Tourism
Assam Tourism official website [click here] has valuable information if you would like to explore the Guwahati city and Assam as a tourist. To explore the Seven Sister states in North East India [click here] and [click here].
The North-eastern part of the Indian subcontinent is synonymous with unspoiled natural beauty, teeming wildlife, immaculate tea gardens and warm, beautiful people. Over the centuries, people of various ethnic, religious and linguistic backgrounds have been attracted to the fertile valleys of Assam making it a mosaic of various cultures and heritage. It is no wonder then that Assam is said to be like a miniature of the whole country itself.
Assam has five national parks including the World Heritage Sites of Kazirnaga and Manas, and 20 Wildlife sanctuaries. The great Indian one-horned rhinoceros is one of Assam's most famous denizens.
Climate
Supporting the state's abundant wildlife and luscious vegetation are the monsoons which stretch from late May to September, but there are intermittent rains even in the winters. Winters begins in late November and continues till February. Winter mornings in most parts of Assam are marked by dense fog giving the land an aura of ethereal beauty.
About Guwahati City
Guwahati is the largest city in Assam and a major seat of social and cultural activites. Once known as Pragjyotishpura (the Light of the East), Guwahati derives its name from the Assamese words "Guwa" meaning areca nut and "Haat" meaning market. Guwahati also known as the gateway to the North Eastern region of India is a picturesque city located along the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra, the pride of Assam.
The world famous Shrimanta Shankardev Kalakshetra is located in Guwahati. In addition to being Northeast India's largest cultural congregation, the Kalakshetra is also a major tourist spot in Guwahati. Besides the Kalakshetra, the Balaji temple, Basishta temple, Umananda temple, Dol Govinda temple and the famous Kamakhya temple are other major holy shrines located in the city which attracts huge number of tourists every year.
Guwahati is home to some of the oldest and esteemed educational institutes of the country namely the century old Cotton College, Gauhati University (the oldest university in this part of India), Handique Girls College, Gauhati Medical College, Assam Engineering College, Indian Institute of Technology (a premier institute for technical education in the country), etc. Every year thousands of students come to the city from different parts of the North east for higher education in the prestigious educational institutes of the city.
It is also worth mentioning that Guwahati is one among the 98 Indian cities which will be upgraded to Smart Cities under a project embarked on by Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India. With the grade of a Smart city, Guwahati will have highly up-to-date and radical provisions like regular and continuous electric supply, first-rate traffic and transport system, superior health care and many other prime utilities.
