A soft duffel or backpack
Jeeps, ferries and homestay stairs are kinder to soft bags than to hard shells. Keep it under about 15 kg so it can go on a roof rack or a small aircraft.
before you go…Packing
Packing
Guide
Everything we would put in our own bag for Northeast India — and the few things best left at home.
the kit, laid out
soft bag, under 15 kg
worn-in shoes
rain layer, always
dry bags x3
8 × 42
little kit
refill, don't buy
head torch
type D
sun + bugs
Pack light — you will be in and out of jeeps, boats and small planes all week.
soft bag, under 15 kg
worn-in shoes
rain layer, always
dry bags x3
8 × 42
little kit
refill, don't buy
head torch
type D
sun + bugs
The essentials
twelve things that always earn their placeShoes with real grip
Wet stone, mud and root bridges. Trail shoes or light boots that you have already worn in, plus sandals for the evening.
A rain layer, always
Even in the dry months a shower can arrive. A light waterproof jacket beats an umbrella when you have a camera in your hands.
Layers, not one thick coat
Mornings and evenings are cold from November to March, and the hills are colder than the plains. A fleece, a warm layer and a scarf cover most days.
Dry bags
Two or three, for your camera, your documents and a change of clothes. They also keep packing tidy on long drives.
A head torch
Village power cuts are common and paths are unlit. A head torch leaves both hands free on the steps down to a homestay.
A refillable bottle
Most homestays and lodges will refill it with boiled or filtered water. It saves buying plastic bottles that the hills cannot dispose of.
A small medical kit
Your own prescriptions, rehydration salts, plasters, painkillers and any motion-sickness tablets. Pharmacies are thin on the ground outside towns.
A plug adapter
India runs on 230 volts, 50 Hz, with type D sockets mostly (the round three-pin). Bring a universal adapter and a power bank for long drives.
Cash in small notes
ATMs are reliable in Guwahati, Shillong and Dibrugarh, and patchy beyond. Village guides, homestays and markets are cash-only.
Binoculars
The single most useful thing you can carry for wildlife, and worth having in the hills too. 8×42 is the easy all-rounder.
Sunscreen and repellent
The sun is strong at altitude, and mosquitoes come out at dusk in the lowlands. A repellent with DEET or picaridin is best.
Pack for the season
three moods a year, three different bagsNovember – March
The dry season
Warm, sunny days and cold nights. The easiest time to travel, and the busiest around the festivals.
- A warm mid-layer and a hat for early mornings
- Long trousers for temples and villages
- A down or fleece jacket for Tawang or Ziro
- Lip balm for the dry air
April – May
Before the rains
Hot and humid in the valleys, with the first thunderstorms. The hills turn green and the rhododendrons are out.
- Light, quick-drying shirts with long sleeves
- A rain shell for afternoon storms
- Sunhat and sunglasses
- Electrolytes for the humidity
June – September
The monsoon
The big rains. Meghalaya at its most dramatic, roads that wash out, and everything taking longer.
- Waterproof jacket and quick-dry trousers
- Dry bags for everything electronic
- Spare shoes, so one pair can dry
- Leech socks for the forest paths
Pack for your kind of trip
Wildlife and safaris
- Binoculars, and a long lens if you have one
- Muted colors: greens, browns, greys
- A warm layer for open jeeps at dawn
- A dust cover for your camera
Treks and root bridges
- Shoes with grip, already worn in
- Daypack with water and snacks
- Poles, if your knees like them
- Swimsuit and a quick-dry towel
Festivals and villages
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees
- A small gift, if you stay in a home
- Cash for markets and craftspeople
- Ask before photographing people
Tea gardens and towns
- Closed shoes for garden walks
- Something smart for a bungalow dinner
- Repellent for evenings on the lawn
- Room in your bag for tea
Permits and papers
Indian travelers need an Inner Line Permit (ILP) for Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur. Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit (PAP) for all four of those states, arranged before you arrive. Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura need no permit. Rules change often, and we arrange permits for our guests.
Power and connection
230 volts, 50 Hz, mostly type D sockets. Mobile coverage is good in towns and thin in the hills, so download offline maps before you set out. An Indian SIM is easy to buy in Guwahati with your passport and visa.
Money
Carry more cash than you think you need, in small notes. Cards work in city hotels and larger restaurants; village homestays, guides, drivers and markets are cash-only. UPI works widely in towns if your bank is Indian.
leave these at home
The things the hills cannot take.
Single-use plastic
Most villages have no way to dispose of it. Bring a bottle and a cloth bag.
Drones, unless cleared
Flying needs permission, and in many villages it is unwelcome. Ask us first.
Hard-shell suitcases
They do not travel well on jeep roofs, boats or village stairs.
Camouflage clothing
Restricted in parts of the region, and best avoided altogether.
tick as you pack