The Ministry of Railways, in collaboration with IRCTC Ltd, is planning a ‘North East Discovery’ tour to promote India’s comparatively unexplored North Eastern states, according to a release.
According to an official announcement, the specifically planned trip aboard the Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist train would begin its journey on November 16, 2023, from Delhi Safdarjung Railway Station.
Over 15 days, the journey will visit Guwahati, Sivasagar, Jorhat, and Kaziranga in Assam, Unakoti, Agartala, and Udaipur in Tripura, Dimapur and Kohima in Nagaland, and Shillong and Cherrapunji in Meghalaya.
The Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist Train contains two dining cars/restaurants, a modern (flameless) kitchen, shower cubicles in AC I and AC II coaches, sensor-based bathroom amenities, a foot massager, and a little library.
The fully air-conditioned train has three different types of accommodations: AC I, AC II, and AC III. In addition, the train includes upgraded security elements such as CCTV cameras, electronic safes, and specialized security officers assigned to each coach.
The first stop of this train, which will last 14 nights and 15 days, would be Guwahati, where passengers will visit Kamakhya Temple, followed by Umananda Temple and a sunset sail on the Brahmaputra River.
This train will next proceed to Naharlagun Railway Station, which is 30 kilometers from the next destination, Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh.
The itinerary continues with Sivasagar, the historic capital of the Ahom Kingdom in the eastern portion of Assam, and the famed Shiva temple Sivadol, as well as other heritage sites such as Talatal Ghar and Rang Ghar (Colosseum of the East).
Tourists will experience a visit to the tea estates in Jorhat, an overnight stay in Kaziranga, and an early morning jungle safari in Kaziranga National Park.
Later, the train will depart for the state of Tripura, where guests will visit the famous heritage site of Unakoti in the densely forested Jampui Hills before continuing to the capital city of Agartala, where they will tour the famous Ujjayanta Palace, the Neermahal, and the Tripura Sundari Mandir at Udaipur, according to an official statement. Following Tripura, the train will travel to Dimapur, covering the state of Nagaland.
Guests may watch the magnificent train trip from Badarpur station to Lumding Junction from their seats in the early hours of the morning. Tourists will be transported by bus from Dimapur station to Kohima to view local landmarks, including a tour of the Khonoma hamlet to experience the Naga way of life.
The tourist train will next stop in Guwahati, from whence visitors will be driven to Shillong, Meghalaya’s capital city, with a stop at the scenic Umium Lake.
The next day will begin with a trip to Cherrapunji, which is located in the East Khasi Hills and will include visits to Shillong Peak, Elephant Falls, Nawkhalikai Falls, and Mawsmai caves.
The visitors return to Guwahati Station from Cherrapunji to join the train for the return journey to Delhi. According to the official announcement, the total train excursion will span around 5800 kilometers.
The Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train launch is in line with the Government of India initiatives “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” and “Dekho Apna Desh” to promote domestic tourism.
The IRCTC tourist train will be a 15-day all-inclusive tour package with a train journey in respective class, night stay at AC hotels, all meals (vegetarian only), all transfer and sightseeing in buses, travel insurance, tour escort services, etc.
All relevant health preventive measures will be taken care of and IRCTC will make attempts to give a safe and unforgettable experience to the visitors, the official statement stated.
