Indian Railways brings 15-day North East discovery tour; Check destinations, special coach features and more
The 15-day journey will begin from Delhi and cover various destinations in Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, and Meghalaya. The tour offers modern amenities on the Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist Train and follows the government's initiatives to encourage domestic tourism
FollowThe Indian Railways, in partnership with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, is set to launch the 'North East Discovery' tour, aiming to promote the lesser-explored northeastern states of India. The specially-designed journey will commence from Delhi Safdarjung Railway Station on November 16, 2023, featuring destinations such as Guwahati, Sivasagar, Jorhat, and Kaziranga in Assam, Unakoti, Agartala, and Udaipur in Tripura, Dimapur, and Kohima in Nagaland, and Shillong and Cherrapunji in Meghalaya over the course of 15 days.
Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist Train
The Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist Train boasts modern amenities, including two dining cars/restaurants, a contemporary flameless kitchen, shower cubicles in AC I and AC II coaches, sensor-based washroom facilities, foot massagers, and a mini library.
The fully air-conditioned train offers three types of accommodations: AC I, AC II, and AC III. It is equipped with advanced security features like CCTV cameras, electronic safes, and dedicated security personnel assigned to each coach.
The 15-Day Journey
Spanning 14 nights and 15 days, the journey begins in Guwahati, where tourists visit the Kamakhya Temple, followed by the Umananda Temple and a sunset cruise on the Brahmaputra River.
The train then proceeds to Naharlagun Railway Station, leading to Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh.
The tour continues in Sivasagar, the old capital of the Ahom Kingdom in Eastern Assam, visiting landmarks like the Shiva temple Sivadol, Talatal Ghar, and Rang Ghar (Colosseum of the East).
The journey includes a visit to tea gardens in Jorhat and an overnight stay at Kaziranga, with an early morning jungle safari in Kaziranga National Park.
The train later departs for Tripura, with stops at the heritage site of Unakoti in Jampui Hills and sightseeing in Agartala, featuring Ujjayanta Palace, Neermahal, and the Tripura Sundari Mandir in Udaipur.
Continuing the journey, the train departs for Dimapur to explore Nagaland. Guests can enjoy the scenic train journey from Badarpur station to Lumding Jn early in the morning.
From Dimapur, tourists are taken to Kohima by bus to visit local sites and experience the Naga way of life, including a tour of Khonoma village.
The next destination is Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, with a visit to Umium Lake en route. The itinerary includes an excursion to Cherrapunji, where guests can explore Shillong Peak, Elephant Falls, Nawkhalikai falls, and Mawsmai caves.
From Cherrapunji, the return journey begins, heading back to Guwahati Station to board the train back to Delhi, covering approximately 5800 kms throughout the entire tour.
It is essential to note that the launch of the Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train aligns with the Indian government's initiatives "Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat" and "Dekho Apna Desh," aimed at promoting domestic tourism.
