Visiting Arunachal Pradesh: The Land of the Dawn-lit-Mountains

Tourist spots all over the world are beautiful in their own way and every place is distinctive for what it has to offer. They offer us great experiences, delightful moments, and spectacular views. While nature plays its game at its will in several locations, mankind had also been playing its own game. Very few places have the best of the whole thing and Arunachal Pradesh popularly known as the ‘Land of the Dawn-lit-Mountains’ is one such place. In Arunachal Pradesh, you wonder if nature has been more kind to some parts of the world. The state is rich with scenic beauty that offers relaxation and rejuvenation. It offers you peace and action. Places of worship or wildlife sanctuaries, you name it and the state has it. 

Arunachal Pradesh finds its mention in the literature of Kalika Purana and the great Hindu Epic, The Mahabharata. It is considered to be the Prabhu Mountains of the Puranas. Hindu mythical legends say that Arunachal Pradesh was the place where sage Parshuram washed away his sin, sage Vyasa meditated, King Bhishmaka established his kingdom and Lord Krishna married his consort Rukmini. Ruled by numerous great dynasties and empires, Arunachal Pradesh is strewn with numerous historic monuments and archeological remains, which is the witness of its rich cultural legacy.

Assam is in the south of Arunachal Pradesh while Bhutan is in its west. China makes the north and northeast border for the state, and beautiful little Myanmar nestles in the east.

In Arunachal Pradesh, we get quite a lot of opportunities for adventure sports. The state has great rivers like Lohit, Siang, and Subansiri that offer incredible river rafting and kayaking experiences. The hidden trails and unrivaled places dare trekkers to discover for themselves some fantastic trekking destinations. Meanwhile, trails from Bhalukpong to Tawang via Dirang and Bomdila are perfect for motorbike adventures.

Arunachal has very rich and colourful flora and fauna where orchids find a place of pride. Out of about a thousand species of orchids found in India, over 500 are to be found in Arunachal Pradesh alone. These are colourful, and extraordinary and some have exotic names such as Sita-Pushpa and Draupadi-Pushpa which were supposed to have been worn by Sita and Draupadi for ornamentation. In the same way, the wildlife of Arunachal is rich and diverse. Elephants and tigers thrive, particularly in the green foothills and the leopard and jungle cat are fairly common. The white-browed gibbon is found in Tirap and Lohit districts and red pandas and musk deer in the higher ranges.

The ‘Mithun’ (Bos Frontails), exists both in wild and semi-domesticated forms. The state is also the happy home of the great Indian Hornbill – the extraordinary bird with an inordinately large beak. The state has many wildlife sanctuaries like Pakhui, Lali, Itanagar, Namdapha, Mehao. The Mouling Reserve Forest in the East Siang district is a national park.

 

What enhances Arunachal the most is its various tribes and their distinctive culture and traditions. Arunachal Pradesh’s culture is very diverse. It has 26 major tribes including sub-tribes. Every ethnic group has its own distinctive set of traditions and customs. The major tribes of Arunachal are Adi, Galo, Aka, Apatani, Nyishi, Tagins, Bori, Bokar, etc.

With so many tribes inhabiting the state, a large number of festivals can be witnessed throughout the year. Arunachal’s cultural lifestyle is led by colourful festivals. Since agriculture is the backbone here so people largely celebrate festivals as a mark of thanks to the Almighty for giving them a decent crop. These festivals also showcase the creative and artistic skills of the various tribes. To experience the cultural festivals of the state, one should visit the Ziro district which is very popular for parties. Some of the important festivals celebrated in Arunachal are Losar, Solung, Boori-Boot, Mopin, Dree, Nyokum, Reh, Si-Donyi, etc.

The influence of tribal populations and nearby Himalayan societies is quite apparent in the local food. The staple food of the State includes rice, pork, fish, meat & local green vegetables. Lettuce is fairly popular among natives and it is cooked using green chillies, coriander, and ginger. Boiled rice cakes, Thukpa, and momos are the traditional dishes consumed by people. Well-known food of Arunachal Pradesh are Lukter, pasa, Nagtok,Wungwut.The food is less spicy and is generally mild. Bamboo shoots are one of the main ingredients of many local recipes. Veg & Non-veg food recipes are cooked with a combination of Bamboo shoots.  Many forms of rice beers are prepared by local communities, one of them being Apang which is prepared by fermenting rice and millet. Due to the high extent of variedness among local communities, the food preparation ways vary slightly from district to district.

Different tribes in Arunachal Pradesh are skillful in various handicraft and handloom arts and tribes such as Wangcho indulge in either cane furniture and article making, jewellery/grass jewellery creation, and wood carving. When visiting Arunachal Pradesh, shopping for handicraft items is a must thing to do for the tourist.

