11 Days Northeast Motorcycle Tour

Arrive in Guwahati and make your own way to the hotel, where our team will welcome you and assist with check-in. Set on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra, Guwahati is the gateway to India’s Northeast—a land of misty hills, ancient forests, living root bridges and Himalayan monasteries.

The rest of the day is yours to rest and settle in after your journey.

In the evening, meet your fellow riders and tour team for a detailed tour briefing and safety orientation. Then comes the moment every rider waits for—the introduction to your motorcycle. Check the controls, adjust your mirrors and get familiar with your machine as the engine idles in the warm evening air.

Tomorrow, the adventure begins—ten days from the clouds of Meghalaya to the high monasteries of Tawang.

Fire up your machine and ride out of Guwahati into the hills of Meghalaya, the "Abode of Clouds". The road climbs steadily through pine forests and sweeping bends, the air growing cooler with every kilometre.

Stop at Umiam Lake, a vast stretch of calm blue water framed by forested hills—an ideal spot to stretch your legs and take in the view.

Continue past Shillong onto the Sohra plateau, where deep gorges, rolling grasslands and drifting clouds create some of the most dramatic landscapes in India. Visit the Garden of Caves, a hidden world of waterfalls, rock caverns and natural pools.

By evening, arrive in Cherrapunjee, once recorded as the wettest place on earth, and settle in as the mist rolls across the valleys.

Begin at Nohkalikai Falls, one of the tallest plunge waterfalls in India, thundering down a sheer cliff into a turquoise pool far below. Then explore Mawsmai Cave, a limestone cavern of narrow passages and striking rock formations.

Ride south towards the Bangladesh plains, the road twisting down through lush forests and small Khasi villages. Stop at a single root bridge, a living bridge grown from the roots of rubber fig trees and shaped by generations of local communities.

At Dawki, glimpse the Indo-Bangladesh border, where the hills drop away to the flat green plains beyond.

Then reach Shnongpdeng, a peaceful village on the banks of the Umngot River, famous for water so clear that boats seem to float on air. Tonight, settle into a riverside camp and fall asleep to the sound of flowing water.

Start the day on the river. Shnongpdeng offers a range of adventure activities on the crystal-clear Umngot, such as kayaking, cliff jumping and ziplining, subject to availability and weather, and payable directly by guests.

Later, ride into the Jaintia Hills to one of the region’s hidden waterfalls—Phe Phe Falls or Krang Suri Falls—where blue water cascades into natural pools surrounded by forest.

Continue through rolling hills to Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, often called the "Scotland of the East". Spend the evening exploring Police Bazaar or simply relax after an active day.

Leave Shillong and descend from the hills to the Brahmaputra plains. The air warms, the hills give way to tea gardens and paddy fields, and the long open roads of Assam stretch ahead.

Ride east towards Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the world’s largest population of the one-horned rhinoceros. As you approach, keep an eye on the grasslands—elephants, deer and even rhinos are sometimes visible from the road.

Arrive at your resort near the park and enjoy a relaxed evening surrounded by nature. 

For those who wish, start the day with the first early-morning jeep safari in Kaziranga National Park (at additional cost), searching for rhinos, wild elephants and water buffalo in the misty grasslands. We book the first safari slot so the group can still reach Dirang comfortably by evening.

Then ride north across the Brahmaputra plains via Tezpur to Bhalukpong, the gateway to Arunachal Pradesh. Here the road leaves the plains behind and climbs into the Eastern Himalayas, winding through dense forests along the Kameng River.

Climb over Bomdila, with sweeping views of the peaks beyond, before descending into the Dirang Valley, a peaceful settlement of apple and kiwi orchards beside the river.

Rest well tonight. Tomorrow, the road climbs to the high passes.

Today’s ride climbs into the high Himalayas. Leave Dirang and wind steadily upward through forests of rhododendron and fir to Sela Pass, approximately 4,170 metres above sea level. The sacred Sela Lake lies just below, often frozen early in the season and surrounded by prayer flags and snowy peaks.

Descend to the Jaswantgarh War Memorial, dedicated to Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, whose extraordinary bravery during the 1962 war is still honoured by the soldiers who keep his memory alive. It is a moving, humbling stop for every rider.

Ride on to Jung Falls (Nuranang Falls), a powerful waterfall plunging through the forest, before the final climb into Tawang, perched high on a ridge with its great monastery watching over the valley.

Today is dedicated to Tawang and its high frontier. Head up into a wild landscape of high-altitude lakes and alpine meadows, passing PT Tso Lake and Madhuri Lake (Sangetsar Tso), formed by an earthquake and famous for the dead tree trunks rising from its still waters.

Then ride your motorcycle all the way up to Bum La Pass, approximately 4,600 metres on the India–China border and a place of great historical significance from the 1962 war. Dream Riders arranges the special permit required; access is open to Indian nationals only.

Return to Tawang and visit Tawang Monastery, the largest monastery in India, founded in the 17th century, with its golden prayer halls and ancient manuscripts. End the day at the Giant Buddha Statue, overlooking the town and the surrounding mountains.

Leave Tawang and begin the journey back towards the plains. This time, ride through the Sela Tunnel, one of the longest high-altitude road tunnels in the world, cutting through the mountain beneath the pass you crossed two days ago.

Descend through the Dirang Valley and climb over Bomdila, enjoying the forests, monasteries and mountain views along the way.

Then turn off towards Rupa, a quiet valley home to the Sherdukpen community, with traditional villages, terraced fields and a river winding through the hills. Settle in and enjoy a peaceful evening far from the usual tourist trail. 

The final riding day of the expedition. Leave Rupa and ride through the forested hills of West Kameng past Shergaon and Kalaktang, on quiet roads few travellers ever see.

Descend to the plains near Bhairabkunda, where Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan meet, and look across to the hills of Bhutan rising just beyond the border.

Ride across the green plains of Assam back to Guwahati, where your motorcycle journey comes to an end.

In the evening, come together with your fellow riders and tour team for a farewell get-together, sharing stories of waterfalls, high passes and the incredible road that carried you from the clouds of Meghalaya to the monasteries of Tawang.

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and make your own way to Guwahati Airport for your onward journey.

As the aircraft lifts off and the Brahmaputra falls away beneath you, you carry home more than photographs. You take with you the waterfalls of Meghalaya, the crystal waters of the Umngot, the snows of Sela Pass, the monasteries of Tawang and the camaraderie forged along the journey.

The ride may be over, but the spirit of the mountains stays with you long after you leave the Northeast.