Northeast India takes you to a unique expedition like never before. The myriad of cultures, varied languages, exclusive tribal life, exotic food, colorful festivals, and spectacular natural surrounds; this fascinating region of India needs to be explored and exposed to the world outside.
Colorful prayer flags adding colors to the snow-laden landscape in Sela Pass, Arunachal Pradesh
Being a North-Eastern girl myself, I can vouch for the fact that Northeast India is a land full of surprises. With an Eco-Friendly lifestyle, social fabric, and the rich cultural heritage, this land can be overwhelming at first glance for the travelers.
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So, how do you plan to visit Northeast India?
Before you plan to visit Northeast India, you must contact a registered Tour Operator. It makes your trip quite easy and hassle-free in terms of planning and execution. Due to the challenging roads, infrastructure and remoteness of the few places, you are advised to plan your trip with a registered travel and tour agency which has grassroots knowledge and great connections in Northeast India
Which is the best travel and tour agency in Northeast India?
Let me tell you. I have just come back from two weeks expedition in the Northeast covering Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland with Holiday Scout.
Why is the Holiday Scout considered as the best Tour and Travel Company in Northeast India? FIND OUT!
Monk during his morning prayer in a secret monastery in Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh
Here are 20 reasons why you should travel to Northeast India with the Holiday Scout Tour & Travel
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The most trusted TOUR AND TRAVEL company
The holiday Scout is one of the most trusted and loved Tour and Travel agency from Northeast India. Whether it is the excellent services to the tourists, best customized travel itineraries, comfortable journey, taking care of the safety and security of their guests, providing the best authentic travel experiences, taking guests to offbeat places, promoting local culture and craft,etc., the Holiday Scout is the best in everything that you require to have a wonderful and yet insightful experience in the Northeast India.
The numerous positive reviews on travel sites like Trip Advisor, Google reviews, and also on social media have definitely shouted loud about them and made Holiday Scout the preferred tour operator in Northeast India.
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Everything is included in the package
The best thing about their tour packages is that it is all inclusive. Your customized itinerary is based on your preferences, accommodation, Permits (ILP and PAP), transportation, including airport pick-up and drop, food, sightseeing, local experiences,etc.,are part of the package.
You just need to land at the airport and everything else is taken care of. Even the entry fee of attractions is included in the package. You don’t need to pay anything extra from your pocket except the package price. If you are an International traveler, you don’t need to even worry about currency conversion during the trip. You have got the BEST DEAL with the Holiday Scout.
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Permits taken care of
The permit is a major part of travelling to Northeast India. Many travelers avoid getting into the hassle of getting the permit to explore this part of India. Holiday Scout gets you covered here. Whether you are an International traveler or Indian, your permit is their responsibility. All you need to do is to provide necessary documents like a passport size photograph, photo Id and address proof to get your ILP and PAP.
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Tailor-made itinerary is possible
The Holiday Scout is known for their tailor-made itineraries, depending on guest’s preferences, interest areas, and days. Whether you are travelling solo, couple or in a group, you can design your own itinerary and everything else is taken care by the Holiday Scout. They do have their fixed itineraries on their website under categories like Adventure, Pilgrimage, Culture, Wildlife Discovery and Environmental Tourism in Northeast India.
You can choose your itinerary from their archive or just customize it as per your interests. The best thing is that the itinerary is designed very carefully keeping in mind all the practicalities, execution plans and it also has a Plan B in case something doesn’t work at the last moment. The minute details, insightful information and practically designed itineraries help you to enjoy your trip without any worry.
The Nuranang Waterfall, Arunachal Pradesh
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You get an offbeat travel experience
I can vouch for this reason. No one else can be a better guide than Sange Tsering in Arunachal Pradesh to take you on a journey of unknown, unexplored and remote places.
With an abundance of knowledge about Northeast India, great connections across the region and fantastic relationship with the locals, he can take you to the most offbeat destinations which are not found on Google.
During my recent visit to Northeast India with Holiday Scout, I was taken to a secret monastery in Bomdila, had an exclusive access to an Apatani shaman’s house, and met the King (Head-hunter) of Hongphoi village and so on. I had numerous offbeat experiences during the trip, all thanks to Holiday Scout.
Me with an Apatani woman in Ziro , Arunachal Pradesh
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Hassle-free experience of exploring
Travelling with a registered and well-known tour operator is always a hassle-free experience. When it comes to Northeast, it is highly advised to travel with an experienced tour and travel company from this land. Due to the strategic location of the states bordering countries like Bangladesh, Myanmar, China and Bhutan, you require permission to visit a few of the states in the Northeast.
Also, the infrastructure of the region is not so smooth and requires you to plan meticulously. When it comes to accommodation, you get hotels and guest houses in major cities, but in remote areas you will have to put up at home-stays only. If you are travelling for the first time to Northeast, it becomes a huge task to plan and execute.
