Beyond the Itinerary: Discovering Northeast India in Motion
A Journey Through Faith, Forests, and Fatigue
Some trips are spontaneous. Some are practical. And then there are those rare journeys that sit quietly in your heart for years — waiting for the right moment, the right people, and the right version of you to finally take them.
One of my biggest dreams came true at the very beginning of this year, and what a way to start the new year. After months of planning, my two girlfriends and I finally set off on a much awaited trip to Northeast India. What had lived in WhatsApp chats and saved reels was finally unfolding in real life.
We took an early morning direct IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Guwahati, only to realise we had chosen to travel on Makar Sankranti, a public holiday in India that celebrates the harvest season. Lesson learned: never travel anywhere in India on a public holiday. As soon as we landed, we found most shops and establishments shut. Instead of letting it dampen our mood, we leaned into the pause - booking spa treatment at our hotel’s Ayurvedic Centre and ending the day with an Assamese thali at Mising Kitchen, which was serving a special Bihu menu. In the Northeast, the harvest festival is known as Bihu, and it felt like a warm cultural welcome.
We stayed at Ratnamouli Palace, centrally located and close to the highway. The next morning, after a hearty Assamese breakfast, we explored Guwahati - the Gateway to Northeast India. We walked through Paltan Bazaar, the Tibetan Market, and Fancy Bazaar, shopping for Assamese silk at Manju Silk. Assam is renowned for its silks - Muga with its natural golden sheen, Eri (Ahimsa Silk), and Pat silk. We also picked up some world-famous Assam tea from a Marwari wholesale trader, a reminder of the community’s long trading history in the region . Street food followed - momos and puchkas - before calling it an early night.
At 4 am the next day, we headed to Kamakhya Temple atop Nilachal Hill. We had pre-arranged a priest who guided us through a quieter entrance. The sanctum, a dark cave lit by oil lamps, holds no idol - only the presence of divine feminine energy. It was powerful and deeply moving.
From there, we drove four hours to Cherrapunji ( Sohra ) in Meghalaya. The shift was dramatic - cooler air, misty hills, and pine forests. We checked into Polo Cherrapunji Resort, rested, and planned the next day’s trek to the Living Roots Bridges.
The trek was brutal - thousands or steps down, then even more up. We nearly gave up, pushed through with sheer will, and finally reached the bridge. Instead of turning back, we trekked further to the Blue Lagoon, where icy turquoise water revived our exhausted bodies. The climb back after sunset, guided only by phone flashlights, tested us to the core.
When we finally reached the top, exhausted and triumphant, it felt like a runner’s high. The next day, sore legs and full hearts, we headed back home - carrying memories that will last longer than the pain ever did.
For me, being a travel expert means knowing my own country in ways that go far beyond the obvious. Not through must - see lists or iconic sights, but through the lived reality of a place that is constantly in motion. India doesn’t reveal itself all at once - it unfolds when you slow down enough to notice.
Trips like this remind me why immersive travel matters. When I experience a place beyond the headlines - its festivals, fatigue, flavors, faith and fleeting moments - I return with insights no guidebook can offer. And that, ultimately, benefits my clients : journeys shaped not just by recommendations, but by real understanding - crafted with nuance, empathy, and the confidence of having walked the path myself.
