Nalbari Tourism And Travel Guide

Being an administrative district, Nalbari’s situated in Assam, spanning over 1,000 sq. km and encompassed by the Indo-Bhutanese International Borders on the Northern end. With Darang and Kamrup Districts neighboring Nalbari on the East, Barpeta surrounds it on the West and Brahmaputra on the South. Located on the Himalayan foothills, Nalbari provides its visitors an opportunity to explore the natural charm of the district, as well as enjoy & participate in the folk music and dance performances that include, Ojapali, Theya Naam, Nagra Naam and Bhaora. Renowned for its tourist attractions like the Billeshwar Temple, Hari Mandir, the popular Raas Mahotsav, the Buddhist Temple and more, its close proximity to Guwahati makes it a visually appealing and interesting place to visit from a tourism perspective. Here’s a travel guide to help you find your way in and around Nalbari.

By Air:

The best way of reaching Nalbari is to take a flight to Guwahati, which is well connected to most major Indian cities and then make the onward journey by train, bus or taxi to Nalbari. The distance between Nalbari and Guwahati Airport’s about 40km. Some of the regular flights to Guwahati include those from Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata and New Delhi.

By Train:

The Indian Railways have well connected and regular trains operating between Guwahati and most major cities in the country, as also between en route to Nalbari from Guwahati. There are direct trains for Nalbari from Guwahati every 4 hours in the fare range of INR 85-94 approx that take about an hour and 22 minutes to reach. There are some direct trains between Nalbari and New Delhi/Kolkata and over 5 trains from Guwahati.

By Road:

There’s a wide range of both state-operated and private buses operating between Guwahati and Nalbari. There are varied categories of buses available on the route that include Volvo A/c multi-axle semi sleepers, A/c Sleeper (2+1) buses, non-A/c sleeper buses and more. You can also explore driving yourself or hiring a taxi to reach Nalbari.

Getting Around:

Nalbari has ample taxi services for your intra-city commute like most other cities in the state of Assam. From taking a 3-wheeler/auto rickshaw for your short distance travels to availing a bus ride for travels both within and around Nalbari, getting around the town is fairly accessible. In addition, it’d be wise to plan your visit according to prevailing weather conditions, to avoid getting stuck.

The best time to visit Nalbari would be when you can immerse yourself completely in the experience and not worry about the place being overcrowded or places shutting down. With a favorable climate through most parts of the year, Nalbari’s welcoming with a variety of things to explore and indulge in. The weather’s typically sub-tropical with moderate temperatures in monsoons and dry & humid summers, making winters the best time of the year to visit Nalbari.

Summer (March-June):

With a moderate summer, Nalbari’s neither too hot nor too humid with an average temperature range of 25°C-30°C. The climate’s typically pleasant, except for when the sun’s too bright and makes it harsh to be out. Rainfall’s down to a bare minimum or none during this time. March is one of the least humid months of the year.

Monsoon (July-September):

Nalbari receives heavy rainfall during monsoons, like most other parts of Assam, making it rather difficult to enjoy sightseeing or any other outdoor activities in town. July through September experiences heavy showers nearly every day, with average temperatures oscillating between 33°C and 25°C during this period, with September being the most humid month.

Winter (October-February):

Nalbari’s a nature’s delight during winters when the weather’s really cold and beautiful to explore tourist attractions. If you enjoy winters, then this is the best time to visit Nalbari, with an average temperature of 10°C-22°C, and sometimes temperatures falling down to a single digit as well. However, from a precipitation standpoint, winters are usually dry.

Cultural Events and Festivals:

Nalbari’s quite rich culturally and from its calendar of events, the place is crowded with visitors from various parts of Assam, country and across the globe, during some of the large scale festivities of Raas Mahotsav, Buddh Purnima, Dhol Purnima, etc. The annual celebrations of Raas Mahotsav symbolize a significant display of spiritual & cultural heritage of North East India that spans 11-15 days in the month of November at the Hari Mandir. This festival witnesses a variety of entertainment activities, music and dance programs, and stalls adorned with idols of Radha-Krishna, and Krishna’s Life Events prominently exhibited throughout the festivities.

Planetarium & Science Centre:

Situated in Sariahtali, inside the small village of Nalbari, the Science Centre and Planetarium are quite a crowd puller that provides a platform for both adults and children to learn about varied scientific marvels, occurrences and enjoy informative and wondrous shows based on cosmology, galaxies, planets and astronomy.

Bird Watching in Sonkuhira:

Sonkruhira’s is a renowned picnic spot and home to a wide variety of bird species and birds in transition, a beautiful place for a scenic vacation, Sonkruhira’s best enjoyed in winters. There’s a small water pond, which is known far and wide for its enthralling ambiance.

The Rustic Charm of Sualkuchi:

The quaint hamlet of Sualkuchi is rich in culture and tradition and known as the weaving village, as also the best producer of Silk in the state. Brimming with flora and fauna, the village’s ecologically diverse with exotic animals, bird species and greenery, in addition to being abundant with a wide range of monasteries, namghars and shrines, located close to each other. Its’ natural beauty is a sight to behold right beside the gorgeous River Brahmaputra.

Nalbari has some of the best fine dining restaurants and eateries that offer delicious and authentic Assamese cuisine with various fish dishes that include Paleng Xaakor Maachor Jhol. In the neighboring areas, Hajo’s equally inviting to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foodies and you can play around with your taste buds by gorging on rice dishes like Akhoi, Cheera, Muri and Pithguri, in addition to fish delicacies like Patot Diya, Khar, Laksa and Pitika. If you want to diversify, then you must visit Guwahati and experiment with a variety of cuisines at the Foodvilla, which is renowned for its Authentic Local Cuisine and Offbeat recipes as well.

From a shopping perspective, Nalbari’s renowned for its cane and bamboo crafts, medicinal herbs, tea and rice offerings, which are best explored at the local markets as keepsakes and souvenirs. Feel free to visit Hajo after a spiritual sojourn and go looking for its bell metals and silk items, which is found in plenty and a specialty in this part of the state. Sualkuchi’s also popular for its silk work, with a variety of intricate & beautiful designs that are crafted on the naturally golden Muga Silk inside workshops/karkhanas that are quite common in nearly every household in the village. Guwahati’s also inviting when it comes to shopping for top fashion items and flea market shopping.