In 2017, we decided to visit the North East for our yearly family vacation that also included the wedding of a close friend in Assam. As my son was around six years old, we thought it was the perfect time to make him hop along the museums and pose for pictures.

We wanted to visit Guwahati, Kaziranga, Shillong, Mawlynnong Village (Asia’s cleanest village) and Cherrapunjee, the “wettest” place on earth. These locations were loaded with many beautiful sights, historic, and adventurous places with many activities.

We planned to cover wild safaris, science museums, water sports, green villages, nature stays, hikes, trekking trails, mystic caves, living bridges and much more. Gladly, we did most of them that made this vacation the most memorable one.

As we were booking much in advance, we got great deals on flights. Next, we went on to reserve hotels and resorts, based on online reviews. The only problem we faced was while reserving a stay in Mawlynnong since it is a very small village with a large inflow of tourists.

I recommend you to book a hotel in advance for Cherrapunjee. With a little research and social media surfing, we found an attractive homestay there, which is still one of my most loved places in the North East.

First, we headed to Guwahati in Assam, the beautiful land of tea and silks. I loved the local food streets, hills, temples and good-looking sights. 

Please keep in mind especially if you are taking kids along, most three star properties have small rooms and even deluxe rooms may not accommodate an extra bed.

We gained an insight on the history and culture of Assam while delighting in an evening cruise on the mighty Brahmaputra River, what a dinner ride it was! You can book the cruise online in advance.

The next day we headed to a Voodoo village! En route Mayong, the village, we caught spectacular sights of wild Rhinos amidst the green paddy fields. The evening air had a little chill, which also made our drive back a little spooky especially after our visit to the voodoo museum accompanied by a pink moon.

Another option is to stay nearby, in one of the eco-resorts in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and trek to the mysterious Mayong village!

The next day was our adventure to the well-known Umananda (peacock) Island to witness biodiversity. The experience thrilled all of us including my six-year old! We trekked up to the hill and got mesmerising sights of the stunning flora and the elegant Brahmaputra River.

Kaziranga National Park remains my best visit in terms of landscape and animals! Elephants, Rhinos, deer, and grey pelicans were a few of the many animals we saw. Although, tigers did not come to meet us, as we were late by a few hours, we got to feel the wild and soaked in a striking sunset, adding to the lovely experience. The dense jungle and fragrant trees made it a memorable wildlife escape!