True gem of India, our Northeast ❤️

Delhi to guwahati ..Guwahati to Shillong.

Northeast is the true gem of India, surrounded by the breathtaking mountains and forests. 70 percent of the State is forested and has rainiest place in the world  It has absolutely gorgeous mountains, waterfalls and much more.
We started our journey to the untouched beauty of northeast from guwahati. Guwahati serve as the gateway to the entire northeast and well connected by all means of travel. We reached guwahati from Delhi and then hired a private taxi to Shillong. Distance from guwahati to Shillong is about 100 km and cab took around 4 -5 hours to reach to the hotel. Try to book hotel in the police bazaar ,Shillong because other areas /market is closed by 8 pm.

We started our day at 7 am as we wanted to cover Shillong and cherrapunji in a day. We hired taxi for the day .

First stop was Shillong peak.

This is the highest point of Shillong (height 6449 ft and 1965 m above sea level) It offers a breathtaking view of the entire city, mountains & the waterfalls.

Next stop : Elephant Falls

Elephant Falls was the British name of what the local Khasi people once referred to as Ka Kshaid Lai Pateng Khohsiew (or "Three Steps Waterfalls").These are located at a distance of 10 km from Shillong city. The falls actually consisted of three sections in succession.

Next: Cherrapunjee-wettest place
We went to the famous Nohkalikai waterfalls.. amazing view here, you can guess from snaps posted.

Nohkalikai Falls is the tallest plunge waterfall in India Its height is 1115 feets.

We reserved our day for Mawlynnong and Dawki. We asked our hotel to arrange cab for the day .
9am started our journey to Mawlynnong which is about 70kms from Shillong.

Next stop : Nohwet living root bridge.
Living root bridges are a form of tree shapingcommon in the southern part of the Northeast Indian state of Meghalaya. They are handmade from the aerial roots of Rubber Fig Trees by the Khasi and Jaintia people.They have the ability to renew and strengthen themselves, as the trees grow and gain strength and  form part of everyday life for the various tribes inhabiting North-East India.The scenery around is extremely beautiful. On the way  there are some shops, selling local berries(must have) and bamboo structures. We spent only 1 hour here and continued our journey to Mawlynnong.

Next: Cleanest village of Asia.

Mawlynnong is a village in the East Khasi Hills district of the Meghalaya state in North East India. It is famous for its cleanliness and natural attraction. It comes under the Pynursla community development block and Vidhan Sabha constituency. 
Frakly speaking, pictures don't do justice to the beauty. It is a beautiful place with beautiful people .
We also had our lunch here in only 100bucks (decent taste).

Then started our journey to Dawki (35kms ) .

Next stop: Dawki- umngot river
Dawki river is at the border with Bangladesh. Canoe boat ride is available at Rupees at 500rs per boat (can bargain a bit) as it’s still not very organised. From the highway you can get a beautiful view of the river and few steps down you can get into a boat to enjoy the crystal clear blue waters.The main attraction is the crystal clear water and the boating. In some of the pictures of Dawki if you get the angle right you will see as if the boat is floating.
And we touched Bangladesh 😅😅

Our next destination was Kaziranga national park, 260kms from Shillong. We hired taxi from Shillong to Kaziranga but you can also go by bus( Shillong to jorbat then jorbat to Kaziranga).

On the way we stopped at Nartiang Durga Temple which is a 500-year-old Durga Temple located in the West Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya.It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of Hindu Mythology. It is believed that Sati Devi's left thigh has fallen here.

4am Elephant safari .. no words can describe what an amazing experience it was.
Elephant Safari starts from very early morning and continues for 1 and  1/2 hours, Elephant safari is the best way to explore the wide varieties of wildlife in the Kaziranga National Park. Elephant safari is best enjoyed in the early Morning, during safari one can get opportunity to see  One-horned Rhinoceros, indian elephants etc which  makes the trip memorable.

I would like to recommend Nature hunts eco camp to stay in Kaziranga ( awesome ambience and delicious food of all varieties ranging from indian khichdi to continental food) .Just see the pictures below 😉😉

Early morning cab from Kaziranga to  Guwahati (200kms)amazing road-trip it was. Reached hotel by  12noon.  And after resting we got ready to visit the Kamakhya Devi temple.

 Kamakhya Temple is one of the oldest of the 51 shakti pithas,situated on the Nilachal Hill in western part of Guwahati .It is an important pilgrimage destination for Hindus dedicated to the goddess Kamakhya Contrary to the shaming treatment that menstruation gets elsewhere in India, at the Kamakhya Temple, it is revered as the ability of a woman to conceive.

Next Alfresco Grand river cruise :

Lastly the day and the trip to northeast ended with  the exquisite beauty of the mighty Brahmaputra River on Alfresco Grand river cruise.Alfresco dinner cruise is the best way to experience the mighty Brahmaputra river and is a must do while in Guwahati. The ambience and decor is mesmerizing. It includes welcome drinks,programmes showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Assam ,few snacks,live band and  buffet dinner at the end.

It feels that the experience has been too little. And that I need to pack my bags once again and be here
North-east is a treasure that I will always keep with me.
.
.
.
.
.
.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep....