Our backyard: Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal, Nagaland, Sikkim and the Darjeeling hills — planned by people who live here.
The gateway to the North East: a river city on the Brahmaputra with an ancient Shakti shrine, sunset cruises, silk villages and Assamese food.
UNESCO World Heritage park on the Brahmaputra floodplain, famed for one-horned rhinos, wild elephants, buffalo and swamp deer in tall grass.
One of the world's largest river islands: Vaishnavite monasteries, mask-making, potters and misty paddy fields, reached by ferry from Jorhat.
Upper Assam's tea, oil and wetland country: river safaris in Dibru-Saikhowa, the birthplace of Asian oil at Digboi and heritage tea bungalows.
High-altitude Himalayan town at about 3,000 m, home to India's largest Buddhist monastery, snow-edged lakes and dramatic mountain passes.
Green plateau valley of the Apatani people with organic rice-and-fish paddies, bamboo groves and a UNESCO-tentative-listed cultural landscape.
No destinations here are at their best that month — try another month or ask us.
Upper Assam, especially around Tinsukia and Dibrugarh, India · 13–15 January (fixed every year)
Assam's harvest feast. Villagers build bamboo meji bonfires, share pitha, laru and fish dinners, and hold buffalo and bulbul fights in some towns. A warm, food-first way to see rural Assam.
Tip: Stay in a homestay and ask for the feast night; trains and hotels book out a month ahead.
Lekhapani, near Margherita, Tinsukia district, India · Usually mid-January for about three days (dates announced locally each year)
Held at the edge of the Dehing Patkai rainforest, this festival brings together tribal dances, handloom stalls, adventure activities and local cuisines, with the forest and coal-town heritage as a backdrop.
Tip: Confirm dates with the district tourism office about a month ahead and pair it with a forest walk.
Tawang Monastery, Arunachal Pradesh, India · Usually January, 3 days around the Tibetan 11th month (lunar calendar — confirm closer to the time)
Monks in painted masks perform sacred dances inside Tawang Monastery's courtyard to drive away evil spirits and misfortune before the new year, set against snowy Himalayan surroundings.
Tip: Roads can be icy; book a vehicle with chains and keep an acclimatisation day.
Tawang town and monasteries, Arunachal Pradesh, India · About 6–8 February 2027 (lunar calendar — confirm closer to the time)
The Monpa new year is marked with prayers at the monastery, new prayer flags, family feasts and masked dances. Visiting during Losar offers a chance to see the community's warm, home-based side.
Tip: Shops and some homestays close for a few days; confirm bookings and carry cash.
Papum Pare and Ziro region, Arunachal Pradesh, India · About 26 February (fixed in the Nyishi calendar)
Nyishi communities pray for prosperity and good harvests with priest chants, community feasts and dances. Villages are festive and welcoming, particularly in the plateau region around Ziro.
Tip: Check permits and travel conditions in advance; local guides can arrange invitations to village rituals.
Aizawl, Mizoram, India · About the first Friday of March (confirm locally)
The Mizo spring festival is celebrated with bamboo dances, guitar-led folk songs and community meals. Dancers in bright traditional costumes make Aizawl feel like one big open-air stage.
Tip: Mizoram needs an Inner Line Permit; apply online before travel.
