“Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.”
- DALAI LAMA
The East of India is an area of astonishing diversity, one of the last frontiers that has much to reward a seasoned traveler.
Starting from the Himalayas and reaching down to the Bay of Bengal this region of incredible cultural and natural beauty has largely remained unexplored. The revered river Ganges and the mighty Brahmaputra have not just shaped the geography of this land mass but also facilitated a flourishing civilization since millennia. This region has also been the birthplace of some great spiritual traditions of India. Also known as the land of seers and seekers, it doesn’t come as a surprise that it is here that you can find the remarkable city of Bodhgaya where the Buddha gained enlightenment. From the hustle and bustle of Kolkata (the City of Joy) to the serenity of a sacred Buddhist town - there is something here for everyone.
At the very Northeastern tip of this region you will find the Seven Sister states, obscured from the greater world by ageless forests and formidable mountain ranges. The Northeastern states are one of Asia's last great natural and anthropological sanctuaries. Sharing borders with Bhutan, Tibet, Myanmar and Bangladesh, these remote frontiers are regions of untamed beauty and a kaleidoscope of tribal cultures, landscapes and climate. Get off the grid as you explore tribal villages of former head-hunters, ancient monasteries, wildlife sanctuaries and the old-world charm of tea estates.
HIGHLIGHTS
KOLKATA
Kolkata is India’s most intriguing mega-city. This is where England and India collide. Capital of West Bengal, Kolkata is a daily festival of human existence, both noble and squalid, cultured and desperate, curiously futuristic and splendid in decay. Home of Tagore, one of India’s greatest poets and thinkers of all time, the city has a very artistic soul and a lot to offer.
MEGHALAYA
Meghalaya – the ‘abode of the clouds’ – is a mountain state set on dramatic horseshoes of rocky cliffs. It is one of the wettest places on Earth. It is that here you will come across some of the most beautiful villages in Asia. Sacred forests preserved by the tribes and incredible living-root bridges will leave you enchanted.
BHUBANESHWAR
The capital of the state of Odisha is full of archeological and cultural treasures. Titled “The City of Temples”, the masterpieces of ancient Indian temple architecture can be seen here. Go on an excursion to the World Heritage Site of Konark and its famed Sun Temple. The chariot of the Sun God in stone is an architectural marvel and in a league of its own. History buffs will relish the 2000-year-old cave dwellings at Udaygiri and Khandgiri with their intricate friezes.
ASSAM
The famed one-horned rhinoceros, one of India’s best-known tourism wildlife mascots, calls the expansive grasslands of the Kaziranga National Park home.
Along the banks of the Brahmaputra river the park stretches along grasslands and swamps, forests and hills where many animals migrate during heavy monsoon rains . The rich wildlife includes tigers, buffalo, wild elephant and a varied bird life. Wake up to the finest Assam brew before you leave on an early morning safari.
DARJEELING
Darjeeling offers the front row seats to the Himalayas. Spread in ribbons over a steep mountain ridge, surrounded by emerald-green tea plantations and towered over by the majestic Khangchendzonga (8598m), this old hill station is steeped in colonial nostalgia. Stay on a vintage tea estate and experience the old-world charm.
NAGALAND
The uncontested ‘Wild East’ of India, Nagaland is rich in primeval beauty. Its dazzling hills and valleys are an other-worldly place where, until a few decades ago, head-hunting Naga tribes valiantly fought off intruders. Meet one of the tribal chiefs and gain an insight into their fascinating lives. Check our festival calendar for the annual Hornbill festival.
SIKKIM
Sikkim was its own mountain kingdom till 1975 and still retains a very distinctive personality. The meditative, mural-filled traditional monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism coexist with Hindu shrines on the Himalayan slopes. Known for its gentle people and embracing culture it also boasts of the title of being the only organic state of India.
