Assam is located in the north-east of India and is one of the seven sister states of India, which are connected to the rest of the country by a corridor. A large part of Assam belongs to the Brahmaputra river valley, which lies between the Himalayas in the north and the mountains of Meghalaya in the south. The region is known for its tea and is the largest continuous tea region in the world. Tea already found its way to Europe in the 1920s and it is hard to imagine Europe without it.
In addition to its tea, Assam is known for its rich flora and fauna. Among other things, you will visit the Kaziranga National Park, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. The landscape of the park is characterized by swamps, high grass fields and forests with tropical parts as well as extensive elephant grass areas. The national park is famous for the tank-rhinoceros and the Bengal tiger. Furthermore you can find elephants, water buffalos and leopards. Visit Sivasagar with its temples and monuments and get to know the culture and mentality of the hospitable people. Explore the unspoilt and diverse nature of Assam on this horseback tour and experience this not yet touristically developed area on horseback and by car.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival (riding time about 1 hour)
You are expected at Dibrugarh Airport. Depending on the arrival of international flights, an additional night in Delhi may be required (not included). You will be picked up from Dibrugarh Airport and transferred to your first accommodation for the next four nights, which is situated in the middle of tea plantations. In the afternoon you can get acquainted with your horses and take a first exploratory ride. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 2: Dibrugarh - Brahmaputra (riding time approx. 3 hours)
After breakfast we will walk through a sea of tea bushes to the banks of the river Brahmaputra. On horseback you can enjoy the scenery to the full and learn many details and information about tea production. At lunchtime a picnic in a tree house will be organized for you. Afterwards you can visit the stable if you wish. In the evening you can look forward to a demonstration of the BIHU dance in your accommodation. The inhabitants of Assam are very proud of their folk dances.

Day 3: Dibrugarh - Rukmini (riding time approx. 3 hours)
After breakfast, the ride takes you today to the riverbank, from where you can take a boat trip to a river island in the middle of the mighty Brahmaputra and see the landscape from a different perspective. A picnic will be organised for you here. Afterwards you will explore the river by kayak and return to the mainland in the late afternoon. On the way you will visit the Mukul tea factory where you can see how organic green tea is rolled by hand. The tea factory has an area of 27 hectares and is about 8 km (about 30 minutes) from your accommodation. The entire organic garden is located in unspoiled surroundings. The property has within its boundaries a tea plantation, a rich bamboo stand and a wetland that attracts numerous bird species. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 4: Dibrugarh - Ethelwold & Jalannagar Tea Factory - Tinsukia (riding time approx. 3 hours)
Today you will pass through the lush green tea plantations of Ethelwold and Jalannagar. Later, you will take a tour of a tea factory known for producing high quality CTC teas (method of tea processing). A tea tour of a 160 year old historic tea garden will give you an insight into the various activities that vary from season to season. You will learn all about the origin, cultivation, tasting and quality of the tea. The estates are home to colourfully dressed tea pickers, mostly women, who pick the delicate buds and leaves. The harvest is brought daily to the factory, where it is processed in a centuries-old process to the finished product.
Return to your accommodation for a late lunch. After lunch drive to Tinsukia (about 1 hour) to your accommodation for the next two nights.

Day 5: Tinsukia (day off)
This morning you will visit the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Magori Bheel. Dibru-Saikhowa National Park has the most distinct and vivid wilderness in the world and is known for its unspoiled scenic beauty. It is home to about 350 species of birds and almost 700 species of plants. Other rare species can be found in the extensive grasslands, wetlands and river forests.
You will take several boat trips on the Dibru River, do a jungle hike and watch birds and with a little luck dolphins.
After lunch you will drive to Digboi (80 km/approx. 1,5 h), the first oil town in South Asia. Digboi, the first oil town in Asia, is said to have derived its name from an order - "dig-boy-dig" - which the original explorers gave to their workers to dig if they found traces of oil in this area. Digboi is proud to have the second oldest oil refinery in the world, some of which is still in operation, and also has the distinction of being the first oil museum in India. You will visit the Oil Museum and Allied World War II Cemetery, where 200 graves are permanently maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. In the evening return to your accommodation and overnight stay.

Day 6: Tinsukia - Dibrugarh (riding time approx. 3 hours)
Today you will visit the Barekuri Village in Tinsukia in the morning. Barekuri is an Assamese village next to the famous Dibru Saikhowa National Park, about 10 km from Guijan. The village is famous for Hollock gibbon, an endangered monkey species found in India. Interact with the villagers and learn about their tradition and culture. Later after breakfast your ride will take you through the tea plantations of the Limbuguri tea factory.
Later in the afternoon ride to Dibrugarh (about 1 hour). Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 7: Dibrugarh - Sivasagar - Kaziranga (day off)
After breakfast, drive to Sivasagar (80 km / about 2 hours) to visit the monuments and temples of Ahom, which include the 600 year old history of the Ahom Dynasty. Sivasagar was once the capital of the Ahom kings. The Shans, who came to this area from Thailand through northern Burma in the early 13th century, ruled for 600 years. The Siva temple, built by the Ahoms, is considered the highest of all existing Hindu temples. After lunch in Sivasagar you drive to Kaziranga National Park (140 km / approx. 3 hours) and check in for 2 nights at the hotel. More than 75% of the Indian tank-rhinoceroses live in Kaziranga National Park. It is located on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra River and is one of the oldest parks in Assam. Besides rhinos, there are over 1200 Asian water buffalos, 1000 Indian elephants, 81 tigers, swamp deer, barking deer and pig deer as well as about 400 bird species. In the evening visit to the Kaziranga Orchid Park with Biodiversity Conservation Centre in Kaziranga (open 1.11.-30.04.) There you will find 500 species of orchids as well as a greenhouse, lakes with boat and fishing possibilities and small tree houses. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 8: Kaziranga (day off)
Today you will spend the day exploring the beautiful forests and grasslands of the National Park. In the morning you will go on an elephant safari (optional, approx. 45 minutes) and after breakfast a jeep safari. By elephant you will travel through the Kaziranga National Park and it is the best way to explore the beautiful landscape and diverse wildlife from high above. You will see herds of Indian elephants and with some luck some tank-rhinoceroses. The following jeep safari will take you through some other regions of the national park. You might meet rhinos again and enjoy the varied landscape, which offers everything from savannah forests to swamp areas. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 9: Departure
Transfer to Dibrugarh Airport (approx. 4-5 hours).

The program is subject to change without notice.

Accomodation
You will be accommodated in three different accommodations during the trip. These are hotels or country houses.

Saddle & Tack: English saddles and bridles.

Experience: You should be confident in all gaits and have off-road experience.

Horses: Thoroughbreds and crossbreeds, forward going and well trained.