Upper Assam ClassicDibru-Saikhowa, Sibsagar, Majuli, Kaziranga.

Day by day

The unfolding.

1. Day 01

   Arrive Dibrugarh

   Received at Dibrugarh's Mohanbari airport and driven a short distance to a heritage tea-planter's bungalow set inside a working estate of clipped tea bushes. Afternoon walk through the gardens with the planter, an evening in the Dibrugarh local market for handlooms and ground spices, and a first dinner of Assamese thali on the verandah.

2. Day 02

   Dibru-Saikhowa — country-boat birding

   A full day at Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, a vast riverine biosphere reserve at the confluence of the Brahmaputra and Lohit rivers. Country-boat ride through the channels, grass islands and swamps for feral horses, river dolphin, white-winged duck and a long birding list — Pallas's fish eagle, Jerdon's babbler, marsh babbler and big mixed flocks of wintering ducks. Picnic lunch on board. Return to the Dibrugarh bungalow by evening.

3. Day 03

   Dibrugarh → Sibsagar → Jorhat tea bungalow

   Drive (about four hours) west with a long mid-morning halt at Sibsagar, the 600-year-old Ahom capital — the Ranghar amphitheatre, the seven-storey Talatal Ghar palace and the Kareng Ghar royal residence. Continue to Jorhat and check into a heritage planter's bungalow on a working estate. Afternoon factory visit (in season), sundowner of single-estate tea on the lawn.

4. Day 04

   Majuli — day excursion

   Short drive to Nimati Ghat and the public ferry across the Brahmaputra to Majuli, the world's largest inhabited river island. Visit Uttar Kamalabari and Auniati satras for sattriya dance rehearsals by the celibate bhakat monks, Shamaguri for its master bhaona mask-makers, and a Mishing tribal village for apong rice beer. Late-afternoon ferry back and return to the Jorhat bungalow.

5. Day 05

   Jorhat → Kaziranga

   Three-hour drive west to Kaziranga and a forest-edge lodge. Afternoon jeep safari in the Western (Bagori) range for first-light rhino, wild buffalo, swamp deer and a tower sundowner over the elephant grass.

6. Day 06

   Kaziranga → Guwahati

   Pre-dawn jeep safari in the Central (Kohora) range — the classic rhino-and-tiger country, with hog deer, wild boar and a strong birding cast. Late breakfast, then a four-hour drive west to Guwahati. Evening sunset cruise on the Brahmaputra under Umananda island.

7. Day 07

   Departure

   Morning at the Kamakhya temple complex on the Nilachal hill above the city, then transfer to Guwahati airport for the onward flight.