How To Reach Jatinga

Located on a ridge in Dima Hasao, Jatinga’s a village which is 330km to the south of Guwahati. Unfortunately the place is popular for incidents of birds committing suicide! But the fact is that post the monsoon period, on dark or misty nights, attracted by the lights, birds come down and get caught in bamboo poles used by the local tribals. Initially the tribes believed this was on account of negative entities coming down to scare them. This unfortunate happening isn’t just confined to a particular bird species, but also includes pond heron, little egret, tiger bittern, hill partridge and more birds.

In terms of Air Travel, there aren’t any regular flights to Jatinga from the country’s major cities, however, it is easier to reach here by train travel. Located just a few kilometers from the popular hill station of Haflong, it’s easy to visit Jatinga on a day’s trip ideally by an auto-rickshaw or board a bus from Silchar, which passes through the town.

One of the best ways to reach Jatinga is to fly to Silchar, which is the closest airport and is about 104km away from the place. The travel time by air is roughly 4 hours and a few minutes at an estimated fare of INR 8,000. On arrival at Silchar, you can then hail a taxi and drive down to Jatinga in about an hour and 30 minutes at an approximate cost of INR 1,600. There are, however, no direct flights to Silchar. From Delhi, you fly to Kolkata and then to Silchar aboard Indigo Airlines. Alternatively, you’d fly to Guwahati and then to Silchar.

There’s a train from New Delhi to New Haflong, which is about 6km from Jatinga. The train journey takes roughly 40 hours and operates once a week at an estimated fare of INR 1,000. From New Haflong Railway Station, Jatinga is just 8 minutes by taxi. Alternatively, you can board a train from the Anand Vihar ISBT Terminal, in Delhi to New Haflong. This journey takes roughly 40 hours and operates twice a week at an approx. fare of INR 950.

If you prefer a road trip to Jatinga, then it is best to drive down the 2,103km, which will have you there in about 28 hours and 50 minutes at an estimated fuel cost of INR 22,000. You follow National Highway 27, which is the fastest route to your destination. If you’re coming via Silchar, then the road distance between here and Jatinga is about 40km and takes just an hour. There’s bus connectivity between the Silchar Bus Station to Haflong Bus Station.

Jatinga can be reached by trains easily, or buses, cabs, taxis; and auto-rickshaws can also be used for traveling within the town. There are buses operated by the state and private operators between Guwahati, Upper Regions in Assam and Tezpur. Buses to Silchar stop at Jatinga. However, bus travel can be quite exhausting and uncomfortable. It is best to hire a private cab/car to go around the town or neighboring areas for sightseeing and other outdoor activities, enjoying the trip at leisure and making the most of the scenic views en route.