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09 Nights / 10 Days

Dibrugarh – Tea Garden - Saikhowa National Park - Tai-Phakial Village – Digboi
Kaziranga National Park - Guwahati

Life in Assam’s tea gardens is wonderful. For the wearied traveller,a brief sojourn in a lush green tea plantation is a novel experience. Tea plantations in Upper Assam can be best experienced in and around Dibrugarh. Watching the tea pluckers at work, one would only marvel and admire the deftness of their fingers as they pluck the delicate two leaves and a bud.

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 01 Arrive Dibrugarh Ex-Delhi / Kolkata

Received at the airport and transferred to a Heritage Chang Bungalow. In the afternoon, take an introductory tea walk. In the evening, enjoy a Bihu dance (an Assamese Folk Dance) on the Bungalow lawn. Overnight at the Chang Bungalow.

Dibrugarh is the gateway to the “Hidden Land” of Eastern Arunachal Pradesh. The Ahom from Thailand came through Northern Myanmar through this area in the 13th century to establish their Empire which thrived in the ancient land of Assam. It is the “Camellia” town of Upper Assam, an undisturbed haven, with its rich tea gardens resembling a lush green carpet. Experience and enjoy the richness of these tea gardens while staying at the Heritage Chang Bungalows. These are constructed on stilts and are situated in a serene atmosphere free from pollution.

When the British established their tea plantations in the mid-19th century they quickly built comfortable bungalows designed to make life as pleasant as possible in what, was to them, a hostile and strange land. One of the main features of these buildings has given rise to their name – Chang bungalows. Chang in the local language means “raised on stilts” and the design served multi purposes; to keep the house cool by allowing the breeze to blow underneath and to keep both water and animals out!

Bihu is the most popular folk dance of Assam. The people of Assam are very proud of its unique position among all other such dances of India. Except Bhangra (the popular folk dance of Punjab), no other folk dance in India can compete with the rhythmic exuberance of the Bihu dance. ‘Bihu’ performed by young men and women reflects youthful passions and joys rejuvenating life during the spring season, accompanied by songs woven around the theme of love and physical yearning. The dance is performed by all irrespective of caste, creed and religion.

Day 02 Tea Tour

Go for a tour of a tea garden to know the origin and the history of tea - how it is grown, all about tea tasting and its quality. In the afternoon -take a nature walk in a natural protected forest area or visit an ethnic Assamese village. Overnight at the Chang Bungalow.

A tea tour through a 157 years old heritage tea garden gives an insight into the different activities that vary from season to season. It teaches us all about tea- its origin, how it is grown, tea tasting and its quality. During the winter months the dormant bushes are pruned to ensure vigorous growth during the warmer months. Once the rains begin, and the temperature rises, the gardens come alive with teams of colourfully dressed tea pluckers, predominantly ladies as they are said to be better able to pluck the delicate buds and leaves. The harvest, which goes continuously from March to November, is taken everyday to the factory where it undergoes an age old process of being turned into the finished product. All stages of the process are carefully controlled to ensure that the tea that leaves the factory is only of the highest quality, a quality that has made Assam tea world famous.

Day 03 Dibrugarh - Dibru Saikhowa National Park - Dibrugarh 50 kms/1-½ hrs

Early morning drive to Guijan range of Dibru-Saikhowa National Park– a reverie park and a biodiversity hotspot situated on the southern bank of the river Brahmaputra. Explore the park in a country boat or trek inside the park . Return to Dibrugarh late in the afternoon. In the evening- enjoy a Jhumur dance performance by the tea tribes on the Bungalow lawn. Overnight at the Chang Bungalow

Dibru-Saikhowa National Park has the most distinct and vibrant wildlife. This park got its status as a national park in 1999 only. The forest in this park ranges from semi-evergreen to deciduous to littoral to swampy marshes with patches of semi- evergreen jungles. About 36 species of mammals have so far been recorded in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park – Royal Bengal Tiger, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Jungle Cat, Sloth Bear, Malayan Giant Squirrel, Slow Loris are some to name a few. Dibru-Saikhowa is a safe haven to many rare and endangered species of birdlife. We take boat rides and walks around parts of the park’s southern fringes. We will be able to see the White Winged Wood Duck, Bengal Florican, Great Indian Hornbill, Greater Adjutant Stork, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Swamp Fran Colin, Swamp Prynia and Marsh Babbler

Jhumur dance is generally performed by the tea-tribes. In the passage of more than a hundred years of their settlement in Assam, the tea-tribes have developed a synthesized form of dance. This dance is performed by both girls and boys together, and some times by the girls only with a precision of footwork while clasping each others waist. The Jhumur dance is replete with enchanting descriptions of the beauty of nature and expresses emotions like love, sorrow and joy.

