The ClearEast Journal

Notes from the Eastern Himalayas

Destination guides, travel philosophy, wildlife, and the kind of things you learn from going slowly.

Why Slow Travel Changes You (And Fast Travel Doesn't)

There's a moment that happens on almost every journey we run. Usually around day three. The traveller stops photographing everything and starts just looking.

March 12, 20256 min read

Destination Guide

First Time in Bhutan: What Nobody Tells You

Everyone tells you about Tiger's Nest before you go. Nobody tells you about the silence in Paro valley at 6am, or how cold the nights are even in October.

February 28, 20258 min read

Destination Guide

The Hornbill Festival: A Practical Guide for First Timers

The Hornbill Festival is held every December in Kisama Heritage Village, 12 kilometres from Kohima. All 16 Naga tribes gather for ten days. Nothing else in India looks like this.

January 15, 20257 min read

Wildlife

A Dawn Safari in Kaziranga: What to Expect

The jeep enters the park at 5:30am. The grass is still heavy with dew. Your guide cuts the engine. You wait. Within twenty minutes, you understand why this is the best safari in India.

December 8, 20245 min read

Trekking

The Nongriat Trek: A Complete Guide to Meghalaya's Root Bridges

The double-decker root bridge at Nongriat takes about three hours to reach from Tyrna village. You walk down 3,000 steps into a gorge. The bridge is alive. The walk back up is harder.

November 22, 20246 min read

Culture

Darjeeling Tea: What You Actually Taste on a Tea Estate Visit

Most people have drunk Darjeeling tea. Fewer people have visited a Darjeeling estate. The difference between what you imagine and what you find is significant — and better.

October 30, 20245 min read