Life becomes quite easy when the tour operator as reputed as Holiday Scout plans your trip. All you need to do is to pack your bags and land at the airport and rest assured you will return with a bundle of unforgettable memories.
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You get the best travel guide
You will get the best travel guides when you choose to travel with the Holiday Scout. The experienced, friendly and humble guides will help you to understand the social fabric and the mosaic of rich cultural heritage of this region.
Sange Tsering, the owner of the Holiday Scout is an excellent person with in-depth knowledge about everything. He is a great travel companion and a fantastic guide on your tour. He is quite accommodating. In case you want to change anything in the itinerary, he is open to discuss other options and give you the best alternative options. He accompanies guests on demand.
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You will get the best authentic local experience
Rest assured that you will get the best authentic travel experiences with Holiday Scout in Northeast India. The countless positive reviews and satisfied travelers have already expressed how they had the best experience in the northeast.
Whether it is taking you to the most scenic sightseeing sites, meeting the locals, having heart-felt conversations with them, sharing a laugh, helping you to understand their culture, having local food in the most rustic setup, Holiday Scout leaves no stone unturned in giving you the best authentic experiences.
Whether it was having tea with the head-hunters in Hongphoi village of Mon district in Nagaland, meeting a lama in a secret monastery in Bomdila, having a meal at Mishing household in Majuli, or tea garden tour in Assam, I am glad that I had the best of everything.
Monks attending the morning prayer at Tawang Monastery, Arunachal Pradesh
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No language barrier even in remote places
If you are worried about varied languages that are spoken in Northeast India and how to communicate with the tribes, you need not to worry about it. The expert guides are well-versed with the local languages and help you to communicate with them. So, language can’t be a barrier when you travel with the Holiday Scout.
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You get the best opportunity to interact with the locals
No doubt that you get the rare opportunity to interact with the locals in the Northeast. Not only interact, if you are put up in a home-stay in a remote place in the northeast, you have the best opportunity to be with the locals, seeing their lifestyle up-close, observing the cultural practices and having the local delicacies with them as well. The Holiday Scout has been doing an incredible work by providing the opportunity to the tourists to know this region in the most authentic away.
Portrait of a local woman at Ama market in Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh
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Safety of the guests is their top priority
The safety of their guests is one of their top priorities. The team of Holiday Scout ensures that the guests are safe and comfortable enough to travel in their land. Especially, for women solo travelers, I highly recommend Holiday Scout if you are planning a trip to any of the north eastern states. Everything is well organised. You are treated really well. Each minute detail is looked into. They make sure that you are comfortable enough during the trip.
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You get to experience local authentic food
Northeast India is a haven for food lovers, especially for non-vegetarians. The wide variety of palatable dishes you get in Northeast alone can give you a great gastronomic experience.
The authentic dishes like Tangy Fish Curry and Aloo Pitika (mashed potatoes ) from Assam, Smoked Pork from Nagaland, Jadoh – a pungent pork pulau from Meghalaya, Thukpa from Sikkim to Manipur’s Iromba, you will be overwhelmed with the cuisine in this part of India.
The Holiday Scout also arranges local food tours for their guests. In fact, you can learn to cook local dishes there. They also arrange Momo making classes for their guests at local household.
Local Monpa snack made during the Losar festival. We were served this at a lovely home-stay in Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh
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You get exclusive access to places which are otherwise inaccessible for tourists
As I mentioned earlier, the Holiday Scout makes sure that you get what you came for. They go extra miles to provide the best experiences to their guests. With strong connections in the region, great reputation and respect, the Holiday Scout have the access to places which are off-limits for tourists otherwise.
Like, I got an exclusive access to the kitchen of Tawang Monastery, home of Brokpa people and also got to stay in a heritage tea bungalow.
The chapatis in the kitchen of Tawang Monastery where I got an exclusive access
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You are given ample time to observe the local culture
Unlike others, they never rush things on the trip. They allow guests to immerse fully to understand and experience the culture. It is not like ticking off the check list, rather providing an immersive experience. The best part is that they provide information, great narration and allow their guests to participate in conversations and activities with the locals.
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The best tour and travel agency to promote niche tourism
If you are a writer, blogger, photographer or a filmmaker, who wants to do a niche tour only to entertain your limited interest in any area, the Holiday Scout is the best tour operator to contact. They have already done a lot of photography tours in Northeast India with some of the well-known photographers across the globe.
A Brokpa woman during her morning house chores in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh
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Grassroots knowledge and connection
Sange Tsering, being a local from Bomdila, is someone who has a treasure of knowledge about the region. Whether it is the history, culture, language, food habits, etc., he is a source of ample knowledge.
