Day 01 : Kolkata (Formerly Calcutta)
You are welcomed at Kolkata airport either by the representative of our local agency or by your French-speaking guide. He ensures with you the transfer to the hotel we’ve reserved you for the two following nights.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 02 : Exploring Kolkata
After breakfast and on your first day in Kolkata, the visit of the Jain temple of Pareshnath, erected in 1867 is planned.
You then continue with a stroll in the artisans' district of Kumartuli and the discovery of the Indian Museum which houses an exceptional collection of Gandhara Buddhist sculptures.
Later, you will discover the Maidan, Dalhousie Square and colonial buildings of the British Raj: Writers Building, High Court, St John's Church, flower market near the impressive Howrah Bridge before continuing with the visit of the very living temple of Dakshineshwar, Shivaite sanctuary dedicated to Kali, as well as the Sova Bazar.
It is by boat that you join the opposite shore until the ghats Babu to discover the Marble Palace, beautiful residence of the XIXth century decorated with works of art of inestimable value. You will also visit Tagore’s house, the most illustrious poet of modern India, converted into a cultural center and the Victoria Memorial, completed in 1921 in honor of the Empress of India.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 03 : Kolkata / Guwahati / Kaziranga
After breakfast, you are transferred to the airport and you fly to Guwahati. You settle at the hotel directly upon arrival.
You visit Kamakhya temple, high place of Tantrism perched on a hill where animal sacrifices are still practiced today (these are undoubtedly ancient Khasi practices - one of the ethnic groups of the present Meghalaya).
You then take the ferry to join Neemati’s ghats, from where you continue by road to Kaziranga’s great natural reserve. Installation in the hotel.
Overnight in hotel.
Day 04 : Kaziranga: The Naional Park
After breakfast, the park of Kaziranga, a UNESCO world heritage site, opens its doors to you. Famous for sheltering the highest density of rhinoceros unicorns of the world, you will have the chance to see beautiful landscapes of savanna and swamp forest in addition to the beauty of the place.
Three safaris are on the program today, including a very early elephant tour (the other two in jeep).
Return to the hotel. Overnight in hotel.
Day 05 : Kaziranga / Itanagar
After breakfast, you leave for Itanagar(capital of Arunachal Pradesh state) through beautiful landscapes.
In the afternoon you are free to visit the local market and its surroundings.
Check-in at the hotel.
Overnight in hotel.
Day 06 : Itanagar / Ziro
After breakfast, you take the road to Ziro, a town in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. On the way, you make a stop in Nishi villages. The Nishi form the largest tribe in Arunachal state. The Nishi language probably belongs to the Sino-Tibetan group. The latter practice shifting cultivation, fishing and hunting. Traditionally, the Nishi cult is animistic. Donyi-Polo, the Sun and the Moon, is the name given today to this religious practice.
You arrive at Ziro, one of the prettiest mountain resorts of Arunachal Pradesh, where the green of the rice fields is added to the charm of the undulating hills.
Installation in the hotel. Overnight in hotel.
Day 07 : Ziro
After breakfast, you go for the discovery of Apatani villages, the majority ethnic group of the Ziro region. The Apatani were once identifiable by their facial tattoos, rattan tails raised by men and the large wooden jewelry worn by women in each nostril. Today, they usually wear these clothes on festivals.
On the Bori Boot festival in February, the local Miris tribes celebrate spring with traditional dances and songs.
Return to the hotel. Overnight in hotel.
Day 08 : Ziro / Majuli
After breakfast, a long day's drive awaits you. Taking a local ferry crossing of tributaries of the powerful Brahmaputra, this one takes you to Majuli, the largest river island in the world (900 km²), inhabited by the Mishing, tribe migrating from Arunachal Pradesh having preserved a Culture and a unique lifestyle.
In November, while the whole population of the island is staging Krishna’s life, you attend the beginning of the festival Raas Lila.
Installation in the hotel. Overnight in hotel.
Day 09 : Majuli: The Great River Island
After breakfast, you will discover Assam. Ancient cultural capital for five centuries, Majuli is famous for its 22 'Satra', former neo-Vishnouite monasteries founded in the 16th century by Shankardeva, an Assamese philosopher who refused the caste system. 1000 monks used to gather called Bhakats.
Majuli The largest district river island of India in Assam state was proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . It should be noted that some forty monasteries have already been victims of the floods of the Brahmaputra and the erosion of the island. Your day is dedicated to the visit of the monasteries, known for their monks dancers. Here poetry, dance and music are inherent in the worship of Lord Vishnu. Young boys who studied in these monasteries are also initiated into unique artisanal practices: the manufacture of masks in Natun Samugri, the manufacture of boats in Kamlabari, for example.
In autumn, the island is celebrating the Raas-Leela in honor of Lord Krishna. The inhabitants stage the life of the divinity on long and animated evenings!
Return to the hotel. Overnight in hotel.
Day 10: Majuli / Sivasagar
After breakfast, you take the ferry to cross the river before taking the road to join Sivasagar, ancient capital of Ahom dynasty’s kingdom. You settle at the hotel upon your arrival.
You visit the city in which the inhabitants arrived in the XIIIth century from the Chinese province of Yunnan, before the British came to occupy the region, some centuries later.
You then discover the vast 200-year-old basin before visiting temples with the characteristic architecture of the Ahom. The most famous is probably Lord Shiva’s built in 1734, 33 m height.
Installation and overnight in the hotel.
Day 11: Sivasagar / Mon
After breakfast, your road will take you to Mon, Nagaland.
Phuktong Village, which has two large "Morung" dormitories, one of the special features of this tribal region, arrives at the hotel before leaving for your first visit. You will also discover the residence of the village chief, also called "Angh".
Overnight in hotel.
Day 12: Mon
After breakfast, you go for Shangnyuqui’s visit, one of the most important in the district. You’ll have the chance to discover a unique monument: entirely made of carved wood, with stones commemorating in front of the chief’s village house, also called Angh. You continue with the visit of Sangha, where you can admire the trophies of the headhunters and traditional Konyak houses with palm roofs.
In March, the region of Mon is celebrated on the occasion of Aoling, celebrating the Konyak warriors, dressed in this day of their most beautiful costumes. Dances and music brighten up your days.
Note: For this departure, the order of the visits can be modified according to the schedule of the festivities.
Overnight in the hotel.
Day 13: Mon / Dibrugarh
After breakfast, you head towards Dibrugarh(in Assam state), at the confluence of Siang and Lohit, which both form the mighty Brahmaputra. On the way, you stop in the Wakching villages, where you can nearly find a thousand houses of bamboo and palm. You then discover the legendary site of Naganimora, where a Konyak queen married to an Ahom king died. Installation and overnight in the hotel.
Day 14: Dibrugarh / Calcutta
After breakfast, you are transferred to the airport according to the flight schedule for Calcutta where you take your return flight.