Assam – The Mystic Northeast

Assam- a land of breathtaking beauty and astonishing magnificence! The diverse cultures and landscapes of Assam make it a much loved destination for tourists. Assam gets its name from the Sanskrit word “asoma” which means “peerless” or “unparalleled”.

Assam is a stunning land known as the tea capital of India. You can love the closeness with nature and feel fresh air once you set foot in Assam. A land blessed with 5 top national parks in India as well a shocking historical significance and rich heritage. Assam is a land of pure bliss with a large number of wild animals, migratory birds and lush tea gardens.

The state has virtually the lot to enthrall the trippers with like striking foliage, breathtaking terrains, fascinating tea garden, dense forests and affluent flora and fauna.

This north-eastern state of India is flourished with many vibrant fairs and festivals. The fusion of distinctive cultures blends in the festival to reflect Ahom lifestyles, spirits and tradition. Even wildlife, temples and the beckoning of fun-filled river cruise make the travelers happy with Assam trip.

Visit Assam to drown yourself in its rich history and its matchless grace and start exploring mystic land with the below amazing places to visit in Assam.

Kaziranga National Park

The world famous Kaziranga National park is located in the district of Golaghat and Nagoam in Assam. This park has two thirds of the world’s population of one horned rhinos and the highest density of tigers among all the protected areas in the world. It is also the habitat of elephants, wild water buffaloes, swamp deer, hog deer, gaur, sambar, Indian Muntjac and many more species.

From wildlife photographers to travel enthusiasts, Kaziranga National Park is the lifetime aim to witness, to capture the different poses of one-horned rhinoceros.

Kaziranga was declared as a Tiger reserve in the year 2006 as it had the highest density of tigers of all the protected areas in the world. The vast area of Kaziranga comprises of tall elephant grass, dense tropical broadleaf forests and marshland. Four major rivers including the Brahmaputra River crosses the Kaziranga.

The best season to enjoy at Kaziranga National Park is between November and April.

Majuli Island

Majuli is a beautiful heaven-like island floating on the banks of the Brahmaputra river. It has the pride of being the 24th largest island in the world. This is a place where you can sit back, take in the beauty and appreciate the intricacies of God’s creation. The tea gardens cover a large area of the land making it like a beautiful green blanket.

This tourist destination is the perfect blend of Eco-tourism and spirituality. Majuli Island carries a rich heritage of Assamese Neo-Vashnavite culture through the tribal communities.

The scenic beauty of the tryst of Brahmaputra River and Kherkutia Xuti with Subansiri River is very eye catchy and alluring for the nature lovers.

Halflong

Haflong , the only hill station in Assam is a place of mesmerising beauty. Also known as “White Ant Hillock”, “Land of Blue Hills” and “Scotland of Assam”, Haflong is marked with beautiful landscapes, valleys, hills and mountains. Haflong is also known for its unique varieties of flowers and birds.

As one of the best tourist places of Assam campers and nature lovers can catch the clouds on the lively hills and massive mountains. This is an incredible sight that is difficult to be erased from memory.

Trekking and paragliding are the most popular adventure activities in Haflong. The Orchid garden, Borail range, Maibong and Jatinga are the places not to be missed in Haflong. One of the largest natural water bodies in Assam, the Haflong lake is situated in the heart of the town, where you can hop in and enjoy a boat ride.

Hajo

The pure holiness is the only recognition of Hajo. Located at a span of almost 24km from the largest city of Assam, Guwahati, Hajo can perfectly be termed as the pilgrimage city. Situated on the banks of the river Brahmaputra, this place is populated with several ancient temples and sacred artefacts.

Bestrewed with numerous Hindu temples, Hajo summons all tourists to relish the savor of extreme spirituality. Hayagriva Madhav Temple, Kedareshwar Temple and Temple of Ganesha are the famous shrines at Hajo.

Hajo is also the pious place to Buddhists due to achievement of Lord Buddha’s Parinirvana. Irrespective of religious and non-religious, all types of travelers make crowd in Hajo in Assam to visit this holy destination.

Manas National Park

Manas was declared as Manas National Park in 1990 is a Wildlife Sanctuary, declared UNESCO’s Natural World Heritage site, a Project Tiger Reserve, an Elephant Reserve and a Biosphere Reserve in Assam. Located in the Himalayan foothills, it is contiguous with the Royal Manas National park in Bhutan. The park is known for its rare and endangered endemic wildlife including as many as 60 species of mammals, 312 birds, 42 reptiles, 7 amphibian, 54 fishes and more than 100 speices of insects inculding the Assam Roofed Turtle, Hispid Hare, Golden Langur and Pygmy Hog. Manas is famous for its population of the Wild water buffalo.

The name of the park is originated from the Manas River, which is named after the serpent goddess Manasa. The Manas river is a major tributary of Brahmaputra River, which passes through the heart of the national park.

It rains heavily during the monsoon; hence, the best time to visit is from October to April. Although wildlife sightings mostly occur at close range, it is quite unpredictable in the park. Riverbanks are usually regarded as ideal sighting spots to see elephants and rhinoceros. Jeep safari is a convenient and popular way to explore the park.

Kamakhya Temple

Kamakhya Temple is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths in India which carries a myth to protect devotees from evil eyes. This temple in Assam is a quite popular site for pilgrims and tourists due to its amazing Tantric adoration.

Ambubachi is the main festival of this temple when tourists from all over the world come to be witnessed this event.

Plenty of sculptures are engraved on the wall of temple and all these signify various Goddess, Chamundeshwari, Ganesha and numerous dancing poses of Goddess which are very captivating.

Jorhat

Jorhat is a beautiful city located in Jorhat district of Assam. Jorhat was “The last Capital of the Ahom Kingdom”, there are places of major archeological significance around Jorhat.

The world’s largest river Island, Majuli is located in Jorhat district. Jorhat, the second-largest city of Assam, is an eclectic mix of cultures, diverse tribal communities, vibrant festivals and bustling markets. A major hub for exquisite Assamese jewellery, Jorhat has several renowned craftsmen who have been practicing their art for generations. The city is popular for pure gold jewellery made in Ahom (Assamese) style, and is a little dull in its shine. The gold jewellery is filled with lac, in which gemstones are embedded with the help of gold leaf.

Not just jewellery, Jorhat has been one of oldest and the most important centres of commerce and trade in Assam. It was the capital of the powerful Ahom dynasty (1228-1826). Jorhat was built around two major markets, the Chowkihat and Macharhat, which came up on the banks of the pristine Bhogdoi river that flows through the city. In fact, ‘jor’ or ‘jora’, in Assamese means two and ‘haat’ means a market.

Jorhat also boasts some of the most spectacular tea gardens in the state that are sprawled across vast expanses. With the distinctive aroma of tea in the air, one can stroll through breathtaking lush greenery and enjoy the serenity of the beautiful gardens.

Each day in Assam will be filled with new and unexpected adventures, extremely friendly and hospitable locals, and incredible sights. From the national parks to the historical sites, I was in awe of everything Assam had to offer. Book a trip to Assam today to experience it for yourself!