Top Places to Visit in Assam: Escape to the Northeast’s Natural Beauty

Assam is renowned for its lush tea gardens and the popular one-horned rhino, but trust me, there is much more that this beautiful green state has to offer than just these two attractions. Assam, which is the gateway to the eight northeastern states, called the eight north-east sisters, offers breathtaking beauty, cultural diversity, and festivities that appeal to visitors coming to this mesmerising state.

Be it the world’s largest river island – Majuli, known for its ‘Satras’ (Vaishnavite monasteries) and ‘Sattriya’ dance, or the globally renowned Kamakhya Temple, the abode of goddess Kamakhya, Assam has a variety of attractions to appeal to and appease global travelers. In this article, we are bringing you some of the best places to visit in Assam, including the untouched and less-traveled ones that will tempt you to make it your next holiday destination to enjoy a wholesome vacation with family and friends. 

Get ready to indulge in an incredible journey of pristine sights and scenes that you can’t think of missing in your Assam trip:

Top Attractions to Pick During your Assam Trip: Places You Can’t Miss

When it comes to choosing Assam’s famous places to visit, you are spoilt for choice as each of Assam’s unique destinations offers a glimpse of its rich heritage and beauty.  Here are a few top destinations that you must explore in your Assam trip:

• Haflong and Umrangso
• Charaideo Maidams 
• Panimur Waterfall
• Guwahati City
• Kaziranga National Park
• Majuli

1. Haflong and Umrangso

If you want to explore the untouched and pristine beauty of Assam that stayed hidden from touristy activities for long, you must take the route that is less traveled.  Haflong and Umrangso are among places that may not have the fancy eating joints and luxurious villas to stay, but they are blessed with the abundance of nature that we city dwellers long for. 

Haflong and Umrangso are two such incredibly beautiful towns in the Dima Hasao district of Assam. Located in close proximity to each other, these two towns are known for their breathtaking vistas of bewildering scenic beauty, making them the perfect place to spend a relaxing holiday amidst nature. 

Among the many scenic attractions, the captivating views of the scenically gifted Umrangso golf course, mesmerizing views of the Umrangso waterfall and lake, and the majestic Kopili River are simply breathtaking.   

• How to Reach: You can reach these destinations via a car rental service from Guwahati or any other nearby towns. The Barapani Airport in Shillong is about 225 km away from Umrangso, and Haflong is approximately 100 km from Umrangso town.
• Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit these destinations is from winter to spring. Hence, October to March are the cool and comfortable months for travelling.

2. Charaideo Maidams 

You will be amazed to see this unique 700-year-old mound burial system in Charaideo Maidams, which has been recently added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. Popularly termed as ‘Pyramids of Assam’, these maidams are burial mounds for the royal Ahom kings, queens, and their nobles who ruled Assam from the 13th to the early 19th centuries. The Ahom kings belonged to the Great Tai group and were responsible for bringing stability in the region in terms of politics and economics. 

The amazing architecture of these mounds and the masons who built them is recognized not only in India but globally. Comparable to the royal tombs of China and the pyramids of Egypt, these mounds make the area an undulating landscape and one of the best places to visit in Assam.

• How to Reach: Charaideo Maidams is about 30 km from Sivasagar town, and can be reached via taxi or private car. You can fly to Dibrugarh or Jorhat airport and take a cab from there to get to this spectacular landmark.
• Best Time to Visit: October to March is the best time to visit this place. 

3. Panimur Waterfall

Another spectacular place to visit in the Dima Hasao district in Assam is the Panimur Waterfall along the Kopili River.  It is known for its multitude of waterfalls and rapids that keep changing colors depending on the season, from turquoise to kerosene-blue. It is best known as a picnic and camping site for tourists and locals.  

• How to Reach: June to September and October to February are the best times to visit this place when the water flows at its peak. 
• Best Time to Visit: You can hire cabs from Guwahati to reach Panimur Waterfalls. It is in close proximity to Haflong. 

4. Guwahati City

Guwahati is the gateway to the northeast and is the starting point of your Assam sojourn. Guwahati boasts of the beautiful and mighty Brahmaputra River, which makes an unmissable attraction for visitors to enjoy cool evenings with sunset cruises. You can also visit Umananda Island on the Brahmaputra River via a ropeway or by ferry.

Kamakhya temple is another renowned landmark of the city, drawing both regular devotees and prominent personalities. Besides, there are other popular temples such as:

• The Navagraha temple
• Ugratara temple
• Basistha temple 
• Umananda (Island) temple

Other than temples, tourists also like to visit attractions like:

• Mahabahu Brahmaputra River Heritage Centre
• Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra
• Tea Auction Center  

If you are a shopaholic, you will love to explore the markets of Guwahati, such as Fancy Bazar, to buy the best arts and crafts made of bamboo or the traditional Assamese muga silk sarees and ‘mekhala’, termed as the pride of Assamese culture.  

• How to reach: You can reach Guwahati via Air, Train, or by road from nearby cities.  
• Best Time to Visit: October to March is the best time to visit Guwahati.   

5. Kaziranga National Park

Termed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kaziranga National Park is one of India’s most iconic wildlife destinations. Known for its Indian one-horned Rhinoceros, the national park is the proud home to over two-thirds of the globe’s Rhinos. 

Not just Rhinos, the national park is home to large numbers of wild elephants, swamp deer, wild water buffalo, Bengal tigers, and as many as 480 species of birds. You can explore the reserve on elephant backs or in jeeps. You can also enjoy boat safaris on the Brahmaputra River to see water birds and other aquatic wildlife.

While on your Kaziranga trip, don’t miss the opportunity to explore the Kaziranga Orchid and Biodiversity Park (Near Kohora). The park houses over 500 rich varieties of wild orchids. Here, you can also experience the traditional Assamese dance and cultural performances, such as Bihu and bamboo dance. Besides, you can also get a taste of pure Assamese cuisine here.  

• How to Reach: You can hire a car rental service from Guwahati to reach Kaziranga in 4-5 hours.   
• Best Time to Visit: November to April is the best time to visit Kaziranga National Park.

6. Majuli

Majuli is the next destination to feature in your travel diary of Assam. Situated on the Brahmaputra River, it is the largest river island in the world and a place of pure Assamese tradition and spirituality. The most loved attractions here are 

• The ‘Satras’ (Vaishnavite monasteries),
• Incredible traditional bamboo houses that are used for lodging
• The opportunity to experience local cuisine and a unique village lifestyle
• View the beautiful sunset
• And experience grand theatrical performances called Majuli Ras Leela, depicting epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Majuli is spread over an area of 1,250 sq km and welcomes guests for a spiritual rejuvenation. You can also witness rare species of migratory birds during winter, along with rich flora and a wetland biosphere. Visitors can also explore crafts made through a rare pottery technique that uses only the hands without the potter’s wheel.

• How to reach: You can reach Majuli via ferry from Neemati Ghat (Jorhat, the nearest town). You can reach Jorhat by taxi or bus from Guwahati, Tezpur, or Dibrugarh. 
• Best Time to Visit: October to March is the best time to visit Majuli Island.

To Conclude

All the above-mentioned places are just a glimpse of what Assam has to offer to travelers and globetrotters. There is much more to this incredible state that can’t be expressed in words and can only be experienced in person. Come to this charming land of festivities, cultural fiestas, and natural abundances, and explore Assam’s majestic beauty with Revv car rental service and experience the rich heritage and grand places to visit in Assam.  Revv offers self-drive cars to allow you extreme comfort and ease of travel within Assam.