"the land of dawn-lit mountains"

An experience always awaits you in Arunachal Pradesh and for us at Encamp, it is all about the “experience” - something that can’t be planned, designed or orchestrated but be revealed by oneself.

The beautiful state of Arunachal Pradesh has remained mostly unexplored for the better part of tourism boom in Northeast. It’s only in recent times, when Arunachal won the Best Emerging Indian Destination at the Lonely Planet Travel Awards; encouraging people who love spiritual and colourful wanderlust, to visit the region.

#Land of the Sixth Dalai Lama

Owing to the fact that the land remains least explored of North-eastern states, it could intrigue the interest of many to know that it is the birth place of his holiness the 6th Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, who was born in the territory of Mon Tawang in March 1683.

Read more on the fascinating life and time of his holiness: https://treasuryoflives.org/biographies/view/Sixth-Dalai-Lama/TBRC_P352

In fact, Tawang is also home to the 400-year-old Tawang Monastry, the second largest monastery in the world, which was founded by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso in 1680-1681.

#Neolithic hold the Culture

It is surprising to learn that the region so sparsely populated have historical records with excavation site at Parsi-Parlo. Neolithic tools such as pecked and ground stone tool along with pottery, have been found in Parsi Parlo area of Lower Subansiri District. A tempt for an archaeological exploration.

The cultural identity of Arunachal is significant, with more than 26 major tribes and over 100 different sub-tribes. It is because of such diversity in traditions and customs found in the region, that it becomes a ‘must-visit’ destination for those wanting to experience it’s beauty in person, rather than simply reading about it.

The Adis, Apatanis, Buguns, Monpas and Nishi are some of the major tribes, who for centuries here, have kept their life simple and rooted to the natural surroundings. Mutual respect of the indigenous people and their customs is all that you need, or say, is your visa to travel and enjoy Arunachal.

#Culinary test Arunachal

The culinary tradition of Arunachal Pradesh is an experience in itself; offering some distinctly unique flavours and a cross-cultural perspective. Cooking food in bamboo is a traditional culinary method that is commonly practiced where meat is given primary preference.

Apart from various local delicacies of the region that you must try when visiting Arunachal, do look for Gyapa Khazi, which is a mouth-watering delicacy of the Monpa community. It prepared with cooked rice mixed with local fermented cheese and butter, small dried fish, chilly, ginger and a special kind of local green vegetable called “mann”.

#Wild of Arunachal

It’s not only the culture that is diverse in Arunachal. With over 200 species, the state also boasts of having the highest diversity of mammals in India. As a matter of fact, some of the richest biodiversity in the world are found in the forests, rivers and mountains out here, making it an unspoiled destination for wildlife enthusiasts. It's home to an incredible number of rare and endemic plant and animal species of which the white winged wood duck is one.

Namdapha National Park in Changlang district is the only National Park in India where 4 of the 5 big cats are found together. It does not stop here, recently a new species of snake – a reddish brown pit viper, a venomous snake with a unique heat sensing system has been found in West Kameng district.

#Let’s get travelling

As you move upward east with every 10 km or less, you will start imbibing a sense of discovery with smile and hospitality being the only common element. The place is inviting as well as challenging so, it is more than natural that the state provides maximum opportunity for travellers looking for serenity and adventure at the same time.

The sheer landscape of the state will amaze you, starting from the rugged mountains, green valleys, streams, high mountain passes, frozen lakes and forest – it’s literally a traveller’s paradise (Discovery Channel stuff).

Arunachal does provide travellers the optimum options of camping, trekking, angling, rafting and experiencing wildlife, culture, spiritual and heritage of the land. And this could only be achieved if you mingle and interact with locals and frequent travellers.

“Discovering Arunachal is not about staying in fancy resorts or hotels (there are hardly any) but doing things raw.”

Winter is a good time to visit Arunachal Pradesh as it remains quite chilly yet refreshing – ideal for snow clad Himalayan mountains and clear view of the valleys. This is also the time of cultural fiesta with festivals such as Lossar, Boori Boot, Loku, and Sanken.

However, for people seeking adventure, Arunachal is a 365-calendar event. Monsoon can be treacherous with heavy rainfall and landslide, which can limit connectivity (Note: do keep extra days in hand while traveling). The sheer magnanimity of experience that the land has to offer throughout the season is amazing.

#Entering Arunachal

Arunachal comes with multiple entry points from both north and south of the mighty Brahmaputra. The Tezpur-Bhalukpong-Bomdila-Tawang and Itanagar-Ziro-Daporijo-Aalo-Pasighat and Aalo-Mechuka is one circuit while Tinsukia-Tezu-Hayuliang, Margherita-Miao-Namdapha and Dibrugarh-Roing-Mayudia-Anini the other two.

#Encamping at Arunachal

Ensuring a comfortable stay under the stars

It is a nature’s wonder for people who are looking for recluse and travel the eco-friendly way. As we say “The idea of Encamp Adventures is to enhance the accessibility factor of these wonderful places to the people from the rest of the country and around the world.”

We offer boutique camping services to our travellers in the range of customized getaways, scheduled trips, as well as hosting them during some of the popular festival season, such as the much awaited Ziro Festival of Music 2019 – the coolest outdoor music festival of the hills, all set to take place from 26th to 29th September, 2019 at Ziro Valley, Arunachal.

So, are you ready to experience the unknown in the charming land of lawn lit mountains? Connect with us here, and we will get back with a customized trip itinerary just for you!