Tucked amidst sprawling tea plantations and rolling green hills, Guwahati is filled with sacred temples, lively street markets and traditional Assamese cuisine and handicrafts. Colonial-era mansions sit beside small cottages, while the River Brahmaputra and famous wildlife preserves provide outdoor activities.

Things to do

Travellers from across the globe enter Kaziranga National Park and the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary to get a glimpse of the rare one-horned rhinoceroses. Wild tigers also roam freely in the sanctuary, while guides offer jeep safari tours.

Magnificent temples showcase colourful, intricate designs and remarkable architecture. You’ll find several temple clusters in Hajo, a small village outside Guwahati. Hayagriva Madhava Temple and Madan Kamdev Temple are open to the public for meditation and serenity ceremonies.

Local street bazaars offer stalls selling tea from local plantations. Roam through Panbazar for tribal handicrafts and artefacts, then visit Fancy Bazaar or Ganeshguri Market for jewellery and textiles made from the renowned Assam silk known as ‘Muga’.

Many restaurants and street stalls serve traditional Assamese cuisine, such as Kholasapori pitha rice cakes and Koldil bhaji made from banana flowers. Nightlife leans toward Western-style discos, such as The Silver Streak, but you can also find rock and jazz at The Blues club.

Getting around

Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport is 20 kilometres from the city centre, where you can rent a car or take a taxi. You can get around using buses, auto rickshaws, motorbike rentals and river ferries.