Why Ziro Deserves 2 Days in Your Arunachal Itinerary
Ziro is a beautiful valley in Arunachal Pradesh famous for its undulating paddy fields, pine forests and the indigenous Apatani Tribe. The beautiful landscape and welcoming inhabitants beckons you to slow down, indulge, and stay a little longer. We spent two days experiencing its culture, scenic beauty, traditions, talking to its people and relishing the quiet charm of Apatani life. What struck a cord immediately with us was their simple life and how the community lives in harmony with nature. A hurried visit to Ziro may show you the scenery, but two days allows you to dive deeper and feel the rhythm of the place.
Here is a handpicked, curated itinerary to help you discover the best of what Ziro has to offer.
Day One - Village Life, Living traditions and Lake
We began our journey in Hong Village, a perfect place to observe Apatani life closely. It's best to leave your car and set out on foot . At the entrance of the village you spot various totems and prayer flags to protect the village. We come upon a clan pole made of pine, called a Akha Babo, that towers over the village. Some houses had smaller babo poles set into the ground by their front porch. These smaller poles, called santin babos, are erected for the head of the family and male heirs. Where there’s an akha babo, there’s a lapang. Lapangs are covered platforms that were traditionally made of bamboo (now replaced by concrete). They serve as a meeting place for the clan members. As you keep following the road, observe traditional Apatani houses in neat rows, many standing on bamboo stilts and always accompanied by handkerchief sized vegetable gardens.
Sparse bamboo fences and smiling faces gave us a fleeting glimpse into Apatani’s life. At one of the houses we heard a lot of laughter and activity. As we peek inside, we were invited in. We were told that they were preparing for a special ritual to ward off the evil spirit called Murun. Family members were busy crafting beautiful altars with bamboo for each animistic God. The ritual is called Khurang Tamu. Towards the back of the room the head of the family was getting ready to offer a chicken as a sacrifice. The entire scene was being played out inside a warm kitchen which is the heart of every Apatani house. The ladies of the house were busy preparing lunch and offered us buttermilk tea. The warmth of the fire made us sit down as we quietly observed the preparations. Soon we were also drinking their homemade millet wine called Marua Apo. Takuodi, the old lady of the house, wanted us to stay back and enjoy the main ritual and dinner. We reluctantly had to say no and continued on our exploration.
As we continued on the narrow village roads, the houses came to an end and we viewed the famous Apatani paddy fields. These fields are the visuals that pop up when you search for Ziro. We were there in the sowing season. The Apatani's are known for their unique paddy-cum-pisciculture farming without the use of any machinery or animals, a system admired for its sustainability and harmony with nature. Walking through the narrow bunds inside the fields was an adventure in itself. We struck conversation with the ladies transplanting and they had a great laugh as we nearly slipped into the water logged fields. We learned that every year in May, during planting season, they all take a month off work and help each other in sowing. They do the same at the end of October, when the harvest comes in. Surprisingly, none of them are relatives, just neighbours and friends. Paddy, they said, is the most important crop they grow, and it is cultivated only once a year. Winter months are too cold for it, and by then the fields are already thick with frost. After a few goodbyes we were ready for lunch and stopped at a local restaurant for their Apatani Platter. It is said that the food reflects the land itself . Here we ate the non-veg Apatani Platter that included pikepilla, bamboo-shoot pork, bamboo chicken , mustard green leaf boil, obujine and onion chutney, ginger pickle, khar stew,onion leaves fresh and a very unique palate cleaner called Tapyir ( a small unique zesty citrus bomb). After completing our trip to Arunachal Pradesh, this meal still remains as one of our highlights. All the food we ate was non-oily, fresh, aromatic and lip smackingly good.
We ended our first day at Siikhe Lake & Butterfly Park. This lake is not only lovely to look at, but it also carries importance in the valley’s conservation story. This lake was resurrected as part of a water conservation project and now attracts not only tourists but locals as well who flock to this park to enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Walking around the lake admiring the green meadows and faint scent of the pine forest, I had to remind myself again and again that I was still in India.
