o la la chalet Framing itself as the Khasi cultural centre, Smit hosts the major fi ve-day Nongkrem Festival (Octob

Framing itself as the Khasi cultural centre, Smit hosts the major fi ve-day Nongkrem Festival (October). This features animal sacrifices and a curious slow-motion shuffling dance performed in full costume in front of the thatched bamboo palace of the local syiem (traditional ruler). Smit is 11km from Shillong, 4km off the Jowai road.

boat is met by a bus to Pasighat in Arunachal o la la chalet Pradesh. Ferries can carry just two jeeps. There s little shelter and the journey takes around eight hours (5 hours downstream), o la la chalet so bring an umbrella, water and sunscreen. The journey can be quite an adventure with the boats bouncing o la la chalet off the ever-shifting sandbars (and sometimes not bouncing off them!) and with brief stops en route giving glimpses of isolated riverside hamlets. Exact departure points depend o la la chalet on the Brahmaputra s water level.