The state capital of Meghalaya or the "abode of cloud". Meghalaya is endowed with a rich variety of flora and fauna. More than 3000 varieties of orchids are found in Meghalaya. A botanical wonder, the pitcher plant, an insect eating plant is found in the district of Jaintia hills, West Khasi hills and South Garo hills of the state. Animals and birds that are found in the state are elephants, tigers, bear, jackal, leopard, golden langurs etc . Attractions around Shillong are - The artificial Wards lake, named after William Ward the chief commisioner of Assam. Wei tdem(sweet falls), a beautiful fall on the Umkhen stream. The Entomological Museum (Butterfly museum). Nartiang, a cluster of giant monoliths is about 65km from Shillong. Syndai-or Syndai Caves, were used as hide-outs during war times between the Jaintia king and foreign intruders.

The name of this hill station Darjeeling came from two word ‘dorje and ‘ling’, meaning thunderbolt and place respectively. The climate of this hill station remain cold throughout the year. The best time to visit is from March to mid June and September to mid December. It has been a signature hill station in the north eastern part of India with its cloud veiled valleys, picturesque, yet wild streams, spectacular mountain views and something very unusual- the famous Toy Trains. The awesome sun-rise view from the Tiger Hills, when the very first rays of the blazing sun emerges up from the dark hills and reflect upon the Kanchenjunga, is a photographer’s delight. There are other famous and popular tourist sites like Batasia Loop, Botanical Gardens, Rock Garden, Peace Pagoda, Dhirdham Temple and the Ganga Maiya Park.You can also visit and feel the aroma of vast tea estates of Darjeeling.

Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim is the “lofty hill” set amidst the mist and clouds of the splendorous and magnificent view of the Himalayas. The abominable snowman and the legendaryYeti have been legends of a long time. There are many more legends of the sacred mountains, Kanchenjunga which brig forth the divine nature of these mountains. Sikkim abounds in birds and butterflies, varieties of orchids, rhododendrons and wild flowers and is particularly famous for its over 500 species of orchids.Simple, ever-smiling hill people, colourful lamas, exotic monasteries and prayer flags fluttering in places combine to provide a fascinating holiday. Some places of interests are Chorten, a stupa built in 1945, is a great religious centre with valuable relics and two huge statues of Guru Rimpoche (Padmasambhava), Deer Park with an image of the preaching Buddha, Orchid Sanctuary with over 200 species of orchids, Tsukla-Khang, the royal monastery of the former Chogyals or rulers of Sikkim. Has priceless Buddhist treasures, Enchey Monastery with its exhibits of images and religious objects and the Research Institute of Tibetology which has a large collection of icons, tankhas (tapestries) and rare books.

Kamakhya Temple is a Shakti Peeth temple situated on the Nilachal Hill in western part of Guwahati city in Assam. It is one of the most sacred Hindu Shrines of India. Goddess Kamakhya is worshipped here. Every year in the middle of June 'Ambubachi Mela' is celebrated in this temple. Another annual celebration, the Durga Puja is also celebrated during Navaratri in the autumn. It is an important pilgrimage destination for general Hindu and Tantric worshipers. Offerings to the goddess are usually flowers, but might include animal sacrifices and in general, female animals are exempt from sacrifice. According to the Kalika Purana, Kamakhya Temple denotes the spot where Sati used to retire in secret to satisfy her amour with Shiva, and it was also the place where her yoni fell after Shiva danced with the corpse of Sati.

Kaziranga National Park is a national park in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam.. A World Heritage Site, the park hosts two-thirds of the world's Great One-horned Rhinoceroses. Kaziranga boasts the highest density of tigers among protected areas in the world and was declared a Tiger Reserve. The park is home to large breeding populations of elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer. Kaziranga is recognized as an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International for conservation of avifaunal species. Compared to other protected areas in India, Kaziranga has achieved notable success in wildlife conservation. Located on the edge of the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, the park combines high species diversity and visibility. Observing the wildlife, including birding, is the main visitor activity in and around the park. Hiking is prohibited in the park to avoid potential human-animal conflicts.

Whenever we talk of tribes and tribal culture of India, the North East India comes to mind. Northeast India is ethnically distinct from the rest of India and has strong ethnic and cultural ties with Southeast Asia. All of them are quite soft-spoken and simple. The language is predominantly influenced by the Tibeto-Burman languages. North East India covers the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and Sikkim - much of it is untouched by commercial mainstream tourism.

The North East Indian tribes can be separately marked for their cultural trends which are marked by their festivals, customs, dances and other social occasions. They can be largely associate with the ethnic groups of Indo Mongoloids, Tibeto-Burmese and proto Austrioloids which represent the Asio-Austric culture on Indian hilly regions. Their existence can be traced back to the pre-historic times.

• The Thai Village in Assam
• Konyak Tribe in Nagaland
• Zekhring tribe in Arunachal Pradesh
• Lost Tribes of Israel in Mizoram
• Lobha Tribe in Arunachal Pradesh
Other must see tribes are Khasis, Garos and Pnars of Meghalaya: Bodo, Dimasa, Kalitas, Karbis, Khamti, Kuki and Misings of Assam.