For example, winters are usually a good time to visit Assam since the state is mostly plains and tends to get extremely hot in summers. Moreover, the biggest attraction of Assam, its many National Parks, remain closed during summers and monsoons. Whereas if you pick Meghalaya, the state known for its waterfalls, the monsoons here elevate the natural beauty of this region and so it’s best visited during rains. Since Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh are home to some of the tallest mountains, for a heavy dose of adrenaline and a pinch of light shiver, they are exciting places to be during dry season. If you are into festivals, Nagaland is the most colourful during the coldest months. While the monsoons are the best to enjoy the natural beauty of Meghalaya, if you are up for some caving, you might want to visit the state in the peak of winter.
Having said that, there are some general tips about the Northeast that we can provide which might be helpful for you to plan your months of travel:
1. Monsoons arrive quite early this side of the country. Rains begin as soon as April. Some parts of Northeast receive heavy rainfalls which makes travelling difficult. Therefore, monsoon season, i.e months from May to September are best avoided.
2. One of the major things that all states within the Northeast of India are famous for are the festivals in the region like Ziro Music Fest, Hornbill Festival and the like. These festivals fully transform the feel of the place. If you are into grand celebrations of culture, it’s best to pick your dates of travel based on the festival schedule in the region. Sometimes these festivals run for as long as 7-10 days at a stretch.
3. Due to the nature of the terrain, trekking anywhere in the Northeast of India should be fully avoided in monsoons. March to May are the best months to witness some of the widest expanses of rhododendrons of a rainbow of colours in full bloom.
4. The best months for most adventure activities like National Parks, Trekking, Caving and Rafting or other water sports are November to March.
5. The golden rule to follow is ‘winters in the plains and summers on heights’.
Please refer to the following to map out the best time to travel to each of the states. We hope that this gives you a sense of how you can best plan your itinerary to Northeast India.
