Treks In Arunachal Pradesh

Why trek in Arunachal Pradesh?

One of the seven sisters of Northeast India, Arunachal Pradesh, could closely and literally be translated from Sanskrit to English as the land of dawn-lit mountains. It's called so because, the sun rises through the mountains of Eastern-most villages of the state, Dong and Vijaynagar Basti, bringing dawn to the entire subcontinent. This also has been scribbled and recognized in the historical texts of the nation, where the state has been said as the place where the sun rises. They named these mountains as Aruna ranges.

Arunachal Pradesh is one of the states of the subcontinent, settled at the extreme northeast of the Indian boundary. Arunachal Pradesh was renamed and was earlier called as North-East Frontier Agency, and in 1972 became a Union Territory. It was only in 1987 that it became one of the states of India. The state's premodern history is vague and unclear, but it is still confirmed that most of the present population of the state are descendants of AboTani, a significant tribe of the region, whose history is unknown. Interestingly, all the knowledge about Tani people could be found in Tibetan ancient texts (referred to as Lhobhas or south-people), as they historically used to practice trade with them (bartering metals for wool and meat). The state's mention is there in written records of Chutiya, Monpa, Sherdukpen kingdoms. Most of the Arunachal tribes were independent and autonomous in there functioning, up till the independence of India in 1947 and their eventual formalization of native administration along with the event. The state is an important destination for historians, as its excavations and archaeological sites are quite recent and have a scope for exploration.

According to the research so far, Chutiyas controlled the present-day part of the land in the fourteenth century. They built the Hindu temples in the West part of Siang Hills, which have been the most revealing archaeological sites of the state. Another one in the list of many such sites is, Bhismaknagar. The site is amongst the major heritage site of the state and the excavations on this site have indicated the archaeologists that people of Chutiya kingdom probably had a comparatively advanced administration and culture in the prehistoric period. Tawang Monastery is another heritage and important excavation site. The monastery was built by the Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso in 1680. It is in the extreme north-west of Arunachal Pradesh and has been there from the past 400 years approximately. It serves as evidence for historians for discovering more about Buddhism practicing tribal groups of the area. Tawang has been also the birth-land of the sixth Dalai Lama of Tibetan Buddhism.

Geographically, the region is at a high altitude, with some of its Himalayan Peaks at 22,965 ft. Kangte, Nyegi Kangsang, west, and east Gorichen are few of the highest Himalayan peaks of the state. Up to the notable Siang River, there are Eastern Himalayan ranges. All the rivers of the state surround with the forests, which absorb the dampness of the land and transport it to the subsurface flows. The peaks are snow-laden and melt during summers, increasing the water-levels of the water-bodies. As the topography of the land raises 320 ft, till 22,965 ft, the climate varies according to the elevation. Humid Subtropical Climate is experienced in the lower altitudes and at high or very high altitudes, one feels the alpine climate and Subtropical Highland temperatures. Most of the rainfall happens between the months of May to October.

Besides all its complex, controversial, and entangled realities, the land is still one of the major tourist attractions in India and the globe. It's not just a site to be examined by the Botanists who call it "Paradise", as it has a number of Orchids (thus said to be "Orchid State of India"), or the historians and archaeologists, or just visited by some religious or political leaders; Arunachal Pradesh is also a land enriched with some of the most eye-pleasing landscape, amazing meadows, calming wilderness, diverse cultures, and traditions. Above all, to the passionate adventurers, Arunachal Pradesh is a state filled with thrill, best for the temporary escape from the chaotic lifestyle of the city-landscape, and calming one's heart to the core, as one heads towards the peak. Treks in Arunachal Pradesh are sometimes neglected but some of the best treks of Arunachal Pradesh include the trails which will make you explore the land on local terms and thus are on the topmost lists of many mountaineers of Himalayas in both inside and outside India. Amongst the top 5 treks in Arunachal Pradesh has remained the Ziro Valley trek and Talle Valley Treks, which has also been targeted by the nation's government to promote Arunachal Pradesh tourism. Between these two, most opted and famous one is the Talle Valley Trek. Bamboo forests, exotic animals like Red Panda, a land filled with mysterious species like Banded Tit Hypolycaena Narada, a 15mm butterfly recently discovered in 2015, or birds like silver eared mesia or the glory butterfly, or the number of waterfalls, ravines, and brooks, and the history of tribals of the region with step you take is bound to make you go in awe and lose yourself in the beauty of the state and nature.

Talley Valley Trek under the Arunachal Pradesh trekking tours by Trekmunk will take you to the valley in the area called Ziro. The significance of this valley is that it is the very land where the ancient tribal groups, which we have talked about initially, reside still. This moderate level trek which ends up in a week's time will provide you with the experience of a lifetime. As mentioned in the ending lines of the last paragraph, you can experience all of it on this trail, because, you'll climb through the Wildlife Sanctuary of the Talle Valley, thus providing you with immense opportunities to see the diverse exotic species (flora and fauna) that roam freely on the land, stretched over 330 square meter. Bamboo Forests will come in between and will shed above your heads. Famous rainforests, lush-green and deep mountain-hills, will be walking along with you. It's not a very challenging trek, as firstly it is just around 9000 ft from the ground sea-level and the trail is more about the aesthetic and culture, rather than sharp ridges or very high-altitude upland climbs. In fact, this trek should be visited in the last days of September, as then you can experience one of the most cherished music festivals of North-East, which happens in the Ziro Valley, called as Ziro Festival.

If you want a relaxing vacation, alone or with family/friends, or if you are literature, history, tribal, culture, nature enthusiast, then backpack for the dawn-lit, orchid-rich paradise of Arunachal Pradesh.