Being a social worker himself, his relationship with the local people is beyond amazing. Working in the travel industry for a long time has earned him a great reputation which helps him immensely to carry out his services effortlessly. Apart from him, the professional guides they provide are a delight to strike conversation with regarding anything about the region. As a result, it makes his trips quite satisfactory for his guests.
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Most comfortable vehicle to travel
Comfort of the guests is another factor to which the Holiday Scout pays a lot of attention. It doesn’t matter whether you are travelling alone or with someone, you will be given an SUV for your journey throughout northeast India. You basically travel in luxury with the Holiday Scout.
Even on the muddy road, you are given comfortable drive. Photo Credit: Holiday Scout
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Your pick-up and drop are taken care of
Your airport pick-up and drop are included in the package. All you need to do is to land at the airport and get in the car to start the expedition to the land of amazing surprises. If it is your first time in India, you don’t need to worry or feel nervous about anything, literally.
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Well organised tour
The tours of Holiday Scout are always well organised. There are no last minute cancellations, no delays or no unannounced changes. Until and unless, there is a natural calamity, or situations beyond human control, you should be assured that the tour will go according to the set itinerary. From accommodation, food, transportation to the guides, everything is organised efficiently to cater to the need of the guests.
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Best Value for money
At the end of the tour, you will return with a bag full of wonderful memories and great friendships. I CAN VOUCH FOR IT. They generally have repeated guests from across the globe because of their exceptional services.
Do you need any more reasons to plan your Northeast India trip with Holiday Scout?
A Must watch video by Holiday Scout
Meet Sange Tsering: The man behind Holiday Scout
Sange Tsering, a young man from Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh is the proud owner of Holiday Scout. Driven by an endless passion for travel, Sange founded the company a few years back. His uncle, Mr. Tsering Wange, was the pioneer of tourism in the region who became the inspiration for Sange Tsering to venture into the travel and tourism industry from an early age.
A man with a treasure trove of knowledge about entire northeast India, offers the best customized tours to his clients across the globe. He is a fabulous host, fantastic travel companion and a complete gentleman. His commitment towards work and positive attitude make him the best person TO GO TO in NORTHEAST.
Sange Tsering at Tawang Monastery. Photo Credit: Jitaditya Narzary
With numerous guests giving positive reviews due to his outstanding services, excellent knowledge, humble yet friendly nature and urge to show his homeland to his guests have earned him the reputation.
His zest for learning new things, continuous efforts to contribute back to the community, and other social services make him stand out in the industry. His contributions towards promoting travel to Northeast India are quite commendable.
He was featured as “One of 50 People to know in the Himalayas”by the Conde Nast Traveller. In the year of 2017, Holiday Scout received the ‘Explorer of the Year Award’ by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
Me at the most picturesque Dirang Boutique cottage , Arunachal Pradesh
He is a proud owner of the Dirang Boutique Cottage, a riverside resort in the Dirang district of Arunachal Pradesh. Encircled by the hills and river, the peaceful environment of the beautiful property demands you to slow down and enjoy nature at its best.
Philanthropic work of Sange Tsering
Sange with a local Monpa woman in Dirang
The most admirable quality of Sange Tsering is his love for the community and urge to do things to improve the environment, education and lifestyle of the locals. It is quite amazing to know that more than 35-40% of the profit from Holiday Scout goes back to the community.
In future, the Holiday Scout will contribute 50% profit to the community for various social development works. Not just that, Holiday Scout has set up 12 to 14 home-stays and guest houses for culinary experiences, trained around 14 guides till date.
They never charge any money from the locals in the name of training and developments. The complete marketing and profit are also given to the locals. By doing this, he is training locals to open their doors for the travelers and giving them a source of livelihood. This is undoubtedly a huge contribution in promoting local tourism in remote places.
Adopted 3 sisters
Sange Tsering is also actively involved in educating the locals. He has adopted 3 sisters from the local villages to give them complete education. These girls are living with his family from last 12 years.
Rinchin (Class11) wants to be a nurse, Karmu (Class 10) wants to be a chef and Yangzom(class 2) wants to be a teacher in the future. Sange has not only taken the responsibility of their education, but everything else will be borne by him.
Paint A School Initiative
Sange with Jurmey and Bapu at the school having a light moment, Arunachal Pradesh
Sange Tsering has recently been in news for transforming a government run primary school in Chug valley of the West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh under the initiative called “Paint A School”. He had invited painters across the country to join the cause. He gave life to the crumbling school by painting the whole school and giving a new look not only to the school walls but also the campus.
The newly painted school not just got a colorful and lively look, but got uplifted infrastructure wise as well. Sange, his team and a few volunteers repaired the ceiling, and damaged walls inside the classrooms. They had drawn various cartoon characters and written encouraging slogans on the exterior walls of the school to attract the kids to come to the school.