Arunachal has a great number of historic sites of interest for tourists like Tawang Buddhist Monastery, Jaswant Garh War Memorial, Gompa Temple, The Golden Pagoda, Bomdila Monastery, Pangsau Pass, Ita Fort, and more. By visiting these historical places, one can learn about the state's rich heritage, culture, and traditions. Historic monasteries in Arunachal Pradesh draw tons of pilgrims and tourists every year and are an important part of the state's cultural inheritance. The Tawang Monastery is the biggest in India and the second-largest Buddhist monastery in the world and is an architectural marvel as well.

 

We can also pay a visit to Malinithan, a UNESCO World Cultural Site, which houses temple remains dating back to the 10th and 14th centuries. Numerous other sites such as Tuting Tehsil, the World War II Cemetery, Jaswant Garh, etc., are all worth a visit for having important historical significance. The region's mesmerizing historical places are the high points of the state's cultural tourism.

Without a doubt, Arunachal is a place that you cannot afford to miss.

 

What is the best time to visit Arunachal Pradesh?

The months from October to April are ideal to visit Arunachal Pradesh. October and April are the best months to plan a holiday in Arunachal Pradesh. These are the winter and the spring months for the state. Being located at a high altitude, Arunachal experiences pleasing weather all through the year. During the summers i.e April to June, the temperature might be too high to explore during the peak daytime hours.

 

How to reach Arunachal Pradesh?

By Air – If you want to fly to Arunachal, you have two options, North Lakhimpur’s Lilabari Airport, and Guwahati’s Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, both in Assam. Lilabari is the closest one to Arunachal’s capital city, Itanagar. It receives flights four days a week, mostly from Guwahati and Kolkata.

The distance of 72 km between Lilabari Airport and Itanagar can be covered in 2 hours by road. You can board a state transport bus or hire a taxi, both of which are available at the airport. Guwahati Airport receives flights from all the major cities around the country like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Kolkata. But the distance from Guwahati to Itanagar by road is around 315 km which takes around 8 hours to cover.

A flight from Guwahati to Lilabari Airport takes lesser time but costs more than a bus or a taxi. Guwahati Airport also handles international flights from Thailand, Nepal, Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan.

By Road – The buses of Arunachal Pradesh State Transport Service (APSTS), headquartered in Itanagar, run to major district headquarters like Tezpur and Guwahati in Assam, Shillong in Meghalaya, and Dimapur in Nagaland. Every town and village in Arunachal Pradesh has its bus station, so you won’t be left stuck. 

Apart from the buses, the only other form of public transport is the taxi. You can find several options if you’re driving yourself. National Highway 52, NH 15, and NH 415 are the national highways that run into Arunachal Pradesh. Itanagar can be reached from Banderdewa, North Lakhimpur, Tezpur, and Guwahati.

By Railways – At 15 km the Naharlagun railway station in Arunachal Pradesh is the closest one to its state capital, Itanagar. It was started in 2015 and handles a few trains as of now like the New Delhi - Naharlagun Arunachal Express and Naharlagun - Guwahati Intercity Express. Once you land at Naharlagun, you can easily find buses that will take you to Itanagar. Hiring a taxi is also an option, although it will cost more.

At 34 km, the Harmuti Railway Station in Assam is a bit farther away but has more trains passing through. It takes you 1.15 hours to reach Itanagar by road. But the better way to reach Arunachal Pradesh by rail is to come to Guwahati Railway station and carry on onwards by train to Naharlagun. Guwahati relishes the best connectivity in the region with the rest of the country. Guwahati is reachable from major cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, and Kolkata.

How to Find Accommodation in Arunachal Pradesh?

When it comes to finding accommodation on a holiday in Arunachal Pradesh, there are numerous options like budget hotels, guest houses, and home stays. Particularly in the most important tourism centers, and sightseeing places of Arunachal Pradesh like Bhalukpong, Bomdila, Tawang, Ziro, Daporijo, Aalo, and Pasighat, there's no shortage of options for lodgings. At all these places, you might not be able to find five-star or lavish properties but all these budget hotels provide Grade A services at rational prices

You can also find a place to stay in jungle lodges, and eco-resorts at Namdapha, and Roing. For more of a countryside experience in Arunachal Pradesh, you can also stay in homestays. For vacation in Arunachal Pradesh, if looking for some lodging options then do get in touch with the travel experts. From accommodation to travel packages, these travel specialists are inclusive of every single detail related to the holiday. You can find out with them for booking of decent hotels at reasonable prices. These experts can aid us to plan our holiday in the state, in a better way.