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Travel Information
What to see:
There are twenty-one Satras on the island - several of them still very active in the tradition and training of dance, drama, music, art and craft. You can hire a boat and cruise down the river in the early morning, bird-watching; and also visit fields and homes to see the cultivation and weaving for yourself first hand of the tribes.
People even go for joy riding cycle and can best experience the secrets of Majuli the land of culture.
When to visit:
The best time to visit Majuli is to coincide with the ‘Rasleela’, at the time of the full moon in the month of Kartik (November); but Majuli can be visited all year around. During the rainy season much of the island is flooded, but ironically, it makes getting around (by boat) easier.
Whom to contact:
1. Directorate Assam Tourism, Guwahati: (0361)- 2542748 2547102 Dy Dir 2544475 (Tourist information officer)
2. Assam Tourism Development Corporation, Guwahati: (0361)- 2454570, 2454421, 2457117, 2609182
3. District Magistrate, Jorhat, (0376)- 2320020
4. Sub Divisional Officer, Majuli, Garamur: (03775)- 274475
5. MIPADC, Majuli Island Protection and Development Council
G. S. Road, Sapta Swahid Path, Mathura Nagar, Guwahati-6
Guwahati : +91-361- 2268061 (Bharat Saikia, Secy, MIPADC)
+91-9435047990 –Diganta Gogoi, Project Director, MIPADC
E-mail : mipadc1@rediffmail.com
Majuli: +91-3775-274440 (Jiten Deka, Secy, MIPADC Majuli Unit
Delhi: +91-11- 23792214
How to reach:
Majuli is near to Jorhat one of the major township in Upper Assam.
1. Jorhat is well connected by air, with flights via Guwahati and Kolkata from different metros of the country.
Airlines
Airlines | From ----- To | Days of Opn. |
Indian Airlines | Delhi -Kolkata – Jorhat | Del- Kolkata 7.00 hours Dep. Kolkata- Jorhat Dep. at 11.15 Hours every Tuesday & 12.15 hours every Saturday |
Jet Airways | Delhi-Kolkat- Jorhat | Del- Kolkata 6.15 hours Kolkata- Jorhat 11.05 Hours Operates on Thursday & Sundays |
Sahara Airlines | Delhi-Guwahati-Dibrugarh | Every Day. Departure from Delhi at 10.15 hours. |
Air Deccan | Delhi-Guwahati-Dibrugarh | Every Day |
Air India | Kolkata – Guwahati-Bangkok | Flights temporarily suspended. |
Jet Airways | Delhi-Guwahati | Every Day. Departure from Delhi at ? hours. |
2. Jorhat is connected by train from Guwahati via Mariani Jn.
(Mariani and Jorhat are connected by rail and road transport) ---- Km.
Indian Railways
Train No. & Name | From ------ To |
2506- NE Express 5610- Avad Assam Express 2436- Rajdhani Express 2424- Rajdhani Express 4056- Brahmaputra Mail 2502- Poorvothar Sampark Kranti Exp. | Delhi/New Delhi To Guwahati |
5657- Kanchanjunja Express 2345- Saraighat Express 5959- Kamrup Express | Howrah/Sealdiah (Kolkata) To Guwahati |
| Guwahati To Mariani/Dibrugarh |
3. From Guwahati, Jorhat is a seven-hour bus ride. Buses leave early morning and at night. ASTC/Private Luxury Coach Night service buses are available to Jorhat under Travel agencies namely Green Valley, Assam Valley, Blue hills, Travel India and others.
Bus Service
Bus | From ----- to | ||
Day service | Guwahati – Jorhat Via Kaziranga National Park | Private- Luxury/Delux Coach ASTC- Luxury/Delux Coach | |
Night service | Guwahati – Jorhat | Private- Luxury/Delux Coach ASTC- Luxury/Delux Coach |
4. From Jorhat it is only fourteen kilometers to Neemati Ghat.
## Bus to Neemati ghat.
Both government and private buses ply between Jorhat and Neemati ghat.
Tourist can also self-drive or hire private taxi (like Tata Sumo, Qualis, Jeep from Jorhat town through travel agents). The taxi can cross over on the ferry or machine boat (charges apply and the best option to visit Majuli).
There are at least two ferry rides to Majuli every day, one around 10.30 a.m., the other around 2.30 p.m.
Most of the Ferries or Machine boats do not maintain a general schedule time. The boats are plying as per availability of the passengers.
(Exact times can be ascertained from the private bus stand at Jorhat).
During high stages of river Brahmaputra all ferry services are suspended till the water level recedes.
Ferry service
Ferry/Machine boat | |
Neemati ghat – Kamalabari ghat | 1.5 hour ride |
Neemati ghat – Dakhinpat ghat | 1 |
Neemati ghat – Salmora | 1.45 |
Neemati ghat – Sumoimari ghat | 1 |
The first ferry ride lasts about an hour - after that transfer to a bus for a ten minute bus ride across Major Sapori, another island en route Majuli. Then a short ferry ride, and yet another bus ride to Kamalabari, the main town on the island.
Site Map
Where to stay:
Majuli does not have a developed infrastructure for tourism. There is 1 hotel.
Some Sattras have guestrooms. If you write in advance, they would certainly be available. The Satras that have such facilities and can deal with visitors easily are Natun Kamalabari, Uttar Kamalabari, Auniati, Bhogpur and Dakhinpat. The first two are walking distance from Kamalabari. The second two are slightly further a field (about six kilometers away), and Dakhinpath is at one end of the island. In case you wish to go to Dakhinpath, there is a ferry from Neemati direct to Dakhinpath as well.
In addition to the Satra facilities, there are Inspection Bungalows at some points on the island (the one at Kamalabari is well located), and a Circuit House at Garamur, which is the sub-divisional headquarters. For the Inspection Bunglows and Circuit House, you could write to the Sub-Divisional Officer, Garamur, Majuli, Assam.
Accommodation/Lodging
Place | No. of Beds |
Inspection Bungalow – Kamalabari | 6 |
Circuit House – Garamur | 16 |
Banking facilities
All Nationalized & Private banks are available in Guwahati, Jorhat and Majuli (SBI branch, United Bank of India).
(Currency Exchanger facility in Guwahati)
What you can do to save Majuli?
Petition your Member of Parliament to raise the issue and insist that Government resources be brought in to study the problem and then devise remedies for protection; Visit Majuli as a concerned tourist, and document the story of the island. Share it with your friends, and create an awareness of this unique piece of heritage; Invest in developing the potential for Eco-tourism on Majuli; and Wear fabrics spun and woven in Majuli - this will directly increase incomes on the island.
