Flight: EK570 Dubai - Kolkata 02.05 - 08.15

Private transfer to your hotel: Welcome to India! You will be met on arrival in Kolkata by a local representative and introduced to your private driver. Together they will take you to your city hotel to check in.

Walking tour of Kolkata: This afternoon, as a ‘warm up’ to the city, you will be taken for a walking tour of Kolkata’s little known ‘confluence of cultures’. Kolkata, or Calcutta, has witnessed many more cultures in its past than most other cities have in this globalised, and multi-cultural, present day. The walking tour will trace the origins and remains of the varied communities that hung up their boots and called Kolkata home. You will visit such migrant communities as the Chinese who thrive in China town, the dwindling Parsis or the Zoroastrians, the Armenians who gave the city its oldest surviving Christian church, the Anglo-Indians, the Muslims, the Marwaris, the Biharis and many more that made this city a great melting pot of diverse cultures. Afterwards return to your hotel to relax for the rest of the evening.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Calcutta Bungalow (Standard Room)

Half day guided tour of Kolkata: This morning, you will be picked up from the hotel by your guide and you will set out to explore Kolkata, one of India's most famous cities. Start with a visit to the Victoria Memorial, which is the greatest landmark of the city and one of the most solid reminders of the Raj to be found in India. This huge piece of architecture is a strange combination of classical European architecture with Mughal influence, and a resemblance can be seen between the Taj Mahal at Agra and St. Paul's Cathedral at London. The portraits, statues, paintings and other artefacts here tell the story of British Empire in India at its peak. Afterwards head to the west bank of the Hooghly River where you will find the extensive Botanical Gardens. This 273 acre park was set up in 1787 by Colonel Robert Kyd of the East India Company. It has a variety of interesting botanical specimens, but the park's prime attraction is a 200 year old Banyan tree, said to have the second largest canopy in the world. After time to look around the gardens you will end the tour with a visit to the Missionary of Charity, a foundation set up by the city's most famous daughter - Mother Teresa. Afterwards return to the hotel for some time at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Calcutta Bungalow (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Private transfer to the airport: At the appropriate time today, you will be collected from your hotel by your guide, and transferred to Kolkata's airport in time for your onward flight.

Flight: 6E7962 Kolkata - Shillong 09.30 - 11.20

Private transfer: You will be met on arrival by your guide and private driver and transferred to your hotel to check in.

Afternoon tour of Shillong: In the afternoon, you will head out with your guide to explore the former hill station of Shillong. A stop will be made at the Lewduh Bazaar, previously known as the Bara Bazar, the oldest and largest trade centre in northeast India. The bazaar is an interesting place to see the specialties of this region in their most authentic form and experience the warm hospitality of the locals.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Tripura Castle (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Guided tour of Smit: This morning, you will meet with your guide and venture a little outside Shillong to Smit, the traditional seat of Khasi culture. Meghalaya is inhabited by the Khasi tribes who are said to have their origin in Kampuchea (South East Asia) and speak a language that has its roots in Mon-Khmer. Khasis are one of the very few communities, in a largely patriarchal Indian society, which follow a matrilineal system. Under this custom, the children take the name of their mother and the youngest daughter becomes the custodian of the family property. You will visit nearby Khasi villages, meet the local people, and get to know this most unique tribal community who have retained their way of life despite the huge pressures of modernisation.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Tripura Castle (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Guided tour of the root bridges of Laitkynsew: After breakfast, you will head out with your guide on an excursion to Laitkynsew a 1.5 hour drive from Shillong to see the area’s living root bridges. Living root bridges are unique to the state of Meghalaya. The bridges are made of interwoven living roots of local trees, which the local villagers weave, prune and manipulate to strengthen the bridge.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Tripura Castle (Deluxe Room) 

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey to Kaziranga National Park: This morning, you will be driven to Kaziranga National Park, a journey of around 6.5 hours. You will arrive at the national park in time for a late lunch and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Wild Grass (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Morning and afternoon game drives: Early this morning, and later again towards dusk, you will be taken into the Kaziranga National Park for two game drives. Located on the banks of the Brahmaputra River, the reserve covers a huge area and is home to the largest number of endangered Indian one-horned rhinoceros in the sub-continent. With a largely flat and open grassy terrain, Kaziranga gives the visitors a chance to see the fauna at fairly close quarters. An alarming depletion in Rhino numbers due to hunting and poaching led to the conservation of this area in 1926, then later declared as a sanctuary in 1940. Though illegal poaching still constitutes a major threat to the rhino population, their numbers today are healthy. A day’s outing is more than sufficient for visitors to see the major species here. As the rising sun touches the hills in the distance, herds of barasingha and wild buffalo are seen in the marshes. The most ferocious bovine in the world, the massive wild buffalo is impressive and often weighs up to 900kg. Rhinos browse unconcernedly as the visitors pass by and an occasional herd of elephants or wild boar is also sighted. The grasslands are raptor country and the crested serpent eagle, the Pallas fishing eagle, and grey-headed fishing eagle can be seen circling the marshes. The water-bird variety includes swamp partridge, bar-headed goose, whistling teal, the Bengal florican, storks, herons and even pelicans.

