam

Winter

The best time to visit Assam is from November to January when the weather remains pleasant. Rivers also do not overflow, and that decreases the chances of flood in the lower regions. It makes winter the best season to visit Assam. Many hotels in Assam provide attractive offers during this season.

Summer

Summer is another good time to visit Assam. Most of Assam's region lies in a valley. That means you have to face a moderate summer temperature ranging between 32 degrees to 38 degrees.

Monsoon

The entire Northeast region of India receives a high amount of rainfall during the monsoon. In Assam, many rivers, including the Brahmaputra, overflows, and chances of severe flood remain until the water level comes down. So monsoon is not an ideal time to visit Assam.

How to Reach Assam

There are many ways to reach this beautiful state if you are searching for how to reach Assam.

By Air

The main airport of Assam is located in Guwahati and known as Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport. There are direct flights to Guwahati from all the major cities of India. You can also take a flight to the other cities of Assam including Dibrugarh, Silchar, Ujjalpur, and Jorhat.

By Railway

One of the major cities of the state, Guwahati, is also a nucleus of the rail network in the region. Indian Railway provides direct train services between Guwahati and New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, Cochin among other cities.

By Road

Reaching Assam by a road trip is another good option if you are coming here from a nearby location. The condition of roads is good that allows you to drive at a steady speed without applying brakes every now and then. Bus service is also very frequent from all the cities of Assam.