Manas National Park, then Barpeta Satra and the sculptures of Surya Pahar.
Western Assam has one of India's most beautiful parks. Day one is Manas National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Bhutan border, home to tigers, elephants and the rare golden langur. Day two visits Barpeta Satra, a centre of Assamese Vaishnavism, and the rock-cut Hindu, Buddhist and Jain sculptures of Surya Pahar. The park is open roughly October to May.
Manas National Park lies at the foot of the Bhutan hills along the Manas River and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, tiger reserve and elephant reserve. Its grasslands and forests shelter rare species such as the pygmy hog, hispid hare, golden langur and Bengal florican. Jeep safaris start from Bansbari, and the riverside at Mathanguri is the scenic highlight.
Barpeta Satra was founded in 1583 by Madhavdeva, chief disciple of the saint Sankaradeva, and remains one of the most important Vaishnavite centres of Assam. Its great Kirtan Ghar prayer hall has been rebuilt several times on the original site. The satra is famous for its Doul Utsav at Holi, celebrated with devotional songs called holigeet.
Sri Surya Pahar is a hill near Goalpara scattered with remains of three faiths. Rows of rock-cut Shiva lingams and carvings of Vishnu and other Hindu deities share the slopes with Jain figures and a group of Buddhist votive stupas cut from granite. The remains span roughly the early centuries CE to the 12th century, and a site museum explains them.
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