[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by afunnynut

East of the par bordering Bhutan and Arunachal, though not sure as to the procedure for the same.

Know replying to a very old post, but Kaziranga is on the south bank.

Originally Posted by vagabondwith4WD

Amazing to see this post has been moved to a 4 year old post with no traction at all. Net/Net no response so far...

Back to the request...have anyone done a week 1- 10 days trip to North east recently?

Timingwise sounds more like a business trip than a holiday. Doable- with a bit of luck, yes. Enjoyable?

Parks in Assam normally open mid October.

Regards
Sutripta

[afunnynut]

Originally Posted by vagabondwith4WD

2nd Oct - Shilong to Kaziranga National park (3 pm) (Evening Safari)
3rd Oct - Kaziranga National Park - Guwahati - Kolkata (6pm) (Morning Safari)
4th Oct - 5th Oct - Kolata - Hyderabad (10 am) flight

1. Is this the right amount of coverage given the days?

2. Please help help with list of places to cover in Chirapunjee, Shilong - Nature/Photography/Culture
3. Please help with options for accommodation (Good location, < 1600/night per person)
4. Any pointers to self drive vehicles in this trip from Shilong OR any experience worth sharing with taxis. I have done drove in treacherous conditions before

Thanks for your help

1. Yes, but remember, you are going during Durga Puja. Most places would be chock full of people.

2. Shillong has lots of places you might want to visit - golf course, elephanta falls, Ward's Lake, Cherrapuni etc - best would be to hire a local sight seeing taxi for a day. You can book a local taxi about 9 in the morning and see all places by evening. Thing to remember - North Eastern states close down early - so don't be surprised if the city closes down by about 7 - 8 PM

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction...Meghalaya.html

3. Pinewood is good. You will find other hotels in the list below. Just call them up and check for prices and reservations

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Hotel_Revi...Meghalaya.html

4. Honestly, book a local taxi - as traffic jams are common place, roads are narrow and parking/roads are a problem unless you know the by lanes well enough to be able to dodge traffic

Kaziranga will be closed for safaris in October as it will still be the rainy season - this starts sometime during Feb / March if I remember correctly.

You can check the dates online as it will be published in the Assam Tribune

http://www.assamtribune.com

On this http://www.kaziranga.co.in/season.php it says "partially open" - not sure what that means though - maybe only vehicle safari - but you might want to call them up and check

#Update as per http://kaziranga.assam.gov.in/wp/

"[COLOR=#ff6600]Jeep Safari Closed from 22nd May, 2014[/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000]This is notified for general information to all concerned that the Jeep Safari for visitors shall remain suspended from 22nd May, 2014 until further orders due to unfavourable weather and bad road conditions inside the Park.[/COLOR]
The Park is likely to open again sometime in October/November, 2014 subject to weather and road conditions. Please visit the website for further updates.
"

[afunnynut]

Originally Posted by vagabondwith4WD

2nd Oct - Shilong to Kaziranga National park (3 pm) (Evening Safari)
3rd Oct - Kaziranga National Park - Guwahati - Kolkata (6pm) (Morning Safari)
4th Oct - 5th Oct - Kolata - Hyderabad (10 am) flight

I don't think this is doable unless the Guwahati - Kolkatta stretch is done by flight

If I read that correctly - you start to GHY after morning safari - which should end about 10 AM - Kaziranga to GHY is about 4 hours - so you reach by 2- 3 PM

Problem is, you've got a flight the next day from Kolkatta at 10 AM - which means you need to reach Kolkatta by at least 8 AM

So from GHY to Kolkatta - if you are travelling by train, you need to make sure there are no delays - as far as I remember, most trains etc reaches Howrah by about 7 or 8

[vagabondwith4WD]

Originally Posted by afunnynut

I don't think this is doable unless the Guwahati - Kolkatta stretch is done by flight

If I read that correctly - you start to GHY after morning safari - which should end about 10 AM - Kaziranga to GHY is about 4 hours - so you reach by 2- 3 PM

Problem is, you've got a flight the next day from Kolkatta at 10 AM - which means you need to reach Kolkatta by at least 8 AM

So from GHY to Kolkatta - if you are travelling by train, you need to make sure there are no delays - as far as I remember, most trains etc reaches Howrah by about 7 or 8

Thanks Guwahati to Kolkata plan was flight

[vagabondwith4WD]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Know replying to a very old post, but Kaziranga is on the south bank.


Timingwise sounds more like a business trip than a holiday. Doable- with a bit of luck, yes. Enjoyable?

Parks in Assam normally open mid October.

Regards
Sutripta

Hi Sutripta, thanks for honest comment on the schedule. It is no way meant to be a business trip , may be my lack of awareness on this area makes me plan so.

Considering Durga Pooja and that the trip is not meant to be hurried instead be serene and photogenic...can you suggest an itinerary. I plan to cover NE in like 3-4 trips this is just the first phase so im flexible with picking up the states. - Priority - Nature, photography, adventure. It will be a mixed group of men and women.

