NORTHEAST INDIA - A MELTING POT OF BIODIVERSITY
North East India is the region that sits beneath the stretch of the Himalayan range. The states of Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Nagaland together cover the North Eastern region and are called the Seven Sister States. These states are covered by rich rainforests which transition to tall & broody deciduous alpines as the elevation increases. The North East is home to Garo, Khasi, Naga & the Patkai Hills, that harbor rich floral and faunal reserves, some even unique of their own kind that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
BLESSED WITH RICH BIODIVERSITY
The Northeast is home to nearly 220 kinds of ethnic tribes, who sport their own unique set of cultures, cuisine, and dance forms. This makes the North East, a culturally vivid location where multiple cultures thrive under one roof. You will run into endless hill stations in here, and serene settlements, waterfalls, bridges, crystal clear lakes, breathtaking river islands, and snow-covered peaks. North East India was listed to be the seventh most biodiverse region in the entire world by the Norman Myers 2000.
CULINARY EPISODES OF THE NORTH EAST
The people of North East experiment with their cuisine a lot. A lot of elements are fermented, pickled, preserved to enhance or mature the original flavor of the ingredient. Fresh seafood from the local streams is fried and added to savory stews. Every dish is served to you with a helping of steamed rice. The special black sticky rice of Nagaland is slow cooked in milk to make rich black pudding. Do try the dry fish pickle which has a distinct pungent smell to it.
YOUR NORTHEAST BUCKET LIST
- Tawang Monastery - India's largest monastery sits in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. It harbors century old scriptures of the Kangyur & Tengyur lineage.
- Majuli - It is the largest river island in the world and the first island to become a district in India! Stop by and rejuvenate amidst lush rice fields and sparkling waters.
- Sela Pass - Hike through this scenic 13,000 feet high pass that connects Tawang to the North East. Covered in pristine snow, it is a great hiking destination to explore.
- Subansiri - This largest tributary of Brahmaputra is ideal for rafting expeditions. The thrilling rapids and twists are a great way to quench your thirst for adventure.
- Kaziranga National Park - This is the best place to spot the majestic One-Horned Rhino, which is an endangered species & cannot be spotted anywhere else in the world.
- Umngot River - Situated in Dawki, a ride through this crystal clear river will let you see the transparent bed of the river that is nearly 12 feet deep. The water is so clean you can see right through the bottom.
DO YOU KNOW?
The Living Root Bridges in the state of Meghalaya have awed the tourists since times immemorial. These are bridges that are woven out of flexible living roots of the rubber trees. The villagers of the Khasi & Jaintia Hills have built these bridges since generations and dedicated years of effort to bind and shape young roots into strong chords as they grow, molding it into the shape of ropes and extending it across the river to connect two strips of land divided by the river. These bridges take decades to develop and grow with the parent tree. If the climatic conditions are good and the parent tree continues to live, the bridge grows and thrives for centuries, suitable for human use.
NEAREST CHECK-IN POINTS
- Nearest Railway Station – Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport
- Nearest Airport – Rupnath Brahma Inter-State Bus Terminal
- Nearest Bus/Vehicle Stand – Guwahati Railway Station