Your dawn and dusk game drives will be usually in open-top jeeps, shared with a small number of fellow guests. Time in between the game drives is to be spent at leisure back at the lodge. You may like to spend this time relaxing, or you could organise an extra activity locally - options include visits to local villages, driving up to nearby tea plantations, or hiking in the surrounding forest.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Wild Grass (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Morning and afternoon game drives: Today, you will be taken for two further game drives in the park, conducted by open-top jeep. The middle part of the day will again be spent at leisure to relax or explore independently. You may like to spend this time relaxing, or you could organise an extra activity locally - options include visits to local villages, driving up to nearby tea plantations, or hiking in the surrounding forest.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Wild Grass (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Road & ferry journey to Majuli Island: After breakfast, you will check out and continue by road along to the city of Jorhat, a journey of approximately 2-3 hours. You will be taken straight to the Nimati Jetty on the edge of town, where you will board your ferry to Majuli Island. Please note that you will be travelling on a public ferry: conditions are very basic (especially toilet facilities), seating is not guaranteed, and the service is likely to be busy not only with locals but also with their cattle and other livestock. An extremely interesting and memorable experience, but certainly not luxurious! The ferry transfer will take around an hour. You will be met at the other end by a representative from your guesthouse who will transfer you to your simple overnight accommodation.

Exploring Majuli: Once arrived, you have the rest of the day to discover the island. Majuli is a deeply alluring and very rural destination, with a way of life far removed from the hustle and bustle of modern India. Your itinerary is flexible and you can come with a suitable itinerary in discussion with your guide. A typical day on the island would involve learning more about its arts and crafts: for instance discovering the local method of pottery-making, without the use of wheel – pottery is made from beaten clay and burnt in driftwood fired kilns, a traditional method which has been passed down from the ancient Harappan civilization. Alternatively, you may meet with local artisans to learn more about the production of their striking masks made of clay, bamboo, and cloth.  A trip to Majuli should also involve taking in at least one or two of its' famous 'satras': monasteries devoted to Vishnu, and central to religious life of the local people. You could also hire bikes to explore the flat and low-lying expanse of the island, or spend time spotting some of its' 100 species' of native birdlife.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the La Maison de Ananda (Stilted Cottage)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Exploring Majuli: Today, you have a full day to explore the island. The itinerary is extremely flexible - please speak to your hosts and guide who will be full of ideas on how best to spend your time.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the La Maison de Ananda (Stilted Cottage)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Ferry and road journey to Mon, via Sibsagar: This morning, you will be driven back to the jetty to board the simple public ferry back to Jorhat. On arrival in Jorhat, you will be reunited with your driver and then continue by road to Mon. En route you will have the option to visit the medieval town of Sibsagar. The journey to Mon will take around 5 hours, depending on local traffic.

Evening walking tour of Mon: After checking in to your homestay, you will visit Mon town with your guide to walk around its markets and learn about the local Konyak Naga culture.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Helsa Cottage (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Full day tour of Longwa Village: After an early breakfast, meet with your guide and driver and travel to Longwa village, a large Konyak village on the border of India and Myanmar and the heartland of Konyak Naga culture.

The Konyak tribes have traditionally had a strong warrior tradition and are most famous for their practice of headhunting which continued until the end of 1960. As a mark of honorarium, a young warrior Konyak would receive a facial tattoo when bringing the head of an enemy to the king. A tattoo on the chest was a mark of high social privilege and only reserved for the very best and bravest warriors.

Konyaks used a traditional basket specifically made to carry and bring back human heads from war. These were decorated with monkey skulls, wild pigs’ horns and occasionally hornbill beaks. It was also common for warriors to wear a necklace with bronze faces indicating the number of heads the warrior had ‘hunted’. It was believed that by taking the head of an enemy as a trophy, the warrior took his enemy’s power and soul. This was a common practice until Christianization put an end to their unique culture and head-hunting tradition.

While the more extreme practices of Konyak culture have come to an end, Longwa Village is the best place to witness true Konyak tradition where people are still not touched by modern ways. After time meeting the local villages and learning about their way of life, you will return to your homestay in the early evening to relax at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Helsa Cottage (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Road journey to Dibrugarh: This morning, you would be driven to Dibrugarh, a journey of around 4.5 hours, depending on traffic. On arrival, check in to your plantation bungalow.

Afternoon guided tour: Later in the afternoon, head out with your guide to stroll around local marketplaces to get a feel of the city at a leisurely place. Visit Haaj-Paar, a small weaving centre which employs women, where you can learn how the traditional mekhla chadars are woven in various designs. The women of the centre also make sarees from both muga and paat silk which is unique to Assam.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Mancotta Chang Bungalow (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Days at leisure: These days are yours at leisure to relax on the peaceful estate or arrange a tour of the tea estate with your hosts. Your guide and driver are at your disposal should you wish to explore the area around Dibrugarh. Recommended excursions include:

• Tilinga Mandir or Temple of Bells: Located at Bordubi, the Tilinga Mandir or the temple of Lord Shiva is symbolised by a huge papal tree with a Shiva linga at its base. Its branches are adorned with a million bells, local devotees initially tie a red sacred thread around the tree while praying for their wishes to be granted. Later, when their wish has been fulfilled, the devotee returns to tie a bell to the tree as a thanksgiving to Lord Shiva. The temple is around a 1.5-hour drive from Dibrugarh.

• Namphake Village: Namphake is a Tai village situated on the banks of the river Buridihing in Upper Assam. Namphake is famed for its traditional houses built on stilts made of bamboo and palm leaves. The Tai Phakes are Buddhists, who have maintained their traditions and customs including weaving their own clothes as well as beautiful mekhelas and bags of various designs. Namphake is around a 2-hour drive from Dibrugarh.

Accommodation: Stay these nights at the Mancotta Chang Bungalow (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Private transfer: At the appropriate time today, you will be collected from your hotel by your guide and transferred to Dibrugarh Airport in time for your onward flight.

Flight: UK726 Dibrugarh - Delhi 12.15 - 16.25

Private transfer to your hotel: You will be met on arrival in Delhi and taken to the nearby Aerocity complex to spend a final night at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Pullman New Delhi Aerocity (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast