ARUNACHAL PRADESH - NATURE AND TRIBAL TOUR, Himalayas Holiday Tours & Travel

Thursday, September 09, 2010

ARUNACHAL PRADESH - NATURE AND TRIBAL TOUR

TRAVEL ARTICLES

Himalayas
DESTINATIONS COVERED: Guwahati, Tezpur, Dirang, Tawang, Bomdila, Itanagar, Ziro, Daporijo, Along, Pashighat, Dibrugarh STATE: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam [India]
13 NIGHTS / 14 DAYS

DAY 1: ARRIVE GUWAHATI - TEZPUR (180KMS- 5 HRS)
You will be met and assisted by our representative on arrival at Guwahati airport and drive to Tezpur. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Tezpur.

DAY 2: TEZPUR - GUWAHATI - TEZPUR (200 KMS - 7 HRS)
Leave Tezpur for Dirang via Bhalukpong. Stop at Tipi to see the Orchid Nursery. Visit the Sherdukpen tribe in Rupa. Arrive Dirang and check-in at the Rest House. Visit the monastery at Dirang. The Sherdukpen are found South of the Bomdila Range in the valley of the Tengapani River. They are Buddhist by religion and have cultural affinities with the Monpa tribe. The main concentration of the Sherdukpen is spread over three important villages of Rupa, Jigaon and Shergaon. Overnight in Dirang.

DAY 3: DIRANG - TAWANG (9,960 FT) (181 KMS - APPROX. 8 HRS)
Leave Dirang for Tawang via the Sela Pass. On the way, visit the Monpa tribe-villages. Arrive Tawang and check-in at the hotel. The Monpa are an ethnic group in the districts of Tawang and West Kameng in Arunachal Pradesh. The tribe is also found in the Cuona district of Tibet, where they are known as Menba. A small number of them may be found in Bhutan. The word "Monpa" means "People of the Mon-yul, which means land in Tibetan. Their language is of Tibeto-Burman origin and script is Tibetan. The Monpa are mainly followers of Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa sect. Tawang is famous for its 400 year old Buddhist monastery. The monastery was founded by a monk, Mera Lama, a contemporary of the fifth Dalai Lama. Before the establishment of the Monastery, Tawang was a centre of Tantric religion. The Tawang Monastery is also known as the 'Galden Namgyal Lhatse'. Beyond Tawang lies the forbidden land of Tibet to the north, connected by the Bum La and Tulung La passes. Overnight in Tawang.

Day 4: IN TAWANG
Visit the Tawang monastery and the birth place of the 5th Dalai Lama. Also visit the Nunnery. Overnight in Tawang.

DAY 5: TAWANG - BOMDILA (180KMS- APPROX. 06 HRS)
Leave Tawang for Bomdila. Enroute visit Jung water fall. Arrive Bomdila and check-in at the hotel. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight in Bomdila - HOTEL Bomdila is a beautiful small town situated at a height of about 8000 ft. above the sea level from where one can see the brilliant landscape and snow-clad mountains of the Himalayan Range. The Buddhist monastery of Bomdila is the repository of culture and is among primary attractions of the area. Bomdila is the headquarters of West Kameng district. Evening visit Upper Gonpa, locally known as Gonpatse Gonpa, built by previous Rev. Gonpatse Rimpoche, and the new Gonpa is built by the present Rev. Gonpatse Rimpoche, the 15 recantation of Tsona Gonpatse Rimpoche of Tibet, Tsona is a place in Tibet. Later visit the Bazar Gompa. Overnight in Bomdila.

DAY 6: BOMDILA - ITANAGAR (284KMS- APPROX. 09 HRS)
Leave Bomdila for Itanagar. Enroute stop at tea gardens. Itanagar, the capital city of Arunachal is a modern settlement built in the vicinity of the ruin of the 14th century fort old capital. Overnight in Itanagar.

Day 7: ITANAGAR - ZIRO
Morning visit the state museum, known as Jawaharlal Nehru Museum, time spent here can really acquaint you with the culture and tradition of this region. All prototype of the bamboo and cane architecture of dwelling of different tribes and apparel, design and functional tools and others handicrafts are at display here. Leave Itanagar for Ziro (150kms-approx. 6 hrs) enroute visit Zoram village, a village of Nishi tribe. Arrive Ziro and check-in at the hotel. The Nishi form bulk of the population of the Subansiri District. Their economy is based on agriculture and animal husbandry and the principal method of tillage is slash and burn cultivation. Overnight in Ziro.

DAY 8: IN ZIRO
Full day to explore villages of the Apatani tribes. The Apatanis belong to the Tibeto-Mongoloid stock and are well-built, fair in complexion and medium to tall in structure. The Apatani society is patriarchal. They are agriculturists and practice permanent cultivation. Most of the Apatanis are loyal followers of the Donyi Polo faith, who pray to an array of spirits and souls for blessing. Abo-Teni, the primal man, analogous to Adam in the Christian faith, is considered to be the sole ancestor of all Apatani and other Animist tribes in the surrounding regions. The uniqueness of the Apatani tribe is tatooing on the women's face and their nose plug. Apatani, like other tribes also believe in sun and the moon as God and have traditional altar in there home made up of bamboo and cane. Overnight in Ziro.

DAY 9: ZIRO - DAPORIJO (175 KMS/ APPROX. 7 HRS)
Leave Ziro for Daporijo, visit Hill Miri villages enroute. Arrive Daporijo and check-in at the hotel. Overnight in Dumporijo - Tourist Lodge - Inspection Bungalow.

DAY 10: DAPORIJO - ALONG (157 KMS- APPROX. 8 HRS)
Early morning: Visit Lida village. Leave Daporijo for Along, visiting village Bora Rupak and other Galong villages enroute. Arrive Along and check-in at the hotel. Galo Man - This is the area of the Adi Galo tribes. The population of Adis is more than any other tribe in Arunachal. They are nature worshippers and are the most dominant people of the Siang district. They are Mongoloid in race. Overnight in Along.

Day 11: IN ALONG
Full day to explore Gallong and Miniyong tribal villages like Kabu etc Hanging bridge over Siyum river Kabu village is just on the bank of river of Yomgo-Syom and on river Yomgo there is hanging bridge made of cane and bamboo. Later, visit one of the largest Gallong tribal village called Darka village which has more the 1500 houses made of bamboo and plam. Overnight in Along.

DAY 12: ALONG - PASHIGHAT (115 KMS - APPROX. 5 HRS)
Leave Along for Pasighat. The drive will be along the Siang River. Enroute visit Adi Miyong village to see Tapu dance. Arrive Pasighat and check-in at the hotel. Visit nearby Adi Miniyong tribal villages. Overnight in Pashighat.

DAY 13: PASHIGHAT- DIBRUGARH (165 KMS- APPROX. 5 HRS)
Leave for Bogivil Ghat to board the boat to Dibrugarh. Leave for Dibrugah crossing the Bramhaputra river on a local passenger boat (approx. 1 hr) Reach the bank of the Brahmaputra near Dibrugarh and transfer to your hotel in Dibrugarh town. Rest of the day free (car will be at disposal). Ferry over Brahmapurtra River. Overnight in Dibrugarh.

DAY 14: DEPARTURE
Today you will be transferred to the airport to board your onward flight.

TOUR ENDS