Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
Guwahati is the largest city in Assam and the main gateway to northeast India, spread along the south bank of the Brahmaputra River, famous for the hilltop Kamakhya Temple, Umananda Temple on Peacock Island, sunset cruises on the Brahmaputra and day trips to see one-horned rhinos at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.
Known in ancient times as Pragjyotishpura, the city was the seat of early Assamese kingdoms and later of the Ahom rulers, whose general Lachit Borphukan defeated the Mughals at the Battle of Saraighat in 1671. The state capital at Dispur lies within Guwahati, and the city is the commercial hub of the whole northeast.
Visitors climb Nilachal Hill to Kamakhya, take the ferry to Peacock Island, and explore the Assam State Museum and Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra. Winter is the best time for birdwatching at Deepor Beel and Chandubi Lake, while evening cruises on the Brahmaputra are a highlight in any season. The city is also the starting point for Shillong, Kaziranga and the rest of the northeast.
Kamakhya Temple stands on Nilachal Hill in Guwahati and is one of the most important Shakti Peethas in India, devoted to the goddess Kamakhya. Its beehive-shaped domes date from a 16th-century rebuilding, and the yearly Ambubachi Mela draws huge crowds. Come early to avoid long queues.
Umananda Temple is a Shiva temple on Peacock Island, a small river island in the Brahmaputra opposite central Guwahati, first built in the 1690s under the Ahom kings. Ferries cross from Uzan Bazar ghat in a few minutes, and the island is home to rare golden langurs. The river views are superb.
Navagraha Temple on Chitrachal Hill in Guwahati is dedicated to the nine planets of Hindu astronomy, with nine Shiva lingas inside, each linked to a planet. Built under the Ahom king Rajeswar Singha in the 18th century, it was long a centre of astronomy. The hill gives good city views.
Basistha Temple, also called Basistha Ashram, lies on the southeastern edge of Guwahati below the Meghalaya hills, at a site linked with the sage Vasistha. The temple was built in the 18th century under the Ahom king Rajeswar Singha, and its woods and cascades are peaceful.
The Assam State Museum near Dighalipukhuri in central Guwahati holds stone sculptures, copper plate inscriptions, coins, weapons and textiles from across the history of Assam. A tribal gallery recreates village houses of the northeast. It is a good introduction to the region.
Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Panjabari, Guwahati, is a large cultural centre named after the medieval saint and reformer Srimanta Sankardev. Its campus has a museum, an open-air theatre, a heritage park with traditional houses and an art gallery, and festivals are held through the year.
The Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden lies in the Hengrabari reserved forest in Guwahati and is the largest zoo in northeast India. It is best known for its one-horned rhinoceroses, along with tigers, leopards, clouded leopards and many birds. The botanical garden alongside is good for a walk.
Dighalipukhuri is a long rectangular tank in the heart of Guwahati which, according to legend, dates back to ancient times, with a tree-lined park around its banks. Boating is offered, and the Assam State Museum stands close by. It is a pleasant place for an evening stroll.
Deepor Beel is a large freshwater lake on the southwestern edge of Guwahati and a Ramsar wetland of international importance since 2002. Thousands of migratory birds gather here in winter, and wild elephants sometimes come down from the nearby Rani forest. Bring binoculars and visit at dawn.
Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary lies about 50 km east of Guwahati in Morigaon district and has one of the highest densities of one-horned rhinoceros in the world. Jeep and elephant rides cross its grasslands and wetlands, which are also rich in birds. It is an easy and rewarding day trip from the city.
Saraighat Bridge spans the Brahmaputra at Guwahati and was the first rail and road bridge across the river in Assam, opened in 1962. It stands near the site of the Battle of Saraighat in 1671, when the Ahom general Lachit Borphukan defeated the Mughal fleet. The views from the riverbanks are grand.
Chandubi Lake is a natural lake about 60 km from Guwahati near the Meghalaya border, formed by the great earthquake of 1897. Surrounded by forested hills and Rabha villages, it is popular for boat rides, birdwatching and picnics in winter, when a local festival is held each January on its shores.
No reviews yet. Been to Guwahati? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Guwahati? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photosPhoto: BhuyanBhaskar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Kunal Dalui, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: পাপৰি বৰা, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Romam1988, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ashwin Ganesh M, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: অজয় দাস, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: J, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Vikramjit Kakati, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Ishanjyotibora, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Gitartha.bordoloi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Shyamli, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Pinakpani, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: JyotiPN, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Pinakpani, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: অজয় দাস, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: পাপৰি বৰা, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: পাপৰি বৰা, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Romam1988, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Saumya.purkayastha, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: GK Dutta, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: GK Dutta, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: GK Dutta, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: GK Dutta, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: GK Dutta, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: D. Konwar User:dkonwar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Mandeep Singh, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Tridib Sarma, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: অজয় দাস, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Konwar.anupam at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Subhrajit, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Natureboy94, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Natureboy94, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Rohit Sharma, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: R4robin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Vikramjit Kakati, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Shivshant Tripathi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: IBlaze, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Prof. Vikramjit Kakati, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
