Far East Tribes of Arunachal

Arunachal Pradesh “the land of the dawn-lit mountains” is one of India’s last unspoiled wilderness paradise. A wealth of fascinating cultures, peoples and tribes – plus a staggering five hundred species of orchid – are found in its glacial terrain, alpine meadows and subtropical rainforests.

You start your journey in Eastern Arunachal. Located high up in the mountain ranges of the Himalayas, at 3500 meters above sea level, is the holy town of Tawang – the land of the Monpas; a tribe that has a culture which is a mix between indigenous beliefs and Mahayana Buddhism.

Proceed to Ziro where you will get a chance to meet the people of the Apatani Tribe who have one of most fascinating of cultures. Some of the women wear intriguing huge nasal plugs and have tattoos on the faces and bodies. The Ziro valley is famous for rice cum fish cultivation, where the Apatanis have managed to grow rice and at the same time harvest fish in the farms – an example of sustainable living at its best.

In the Daporijo area, you will meet the fierce Tagin Tribe who are equally fascinating. It is in these remote lands that the turquoise River Subansiri makes its way from China to flow into the mighty Brahmaputra River. The river is a great place to fish some fighter freshwater fishes such as the elusive Golden Mahseer. The river also offers a beautiful rafting experience through some spectacular scenery.

The journey will continue east into Along area, which are the territory of the once warrior Adi Tribe. The Adis live in beautiful bamboo houses and practice terraced rice farming. A walk through these high Himalayan and remote fields is a memorable and peaceful experience. They form great frames for landscape photography.

From the Adi heartland, the road will join the mightiest of all northeastern rivers, the Siang, which after traveling thousands of miles through Tibet eventually becomes the mighty Brahmaputra River when it touches the plains. The Siang on its downhill course in the Pasighat area forms some formidable landscape of gorgeous mountains of farmlands, tribal villages and rainforests. The Siang is great for angling and is considered one of the toughest challenges when it comes to white water rafting and kayaking. You will also come across the Mishmi Tribe in the Siang Valley who are one of the oldest of Arunachal’s tribes. They along with the Adis have much folklore about the Siang River, interesting tales of magic, sorcery, Buddhism and nature.

The tribes have modernized but you can still see the cultural aspect in their villages, where people keep proudly their tradition. The most interesting aspect of the tribes is the Donyi Polo traditions to please the almighty and trying to cure the evil of their life hood through their process of sacrificing animals. On the other hand the Bodics or the Buddhism believers are quite different to the non bodics. This tour will take you through such a land where you will be enthralled by every aspect of life.

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