If you’re a rider, you know the thrill engine vibrations humming beneath you, the open road calling you forward. After weeks of crawling through city traffic, honking horns, and concrete monotony, what if this time the road led you somewhere truly different?
Imagine a place where mountains rise like ancient guardians, clouds brush against your skin, and rivers race untamed welcome to Northeast India, the mystical Land of the Seven Sisters. Ready your gear and check out the top places to visit in Northeast India for an unforgettable biking adventure.
The Ride is the Reward: Why North East India?
The roads here are not your everyday highways. Expect unpredictable curves, steep ascents, and remote trails that push your limits but reward you with jaw-dropping beauty at every turn. A motorbike trip through Northeast India isn’t just travel—it’s storytelling on wheels, where every kilometer has a voice of its own.
Are you ready to listen?
# Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh – Ride Among the CloudsFew places in India let you ride above 10,000 feet, and Tawang is one of them. The route here is rugged—foggy roads with barely 10 meters of visibility, sudden weather changes, and icy winds even under the afternoon sun. But that’s what makes the journey unforgettable.
Tawang lies close to the Indo-China border and is known for its serene monasteries, frozen lakes, and dramatic landscapes. Don’t miss Bum La Pass and Sela Pass—high-altitude checkpoints that need special permits but offer stunning views worth the effort.
# Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh – Where Time Slows DownRiding into Ziro Valley feels like entering a different era. Winding through dense forests, wooden bridges, and curious village faces, you reach a place where tradition lives untouched. Home to the Apatani tribe, the valley is full of terraced paddy fields and bamboo homes.
Plan your ride during the Ziro Music Festival, held right in the valley, surrounded by nature. It’s one of India’s biggest outdoor music events—and an unforgettable pitstop on your North East ride.
# Majuli, Assam – The River Island RideHow often do you get to ride to an island? Majuli, the world's largest river island, lies on the Brahmaputra and is reached via a ferry from Jorhat. The trip combines road and river—an adventure by itself.
The island is rich in Assamese culture with age-old Satras (monasteries) and tribal communities living in bamboo homes raised on stilts. Explore dirt tracks, sleep in riverside huts, and lose yourself in an offbeat experience you’ll never forget.
Dawki & Mawlynnong, Meghalaya – Crystal Rivers & Living Roots
Cruise through green valleys on winding roads to Dawki, a border town famous for the Umngot River, where boats seem to float in mid-air thanks to the crystal-clear waters. Just nearby is Mawlynnong, often dubbed the cleanest village in Asia.
Every home here has a well-tended garden, and the trails are shaded with flowers. Venture deeper and you’ll find the famous living root bridges, shaped naturally by intertwining roots over centuries.
# Sikkim – Altitude, Adrenaline & SerenitySikkim is a rider’s paradise for high-altitude biking. One of the toughest and most rewarding rides is to Gurudongmar Lake—over 17,000 feet above sea level where oxygen is scarce and every breath is hard-earned.
Take on the legendary Silk Route in Zuluk, a stretch of 32 dizzying hairpin bends offering panoramic views at every turn. If long-distance riding is your thing, Sikkim will test your mettle and leave you awestruck.
# Kaziranga & Haflong, Assam – Wild EncountersImagine riding past tea gardens, open plains, and suddenly spotting a rhino in the distance. Welcome to Kaziranga National Park, home to the one-horned rhinoceros, elephants, tigers, and wild buffaloes.
Take an elephant-back safari for a rare kind of wildlife experience. Then head to Haflong, Assam’s only hill station. Here, misty roads, cascading waterfalls, and serene silence become your companions.
# Cherrapunji, Meghalaya – Ride Through the RainsIf the idea of riding through clouds and constant drizzle excites you, Cherrapunji should be on your list. One of the wettest places on Earth, it's a land of waterfalls, lush forests, and mystical mist-covered roads.
Don’t miss Nohkalikai Falls, one of India’s highest, and the extraordinary living root bridges, living testaments to tribal ingenuity shaped over generations.
# Loktak Lake, Manipur – The Floating WorldLoktak Lake isn’t your regular waterbody. Here, floating masses of vegetation called Phumdis drift across the lake’s surface. The ride to Loktak passes through open roads and peaceful Manipuri villages.
Nearby, the Keibul Lamjao National Park is the world’s only floating national park and home to the rare Sangai deer. Take a boat and glide past fishermen’s huts built on floating islands—it’s surreal.
# Tripura & Unakoti – The Road Less RiddenOften overlooked, Tripura hides some of the most intriguing trails in Northeast India. Ride through ancient temple ruins, untouched hills, and tribal hamlets far from the tourist radar.
Don’t miss Unakoti, where massive rock carvings of Hindu deities lie hidden in the jungle. A trip to Neermahal, a lake palace, offers more scenic joy and quiet roads that few others have explored.