BEST OF DIBRUGARH, ASSAM

7 Days / 6 nights

 

 

 

Day 01- Arrive Dibrugarh

 

Received at Dibrugarh airport and transferred to Mancotta/Chowkidinghee Heritage Chang Bungalow. Afternoon option to take a tea walk in Mancotta Tea Estate. Evening enjoy a dance performance by an ethnic dance group on the bungalow lawns. Overnight at Mancotta/Chowkidinghee Heritage Chang Bungalow.

 

Dibrugarh is the gateway to the “Hidden Land” of Eastern Arunachal Pradesh and Northern Myanmar. The Ahoms from Thailand came through Northern Myanmar to this area in the 13^th century to establish their Empire which thrived in the ancient land of Assam. It is the “Camellia” town of Upper Assam, an undisturbed haven, with its rich tea gardens resembling a lush green carpet. Experience and enjoy the richness of these tea gardens while staying at the Heritage Chang Bungalows. These are constructed on stilts and are situated in a serene atmosphere free from pollution.

 

When the British established their tea plantations in the mid-19^th century they quickly built comfortable bungalows designed to make life as pleasant as possible in what, was to them, a hostile and strange land. One of the main features of these buildings has given rise to their name – Chang bungalows. Chang in the local language means “raised on stilts” and the design served multi purposes- to keep the house cool by allowing the breeze to blow underneath and to keep both water and animals out!

 

Bihu is the most popular folk dance of Assam. The people of Assam are very proud of its unique position among all other such dances of India. Probably except Bhangra (the popular folk dance of Punjab), no other folk dance in India can compete with the rhythmic exuberance of the Bihu dance. ‘Bihu’ performed by young men and women reflects youthful passion and joy rejuvenating life during the spring season, accompanied by songs woven around the theme of love and physical yearning. The dance is performed by all irrespective of caste, creed and religion.

 

Best Hotels in Dibrugarh

Dibrugarh Club House , Hotel Tea County , Hotel Devika , Monalisa Hotel .

Best Restaurants in Dibrugarh

Eat Repeat , Moung Phi Inn , Mb’s Sweets & Snacks , Laziz Pizza . Moti Mahal Deluxe .

 

Day 02: Tea Tour & Boat Cruise on mighty Brahmaputra

Post breakfast, take a tea tour around a tea estate known for producing high quality CTC teas. – Ethelwold Tea Estate. Also experience a tea tasting session of different types of tea with a knowledgeable person in the field of tea / practicing estate manager.

 

Later we drive on to the river front and take a BOAT cruise on the mighty Brahmaputra River in a country boat (Subject to weather conditions). Cruise upto a beach island in the midst of the river. Enroute there is a possibility of your sighting flocks of migratory water birds and the elusive Gangetic River Dolphin. Enjoy the view of the Eastern Himalayas and take a nature walk in the vast expanse of grasslands surrounding the island. Enjoy a picnic lunch and the view of the Eastern Himalayas. Option to take a nature walk in the vast expanse of grasslands surrounding the island or to go for Kayaking. Return to the mainland. Overnight at Mancotta/Chowkidinghee Heritage Chang Bungalow.

 

A Tea Tour through a 160 years old heritage tea garden will give you an insight into the different activities that vary from season to season. It will teach you all about tea- its origin, how it is grown, tea tasting and its quality. The estates come alive with teams of colourfully dressed tea pluckers, predominantly ladies, who pluck the delicate buds and leaves. The harvest is taken every day to the factory where it undergoes an age old process of being turned into the finished product. All stages of the process are carefully controlled to ensure that the product which leaves the factory is only of the highest quality, a quality that has made Assam tea world famous.

CTC (Crush, Tear and Curl) tea is a method of processing tea. In this process the leaves instead of being rolled, are passed through a series of cylindrical rollers with hundreds of small sharp “teeth” that Crush, Tear, and Curl.This style of manufacture has the advantage that the finished product brews quickly, gives a dark infusion rapidly, is well suited for tea bags, and yields more cups per kg. In the Indian domestic market, this product has virtually taken over – over 80% of the tea produced is of the CTC type. It produces a rich red-brown color when the tea leaves are boiled and so is best suited for tea made in the Indian style. This is done by boiling leaves in a mixture of milk, water and sugar and some spices (producing Masala Chai).

 

Day 03: Visit to Sivasagar

Post breakfast drive to Sivasagar (80 kms / 02 hrs)and visit the Ahom monuments and temples which encompass the 600 year old history of the Ahom Dynasty. Return back to Dibrugarh for overnight.

 

 

Sivasagar was once the capital of the Ahom Kings. The Shans who came from Thailand through Northern Myanmar to this area in early 13^th century, ruled for 600 years. The Siva Temple, built by the Ahoms, situated here is believed to be the tallest of all existing Hindu temples. The ruins of the Ahom palaces and monuments dot the landscape around this historical town. Centuries, before the arrival of the British, this part of the world was controlled by a number of tribal chieftains.

