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Best time to visit: The ideal time to visit Assam is from November to May. During these months, the weather is pleasant, with cool winds blowing in from the Himalayas, reducing heat and humidity. Between March and May, orchids bloom, and this season brings great joy to the local people as they celebrate Bihu, the harvest festival.
Here are the top places to visit on your next trip to Assam:
Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park is a treasured wildlife sanctuary in Assam that shelters the world’s largest population of the endangered one-horned rhino species. Situated in Nagaon, Golaghat and Karbi Anglong districts, this national park epitomizes successful conservation efforts in India. Visitors can explore the park through day and night safaris, with elephant rides being popular among tourists and wildlife enthusiasts. However, hiking is prohibited to prevent any casualties. Great care is taken to balance tourism with preserving the park’s natural environment.
Majuli
Majuli is a lush green, eco-friendly, pollution-free river island on the Brahmaputra, located around 20 km from Jorhat city. Spanning 1250 sq km, it is the largest river island in the world and draws tourists globally. Majuli’s unique tribal culture and vibrant festivals like Raas make it a surreal destination vying for UNESCO World Heritage status. Tribal communities mostly inhabit the island with an interesting cultural heritage that fascinates visitors.
Guwahati
Guwahati, regarded as the gateway to Northeast India, is the largest city in Assam and a major metropolis in the region. Situated between the Brahmaputra River and Shillong Plateau, the city was formerly known as Pragjyotishpura. It serves as a transit point for millions each year for work, travel or religious purposes. The famous Kamakhya Temple atop Nilachal Hill, dedicated to the Goddess Kamakhya, attracts thousands daily and lakhs during the annual Ambubachi Mela festival. Other sacred temples like Umananda and Navagraha are also located here.
Manas National Park
Manas National Park is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site, a Project Tiger Reserve, an Elephant Reserve and a Biosphere Reserve in Assam. As the state’s only tiger reserve, it is renowned for its rare golden langur and red panda species. Manas boasts rich biodiversity along with stunning scenery featuring forested hills, grasslands and evergreen forests. It harbours India’s second-largest tiger population and the maximum number of endangered species listed by the IUCN. The park is also famous for its wild water buffalo population.
Dibrugarh
Dibrugarh is Assam’s largest city, located 439 km from Guwahati. A major communication and industrial hub in Northeast India alongside cities like Guwahati and Bhubaneswar, Dibrugarh has an airport with connections to major Indian cities. The Buridihing River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, divides the district from east to west before separating Dibrugarh from the Sivasagar district later in its course. Dibrugarh serves as the gateway to the renowned tea-producing districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and Sivasagar.
Jorhat
Famous for its culture, historic mosques, tombs, gardens and most importantly its tea plantations, Jorhat is a culturally and commercially vital city in Assam. Known as the tea capital of India, it is home to 135 tea gardens that double as a simple, natural tourist attraction. Beyond the tea estates, heritage sites like Thengal Bhawan, and Raja Maidam and natural reserves like Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary and Dhekiakhowa Bornamghar make Jorhat an enriching destination.
Hajo
Hajo, an ancient pilgrimage centre situated about 24 km from Guwahati along the Brahmaputra river, is uniquely revered by Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists alike. Its shrines dedicated to Durga, Shiva, Vishnu, Buddha and Muslim saints make it an important site for all three faiths. The Hayagriva Madhava Temple attracts Hindu and Buddhist visitors as it is believed to be where Buddha attained Nirvana, while the Powa Mecca Mosque holds significance for Muslims.
