When to Visit the North-East: A Season-by-Season Guide

North-East India's eight states span everything from the Brahmaputra floodplain to Himalayan passes above 4,000 metres, so the right season depends heavily on where you're headed. October to April is generally the most reliable window for the lower-altitude states — Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Manipur — with clear skies and comfortable daytime temperatures. Higher-altitude regions such as Tawang and North Sikkim are best visited between March and June, or October to December, avoiding the heaviest winter snow. If your trip is built around a specific bloom or festival — rhododendrons in Sikkim (March-April), Dzukou lilies in Nagaland (June-September), or the Hornbill Festival in Kisama (early December) — plan around that date first and build the rest of your itinerary outward from it.