Fill Your Life with Experiences Through Travel, Starting with the Spectacular North-East Part of India: Here are the 10 Best Places to Visit in Guwahati

Situated on the foothills of the Shillong plateau and on the banks of the river Brahmaputra and previously known as Pragjyotishpur in the early years, Guwahati is an urban city and the capital of Assam. Along with its scenic beauty, Guwahati is much known for its rich heritage and is considered to be a major commercial hub.

Being rich in fauna and flora, Guwahati is home to the renowned one-horned rhinoceros, barking deer, wild boar, and leopards. That being said, there are various other options too – like going out on a river cruise on the Brahmaputra – followed by a trip to the Umananda Temple, Assam State Museum and of course, the Kamakhya Devi Temple.

If you are planning to visit Guwahati for the first time, rest assured that you have got nothing to worry about – though you need to take note of a few things first.

Nope, not at all – granted, earlier, Guwahati was a bit of strict with their rules and regulations, but now, they have more relaxed and hence, are very welcoming towards tourists.

Now, this is not necessary, though think of it as an extra precaution – it will do you good if you register yourself at the police station.

You can even reach Guwahati through the north-east frontier railway. Of course, there are many flights from Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, New Delhi and Bangalore that will take you directly to Guwahati.

Living outside the north-east but still, want to drive down to Guwahati? Don’t worry – the roads to Guwahati are well connected too; in fact, you can reach Guwahati by the NH37 as it connects the Guwahati city with Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal.

Guwahati is not called the ‘Gateway to the North-East’ for nothing. In fact, just land at the Guwahati Airport, and you will see that you can literally go to any city that you want from there – as mentioned before, the Guwahati Airport has everything that has kept on connected with the other states.

The Guwahati Airport is known to run a number of government-funded buses, known as ASTC buses – take advantage of them and if you are planning to go to Dimapur, Tezpur or even Kaziranga National Park, then, they are the best to do so.

Interested in visiting Shillong or say, Cherrapunjee? What is public transport for? Take the help of ‘sharing jeeps’ – also known as “Sumo’s”, they are best to travel to long distances if you are on a budget.

When it comes to staying in Guwahati as tourists, there are a few strict rules and regulations that you should take note of beforehand – that being said, Guwahati has its own share of budget hotels and guesthouses.

Speaking of budget hotels and guesthouses, there are many that you can choose from. One such place is the 'Hotel Priya Palace' (Three Stars) - located at Bora Service, Ulubari, this budget hotel is only 3 km away from Guwahati train station, and costs only Rs. 1702 per night.

If, however, you are in the mood of splurging, how about Vivanta by Taj Guwahati (Five Stars)? Even though it’s located way out of the main city, it’s quite close to the highway that can lead you to Shillong and Meghalaya – so, if visiting those places are next on your itinerary, then, it’s a perfect stopover for you.

Now, the language is not going to be much of a problem – even though the majority of the people speaks Assamese (and even English to some extent), and a variety of other local languages, the ‘Hindi’ language is though widely recognized. So, haggling with the taxi and the rickshaw drivers won’t be a problem!!

Considered as a highly venerated shrine in Assam, it is one of the oldest temples to be found in Guwahati that is associated with Mother Goddess Siddha Kubjika, who is also known as Kali and Maha Tripura Sundar.

Revered by many, and visited by millions of devotees each and every year, this temple is located on the Nilachal Hills that has six temples and six monuments inside it. There’s even a legend, which says that the waters of the Brahmaputra turn red due to the menstruating blood of the Goddess

One of the famous tourist places to be found in Guwahati, the Kamakhya temple is best visited in the months of September and October, when they celebrate the festival of Durga Puja for five days.

Dubbed as the largest zoo in the entire north-east, the Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden is home to numerous birds, reptiles, and animals. Located in the Hengrabari Reserved Forest, Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden is also known ‘green lung’ and as such, you can indulge in its awareness activities.

In the zoo, you are going to find more than 100 species of birds and animals. Established in the year 1957, the zoo was made only for exhibiting animals, and it is only in the year 1982, that a botanical garden was added along with a museum for public viewing.

The Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden is also known to offer a natural habitat for fauna and flora and as such, if you are a lover of nature, then, this place is great to relax and unwind.

Situated on the top of the mountain Bhasmakuta and surrounded by the river Brahmaputra, Umananda Temple was built by King Gadadhar Singh in 1694 AD with Lord Shiva as the presiding deity.

