An unfathomable river courses wildly along this city as ancient hills look on verdantly from the sides. It is a remote town, well connected yet largely unexplored. That is Guwahati for you. Hailed as the ?Gateway to the Northeast?, this city hardly features prominently on the itinerant?s map despite it being undeniable as to how much it has on offer - cruises on the Brahmaputra, occult practices in age-old temples, undulating tea estates, meeting tribals upclose, and of course a glimpse of the lord of the Kaziranga, the one-horned rhino. Guwahati, alike its Northeastern cousins, has a pristine beauty, waiting for that beholder with an ?eye? to appreciate?

How to Reach
Air
The Gopinath Bordoloi Airport is 23 km from the city and connects Guwahati to Delhi and Guwahati by air.

Rail
Guwahati has regular trains to Delhi, Guwahati, Dimapur, and New Jalpaiguri. It is recommended that you book your tickets atleast two months in advance, and reserve your seats for the return trip as well, if you are going by train. The Northeastern railways are not the best and trains get packed with unreserved, waitlisted travelers who bribe the TTR for seats?! We recommend the Rajdhani express as it is definitely more comfortable than Brahmaputra Express or North East Express.

Road
The Paltan Bazaar Bus Station has a number of private and Assam State Transport Company buses connecting the city to Tezpur (198 km), Kaziranga (215 km), Jorhat (303 km), Sibsagar (359 km) and Silchar (341 km). Rental cars are also available from travel agencies.

Water
Hire a motorboat (called ?bhotbhoti?) from the Brahmaputra riverfront to enjoy a private river cruise.

Temples
Kamakhya Temple: Up on the Nilachal Hill is this ancient temple dedicated to the Mother Goddess. King Nara Narayana of Cooch Behar built the present structure in 1665, but its history goes way beyond. Legend has it that when Lord Shiva carried the charred corpse of his wife, Sati (after she jumped into the sacrificial fire raised by her father), her genitalia (yoni) fell here. Animal sacrifices are a regular feature here and occult has a strong hold.

Umananda Temple
This island temple in the middle of the Brahmaputra on Peacock Island is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Motorboats from Kachari Ghat on MG Road will ferry you here. The Shivratri festival sees people throng to the temple for a special darshan.

Nabagraha Temple
An unusual temple, the presiding deities here are the nine grahas or planets, symbolized by nine lingas. On Chitrachal Hill, it is also a centre for the study of astrology and astronomy.

Aswaklanta
Also along the Brahmaputra bank, this is where Arjuna (third of the five Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata fame) is believed to have watered his horse while undertaking a journey during the Ashwamedh Yajna. Regular ferry services are available.

Basisthashram
This is where Sage Bashistha is believed to have lived. Up in the Sandhyachal Hill, the place is very picturesque with gurgling streams and forest cover. Basisthashram is 12 km from the railway station.

Lakes
Deepor beel
Visit this freshwater lake for a splendid view of the distant hills. The Ahom kings apparently used it to dock their ships. Winter sees flocks of migratory birds descending here.

Chandubi
Are you looking for a serene spot to spend your leisure? Then this natural lagoon about 64 km from Guwahati, will provide you the perfect holiday haven. Be ready with your hook and line for fishing or row quietly on a hired boat or best, sit by the lakeside and lose your self in a trance!