Dispur Tourism And Travel Guide

One of the most significant tourist destinations in the country, Dispur is also the smallest capital in the world and is renowned for the largest production of tea. With an assortment of historic attractions, temples, pilgrim spots, nature and wildlife sanctuaries, lakes and more, the city has ample to offer its visitors. There’s an abundance of scenic sights and pleasant spots to see in Dispur, which makes it a preferred holiday destination. Here’s a travel guide to help you find your way around in Dispur's tourism maze.

By Air:

Located 18kms from the city, you can reach Dispur by flying to the Guwahati International Airport, which is the closest airport and connects all of India’s major cities via regular flight operation. From Guwahati to Dispur, you can then travel by road, either aboard a bus or by taxi. Some of the most popular air connections for Dispur include flights from Mumbai, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai in the estimated fare range of INR 6,000-14,000.

By Train:

Given that Dispur doesn’t really have an airport or an independent railway station of its own, the closest railway station is in Guwajati, which also serves as the headquarters of North East Frontier Railways. It also is connected to most cities in India through a strong network of express, mails and superfast trains. From the train station in Guwahati to travel to Dispur, you can then hire a cab or travel in an auto-rickshaw.

By Road:

The state-run buses of Assam Government, in addition to Private Buses provide for an excellent means of public transportation in Dispur as well as other major cities in the entire Northeast region. The city’s well connected through the National Highway, if you are traveling from any other state and you can either drive down yourself or hire a cab or even enjoy a bus ride to Dispur.

Getting Around:

Being the capital city of Assam, Dispur’s got a good intra-city transport system that allows its locals and visitors to travel comfortably in and around the city either in a 3-wheeler, a bus or a taxi. With numerous beautiful places to see and explore, your visit to Dispur will be nothing short of charming and memorable, not to forget pleasant, provided you visit during the comfortable weather conditions.

Tourism is at its peak in Dispur in July through November, and getting good deals on flights and accommodation may be challenging unless you make advance reservations. January is rather dull and the place has less to none incoming tourist traffic, which makes it a good time to enjoy the scenic beautify and prominent landmarks in the city.

Spring (March-May):

The spring season in March through May makes the weather quite warm in Dispur, with the maximum temperature at 33°C, making it worse in the latter months. Rainfall’s quite common during this time with rain occurrences between 3 to 12 days every month. Spring is also the second busiest time of the year from a tourism perspective for Dispur.

Summer (June-August):

June through August is summertime in Dispur when the weather’s relatively comfortable and warm high temperature. With over 11-15 days of significant rainfall every month, summers are rather slow for incoming tourist traffic, so you can expect some good travel deals. This is also the time when you can enjoy the city without the stifling crowd.

Fall (September-November):

With average temperatures ranging between 33°C and 28°C, the fall season in Dispur is essentially the monsoon season, owing to the combined levels of wind and humidity. There’s rain or snowfall which is rather significant, even if so only for a day or 9 days each month. There’s an influx of tourists during this time and accommodation/ travel’s bound to cost more.

Winter (December-February):

Relatively cooler this time of the year, Dispur’s perfect for a holiday for warm weather enthusiasts. With an average high of 29°C, it rains or snows at least once a month and slows down the incoming tourist traffic drastically. With the Magh or Bhogali Bihu celebrations in January, you may not want to miss out on the celebratory experiences in the city.

Ambubachi Festival:

A celebration in honor of the Fertility Goddess, the Ambubachi Festival is celebrated on a popular belief, as per which Kamakhya, the Mother Goddess and Lord Shiva’s young bride was menstruating at this time. Hence, during this period the temple’s closed to devotees and the Goddess is bathed after 3 days, post which the normal temple activities are resumed. It is during monsoons, that the festival is celebrated and Mother Earth is believed to be at her fertile best with the rains nurturing her soil/womb. Every year the festival has scores of visitors visiting the river and the temple to pay their respects and seek blessings.

Flora and Fauna at Guwahati Zoo:

Besides the displayed wildlife, the zoo also offers other interesting things to do like visiting the botanical garden, a museum on its premises, a reptile house and a herbarium. From the one-horned Rhino to the Golden Langur, the Royal Bengal Tiger and the Pig-Tailed Macaque to exotic animals like the Asian Elephant, the Himalayan Black Bear, the Black Buck, the Striped Hyena and more, there are a huge variety of avian species as well that include the rose pelican, steppe eagle, silver pheasant, storks, bar-headed geese, in addition to varied snakes.

The Celebrations at Umananda Temple:

Given the fact that the Umananda Temple’s constructed in reverence of Lord Shiva, the festival of Maha Shivratri is a huge celebratory event here and Mondays are considered especially auspicious for visitors offering their reverence on the day. Open to devotees all days of a week, the temple is operational from 5.30 am to 6.00 pm every day. It also house shrines of ten other Hindu Gods and Goddesses including the Sun God, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Devi and the ten forms of Lord Vishnu. The temple has been styled intricately with a winding flight of steps and represents the exquisite craftsmanship and master skills of Assamese Artisans.

Regional Science Centre & Museum:

An ideal place for learning and engaging in activities that are interactive, the regional science center and museum provides kids the opportunities to get familiar with life in the pre-historic era and several other subjects, showcasing different inventions in the field of science, as contributed by Nobel Laureates and renowned Indian Scientists. Some of the most popular displays include the cliff lift, magic tap, fun mirror and other scientific equipment here.

Despite its chaos, visitors will enjoy the local and other cuisines, Dispur has to offer, with a variety of delectable street food and interesting drinks. From among the noteworthy places to eat at, the Naga Kitchen is one that’s popular for its non-vegetarian fares, especially the pork dishes. The food served here comes with the essence of dishes cooked at home, however, given the busy kitchen, it is best to make advance reservations here. Other interesting joints worth a visit include the Spice Route, the Dhaba, Florentine, Jive Kitchen & Grill, Pizza Hut, Atrium and Machaan.

Dispur has a number of bazaars and local markets that offer a variety of both daily utility items and luxury goods. There are different malls and shopping arcades in Dispur and Guwahati, with an assortment of local handicrafts, keepsakes and gifts to buy for your loved ones. Look out for popular items like silk and other textiles, cane furniture, khadi shirts and stuff for home décor. From among local delicacies, you’d be sure to find Amla Sugar, Jams, Honey, Sharbat and Fruit Squash to take back home, not to forget flavored tea!