We get asked a lot of questions regarding the quality of stay, transport and road conditions.
The infrastructure in the northeast is developing rapidly with new airports opening, more bridges and improved road conditions. The railways have introduced more express trains like the Shatabdi express that connect a few of the metros.
As the tourist footfalls increase so have the number of hotels, homestays, campsites and guesthouses in most places catering to different budgets.
Most properties offer breakfast both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options as part of the package and are happy to provide a packed one if necessary but need prior notice. But some smaller properties don’t so at the time of booking it’s good to check out about breakfast,
Laundry service, Wifi, room heaters, extra beds, availability of twin-bedded rooms.
Luxury properties are centered around Guwahati, Kaziranga, Shillong, Cherrapunjee, Darjeeling, Pelling, Gangtok with stand-alone properties in Dimapur and Tawang.
There are many business hotels available throughout which depending on the type of client are good to use as they offer all the regular services like room service, restaurant, 24 hrs housekeeping.
For a memorable experience and sustainable travel, we recommend homestays, farm stays, tea bungalows where the hosts add to the overall experience of the guest. In this segment there are more options for those looking for cheaper properties or are looking at offbeat destinations. It also has a few luxury options too. The host family helps you with guides, meals, sets up introductions to communities to whom otherwise you may not be able to access etc. But it does require a certain mindset who understand that homestays are not equipped to provide services like hotels do. So most mealtimes are set, variation in room types and sizes, limited services.
Most campsites are set in the winter months and wrap up during the monsoon. Meghalaya is known for campsites near the Umgot river and places in Assam offer them nearer to Wildlife sanctuaries – Kaziranga,Manas and Pobitora. During the major festivals – Hornbill, Wangala, Ziro music and Orange temporary tented accommodation is provided near the festival grounds for a limited period of time. Most provide very basic facilities and have communal toilets and dining areas.
But there still are pockets of poor roads in the hill sections which due to landslides in the monsoon season makes it an ongoing road repair process hence we recommend to avoid the Monsoon season for travel to the northeast.
We use only Innovas for ground transport as this is the most comfortable option available wherever possible.