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-   -   Guwahati - Kaziranga - Shillong - Guwahati : Route Queries (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/48273-guwahati-kaziranga-shillong-guwahati-route-queries-4.html)

Is it too late for the reply? At Cherra I would go for the Orchid Resort.

Why not consider the self drive option Aweriders at Guwahati?

Hello Wanderernomad and North-east experts, our plans of visiting North-east in April 3rd week is shaping up.

We have few things in mind for 9 full days after landing Gauhati.

1. Scenic drives,
2. Easy-moderate Trekking,
3. General wandering around villages
4. Wild life sanctuary (Kaziranga)

We have sketched 3 plans with self drive (hiring a Ford Figo in gauhati )

1. Do only Meghalaya apart from Kaziranga. Drive and trek around Shillong, shnongpdeng, cherrapunji, nongriat.
2. Kaziranga, Shillong-cherrapunji drive for first 3-4 days, hit Arunachal for next 3-4 days.
1. Should do Tezpur-Bhalukpong-Bomdila-Tawang or
2. Dibrugarh - Roing - Mayudia - Anini

What do you think? Will ford figo hold up? Should we consider any other belt? Is camping possible? Stay places?

Please share your thoughts.

Thanks,
Vijay

Hi, for 9 days your plan 2 is ideal. Even if going to Tawang will be a bit too much of a tiring stretch but definitely a trip to Dirang and Sangti beyond Bomdila will be a fantastic way to taste the North East. Camping is possible in Sohra and Dirang and Sangti but it will still be cold in Arunachal and unless you are accustomed to spending chilly nights outside under the stars, I would recommend staying in a home stay to avoid being uncomfortable in such beautiful surroundings.

Thank you Wanderenomad. We are detailing a plan based on your input. At the same time, we are also looking at places in Central AP mentioned here http://www.kipepeo.in/trips/central-...l-tribes-tour/ - Seem to be interesting. Any thoughts?

Additional questions,
1. Will Ford Figo take the roads?
2. Do you have any pointers on Home stays?

Will let you know on homestays soon. Figo can do it with ease.
Namdapha trek is most alluring and interesting but presently is best avoided due to certain security issues in the area.

Thanks Wanderernomad.We would continue to pick your brains please:as we make further modifications to our proposed plans.The tentative plan now seems to be like this

April 18th Reach Guwahati by 12 noon.hire car and get ILP for Arunachal and drive guwahati to shillong.(2.5 hrs) camp at Umiam lake before shillong.
19th shillong to Mawlynnong (2 hours)78 kms.See root bridge at riwai 8.6 km /25 mins. and waterfall(niriang 5kms away)
Root bridge to dawki appx 1 hour away.Back to riwai and stay the night there.
20th Riwai to cherrapunji(2 hours 73 km).Cherrapunji to nohkalikai falls (20 mins 8 km)
Nohkalikai falls to to shillong(55km 1 hour 40 mins)Local shillong site seeing.Stay at shillong.

21st shillong to kaziranga.(5 hours 250 kms).Stay at kaziranga
22 nd do morning elephant safari and travel towards roing(402 kms 9 hours) stay on the way or reach roing.

23nd Roing –Maybe do a local trek or plan for some activity.Stay at Roing.
24 Visit Mayudia.Stay at Roing.
25 visit Sally Lake and Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary.Stay at Roing.
26 visit hunli .Stay at Roing.
27 Start from Roing and halt enroute to Guwahati(Possibly near Kaziranga)
28 Do local Visit at Guwahati.Return the car and board Flight at 4.55 pm

Before we finalize on the plan need your inputs on the following

1) Your opinion or take on the plan and suggested modifications.

2) How easy is it to get the ILP and ideally is it best to get it at Guwahati when we land or at Shillong?

3) Is there any recommended places we should visit near Roing?Any home stay recommendations or should we carry a tent and try our luck with a decent camping site?

4) Is it generally safe there and how are the road conditions in the route proposed?Would the Figo plan still hold good.

Thanks and looking forward for your inputs before we finalize on our bookings.

Ill try to answer your questions first:
1. ILP can be had from Guwahati but ensure you are reaching on a working day. Easier way is to get them before hand and worst case you can get them at the entry points itself. Carry2-3 pp size photos and adhaar/identity proof of each traveller.
2. Forget Roing do Bomdilla, Dirang, Sangti.
3. Roing area is safe but roads are a mess and not worth the trouble at all. You are better off visiting the beautiful western parts. The average elevation decreases as you travel eastwards.

The better and more fruitfull plan can be:
22. After Kaziranga visit Shibsagar and see the Ahom King palaces and Shiv Dhol then fall back to Tejpur for the night or continue till Chowkam for the golden Pagoda.
23 Tejpur –Nameri Eco Camp: Do river rafting, Stay at Nameri.
24 Visit Nechiphu, Tenga, Bomdilla and stay at Bomdilla.
25 visit Sela and fall back to Sangti.
26 Local nature trails. Stay at Sangti.
27 Start from Sangti and halt at Guwahati.
28 Do local Visit at Guwahati. Return the car and board Flight at 4.55 pm.

The reason for not recommending Roing/Mayodia is the long distance involved, poor roads and the fruits of the labour not being worth.

Cheers.

Thanks for the inputs.:)

Any tips on how to apply for ILP in advance?

Would do a search for the locations recommended tonight and revert.

Cheers.

Looked up the places you had suggested. We should have blindly taken it without trying to add our bit:).

Yes., we will follow your plan with one small change.
Instead of Kaziranga to Shibsagar, contemplating of driving to Nameri directly and stay for two nights there. what do you think?

Now., waiting for your inputs on ILP and Home Stays. Thanks a ton!

Not worth two nights. :).
when you have come so far its nice to atleast have a brief brush with the Ahom kings. Further, there is a new museum cum tribute kind of thing at Jorhat for the Last Ahom king which is also nice to see. Further would suggest if you can go upto Chowkam and reduce one day from your Dirang circuit. If you are ok with it I can re draw the schedule for you including Shibsagar and Chowkam.

Wouldn't like to deviate from the tezpur route going on to Nameri and further up as both Shibsagar and chowkham are deviating away from the rest of the journey before we cut back.

Hence the extra time at Nameri as we would probably spend a bit of time at tezpur.Doing the rafting and trek on the same day would probably be a bit of a rush.(so the extra day).We could leave by next day noon though.

Would it make sense to go a little beyond sela pass to see some lakes or is the extra mile not worth it?

Cheers.

Will depend on what time you make it to Sela. The lakes are there itself at the pass but its worth going down till Jung to see the massive waterfall. Going down to Jung and returning after stopping at Jaswantgarh would be about 3 hrs ex Sela.

Thanks a ton.

Looks like the stretch beyond sela to Jung would be tough to drive on.Any idea how the weather tends to be during April and how are the general road conditions currently.

Looks like we have a choice of picking the Figo or the swift though the figo with the slightly more ground clearance seems to be a better choice.

cheers

Pick the Figo. The road is easily done in April though the melting snow and some early rains may make the journey from Sela to Jaswantgarh more interesting but nothing to worry much. A bright sun even if for half a day on the day of your journey, and it would be plain sailing all the way. After Jaswantgarh the road is almost a blacktop all through to Jung.