excursion
Guwahati is also located centrally to many of the regional tourist destinations and the city provides basic communication services and tours to access these. Few of these are:
* Kaziranga National Park - 200 km east, famous for one horned rhinoceros
* Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary - 60 km east
* Shillong - 100 km south, a beautiful hill station and the capital city of Meghalaya surrounded by pine forests
* Tawang - 200 km north, a famous Buddhist monastery in the snow-clad Arunachal-Himalayas
* Manah / Manas National Park - 150 km west, a beautiful wildlife sanctuary in the foot hills of Himalaya
Moreover, there are several wonderful picnic spots (e.g. Candubi) in and around the city.
Hundreds of traditional Asomiya (Assamese), Bodo, Karbi, Tiwa, Garo, Khasi villages and traditional way of life in 200 km radius of the city can be of great interests to tourist. Bamboo and fruit orchards, handloom and handicraft, wet paddy fields, fishing, etc. are typical characteristics of local traditional way of life. Sorthebari and Sualkuchi are two places near the city with tradition of bronze-crafts and silk weaving for thousands of years.
Madan Kamdev, at 35 km from the city is an important archeological site with ancient ruins of temples and other structures.
Hajo and the sacred place of Hayagriv Madhava are two important religious places both for the Hindus and the Buddhists. One of the temples, which is known as the Hayagriv Madhava temple is a Bishnu temple for the Hindus and at the same time an important shrine for the Tibetan Buddhists. The Buddhists believe that the Buddha attained nirvana at this place. The temple was destroyed by Kalapahar and was rebuilt by the Koch king Raghudev in 1543. Another temple in proximity was built by the Ahom king Pramatta Singha, where 'doul' - a grand religious festival is celebrated every year. There is a large pond with a giant turtle close to the temple. Puwa Macca in Hajo is an important religious place for Muslims with a mosque built in 1657 during the time of Mughal's invasion.
