Tezpur Tourism And Travel Guide

One of the most beautiful towns in North East India, Tezpur has exquisitely partnered itself with the urban community of mankind and nature’s scenic sights. A fast developing city, Tezpur is called Assam’s cultural capital and happens to be one of the most favored tourist spots in the state as well. Owing to its gorgeous hillocks, gardens and parks, its rich cultural heritage and excellent accommodation option, the city is no less of the core of Assam. Here’s a travel guide to help you find your way around as regards Tezpur tourism.

By Air:

Tezpur’s local/domestic airport is the Salonibari Airport, about 10 km from the city center, which has flight operations from Silchar and Kolkata with Air India and the closest international airport to the city is the Lokpriya Gopinath Bodoloi International Airport, Guwahati, which is well connected to all of India’s major metros and is roughly 165 km from the city. From Delhi the best way to reach Tezpur is to fly to the city at an estimated cost of INR 7,000 in 6 hours and 40 minutes via Indigo, Air Asia or Vistara Airlines.

By Train:

Accessible by most Indian cities, train travel to Tezpur from New Delhi begins at the Anand Vihar Terminal, where you can board a train to Rangapara North (twice a week) and reach there in approximately 34 hours. From Rangapara North the travel distance by road in a taxi is roughly 28km and less than 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can travel by bus from Delhi to Gorakhpur in about 11 ½ hours and then make the train ride of 22 ½ hours to Rangapara North from Gorakhpur, with the onward journey in a taxi to Tezpur.

By Road:

To travel by road, the best option would be to board a bus from New Delhi to Gorakhpur and then make the train journey to Rangapara North. From the Super Bazar in Delhi to Anand Vihar ISBT there’s a bus every 10 minutes. On reaching there, you can walk it down to the Kausambi Bus Station and board a bus to Gorakhpur which leaves 4 times a day and takes about 11 hours and 30 minutes. However, comparatively, this alternative is quite exhausting and is hence best left out.

Getting Around:

Being a popular tourist spot, Assam is always filled with tourists from far and wide through a large part of the year, thanks to its inviting weather conditions. This makes public transport options in the city quite accessible. With a mix of both state-run and private buses, you will find getting around the city very easy and comfortable, in addition to the cycle rickshaws and autos available to cover short distances or taxi for longer distances.

The pleasant weather of Tezpur, given its proximity to the snow-clad Himalayas and tea greenhouses, makes it climate-friendly and welcoming for most travelers to this part of the world. The best time to visit Tezpur would be when you can enjoy the city the most, the weather’s favorable and there are ample activities to indulge in.

Spring (March-May):

March through May is typically affected by thunderstorms and flash rains in Tezpur with a humidity level of 81%. May being the most affected with the humidity levels, cotton clothes are best for travel wear. The average day temperature during spring in the city is 31°C with the minimum being 22°C.

Summer (June-August):

June through August are summer in Tezpur but usually, the season starts here in April. With a mild summer, when the temperature ranges between 24°C-35°C, the climate’s relatively warm and good to experience tourism in the city, with May being the hottest time of the year followed by June.

Monsoon (September-November):

With an abundant and unpredictable spell of rainfall from September through November, it gets a bit challenging to ascertain the weather conditions in the city and firm up any travel plans. Because of the South West Monsoons, there’s a heavy downpour and despite the lush greenery that encompasses the entire town, the torrential rains make it difficult to enjoy the city’s sights.

Winter (December-February):

Winters are usually an opportune time to enjoy moving around the city, when the temperatures range between 12°C-31°C and humidity level is at 80%, making it just about right to go and explore things to do. January’s ideal for outdoor activities with a high flux of incoming tourist traffic, while February is nice and hot with the minimum temperature being 10°C and highest being 22°C.

Nameri National Park:

Located on the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas is the Nameri National Park, which along with the Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary enjoys an area of 1,000 sq.km. filled with deciduous forestry, cane & bamboo brakes, a semi-evergreen belt and narrow strips of open lowlands along the River Banks. The National Park is a bird watcher’s paradise with over 300 birds available here and is usually open for visitors from November to April.

Padum Pukhuri:

A scenic lotus pond that has now developed into a beautiful park with a musical fountain, Padum Pukhuri has an iron bridge that can help reach the island. Further, there’s a toy train and activities like paddling and rowing that constitute some fun activities to explore here.

Cole Park:

The Chitralekha Udyan is an attractive park right in the centre of the town. The park is renowned for hosting competitions for painting and drawing, and has some popular attractions like the Indian Air Force’s first supersonic aircraft, Valiant MG21, and a huge Indian Concrete map, with boating activities as well.

Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary:

The Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary is 40km away from Tezpur and a protected area that is spread roughly 44 km sq. on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra. One of the best places that can be a natural habitat for the Bengal Florican, the reserve’s a paradise for the migratory birds as well as reptiles and fish. You will find other bird species that include the whistling duck, teal, the black-necked stork, mallard and mammals like the wild buffalo, tiger, wild pigs, Indian Rhino, hog deer, and a rare herd of elephants.

The city of Tezpur serves Assamese Cuisine and most of their food is dried & fermented, especially vegetables, as they believe it adds to the nutritional value of their food. Some of Assam’s signature dishes include Khar made of sun dried banana skin, Narasingh Masor Jhol, Pokori, Pura, and Pitika. Further, the Assamese Thall/Platter is not to be missed for an assortment of rice, fish, vegetables, lentil and salad dishes. From some of the best places to enjoy food in the city, Spring Valley is a busy and renowned cafeteria that has hot snacks and mini-meal offerings throughout the day and an assortment of bakery items with a vegetarian restaurant as well for lunch and dinner at pocket-friendly prices.

Some other known places include Dhaba End Dee’s Samaroh for its Indian meals, Krishna Foods, Gardenia, The Fern Residency, Singpho Shat Gawk and Magnolia.

Even though the city doesn’t really have big shopping complexes or malls, roaming around the smaller markets sprinkled around the town can be fun. From winter clothes to economical trainers, there’s a wide variety of stuff to shop for in the Tezpur Markets. Chowk Bazar on MC Road is in the city’s centre, known not only for being a vegetable and fish market but also good for apparel, traditional hand-weaved Assamese silk and shoes. Further ahead, you can explore the state’s national costumes and handloom sarees, handicrafts that include bamboo and cane household items, musical instruments, bell-metal vessels and cotton handlooms as well. Other significant buys can include pith, wood, bamboo & cloth toys, clay, pottery, masks, woodcrafts and gold jewelry.