Haflong – the only hill station of Assam

Popularly known as the “white ant hillock”, Halflong, which lies in the Himalayan terrain of Assam, is the only hill station of the state. This hill town serves as the district headquarters of the North Cachar district and is situated at an average elevation of 680 m above the sea level and is a beautiful place situated amidst the beauty of nature. Bestowed with spectacular natural beauty, this hill station is conferred with the name “'Switzerland of the East” owing to its picturesque beauty. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations of Assam among the nature lovers and bird watchers.
 

Situated about 345 km from Guwahati and 85 km north of Silchar, Haflong is surrounded by azure blue hills, shimmering emerald green rivers and orchids, which adds to the beauty of the place. Like the other hill stations of the country, this hill station of Assam also has a colonial history and the remnants of British rule can be seen even today in form of buildings and its architecture reveals it. Besides the picturesque and charming beauty, the hills of Haflong is also known to house over 2 lakh different variety of flowers, which include orchids like Blue Vanda, rare variety of avian species, fruits such as oranges, pineapple, peaches and pera. This mesmerizing hill station is inhabited by different ethno-cultural groups of Assam, namely Jema Nagas, Khelmas, Dimasa, Hmars, Biates, Karbis, Thadou Kukies, Vaipheis and the Hrankhols tribes. Haflong is also one of the coveted destinations among the adventure enthusiasts as it offers opportunities for trekking and hiking in the blue hills and also offers opportunities for paragliding and hang-gliding.
 

Haflong features humid subtropical climate with maximum temperature ranging from 24 0C to 30 0C and minimum temperature ranges from 10 0Cto 14 0C. The place experiences heavy rainfall from May to September. This hill town has a number of attractions, which are worth visiting. Jatinga is a famous place in this region, which is a village well-known for the phenomenon of birds “committing suicide”. It is located about 20 km from Halflong and offers an enchanting view as it is covered with Blue Vandas orchids. This place is famous among the tourist and people from various parts not only of India but of the World visits this place to witness huge number of migratory birds committing suicide every year between the months of August and November.