Legend has it that it was at this place that Lord Shiva in the form of Bhayananda, burned down Kamadeva when he became a hindrance during his meditation. Considered to be an idyllic retreat and away from the hustle and bustle of the city, this place is the perfect gateway, should you need to enjoy some solitude and want to bask in the glory of nature.

That being said, Umananda Temple is also home to 'Golden Langurs' - one of the endangered species, and long being considered as a sacred animal by the Himalayan folk.

If you are planning to visit Umananda Temple, you have to do so with the help of a boat - since the temple is located in the Brahmaputra river, you have to cross the river in order to reach the temple. The boat services start from the Kachari ghat and is available from the morning (7 a.m) to the evening (6 p.m). Apart from the boat services, one can even take a ferry to reach the temple (can be found from the ghats of the Fancy Bazaar or the ghats of the Sukleshwar Temple).

Cruising on the Brahmaputra river atop the Alfresco Cruises – it is one of the most sought-after activities that you can do in Guwahati. Look forward to enjoying the sunset along with a grand dinner prepared especially for you and your loved ones.

There are basically three types of cruises that you can enjoy on your visit to Guwahati – first, of course, is the Alfresco Grand Cruises, the second is the Party Cruises on Alfresco and the third one is the Houseboat Cruises.

If you don't want to pay a hefty price for these cruises, you can take the local ferry for an adventurous experience.

Who hasn’t heard of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary?

Situated in the Mayong village of the Morigaon district in Assam, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is a haven for all nature lovers – after all, it is home to the one-horned rhinoceros, Asiatic buffalo, wild bear, civet cats, to name a few.

Now, what wildlife sanctuary is complete without jungle safaris? Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is known to offer two jungle safaris - elephant safari and jeep safari. Now, even though, it's not required to book in advancement for the safaris, but if you are planning to visit the sanctuary either in the weekends or during the holidays, it's better to so before all the tickets get sold out - yes, you can do so online.

Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is best visited in the months of July, August, and September.

Known to be constructed in the late 2000s, and named after Jawaharlal Nehru, the Nehru Park is another popular tourist places and is home to a number of renowned educational institutions in its vicinity.

Consisting of several species of trees along with statues of dancing figures performing the various folk dances of Assam, the Nehru Park is a serene gateway away from the busy city – the park even has a rock garden surrounded by numerous species of flora along with an open theatre.

This park is a must-visit if you are planning to take a trip to Guwahati with your loved ones.

Love astronomy? Then, you need to visit Guwahati Planetarium.

Attracting tourists in hordes, Guwahati Planetarium is the perfect retreat for those, who want to dive into the celestial space.

Also a popular astronomical research center, Guwahati Planetarium hosts numerous seminars and exhibitions regularly, and as such, you can attend them to broaden your knowledge on the universe. If you are worried about the languages, then, you have nothing to fear - for the seminars as well as the exhibitions are hosted in three languages - Assamese, Hindi and English.

On occasions, Guwahati Planetarium is also known to host events on eclipse or meteor showers – though, if you plan to attend them, you will have to arrange it with them in advance.

Being hailed as one of the biggest multipurpose museums in our country, Assam State Museum was established by the Kamarupa Anusandhan Samiti. Built in 1940, the Assam State Museum is also one of the oldest museums in north-east India.

Located in the scenic beauty of the Dighalupukhuri area, Assam State Museum is home to the richest repositories of antiques. A must-visit tourist attraction, this museum is famous for exploring the culture as well as the heritage of Assam through the displayed antiques. Sculptures, wood-work, ancient costumes, ivory paintings – all of these and many more, you are going to find in the Assam State Museum.

Built and maintained by the Hare Krishna Mission, Iskcon Temple is located on Mount Hari Krishna. This temple is famous for attracting devotees of Lord Krishna from literally all over the globe.

A blend of art and heritage, this temple is a must-visit to get a sense of inner peace. Away from the noise of the city, the temple is a spiritual retreat and it is said that you must experience the ‘aarti’ at least once in your life.

Located at Jawahar Nagar, Khanapara, the Regional Science Centre is a haven for those who love science – more so, if you are with children. This center is renowned for holding science magic shows on quite a regular basis – something which the kids are very much seen to enjoy.

Even the adults are seen to enjoy their visit to the Regional Science Centre – as the complex principles of science are explained with practical applications. On occasions, the center even holds shows on 3D animation, but of course, with a dose of science!!

Established in the year 1994, the Regional Science Centre is also home to various rare machinery, demo experiment set-ups, machinery, to name a few, and of course, not to forget, the mock-prehistoric park, an auditorium, and even an inbuilt aquarium!!