Featured Cultural Expedition

Namdapha · Mon · Majuli · Kaziranga

10 Days · Arunachal Pradesh · Assam · Nagaland

Expedition overview

A long arc through eastern Northeast India — from the rainforests of Namdapha and Digboi's oil heritage to Konyak Mon, the Ahom capital Sivasagar, the river island of Majuli and the rhino country of Kaziranga.

Why choose this expedition

Namdapha is one of India's wildest national parks — explored entirely on foot.
Stay in Mon and visit Longwa, where the Konyak chief's house straddles India and Myanmar.
Sivasagar's Ahom monuments — Ranghar, Talatal Ghar, Kareng Ghar — in one day.
Two days on Majuli, the world's largest river island and heart of Sattriya culture.
Close with two safaris in Kaziranga's Central and Western ranges.

Itinerary highlights

Namdapha National Park
Deban
Haldibari trek
Hornbill camp
Singpho village & Phalap tea
Digboi Oil Museum
Tilinga Mandir
Mon
Longwa Angh's house
Hangphoi tattooed elders
Sivasagar Ranghar
Talatal Ghar
Majuli ferry crossing
Garmur Satra
Uttar Kamalabari Satra
Shamaguri mask satra
Kaziranga Central & Western Ranges

Cultural highlights

Singpho tea ceremony with Phalap at Margherita
Digboi — Asia's oldest operating oil refinery
Konyak Longwa, Hangphoi and Mon villages
Ahom temples and tanks of Sivasagar
Majuli Satras — Garmur, Uttar Kamalabari, Shamaguri

Tribal communities encountered

Singpho
Konyak
Mishing
Ahom legacy
Vaishnavite Satras

Wildlife & nature

Namdapha — four big cats, hornbills, White-winged Wood Duck, Pied Falconet
Kaziranga — one-horned rhino, tiger, wild elephant, swamp deer
Birding around Deban and the Noa-Dihing river

Photography opportunities

Rainforest canopy from Hornbill camp
Konyak elders with facial tattoos in Hangphoi
Ahom monuments of Sivasagar in raking light
Brahmaputra ferry crossings to and from Majuli
Rhinos at dawn in Kaziranga

Festival experiences

Aoleang (Konyak, Apr)
Raas Mahotsav (Majuli, Nov)

Day-wise itinerary

Day 1
Dibrugarh to Namdapha
Arrive in Dibrugarh and drive deep into Namdapha National Park on this Namdapha National Park trek, reaching the rainforest outpost of Deban on the Noa-Dihing river.
Day 2
Deban–Haldibari–Hornbill
Trek eleven kilometres across the Noa-Dihing to Hornbill camp on this Namdapha trek, listening for great hornbills and babbler flocks in one of India's last true rainforests.
Day 3
Deban to Duliajan
Emerge through Singpho tea gardens for a traditional Phalap ceremony on this Northeast India cultural tour, then visit Digboi's historic oil museum and the unique Tilinga Mandir.
Day 4
Duliajan to Mon
Journey into Nagaland's Mon district on this Konyak tribe expedition, winding through Assam's lush tea country into the rugged forested hills that shelter ancient Konyak communities.
Day 5
Longwa & Hangphoi
Stand at Longwa on this Konyak tribe journey, where the Angh's house straddles the India–Myanmar border, and meet tattooed elders in Hangphoi who preserve Konyak oral history.
Day 6
Mon to Jorhat via Sivasagar
Drive west through the Ahom heartland on this Northeast India tour, exploring the royal monuments and sacred temple tanks of Sivasagar before reaching Jorhat by evening.
Day 7
Jorhat to Majuli
Ferry across the Brahmaputra to Majuli island, visiting Garmur, Uttar Kamalabari and Shamaguri satras to witness living Sattriya music, dance and prayer.
Day 8
Majuli to Kaziranga
Return to the mainland and drive to Kaziranga National Park, pausing at the orchid and biodiversity park to admire rare native blooms en route.
Day 9
Kaziranga safaris
Explore Kaziranga National Park by jeep safari in the Central and Western ranges, tracking rhinos, wild buffalo and prolific wetland birdlife across the floodplain.
Day 10
Kaziranga to Guwahati
Return to Guwahati on this Northeast India tour through Assam's verdant rural heartland of rice fields and tea gardens, carrying memories of rainforest, tribe and rhino country.

Responsible travel notes

Namdapha is explored on foot — no jeep safaris. Carry your own water and pack out all waste.
Always ask before photographing Konyak elders and ritual objects.
Remove shoes and walk clockwise in Majuli's satras.
Do not feed or approach wildlife in Kaziranga.

Frequently asked questions

Are there jeep safaris at Namdapha?: No. Namdapha is explored entirely on foot with forest guards, which is part of its appeal.
What permits do I need?: Inner Line Permit for Arunachal and Nagaland for Indian citizens; Protected Area Permits for foreign nationals. We arrange both.
How long are the drives?: Expect 5–7 hour driving days between Namdapha, Duliajan, Mon and Jorhat. Roads in Mon district are rough.

Related festivals

Aoleang Festival
Nagaland

Related expeditions

Plan this expedition

Travel with us

Living Roots Expeditions designs each journey with handpicked village hosts, local guides and ethical partners.

Email us at hello@livingrootsexpeditions.com