[vagabondwith4WD]

Originally Posted by afunnynut

1. Yes, but remember, you are going during Durga Puja. Most places would be chock full of people.

2. Shillong has lots of places you might want to visit - golf course, elephanta falls, Ward's Lake, Cherrapuni etc - best would be to hire a local sight seeing taxi for a day. You can book a local taxi about 9 in the morning and see all places by evening. Thing to remember - North Eastern states close down early - so don't be surprised if the city closes down by about 7 - 8 PM

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction...Meghalaya.html

3. Pinewood is good. You will find other hotels in the list below. Just call them up and check for prices and reservations

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Hotel_Revi...Meghalaya.html

4. Honestly, book a local taxi - as traffic jams are common place, roads are narrow and parking/roads are a problem unless you know the by lanes well enough to be able to dodge traffic

Kaziranga will be closed for safaris in October as it will still be the rainy season - this starts sometime during Feb / March if I remember correctly.

You can check the dates online as it will be published in the Assam Tribune

http://www.assamtribune.com

On this http://www.kaziranga.co.in/season.php it says "partially open" - not sure what that means though - maybe only vehicle safari - but you might want to call them up and check

#Update as per http://kaziranga.assam.gov.in/wp/

"[COLOR=#ff6600]Jeep Safari Closed from 22nd May, 2014[/COLOR] [COLOR=#000000]This is notified for general information to all concerned that the Jeep Safari for visitors shall remain suspended from 22nd May, 2014 until further orders due to unfavourable weather and bad road conditions inside the Park.[/COLOR]
The Park is likely to open again sometime in October/November, 2014 subject to weather and road conditions. Please visit the website for further updates.
"

Thanks. Durga Pooja crowd is a good point. Should I select some other state within NE to be away from crowd. Chirapunjee is my personal fav other than that my plan is flexible for a right NE itinerary.

Considering Durga Pooja and that the trip is not meant to be hurried instead be serene and photogenic...can you suggest an itinerary. I plan to cover NE in like 3-4 trips this is just the first phase so im flexible with picking up the states. - Priority - Nature, photography, adventure. It will be a mixed group of men and women.

[Sutripta]

Difficult to make someone elses itinerary. (eg. personally on a very tight schedule, I would not spend a night at Cherrapungee).
List out what is important to you, and how the NE fulfills those. To me, what separates Assam from the rest of the country is the greenery, and the easy pace of life. And of course the National Parks with rhinos! Everyone talks of Kaziranga, but there's Manas, Namdapha, Nameri, ... Pobitora does not come across as a park, but has a higher rhino density than Kaziranga! etc.

One thing to keep in mind is that in Assam, keep buffer days.

Regards
Sutripta

[wanderernomad]

Originally Posted by vagabondwith4WD

Thanks. Durga Pooja crowd is a good point. Should I select some other state within NE to be away from crowd. Chirapunjee is my personal fav other than that my plan is flexible for a right NE itinerary.

Considering Durga Pooja and that the trip is not meant to be hurried instead be serene and photogenic...can you suggest an itinerary. I plan to cover NE in like 3-4 trips this is just the first phase so im flexible with picking up the states. - Priority - Nature, photography, adventure. It will be a mixed group of men and women.

Considering, what you have written, I would suggest Mawlelong and Cheerapunji ,but then, if you want to keep it an idle pace you will need 2 days, ex Guwahati.

[afunnynut]

Originally Posted by vagabondwith4WD

Should I select some other state within NE to be away from crowd. Chirapunjee is my personal fav other than that my plan is flexible for a right NE itinerary.

Considering Durga Pooja and that the trip is not meant to be hurried instead be serene and photogenic...can you suggest an itinerary. I plan to cover NE in like 3-4 trips this is just the first phase so im flexible with picking up the states. - Priority - Nature, photography, adventure. It will be a mixed group of men and women.

Well, honestly, here's the thing - each place has it's own charm and traveling to even a one horse town is fun.

Having said that, the itinerary looks good. Since you are landing in Guwahati, below link should help you decide further

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction...ies-Assam.html

http://www.assambengalnavigation.com/aboutassam.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Assam

http://www.transindiatravels.com/ass...visit-in-assam

http://megtourism.gov.in/destination.html

Like you mentioned, as you plan on making more trips, you will still have Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram etc to cover! Plus there's always the allure of a Sikkim/Darjeeling/Kurseong/Kallimpong etc at the fag end!

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-divinity.html

We went the next day after Durga Pujas! Off season, plenty to do, lots of fun!

[dpkbehera]

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

Considering, what you have written, I would suggest Mawlelong and Cheerapunji ,but then, if you want to keep it an idle pace you will need 2 days, ex Guwahati.

Originally Posted by afunnynut

Well, honestly, here's the thing - each place has it's own charm and traveling to even a one horse town is fun.

Having said that, the itinerary looks good. Since you are landing in Guwahati, below link should help you decide further

A Nicely written travelogue with significant contributions for other members !!!