 

In the town of Sivasagar, one can still see the remaining well preserved relics. The largest and the oldest ampi-theatre of Asia (Rang Ghar) is also another remarkable landmark in the history of Sivasagar. The Tai- Ahom Museum of Sivsagar contains some of the relics of the Ahom period like – swords, clothes, manuscripts and sundry artifacts

 

 

Day 04: Dibrugarh – Tinsukia, Assam

 

Today we visit Tai Phakial village – an ethnic village whose kith and kin date back to the Ahom period. The villagers still maintain their age-old culture – a village worth exploring. Also visit the incredible Bell’s Temple. Check in at Wathai Heritage Bungalow, Limbuguri Tea Estate for 02 nights. Overnight at the Bungalow.

 

Namphake Village is the largest of the Tai-Phake villages in Assam, boasting 70 odd families, which trace their ancestry to the great Tai race. The village folk speak a dialect similar to the language in Thailand and still follow the traditional customs and dress code of the great Tai race. The hamlet is also home to the Namphake Buddhist Monastery, one of the oldest and most respected Buddhist Monasteries in Assam. They are Buddhist in religion. They have their own separate scripts and has also preserved in a few manuscripts, which are mainly religious scriptures. These manuscripts are written in Tai-scripts, which are preserved in their village Vihars.

 

The story behind how this Bells’ Temple was born goes back to about 50 – 60 years, where a man had a dream where he was told to tie a thread around the tree. On doing this, his wish was fulfilled. One night he again dreamt that as a thanks giving he should hang a bell on the tree. So he did just that. Today, one can see thousands and thousands of bells of different sizes hung around the tree. The banyan tree is right in the middle of the temple, a huge tree, with a band of red thread around it.

 

Steal yourself away to a ‘Wathai Heritage Bunglow, Limbuguri Tea estate- this plinth  bungalow will allow you to rejuvenate your senses. Located just 5km from Dibru Saikhowa National Park, it is the ideal retreat for a birding break. This  ‘Managers Bungalow’,  defines serenity and you will most certainly leave revitalized. It has been recently renovated and is the ideal base whether on a quest for quietude or seeking refuge whilst on an explorative ornithological voyage at the neighboring Dibru Saikhowa National park . Although reverine in nature, this park remains open most of the year with innumerable varieties of colourful birds chirping at various pitches and hopping from branch to branch. It is indeed an orinthologist’s delight. Endangered species like Gangetic Dolphin and Feral Horses are common sights in Dibru- Saikhowa.

 

Fresh tea can be enjoyed in the ‘jali room” to the front of the bungalow in a peaceful atmosphere overlooking the manicured gardens, while meals are served in the spacious dining room complete with an original fireplace. The family room and two large bedrooms complete with ensuite enables eight people to sleep here very comfortably.

Best Hotels in Tinsukia

Padmini Resort , Hotel Ballerina , Hotel Royal Highness , Aroma Residency .

 

Day 05: At Tinsukia, Assam

Today early morning we visit Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Magori Bheel for a full day birding programme. We take several boat rides on the Dibru River, go for jungle walk, bird and Gangetic Dolphin sighting. Overnight at the Bungalow.

 

Dibru-Saikhowa National Park has the most distinct and vibrant wilderness on earth and is known for its pristine scenic beauty. The forest in this park ranges from semi-evergreen to deciduous to littoral to swampy marshes with patches of wet evergreen jungles Dibru-Saikhowa is a safe haven to many rare and endangered species of over 350 birds and is a must visit site for target-list birders. The big four here are Jerdon’s Bushchat, Black-breasted Parrotbill, Marsh babbler and Jerdon’s bushchat. Several other rarely observed species can be found in the extensive grasslands, wetlands, and riverine forests. These include Baer’s Pochard, Bengal Florican, Pale-capped Pigeon, Falcated duck, Baikal teal, Chinese spotbilled duck and Rufous vented prinia etc. Dibru-Saikhowa is a haven for an incredible no of Waders ,Ducks , Raptors and its specialty grassland birds.

 

Best Restaurants in Tinsukia

Tai Tou Maet , Majestic Restaurant , New Tinsukiya , Parbotia – Tinsukia .

 

Day 06: Tinsukia- Digboi-Dibrugarh

 

 

Our day-long tour gives you a chance to uncover this fascinating part of the world. It takes in the colonial town of Digboi (40 kms / 01 hrs), known as the birthplace of the Indian oil industry, which is also home to a Second World War cemetery maintained by the UK-based Commonwealth and War Graves Commission. Later in the afternoon drive back to Dibrugarh. Overnight at Mancotta/Chowkidinghee Heritage Chang Bungalow.

 

Digboi, the first oil town of Asia, is believed to have derived its name from a command- “dig-boy-dig!”- given by the original explorers to their laborers to dig when they found traces of oil in this area. Digboi takes pride in having the second oldest oil refinery in the world which is still partially operational and it also has the distinction of establishing the first oil museum in India. Its 18 hole golf course is an added attraction which lies adjacent to the Upper Dehing Reserve Forest. This golf course is known for its scenic beauty. A visit to the nearby 2^nd World War Cemetery and the centenary park offers a unique experience.

 

Note: Digboi museum remains closed on Monday of the week.

 

Day 07: Dibrugarh- Fly out

 

Morning at leisure. Later in time transfer to Dibrugarh airport to board flight for onward destination.

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