Best Offbeat places near Guwahati
Guwahati is the capital of Assam and also the prime hubspot of the North East of India. Here I will list down the best offbeat places near Guwahati within 100 kms from the main city centre. Best Offbeat places near Guwahati includes picnic spots near Bhutan, lakes and waterbodies and rapids in river valleys near meghalaya and the exquisite holy place of hajo. So let’s not waste time and explore this beautiful city of Assam.
Dipor bil – A bird sanctuary in best offbeat places near Guwahati
Guwahati is a natural wonder among the many modern cities of India and dipor bill speaks about that. Who can wonder a bird sanctuary in the heart of the city,yes Guwahati has that in dipor bil. Around 40 square kilometers in size this natural freshwater lake earlier formed the channel of brahmaputra river. The lake scenery can be best captured at the time of sunset when the colourful hues of sun rays forms terrific reflections on the lake making it a wonderland for photographers.
Dipor or Deepor bil can be best captured in our lens from a railway bridge just after the watchtower of the sanctuary and rail gate from where we get a panoramic view of the entire lake. Waterbodies and sunset have always been my favorite elements for photography so I chose dipor bil at sunset which was only 20kms from GS road ,the heart of Guwahati. Deepor bil was named as a ramsar site on 2002 owing to its geographical and environmental importance since it is the primary home to the greater adjutant stork.
Chandubi lake- Most scenic lake in best offbeat places near Guwahati
Another freshwater lake ,Chandubi lake is located only 60kms from the heart of guwahati. The lake is located on the foothills of garo hills close to the Meghalaya border. The lake now is a protected eco friendly site through which the local tribes thrives and promotes eco tourism in Assam. Chandubi lake is now a major tourist site of Assam government where every year in January the chandubi festival is organized to promote local eco tourism of the state. The locality is surrounded by the deep forest of the garo hills.
The picturesque scenery is free of any pollution and can be visited all through the year. The lake was formed from a massive earthquake when five hills collapsed to form the waterbody. Infact in khasi language chand means five and dubi means to drown, and thus the lake is known as chandubi lake. I was mesmerized to see the picturesque landscape of the mountains and the waterbody. The colourful boats added to the scenery a delightful touch for perfect photogenic memories. I was awestruck by the freshness of the air and the cleanliness of the surroundings. The road to the lake is through thick dense forests and elephant corridors. So apart from the waterbody ,people visiting here can also enjoy the greenery .
Ukiam picnic spot- Walk into meghalaya in best offbeat places near Guwahati
Situated in Chayagaon close to meghalaya border ,Ukiam is a famous picnic spot only 60 kms from guwahati. The place has a natural geography of rocks and boulders forming rapids on the banks of kulshi River. The road to Ukiam comprises of terrific natural scenery especially in monsoons when the surrounding garo hills is covered with green carpet of rice fields.
The place also has a hanging bridge connecting the state of Meghalaya with Assam. On the other side of the bridge a small trek will lead us to a waterfall but it remains closed in monsoons. The place is devoid of any crowd in monsoons but the becomes bustling with huge crowd in winters. Also the road becomes extremely patchy in monsoons. So from the above mentioned pros and cons of the monsoon and the winter seasons you may decide as when to visit the picnic ground. But one thing is for sure that be it any season ,the greenery and the extremely stunning scenery of the kulshi River and its surrounding will make any traveller spell bound after reaching this place.
Bogmati picnic spot – A delightful scenery in best offbeat places near Guwahati
Situated around 95 kms from the heart of Guwahati ,Bogmati is a famous picnic spot among nature lovers in Baksa district of Assam. The main attraction of the place is the Barnadi River that forms rapids in rocks and boulders. The enchanting scenery is surrounded by the Bhutan hills and is covered with thick dense forests. The road is extremely good and for me the monsoon is the best time to visit this place as there are no crowds ,which changes rapidly in winter months and the spot gets covered with numerous tourists.
The entry fee to the spot is rs 50 in a car which is used to maintain the cleanliness of the place and to maintain the roads leading to the picnic spot. Bogmati in monsoon is the perfect place to spend some peaceful moments with your family and friends and hearing the sound of the rapids and basking in the views of hills of Bhutan.
Bhairabkunda – Walk into Bhutan
Bhairabkunda is another picnic spot situated around 95 kms enroute bogmati ,from guwahati. Bhairabkunda is a rapid formed by Dhanshiri river flowing from Bhutan. The place is surrounded by Bhutan hills and is situated in Assam arunachal and Bhutan border. A gem of a place bhairabkunda is gifted with natural scenery all around with pristine colours of the water forming the rapids.
A dam for irrigation project has been built on the river to help irrigate around 40 hectares of field. There is also a hanging bridge connecting to the Bhutan city of Daifam where tourists can click photographs and capture sweet memories. So tourists here can even cross on foot to enter into Bhutan. The water is so clean that the rivulets after the rapids gives stunning images on the camera and the turquoise colour of the waves forms an ideal backdrop for panoramic photography surrounded by the mountains of Arunachal.
Chandrapur- Stroll along Brahmaputra river valley:-
Chandrapur is situated only 25 kms from the heart of guwahati offering mesmerising views of the brahmaputra river valley. The best place to stay here is aroohan river valley resort which offers cottages at a price of 10000 and it is the must place to stay near guwahati for a weekend destination. Places to visit in chandrapur is ganesha temple ,Tapoban picnic spot and Bhogobati hill top. Ganesha temple is a must visit destination where one can see numerous langurs and take the blessings of lord Ganesha and enjoy the enchanting views of brahmaputra river.
Infact the peaceful surroundings is coupled with scenic views of the mighty river and the holy ambience of the hindu temple. Next one may visit the tapoban picnic spot which offers enchanting views of the river. The panoramic view of the river is ideal for photogenic lovers. Next visit the aroohan river view resort and have your lunch there in the floating restaurant. Floating restaurant ,wooden cottage and basking views of the river at sunset makes this trip even more mesmerising.
Hajo -An ancient pilgrimage site in best offbeat places near Guwahati.
Hajo is a famous pilgrimage centre at 24 kms from guwahati. The place is dotted with numerous temples the most famous one being the Hayagriva madhava temple. The temple is situated on a hill top and one has to climb the stairs to reach to the temple. At the front of the temple there is also a lake where one can give food to the numerous turtles inside the lake. There are shops selling flowers and garlands of Tulsi for offering prayers to the madhava god. Here lord vishnu is worshipped as the incarnation of lion and human together in a single form. The temple was built in 6th century by the pala dynasty. The striking part of the temple is that it is the primary place of worship for both Hindus and Buddhists.Buddhist people believe that it was here where lord Buddha attained enlightenment. Apart from this temple one can also visit the lord ganesha temple and kedareswara temple dedicated to lord shiva. While Ganesha temple is situated just beside the road ,Kedareswara temple is situated on a hill top. This ancient town is heritage site of Guwahati and numerous tourists flock here to seek blessings. Hajo is thus a must visit destination for travellers of all kind.
