Northeast India

India's Northeast — Assam, Meghalaya and the neighbouring states — is culturally and geographically distinct from the rest of the Himalayan arc: tea country around Assam, Meghalaya's extraordinary living root bridges grown from rubber tree roots, and a patchwork of tribal cultures found nowhere else in India.

It's the least-visited region on our roster, and for good reason it also needs the most planning lead time — road conditions, permits for some areas, and the sheer distance from Delhi all factor into a realistic itinerary.

Highlights

• Meghalaya's living root bridges
• Assam's tea estates and Kaziranga's one-horned rhinoceros
• Distinct tribal cultures found only in the Northeast
• Genuinely off-the-beaten-path travel within India

Best Time to Visit

October to April, avoiding the heavy Northeast monsoon (roughly May–September).

Getting There

Reached via flights to Guwahati (Assam) or Shillong, followed by road transfers between regions.