northeast indIA MOTORCYCLE TOUR

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ARRIVAL DAY – GUWAHATI

Welcome to India! We have so many great times ahead. We will hit the hay after dinner and a quick briefing.

DAY 2. GUWAHATI > SHILLONG

We will start the day with an in-depth riders briefing. Then we head to Shillong. We will ride through many beautiful forests before emerging at Uniam Lake, which spreads over 220 square kilometers. We will stop off to view Teer (bow and arrow) gambling, 10 to 20 people shoot at a hay bale 50 metres away while players bet on how many arrows will end up in the bale.

DAY 3. SHILLONG > SILCHAR VIA ELEPHANT FALLS

Want to be surrounded by rainforests, turquoise rivers and hundreds of ancient temples? That's on the agenda today. We will also stop by Elephant Waterfalls, an impressive three-storied waterfall in the heart of the jungle. After a big ride we will arrive into Silchar, coined as the "Island of Peace," where over 5 languages are spoken (Sylheti, Bengali, Meitei, Bishnupriya, Dimasa).

DAY 4. SILCHAR > LOKTAK LAKE (LOCAL FISHING EXPERIENCE)

We leave the state of Assam and head into Manipur today. The trip takes us over 5 rivers and 3 major valleys. The ride is one of the most challenging of the trip, but it reaps massive rewards as we arrive into Loktak Lake, Asia's largest Saltwater lake. What makes Loktak so unique is its floating islands known as "Phumdis" which are exclusive to the region. One idyllic island holds the world's only floating national park, Keibul Lamjao, home to an indigenous deer and one-horned rhinos. What's best is that we will be staying on a floating island, only accessible by a small boat and home to a family of fishers whose heritage on the island goes back many decades.

DAY 5. LOKTAK LAKE > KOHIMA

We will get up early and have a continental breakfast beside the Lake just as the sun bounces off its glassy surface. Today we're riding to Kohima, the capital of Nagaland, which is the most diverse state on our trip, with 17 tribes and 36 languages. The city played a pivotal role in World War 2 when British soldiers, Indian Sepoys and Naga warriors prevented Japanese forces from invading India.

DAY 6. KOHIMA FREE DAY

Our hotel is perched on a hill overlooking all of Kohima. Take a break, unwind and enjoy a day off, or head into the city. We recommend visiting the Kohima World War Cemetery, which commemorates the officers and soldiers killed during the war. You can also visit the Kohima Cathedral, a fascinating building that blends Naga and Catholic architecture. Kohima is also home to our favorite spot for Momos (Himalayan dumplings). Enjoy!

DAY 7. KOHIMA > MOKOKCHUNG

Today we have a big ride through dense forest, the roads can be busy at times, but in other sections we will be the only people on the road. Mokokchung is known as the 'intellectual and cultural capital' of Nagaland. Many artisanal stores sell impressive pieces of pottery, wood carving, and metalwork.

DAY 8. MOKOKCHUNG > MON VILLAGE

Today we ride to Longwa Village, where we will spend two days exploring the lives, history, and future of the Konyak warrior tribe. We will be staying in the house opposite the (Angh) king, which lies on the India - Myanmar border. There is a saying that the king has dinner in India and sleeps in Myanmar. The kitchens in these villages are small fire pits in the middle of the living area; this is where we will have our delicious dinner. Afterward, we will hang out with some of the local villagers sipping rice beer as the sunsets.

DAY 9. MON VILLAGE - HEADHUNTER AND TEA PLANTATION EXPERIENCE

This day is a highlight for many of the riders who come on the North East India motorcycle tour trip. First, we will explore the Angh's home adorned with trophies (horned animals but previously there were human heads before it was outlawed) and wood carvings representing his prestige. We will also explore the fire pit kitchen, which is sometimes used to smoke opium (a practice introduced by the British to reduce the headhunters ferocity). We will then visit Hongpoi village, a perfectly preserved village which serves as a window to the past. It is here where we donate laptops and other provisions to the Sayeang Middle School on this day.

DAY 10. MON VILLAGE > JORHAT VIA SIVASAGAR

After saying goodbye to the local villagers we're off to Jorhat, which will take us out of Nagaland and back into Assam. We will stop off at the Sivasagar and Rang Ghar historical landmarks. Both of these 16th-century structures were built during the Ahom Kingdom, which lasted for nearly 600 years. Rang Ghar is an impressive two-storeyed building that was used for watching sporting events, including buffalo fighting. Today's ride has the best roads and takes us past hundreds of rice fields and tea plantations.

DAY 11. JORHAT > GUWAHATI

Today we ride alongside the Brahmaputra river, which runs all the way from Tibet to India and Bangladesh. It is the ninth largest river in the world by discharge, with its source coming from the high altitude Himalayas. After eating lunch by the river we will arrive back into Guwahati for our final night. In the evening, we will have our last supper and distribute awards to celebrate our incredible journey.

DAY 12. DEPARTURE DAY FROM GUWAHATI

We will take you to the airport, closeby our hotel. There are frequent flights to all major Indian airports from Guwahati. We wish you well on your way home and hope to see you soon!