The India your friends haven’t seen

Few visitors make it to India’s far northeast, and that is exactly its charm. Here the tea gardens of Darjeeling look up at Kanchenjunga, the third-highest mountain on earth. Sikkim’s monasteries sit among prayer flags and orchids. In Assam, one-horned rhinos graze the grasslands of Kaziranga, and the wide Brahmaputra carries you to Majuli, a river island of monks and mask-makers.

This is our home region and the journey we are proudest of. It suits travellers who have seen the classics, or who simply prefer the road less taken.

A sample route

• Days 1–2, Kolkata: colonial avenues, the flower market at dawn and the best street food in India.
• Days 3–4, Darjeeling: a tea estate stay, the little mountain “toy train” and sunrise over Kanchenjunga.
• Days 5–7, Sikkim: Gangtok, Rumtek monastery and mountain villages around Pelling.
• Day 8: flight to Assam.
• Days 9–10, Kaziranga: jeep safaris among rhinos, wild elephants and water buffalo.
• Day 11, Majuli: by ferry to the river island and its monasteries.
• Days 12–13: back to Guwahati, flight out and home.

With more time we can add the living root bridges of Meghalaya or the hill tribes of Nagaland.

Good to know

• Best time: November to April, when Kaziranga is open.
• Ideal for: second-time visitors, nature and culture lovers, curious travellers.
• Price: starting from €1,990 per person, two travelling together. What’s included.

Do I need special permits?

Some areas, such as Sikkim, ask foreign visitors for an extra permit. We arrange everything that is needed as part of your trip.

Are the hotels comfortable?

Yes, though they are smaller and more personal than in the big tourist cities: heritage tea bungalows, mountain lodges and good small hotels that we know ourselves.