You could spend a few days cruising down the river while taking in the rural scenery of fertile plains, small riverside villages, and distant mountains, looking out for Ganges river dolphins and a wide range of birdlife as you go. Pause at Kaziranga National Park, where game drives allow you to see one-horned rhinos (70% of the world’s population lives here), elephants, sloth, and Asiatic black bears, and, if you’re very lucky, tigers. The region is also home to Manas National Park, located at the foothills of the Bhutanese Himalayas, where you might spot wild buffalo, rhinos, gaur (Indian bison), hornbills, and rare golden langurs.

The gateway to the region is the state’s capital, Guwahati, where you can admire Assamese temple architecture and visit the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra. This cultural institution gives you an insight into Assam’s history and heritage, with a particular focus on handloom textiles and silks.