Day 04 Drive to Tai-Phakial Village – Digboi 90 Kms/2 hrs

After breakfast drive to Digboi A beautiful and famous oil-town, also being Asia’s oldest and continuously producing oilfield at the extreme north-eastern corner of India. Visit the Oil Museum which was set up to mark the100th Anniversary of the Digboi Oil Refinery.

Visit Digboi War Cemetery. It has 200 graves of different Allied Forces personnel from UK, India, West Africa, Burma, Belgium, USA and Italy who sacrificed their lives during the 1939-1945 War. It is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Dibrugarh is the reach out centre for ethnic tribal villages like Tai-Phakial - an ethnic village whose kith and kin date back to the Ahom period. The villagers still maintain their age-old culture - a village worth exploring. It is situated near the River Buri-Dihing. A Buddhist Monastery dots the village which belongs to the Hinayana sects. Tai translation of the Ramayana written on handmade paper has been newly discovered in this village. The structures of the houses are unique as the walls are made of bamboo and the roof is of palm leaves (Toko), mounted over a Chang or stilt. The monks in the monastery offer a warm welcome to the visitors and always eager explain their scriptures. Return to Dibrugarh late in the afternoon after lunch. Enroute see the Bells Temple which has more than two hundred thousand brass bells. It is believed that wishes are granted if one ties a brass bell on the banyan tree. Overnight at the Chang Bungalow.

Day 05 Dibrugarh - Kaziranga National Park 220 km/5 hrs

Drives on to Kaziranga National Park Enroute see the monuments and temples of the Ahom Dynasty at Sivasagar. Reach Kaziranga late in the afternoon. Overnight at BonnHabi lodge.

Sivasagar was once the capital of the Ahom Kings. The Shans who came from Thailand through Northern Myanmar to this area in early 13th century, ruled for 600 years. The Siva Temple, built by the Ahom, situated here is believed to be the tallest of all existing Hindu temples. The ruins of the Ahom palaces and monuments dot the landscape around this historical town. Centuries, before the arrival of the British, this part of the world was controlled by a number of tribal chieftains.

In the town of Sivasagar, one can still see the remaining well preserved relics. Palaces, tanks, forts, places of worship and burial sites (vaults) at Charaideo present the richness of this highly evolved and advanced civilization. The largest and the oldest am phi-theatre of Asia (Rang Ghar) is also another remarkable landmark in the history of Sivasagar. The Tai- Ahom Museum of Sivasagar contains the some of the relics of the Ahom period, like – swords, clothes, manuscripts and sundry artefacts.

Day 06 At Kaziranga National Park

Early morning, go for an elephant safari to the central range of the park followed by a jeep safari after breakfast to the western range of the park. Post lunch; visit the eastern range of the park by jeep. Evening at leisure. Overnight at the lodge.

Amidst a setting of rural Assamese landscape comprising village houses, bamboo groves, paddy fields and tea gardens BonnHabi lodge provides the visitors with a rewarding jungle experience.

Day 07 Kaziranga National Park - Guwahati 240 km/ 5 hrs

After breakfast depart for Guwahati Visit the Tea Auction Centre – the largest auction center for tea. Visit a Tea Brokerage Firm to know more about tea tasting and its quality. Overnight at Hotel Dynasty.

Guwahati, the capital city of Assam situated on the south bank of river Brahmaputra. It has the world’s largest tea auction centre, is also the gateway to the north-eastern region of India. Guwahati is famous for several temples including Kamakhya; all of them are dates back to the Vedic and Puranic times.

Day 08 Guwahati – Bagdogra - Darjeeling

After breakfast transfer to airport to board the flight to Bagdogra. Received and transfer to Hotel. Evening explore the local market.

Day 09 At Darjeeling

After breakfast drive to Glenburn Tea Estate (2hrs / 30 min). The estate overlooks the Kanchenjunga mountain range. Full day at the estate – learn about the fascinating process of tea making – the famous Darjeeling Tea. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 10 Bagdogra - Kolkata / Delhi

After breakfast Say good buy to this fascinating land and transfer to Bagdogra Airport to board the flight for onward destination

Inclusion & Highlights

• 9 Nights first class Lodge / Resort with private bath and shower.

• Inclusive of all Hotel Taxes and service charges

• Daily full Buffet Breakfast at hotel restaurant
• Inclusive of Taxes.

• All transfers & sightseeing by First vehicle.
• Services of English Speaking local Guides.
• All State taxes, toll taxes & Parking Charges.
• All Park entry fees wherever applicable.

• Traditional Indian welcome” upon arrival in Delhi
• Enjoy a Bihu dance an Assamese Folk Dance
• Nature walks in protected forest area.
• Visit to Digboi Oil Refinery
• Elephant safari deep in to the jungle in Kaziranga national park
• Jeep safari to explore the national park.
• Tea estate tour in Darjeeling and Dibrugarh.