Assam & Meghalaya - A relaxed sojourn

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My travel story

It was end of the financial year and my friends and I were looking forward to a much awaited spring break. After having slogged on corporate projects for months on end, we needed our trip to be essentially relaxed. Assam and Meghalaya was the perfect choice! It gave us the calm we wished for , and fed the adventure seekers in us that were also keen for a treat! There were many "perfect" moments that we found among nature that made it a rejuvenating sojourn and a memorable trip for all of us...

Trip details:

Dates traveled: 11 March to 15 March 2015 (plan during August / Sept if you wish to enjoy the greenery, but be prepared for the rains)
Cost: INR 25000 per person

Itinerary:

Day 1- Land at Guwahati and onward by road to Shillong. Reach Shillong by 4 pm. Time taken to reach Shillong from Guwahati is 3 hrs non stop. Shillong is a convenient location for base, while exploring the places around through day trips. It is also a good location for a wide variety of food availability.

Homestay at Shillong

Day 2- Visit Shillong view point and Mawphlang sacred forest for some Serene, Tranquil, and amazing nature views. Back to Shillong for the night.

A tranquil sunset by the Mawphlang Sacred Groves

Day 3- Visit Cherrapunji and Mawsmai caves. Root bridge trek is a must-visit, which we missed out because we left late from hotel.

Nature chiselling away at Mawsmai caves

Day 4- Check out and leave for Kaziranga. We left at 5.30 am to avoid much traffic. Reached Kaziranga by 1 pm. Stay at Kaziranga National Park. Jeep safari to National park at 1.30 pm.

Up close and personal at Kaziramga

Day 5- Check out and leave for Guwahati by 7 am. Reach Guwahati by 10 am. Visit the Kamakhya temple. Darshan would take 2 hrs approx. Proceed to airport.

The abode of the powerful "bleeding" Goddess by the Brahmaputra

If you can accommodate another day in between, it is worthwhile visiting the Dawki river which is known for its crystal clear waters, giving your boating experience a heavenly touch! It is situated close to the Bangladesh border, and can be done from Shillong by road.

Accommodation:

In Shillong we stayed in Laitumkhra area which is centrally located, near the markets. Our homestay was Lachumiere house.

In Kaziranga we stayed at Bon Habi resort.

Food:

While in Shillong we enjoyed the food at Cafe Shillong, Little Chefs bakery, and our regular roadside junk at the markets. Do try the Bamboo based chicken curry if you are little adventurous with food, but if you prefer to stick to regular Indian tastes then suggestion would be to stay away. Also try the Thukpa which is the Ladakhi speciality.

Some tips to make your life easy:

• Once you land at Guwahati airport, book a full time car for your entire stay in northeast. You will get good deals at the airport itself. There are so many picturesque places around , that you may want to stop by every now and then, and having a chauffeur driven car is a blessing.
• If you are booking any homestay through websites, then be sure to call them and confirm with your specific requirements. We booked through Saffronstays, but realized later that we should have validated our requirements , exact room location (like upper or lower wing, front or back facing, availaility of room service, etc) before booking
• Try to start your days early (by 8 am latest). We always started our day late and missed out on spending more time at the locations we wanted to.
• Try to catch the early morning safari at Kaziranga, we were promised that its better than the afternoon one (although we couldn't make it)
• If you can, and if rains do not bother you, then best time to visit these places would be June to December as the greenery would be at its best. And greenery is one of the key highlights of this region!

Happy traveling!

Rejuvenate in the lap of nature – a spa treatment for your mind!

Need to relax? Or to clear your thoughts? Or to let go of the stress of everyday life?

Here are some locations within India that are so tranquil and mystical that even 30 minutes spent has great healing power – the sheer healing power of Mother Nature. No electricity, no cell phone signal no bustle around.

A treat to the eyes, silence to the ears, and solitude to the mind is what you would get. With not a soul to be seen as far as eyes can see, become one with the winds, the water, the mountains and the sky only to find yourself transformed. The positive vibes you get from these places is immense; you walk away feeling that life is so beautiful!

1. Porch of the Shashur Gompa, Lahaul overlooking the Lady of Keylong

Take a tour of the lesser known Shashur Gompa (monastery) in Lahaul Valley, Himachal Pradesh. This monastery is accessible from the nearest town of Keylong.

After your tour, come outside on the rear porch of the building, and make yourself comfortable at the edge of the parapet. Facing you would be numerous steep snow-clad peaks, view of glaciers and the mysterious Lady of Keylong. Birds and crickets are the only sounds your hear, and the occasional gong from inside the monastery. If you are lucky you will get a cup of chai from the locals residing in the monastery. Spend as much time here as you want to, and don't forget to explore the untouched slopes with their foot-trails, wildflowers and rare birds.

2. A sunset by the Mawphlang Sacred Grove, Meghalaya

Drive down to the Sacred Grove that has been maintained as a spiritual sanctuary by the local tribes for hundreds of years. The walk around the forest itself is a calming experience. With sounds of only twitter of birds and crackling of twigs under your feet, you get transported to a different world. As soon as you enter the forest the air gets cool (because the sunrays hardly penetrate the thick foliage the year round and the ground is always moist), making your walk a pleasant one. After your exploration, come outside on to the clearing, sit yourself down on the grass or on one of the wooden benches and stare into nothingness. Around you lie miles of open green fields and undulating landscape as far as the eye can see. If you are lucky to be here at sunset, you would witness one of the most breathtaking experiences whatsoever. As the sun starts sliding down the sky, you see a canvas unfold before you. You can continue to spend time here to do star gazing (if you are the adventurous type and can manage without anyone around in the darkness of the night).

 3. The green paddy fields in Divar Island, Goa

Image credit: exploretourism.com

We are all familiar with the hip and happening beach fronts of Goa, but little did we know about the charm of the little Divar Island situated on the delta of the Mandovi river. The lsland is covered with greenery and paddy fields surrounded by the green Ghats in the horizon. Be sure to visit this place in monsoon and stay at a hotel that overlooks the exotic views. You can choose to soak into the scenery from the comfort of your room, or venture outside to take a stroll among the fields. Keep your footwear aside and feel the moisture of the grass under your feet. Watch the rain drops drip along the bright green stems and splash themselves off from the leaves. Stand at the edge of the paddy plantations, and gaze at the cloudy skies that scallop the peaks of the Ghats. All things look so fresh and new that your mind cannot help but get determined for a fresh start!