These adorable girls I met during my visit to a government run public school in chug valley, Arunachal Pradesh
Sange Tsering had done the entire renovation and refurbishing of the school without taking any help from anyone. In the future, he is planning to adopt more schools in remote villages under this noble initiative. According to Sange, “by doing this I want to give a lively environment to school so that kids from remote corners develop the urge to come to school daily”.
Adopted a village under Impact Northeast
An elderly woman with a kid in Samtu village, Arunachal Pradesh
Near Chug valley in the West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh, there is a beautiful remote village named Samtu. During my last trip to Dirang valley, I happened to visit the village. With only 13 houses in the village, it has the humblest people and a landscape to die for.
We were welcomed to one of the household where they greeted us with Tibetan offering scarf named Khata and it was soon followed by butter tea. As we were taken around the village, the hanging wooden phalluses in front of their houses drew my attention. Later we got to know that they hang them for good luck. I tried my hand in archery also with the local villagers in Samtu village.
Locals in Samtu village playing archery, Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh
So, why am I talking so much about Samtu village? This tiny village has only one source of water for the entire village. Sange Tsering with his new initiative called “Impact northeast” has adopted this village and will provide water supply to each household in near future. This will make the life of the villagers quite easy as the whole village otherwise uses the common water supply source for their daily chores.
Ration distribution during Covid_19 outbreak
The Holiday Scout always comes forward whenever there is a need for community service. In the times of corona virus, when the whole world is going through a tough phase, the most affected are the economically challenged people.
The Holiday Scout is the only tour agency from Northeast India, which came forward to help needy people during this emergency time. They distributed ration in areas around the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary and a few hamlets near Bomdila. They also offered refreshments to the district hospital Bomdila and gave sanitizers to police personnel working in different check posts.
From Northeast India Archive
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All You Wanted to Know about ILP & PAP Permits for Northeast India (All States)
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Basar Confluence in Arunachal Pradesh: A Unique Cultural Festival in North East India
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Kaziranga Golf Resort: A Slice Of Colonial Lifestyle
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It was really nice to read such an amazing article, must recommend to everyone.
Really Wonderful post.Thanks for sharing.Keep sharing.
Great review! Thanks a lot for sharing this awesome post! Love your blog.
Wow! Ive never heard of holiday scout! Thanks for sharing!
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I really appreciate your article…keep up the good work buddy…
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Have a nice day…
You have sold this to me. For one, it is an all inclusive package. Two the safety and the fact they take care of all the permits. And finally, the fact that they go beyond the regular itinerary. I definitely like the offbeat experiences part – they help you experience the real culture of a place.
I have never been to India, but the first time I will visit I’ll definitely refer back to this informative, comprehensive post. I would definitely want to have this guide as it seems like India can be pretty overwhelming at first. Your photos look great and are quite inspiring me to visit.
As one who has never been to India, I find your post extremely useful. You are right, with so many cultures and varied languages, India is overwhelming. I would definitely choose a tour company to take me around and even make an itinerary for me. And from what you are describing, Holiday Scout seems to be a good choice. Thank you for sharing this information.
What an informative post! I would love to visit India and was looking for a trusted tour operator to go with. This is incredibly helpful for anyone planning a trip.
This sounds like such a perfect way to travel and see a region that can be difficult without a guide. I spent a month in India last year and I was so thankful to have someone guide my tour and speak for me where language would have been more difficult. I love India and can’t wait to go back when travel is possible so this is exactly what I wanted to read about today!
When we last visited India, we had a great guide. He let us learn so much more. So I can understand why you would suggest a guide for Northeast India. I like the idea of having all costs included. Nothing worse than being nickel and dimed through your whole trip for extras. It is ever better if you can tailor your trip – even a little. And I agree. There are advantages of having a licensed tour guide. Sometimes they get you treats you would never get travelling on your own. A good post on the advantages of group travel.
Thanks for this post — In the past I’ve harboured a desire to explore southern India before – mainly because of all the vegetarian food options .. but haven’t really thought about exploring the north. Your amazing photos and the look at the culture and the people you met, has really piqued my interest.
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Holiday Scout would be a good idea for the comprehensive package that they are offering. Plus the fact that all permits are taken care of takes away all the hassles. Being local I think their itinerary would also be just about perfect. North East definitely is one of my favorite destinations too and due to my work I have traveled all across the nine states and sometimes tagging my wife along too.
It’s so great that it’s all-inclusive! That’s really a help when you’re trying to come up with a travel budget. It’s also wonderful that they expose you to real life and the culture of India. It sounds like a great company!
I blog frequently and I seriously thank you for your information. This great article has truly peaked my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and keep checking for new information about once a week. I subscribed to your RSS feed too.
Thanks a lot for your invaluable guide and information which Ensure my Peace of Mind and Broaden my Horizons. …. Actually it reminds me the incredible India!
Thank you for your valuable information.
Thank you for your useful information.
Awesome post..
Thanks for sharing..