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Northeast States

Northeast States

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Northeast States

Why Go? ...... 559 Teetering on the farthest brink of ’s map, popular per- ...... 561 ception and prime-time TV, the Northeast States are one of Asia’s last great unknowns. Sharing borders with , ...... 566 Tibet, and , these remote frontiers are Kaziranga a collision zone of tribal cultures, climates, landscapes and National Park...... 567 peoples. A region of rugged beauty, it’s a wonderland where ..... 572 glacial rivers flow through plunging Himalayan gorges, faith ...... 578 moves mountains on perilous pilgrimages to Tawang and ...... 581 Pemako, rhinoceros graze in Kaziranga’s swampy grasslands and former head-hunters slowly awake from opium-induced ...... 583 dreams to embrace modernity in their primordial longhouses ...... 584 in Nagaland. ...... 587 Of course, it’s not all smooth sailing in these faraway states, ...... 587 and you have a horde of everyday obstacles (bad roads, poor Cherrapunjee infrastructure and social unrest, to name a few) to battle (Sohra)...... 590 along the way. Needless to say, only those with a taste for raw adventure would return from here feeling truly rewarded.

Best Places to Stay When to Go ¨¨Diphlu River Lodge (p568) Assam (Guwahati) °C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm ¨¨Ri Kynjai (p589) 40/104 32/800 ¨¨Razhu Pru (p579) 24/600 20/68 ¨¨Baruah Bhavan (p563) 16/400 ¨¨Classic Hotel (p582) 0/32 8/200

-20/-4 0 Best Adventures J F DNOSAJJMAM ¨¨Kaziranga elephant safari (p567) Mar The best Oct Best for daz- Dec Fierce Naga season for rhino zling Himalayan warriors in ethnic ¨¨Rafting the Siang (p576) spotting in vistas and trips to regalia assemble ¨¨Exploring Naga villages in Kaziranga. remote outposts for ’s Mon (p581) such as Tawang Hornbill festival. and Mechuka. ¨¨Trekking in Cherrapunjee (p590) Northeast States A ssam 559

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mese, , Nagamese, Hindi, ­mese, sport and accommoda and sport above ₹2500 above MAIN has airport Guwahati cit Indian most to flights city big only the It’s ies. a with northeast the in connect line train major OF India. of rest the to it ing Tripura Dept Assam Arunachal Nagaland Tourism Dept Main Sleeping Population Area ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ tourism.mizoram.gov.in) ¨ tripuratourism.nic.in) ¨ Government (www.megtourism.gov.in) can change at short notice; notice; short at change can stay clued in ground. to the on the latest situation Resources ¨ assamtourism.org) ¨ arunachaltourism.com) ¨ tourismnagaland.com) ¨ manipur.nic.in/tourism.htm) ¨ ¨ Assa English, Manipuri,Mizo, Bengali Garo, Khasi, ¨ ₹1000, $$$ Top Tip Check weather forecasts, road conditions, security issues and availability of ­ tran tion in advance, especially for remote places. Things Fast Facts ¨ ¨

- tenga Jun; Kamakhya Mandir, Guwahati, Mandir, Kamakhya Jun; 1-7 Dec; Kohima, p580) Naga tribesNaga p580) Kohima, Dec; 1-7 Tawang, p577) Masked Tibetanp577) Masked Tawang, h h Nov; Island, p569) Hindu festival Hindu p569) Island, Majuli Nov; ( ( mid-Apr, statewide) Assamese Year Assamese New statewide) mid-Apr, h ( h gastronomes: the gastronomes: food in the is Northeast (

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DON’T world where in the sanctuaries few the last one of Being India Northeast on them, spaces blank still have maps virgin explore to opportunity a priceless travellers offers through or hike creatures filled with unnamed tribal with unmolested dotted mountainscapes rolling unexplored largely yet safe that are Areas villages. Nagaland eastern far , Mizoram of rural include most and al- gushing rivers forests, ageless of all, best and, . in Arunachal Pradesh pine meadows Ras Hornbill Ambubachi Losar Rongali ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ take the stage in full warriorgear. full in stage the take ¨ performances.traditionaldance by marked ¨ ¨ fertilitytantric rituals. of melange A (p561) ¨ rolls. drum and dance with ¨ Buddhistdances. ¨ merriment.and dance food, good featuring festivities Top Top Festivals . If you fancy fish and soyabean in their fermented, fermented, their in soyabean and fish fancy you If meat. dog is Manipur the place avatars, for piquant you. And finally, for those taste with buds, less-adventurous always there’s way. the along found be to fare pan-Indian generic some feature boldly on menus. Dollops of fermented (and super of on boldly Dollops fermented menus. feature shoot pungent!) liven up fiery servings of stewed pork a in while range complementing of Nagaland, exotic it – for – and wait silkworms maggots, including delicacies hitting Tawang’s highlands, where such Tibetan staples as highlands, Tawang’s hitting momos Aru eastern to head palate, of change a For rage. the all are nachal Pradesh, where barbecued rats and sun-dried fish Good Good news for your Start and terrains. as its cultures and exotic as varied in with journey culinary a Guwahati of helping fish before speciality, Assamese a curry), flavoured (sour subtly Food

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