IRCTC ‘North East Discovery’ tour to operate from April 22; check routes, features and more

As part of the 'North East Discovery’ tour, the Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC's) Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC tourist train is set to operate from Delhi Safdarjung Railway Station on April 22. The 15-day and 5800-km journey will cover India’s North East frontier states—a land that has remained undiscovered for a long time. It has boarding points, namely Ghaziabad, Tundla, Aligarh, Kanpur and Etawah.

Which Northeast states will Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC tourist train cover?

Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC tourist train will take passengers to five of the "seven sisters" of the lesser-travelled North Eastern region of India. The train will pass through natural beauty and cultural heritage of Guwahati, Jorhat, Sivasagar and Kaziranga in Assam, Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, Udaipur and Unakoti in Tripura, Kohima and Dimapur in Nagaland, Cherapunji and Shillong in Meghalaya.

Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC tourist train itinerary

Guwahati is the first stop of the train, where tourists will visit Kamakhya Temple, followed by Umananda Temple and then a sunset cruise on the Brahmaputra. It will move on from there to an overnight journey for Naharlagun Railway Station, which is 30 km from the next destination, Itanagar, the Arunachal Pradesh capital.

After that, the city is Sivasagar, the Ahom Kingdom's old capital, situated in the eastern part of Assam. The prominent Shiva temple at Sivasagar, Sivadol, is a part of the itinerary, along with other heritage sites like Talatal and Rang Ghar.

Next, tourists will enjoy the tea gardens at Jorhat and an overnight stay at Kaziranga. They will have early morning jungle safari at Kaziranga National Park. The train will move from Furkating Railway Station for Tripura. Once they reach the Kumarghat Railway Station, the tourists will take a walk at the heritage site of Unakoti, the ‘Angkor Wat of North East’, followed by a visit to Agartala.

The sites included are popular Ujjayanta Palace, Tripura Sundari Mandir, Neermahal Palace in Udaipur. It will depart for Dimapur to visit Nagaland. The beautiful train journey between Badarpur Station and Lumding Junction can be seen in the early hours of the morning from their seats. From Dimapur Station, they will be taken to Kohima by bus to visit local sites, comprising a tour of the Khonoma village to know the Naga way of life.

Further, it will depart for Guwahati. Tourists will be taken by road to Shillong, the Meghalaya capital, with a pit break at the wonderful Umium Lake en route. The next day will begin with an excursion to Cherrapunji, located in the East Khasi Hills. Shillong Peak, Nawkhalikai Falls, Elephant Falls, and Mawsmai Caves are a part of the day's sightseeing. They will travel back to Guwahati Station from Cherrapunji to get on the train for Delhi.

Features of Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC tourist train

It consists of two dining restaurants, a contemporary flameless kitchen, sensor-based washroom functions, shower cubicles in coaches, foot massagers, and a small library. The fully air-conditioned train offers three types of accommodation such as AC I (Superior), AC II (Deluxe) and AC III (Comfort). The train has improved security features, namely CCTV cameras, electronic safes, including unarmed security guards deployed for each coach.

Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC tourist train ticket prices

The price range begins from ₹1,67,845 per person for AC 1 (Coupe), ₹1,49,815 per person for AC1 (Cabin), ₹1,29,915 per person in AC 2 Tier, and Rs. 1,16,905 n AC III as all-inclusive tour package. It will include the train journey in the respective class, night stays at AC hotels, daily meals (vegetarian only), all transfers and sightseeing in buses, with travel insurance, and guide services as additions.

Interestingly, the introduction of the Bharat Gaurav tourist train aligns with central government's efforts through its "Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat" and "Dekho Apna Desh" campaigns, which are designed to boost and enhance domestic tourism.

(With inputs from ANI)