The flight from Mumbai or Bangalore to Guwahati costs the same whether you stay a week or a fortnight. Which makes the thirteen-day circuit the best value per day of anything we run, and the reason most of our South and West India bookings choose it.
You get Kaziranga's rhinos, Cherrapunji's root bridges and waterfalls, Dawki's clear river, and Sela Pass and Tawang Monastery, with enough slack that a landslide or a closed pass does not wreck the whole trip.
| Duration | 12 nights / 13 days |
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| Route | Guwahati → Shillong → Kaziranga → Dirang → Tawang |
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| From | ₹46,800 per person, twin sharing, land only |
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| Best season | October to April |
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Day-by-day itinerary
- 1
Arrive Guwahati, drive to Shillong
Umiam Lake on the way up into the Khasi Hills.
Night: Shillong
- 2
Shillong and Cherrapunji
Elephant Falls, Shillong Peak, then Nohkalikai Falls.
Night: Cherrapunji
- 3
Living root bridge trek
Nongriat double-decker bridge, or Riwai for a gentler option.
Night: Cherrapunji
- 4
Dawki and Mawlynnong
Umngot river and the cleanest village in Asia.
Night: Shillong
- 5
Shillong to Kaziranga
Down to the plains and east along the Brahmaputra.
Night: Kaziranga
- 6
Kaziranga safaris
Dawn jeep safari in the Central range, second safari in the afternoon.
Night: Kaziranga
- 7
Kaziranga to Nameri
Tea estate stop near Tezpur, afternoon rafting or birding.
Night: Nameri
- 8
Nameri to Dirang
Into Arunachal at Bhalukpong, up through Tenga and Bomdila.
Night: Dirang
- 9
Dirang and Sangti
Dzong, hot springs, yak research centre, Sangti Valley.
Night: Dirang
- 10
Dirang to Tawang
Sela Pass, Jaswant Garh, Nuranang Falls.
Night: Tawang
- 11
Tawang Monastery
Monastery, Urgelling, Ani Gompa, war memorial.
Night: Tawang
- 12
Bum La and Madhuri Lake
Border pass and Sangetsar Lake, weather permitting.
Night: Tawang
- 13
Tawang to Guwahati
The long descent, Kamakhya Temple if time allows, evening flight.
Trip ends
What's included
| Included | Not included |
|---|
| Inner Line Permit for all Indian travellers | Flights and trains to the start city |
| Private vehicle, fuel, tolls and driver | Lunches on travel days |
| Hotels or homestays on twin sharing | Monument, camera and safari entry fees |
| Breakfast and dinner daily | Travel insurance and anything personal |
| Local permits where the route needs them | Extra costs from road closures |
How an Assam Meghalaya and Arunachal tour fits together
An Assam Meghalaya Arunachal tour is one loop out of Guwahati: Meghalaya first, then Kaziranga in Assam, then west Arunachal to Tawang and back. It is the same route as our other combined trips, joined together. Compare with the shorter Assam and Arunachal tour (9 days) and the Meghalaya Arunachal tour (10 days).
Why this works out cheaper per day
| Trip | Land cost | Flight from Mumbai | Total per day |
|---|
| 7-day Tawang | ₹22,900 | ₹16,000 | ~₹4,300 |
| 13-day grand tour | ₹46,800 | ₹16,000 | ~₹3,500 |
The flight is a fixed cost. Spreading it across thirteen days rather than seven is where the saving comes from.
Built-in slack
Thirteen days means a closed pass or a landslide costs you one destination rather than the trip. On a seven-day itinerary the same delay can eliminate Tawang entirely. If you are travelling a long way to get here, that margin is worth paying for.
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