North East has always been an elusive place for me. I am planning to have the following itinerary i.e.

Day 1 - Arrive Guwahati airport and transfer to Kaziranga
Day 2 - Stay at Kaziranga
Day 3 - Transfer to Guwahati
Day 4 - Transfer to Shillong
Day 5 - Transfer to CHERRAPUNJEE
Day 6 - Transfer to Shillong via Mwallynong
Day 7 - Transfer to Guwahati airport drop

I am planning to book flights and hotels on my own. I have the following queries i.e.
a) Travel Time / Distance between Guwahati airport to Kaziranga.
b) Travel Time / Distance between Guwahati and Shillong.
c) Any contacts of reliable Tour/Travel operator which can provide transport for the entire itinerary.
d) Is Kaziranga open till end of April? Also is April a good time to visit NE?
e) Any other suggestions/feedback will be appreciated.

[wanderer4x4]

Originally Posted by dpkbehera

I am planning to book flights and hotels on my own. I have the following queries i.e.
a) Travel Time / Distance between Guwahati airport to Kaziranga.
b) Travel Time / Distance between Guwahati and Shillong.
c) Any contacts of reliable Tour/Travel operator which can provide transport for the entire itinerary.
d) Is Kaziranga open till end of April? Also is April a good time to visit NE?
e) Any other suggestions/feedback will be appreciated.

My responses below -

A) 4.5 hours.
B) 2 hours.
C) April is still a long time away, don't worry. We can arrange something for you whenever you reach.
D) It depends upon the rains. If the rains arrive early, then by April end Kaziranga is closed. Otherwise, April is a good time. The weather is pleasant barring some storms.
E) You can do your itinerary easily and comfortably.

I'd be happy to help with any further queries that you may have.

[afunnynut]

Thing to note:

If visiting Kaziranga, the best way to book your elephant rides etc is directly through Assam Tourism. When I went, the Assam Tourism office was near the Railway Station but now, this has moved to near Nepali Mandir

http://www.redrivertravels.com/index.php

Contact details are on the webpage!

***EDIT *****

Sorry: Here's the guided tour package for Nov - April 2015 -2016

http://www.redrivertravels.com/news_events.php?id=12

Included to and fro transportation, accommodation, food & elephant safari

[Sangre]

Hi All,

I've decided to do a trip to the glorious NE starting from Guwahati this year end. I've already booked my flight tickets to and from Guwahati and still looking to finalize the itinerary. Please let me know if this looks do able.

It's going to be my wife and myself for the trip and the dates from 25th Dec to 4th Jan are fixed due to leaves from work.

25th : Bangalore -> Guwahati (Stay). Arrive in Guwahati at 11.30 AM. Do any local sight seeing.

26th : Apply for ILP to Arunachal Pradesh (upto Tawang) and collect it by evening. But it is a Saturday. Will the offices be open? Otherwise, have to plan to do it in Shillong or elsewhere(?). Hire a car and do Guwahati -> Shillong (Stay)

27th : Shillong -> Cherrapunjee -> Shillong (Stay)

28th : Shillong - Kaziranga (Stay). Book Elephant safari for 29th.

29th : Kaziranga + Safari -> Dirang (Stay. This is still dicey since I haven't read about too many people staying here overnight. Nameri is an option that I'm tempted to try. But it might turn out too similar to Kaziranga is my thought)

30th : Dirang -> Tawang (Stay)

31st : Tawang -> Guwahati (Stay) 12hr+ journey. Can break up if required

1st : Further local sight seeing / shopping in Guwahati (Stay)

2nd : 3PM flight from Guwahati -> Bangalore.

Now, I have to hire a taxi+driver in Guwahati and take it with me all the way till Arunachal Pradesh and back for 6 days. Do you think drivers would be willing to do that? I'm open for self-drive cars also. Most of the threads I've read here on Team-BHP are of the self-drive variety and almost none have had to hire drivers+taxis anywhere in NE. I'm thinking it's better to hire from Guwahati since it will be a larger market than other places.

Also, if there are comfortable+safe public transport options between various cities, I'm willing to consider that also. Wifey and me have some experience backpacking across Sri Lanka (6 days) last year without hiring a single car, if that counts.

Any assistance / inputs are welcome. The itinerary is just a guide. Feel free to tear into it and point out any ill-advised plans.

Excited to be visiting some of the most beautiful parts of my country!

[afunnynut]

Apologies for the delayed response as was travelling

ILP is now online:

http://www.arunachalilp.com/

Booking elephant is a hit or miss as most rides are booked well in advance. Jeep safaris are available though

Plans are feasible.

Ghy to Arunachal 6 days would be expensive though. Better to just use the Night Super services which are good or hire local taxis along the way.

[dpkbehera]

Since packages are quite expensive, i am looking to do the planning myself. I would really appreciate if i can get any pointers to reliable Travel operators providing cab for 5/6 days which would cover Guwahati, Shillong and Cherapunjee.Also is Mid May a good time to visit as monsoon might set in.