Traveller GETAWAYS adventureARUNACHAL PRADESH holidays Traveller GETAWAYS Editorial Business Office EDITOR Amit Dixit CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Indranil Roy PROJECT EDITOR Sanjiv Valsan CONSULTING EDITOR Lasya Nadimpally Advertisements CMS EXECUTIVE Benny Joshua VICE PRESIDENT Sameer Saxena MANAGER Rakhi Puri First Edition 2019 Copyright © Outlook Publishing (India) Private Limited, New Delhi. Research All Rights Reserved RESEARCHERS Ranee Sahaney Circulation NATIONAL HEAD Anindya Banerjee Design ART DIRECTOR Deepak Suri Production ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Kapil Taragi GENERAL MANAGER Shashank Dixit DISCLAIMER Senior GRAPHIC DESIGNER Rajesh KG MANAGER Sudha Sharma No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or DEPUTY MANAGER Ganesh Sah transmitted in any form or means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, ASSISTANT MANAGER Gaurav Shrivas recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Outlook Publishing Photography (India) Private Limited. 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Ltd. A-256, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-1, For updates, news and new destinations, log on to our website New Delhi-110020 www.outlooktraveller.com 2 3 contents INTRODUCTION 08 TREKKING/CYCLING n Namdapha National Park 20 n Trekking in Tirap 34 n Five Treks in Dibang Valley 42 n Pasang Sonam Tso Trek 52 in Mechuka n Bailey Trail, Thembang 60 n Cycling in Arunachal 64 BIRDING/WILDLIFE n A Birder’s Guide to Arunachal 80 n Pakke Tiger Reserve 86 n Dibang Valley 96 n A Wildlife Filmmaker’s Diary 110 WET AND WILD Rafting, Angling, Fishing n Angling in Arunachal 116 n Rafting in Arunachal 122 PARAGLIDING n Mechuka and Lumdung 132 INFORMATION n Travel Essentials 138 n Tourist/Wildlife Offices 150 n Tour Operators, Stay 151 4 Photographs by SANJIV VALSAN in Arunachal, especially for fish heavier than 5kg. The river slices through wild and thickly forested HOLIDAYS HOLIDAYS woods on the higher reaches of the Mishmi Hills near Anini, where it enters India from Tibet, before ADVENTURE ADVENTURE crossing one of the world’s most unique high-altitude tiger habitats (thanks to the conservation-based culture of the Idu Mishmi tribe), and finally reaches the Lower Dibang Valley, where it can get really moody before joining the Brahmaputra. Arunachal is a camper’s delight Dambuk is also the venue INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION of the Orange Festival of INTRODUCTION king routes in the country. Adventure and Music held ■ SANJIV VALSAN unexplored wildlife and The Dibang River is one of in mid-December every indigenous tribal cultures. A the toughest in Arunachal year. This is an unusual but he land of high journey through the state for rafting, and calls for a lot successful mix of modern mountains, deep can be a heady and of skill. There are some international music, off- Tgorges, turbulent addictive experience in great spots along the river roading activities and rivers and landscapes every way possible. where you can hike up pris- adventure sports. ranging from dense tropical tine forests and go angling, The Mehao Wildlife rainforests, high-altitude The Dibang Valley all with the backdrop of Sanctuary, with its two-day wetlands, and alpine forests The upper and middle sec- spectacular views. Mehao Lake trek, is the to rugged snow-clad peaks, tions of the Dibang Valley ‘Catch-and-Release’ is most accessible-yet- Arunachal Pradesh is full of have some of the best trek- the norm with game fishing unexplored wildlife hike in 8 9 the Lower Dibang Valley in the Dibang Valley, to the district, accessed through Siang River in Tuting, cover- Roing town, which in turn is ing a legally protected area easily reached from of over 5,000 sq km, at an HOLIDAYS HOLIDAYS Dibrugarh. altitudinal range between 1,500 and 5,000 m above Dihang-Dibang sea level. It constitutes Biosphere Reserve diverse terrains, habitats, ADVENTURE ADVENTURE The Dihang-Dibang ecosystems and wildlife. Biosphere Reserve is one of Pemako, an unbelievably the seven officially protect- beautiful Shangri-La-esque ed ‘biospheres’ of India. It place, is associated with the extends from Mipi and Anini ancient sacred myths and ancestry stories of at least An orange orchard three tribes in the region, and can be a gruelling trek. Prayer flags fluttering around Sela Lake Western Arunachal INTRODUCTION Arunachal Pradesh’s big lure the highest mountains in Sela Pass also attracts both INTRODUCTION for hardcore