Day Two - Breathtaking Views and Endless Wanderings
Today is an early morning trek to Ziro's Pamu Yalang View Point (Hawk's Rock). This sacred landmark is best viewed early in the morning as you need to hike up a hill side to reach this viewpoint. We reached breathless but forgot our mild discomfort seeing the dreamy 180° panoramic view of Ziro's mountains and valley. As we soaked in the pristine landscape watching floating clouds, the sun rose higher painting the surrounding hills with the morning light. According to Apatani legend, Pamu Yalang was once a mighty rock where hawks nested. After a fierce battle between two spirits, it shattered into smaller rocks like Gano Pede and Dukur Lyipo. Locals believe this sacred site protects their village from fire and misfortune. A longer trek from Sibe to Pamu Yalang is also possible, inviting adventurers to explore a place where myth, nature, and culture unite. After spending time here to our hearts content, we head into town to Hapoli, a colourful local market. Here vendors put out organic vegetables from their gardens alongside things that don't come with labels - bamboo shoots, colored corn, chickpeas, jungle roots dug from the surrounding forest and local rice.
After a lot of photo opportunities with the locals, we exited the market gleefully with a bottle of fresh bamboo shoot and sticky rice. Our final stop before lunch was Siddheshwar Nath Temple in the Kardo Hills which houses a towering 25-foot natural Shivling. Known as the tallest naturally formed Swayambhu, this massive stone miraculously emerged from the earth. It is believed that the shivling was discovered by a local woodcutter while clearing the forest area. Beside the main Shivling, distinct natural rock formations depict Goddess Parvati, Lord Karthik and Lord Ganesha. A stream of water flows continuously from its base, which devotees liken to the Holy river Ganga. The temple is surrounded by hills and the atmosphere is surreal and calm. Even for someone who is not too religiously inclined, these natural rock formations are worth a visit.
All this hiking and walking made us immensely hungry and we headed back to our homestay to enjoy lovingly prepared home-cooked lunch. Post lunch we explored the Ziro Craft Centre to see women making the ‘Gale’, a traditional attire of the women here akin to a skirt. The Crafts centre has a small retail section where you can shop for these items for souvenirs and gifts. We then explored Hari Village and then Bamin village on foot . Till now we had seen many ladies with striking facial tattoos (Tippei) but here on our last day we were fortunate enough to see a few older women with large wooden nose plugs (Yaping Hullo) — representing the final generation carrying this fading cultural tradition as this practice was banned in the 1970's. Lawrence, our local guide, helped to translate for us and we managed to click a few pictures with them. We can end the day here amongst the paddy fields or if you want head into a nearby pine forest trail to enjoy another perfect sunset.
Insider’s Tip
- Book a local guide in advance which will help you to communicate better with the locals and help you get a better understanding of the Apatani community.
- At Hong Village, visit Naara Aaba, a local winery run by Smt Tage Rita Ji. Tage has managed to turn the kiwi production of Arunachal's hills into India's first organic kiwi winery brand. Sample unique wines like Sweet Kiwi, Pear Wine With Salyo, Plum Wine, Guava wine with Chilli to name a few depending on the season. They also offer a quick tour of their small winery (for a fee) to understand the wine making process.
- If you plan your trip to Ziro on a weekend (Sunday) you can start the day observing locals offering prayers in the Donyi Palo temple. The Apatani community practices the Donyi-Polo belief system, revering both the Sun (Donyi) and Moon (Polo) as representations of equilibrium in existence encompassing various dualities like brightness and obscurity, masculinity and femininity, reason and sentiment. Amidst the serenity of the pine-clad mountains, the resonating hymns evoked a sense of belonging to a profound ethos. See if you can spot the Chiri, a ceremony knife which men of the tribes who believe in the Sun and Moon carry (different from the usual Elyo which is a more day to day knife)
- For lunch don't miss having the Apatani Platter at Apatani Kitchen and Lodge (M: +91 7377326226)
- Paddy planting happens between May to July and mid-season is the time to travel if you wish to capture lush and bright green landscapes.
Festivals
The spring Myoko Festival is usually held during March, with festivities peaking during the last week. It is considered to be a festival of purification and sacrifice and a visit during this festival will give you an unparalleled insight into the lives of the tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. The festival is home to some of the most unique rituals led by village shamans, animal sacrifices, traditional folk dances, and communal feasting.
Every year, in September, the now famous Ziro Festival of Music (ZFM) is held in an open-air field near the Siikhe Lake.
Stay At
For authentic Apatani cultural experience stay at Suchusi Homestay run by Mr and Mrs Hibu Tatu (M: +91 8974954810)
For modern comfort choose Dilang Homestay (M: +91 6909288581)
If you want to start your day with lakes and mountains from your window then Lakeside Homestay is the best option to stay near Sikhee lake (M: +91 09436059165)