Assam
The gateway • rhinos, rivers & tea
Assam is the front door to the Northeast and a destination in its own right. The Brahmaputra runs through it like a spine, feeding the world's most famous one-horned rhino reserve at Kaziranga, the river-island monasteries of Majuli, and mile after mile of tea garden. Guwahati, the region's only metropolis, is where almost every Northeast trip begins.
When to go
Top places in Assam
Kaziranga National Park
Two-thirds of the world's one-horned rhinos, plus tigers, elephants and swamp deer. Jeep and elephant safaris; open roughly October to April.
Majuli
The world's largest river island and the seat of Assam's 15th-century neo-Vaishnavite satras (monasteries). Reached by ferry from Nimati Ghat, Jorhat.
Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati
The foremost Shakti Pitha and India's great tantric goddess shrine, on Nilachal Hill. The Ambubachi Mela in June draws lakhs.
Sivasagar
Capital complex of the 600-year Ahom kingdom: Rang Ghar (Asia's oldest amphitheatre), Talatal Ghar, and the Charaideo Moidams, a UNESCO site since 2024.
Manas National Park
A tiger reserve and World Heritage site on the Bhutan foothills, quieter than Kaziranga, with golden langur and pygmy hog.
Tea gardens & river cruises
Stay on a colonial tea estate around Jorhat or Dibrugarh, or take a Brahmaputra cruise between Guwahati and Jorhat, October to April.
Getting there
By air. Guwahati (GAU) is the region's hub with flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and international links to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Paro, Bangkok and Singapore. Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Silchar also have flights. Tezpur airport is closed for reconstruction.
By rail. Guwahati and Kamakhya are major railheads. A Vande Bharat runs from New Jalpaiguri, and a Vande Bharat Sleeper from Howrah since 2026.
By road. Four-lane highway Guwahati–Shillong (3 hrs); Guwahati–Kaziranga 4–5 hrs on NH-27; the Bogibeel bridge links upper Assam to Arunachal.
Permits
No permit is needed to visit Assam — just a valid ID (passport and visa for foreigners).
Open the permit checker →Eat & spend
Try: Assam thali with khar and tenga, Masor tenga (sour fish curry), Duck with ash gourd, Pitha and Assam tea.
Budget: Mid-range. Guwahati hotels ₹2,500–7,500; Kaziranga lodges ₹3,000–25,000; a jeep safari runs ₹3,000–4,500 per vehicle plus park fees.
Assam at a glance
Reference figures. Population and literacy are from the 2011 Census, India's latest.
| Capital | Dispur | Statehood | 26 Jan 1950 |
| Area | 78,438 km² | Population | 3.12 crore |
| Literacy | 72.2% | Districts | ~35 |
| Languages | Assamese, Bodo, Bengali (Barak Valley) | ||
| Good to know | Largest NE population; >50% of India's tea; century-old oil industry. | ||