mountaineers the state, colourful Tibetan- road-trippers and cyclists is that while there have style Buddhist culture, good through the Bhalukpong- already been expeditions to accommodation and easy Tawang route, where com- peaks such as Gorichen road connectivity from petitive cycling events like (6,488m), paving the way for Assam, it’s not surprising MTB Tawang have now future climbers, there are that Western Arunachal become yearly affairs. Off- many others that have not (Tawang and West Kameng roading has also begun to yet been scaled, standing districts) has become the gain popularity. tall as open challenges. state’s most visited zone, The Kameng River, after These include Kangto and is popular among which two districts have (7,060m), the highest peak trekkers and birders. The been named, is popular in the state. With some of motorable snow-covered among rafters. Angling is 10 11 good on a couple of For beginners, the river can stretches; the best parts of be a good option the Kameng are mostly downstream from Yinkiong gorge areas that are and Geku. HOLIDAYS HOLIDAYS inaccessible by road or foot, One of the best and need to be reached commercial rafting areas is by boat. at the easily accessible Pasighat. This stretch is ADVENTURE ADVENTURE Along the Siang ideal for Rishikesh-style day The Siang is one of the programmes and long great transnational rivers of weekend camping trips at Asia and an ideal destina- Pongging village, which has tion for whitewater rafting. good views and caves to explore nearby. This is also Tourists enjoying rafting the site of ‘Siang Rush,’ an annual rafting expedition. In Basar, hunting and Rafting along a gentle stretch of water in Arunachal fishing have been INTRODUCTION completely banned at the the Siang, the Daying Ering even short weekend angling INTRODUCTION village level, to regenerate Wildlife Sanctuary is picnics, the Papum-Poma what has been lost through Arunachal’s only protected confluence, near Itanagar, is recent unsustainable fishing wildlife area on an island. It popular among locals. practices. Traditional attracts birds such as the community fishing, however, black-breasted parrotbill, Further North is not just permitted once a swap prinia and Jerdon’s For fly-fishing in shallow year, but is also celebrated babbler. The Dibang-Bodak- waters, you must head to with gusto at the Basar Boleng is one of the most Mechuka, a picture-perfect Confluence, a cultural event popular angling circuits high-altitude valley near the bringing together a cluster among Indian anglers, who Indo-Tibetan border other- of villages. typically spend two or three wise known for its annual Located in the middle of nights at each place. For adventure festival, 12 13 Adventure@Mechukha, East Kameng because of which is held in November. Mechuka’s moody winds. While not as popular as the Bhalukpong-Dirang-Tawang The Subansiri Districts HOLIDAYS HOLIDAYS MTB circuit, Mechuka is also The Subansiri River snakes very much on the cycling through central Arunachal map (routes going via Pradesh and is a suitable Basar/Aalo). There’s also a rafting spot for beginners. ADVENTURE ADVENTURE ‘downhill-cycling’ scene The best mahseer here. Paragliding in angling here is mostly lower Mechuka is not nearly as down though, towards the predictable as more reliable Lower and West Siang spots like Pappu Valley in districts, which aren’t accessible by road or foot. A trekker enjoys the hill view You have to take a rafting trip to go angling here. Trekkers in the Namdapha National Park The Wild East dense and mountainous that stretch of white water. As for INTRODUCTION Namdapha is officially a ‘tiger spoting mammals outside angling, while some say that INTRODUCTION reserve,’ but from a practical caera traps can either be there aren’t many bites perspective, it’s better for rare, accidental, or involve there, others swear by their spotting birds, butterflies, days or even weeks of climb- secret spots on the Lohit week-long jungle treks, and ing through tough terrain and River, closer to Tezu. camping by the wild beaches dense forests. A trek up to Dong (a hilly of the Noa-Dihing River. As Like the Kameng, the village in the Anjaw district with most tiger reserves in Lohit River in Eastern bordering China that sees Arunachal, enter without Arunachal is also great for the first sunrise in India) can absolute expectations of rafting, but certainly not for be an enchanting sighting a big cat, especially beginners. While coming experience. This is a if you are on a short trip.