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We take you on a journey to the majestic heights of Western Arunachal Pradesh, nestled in the biodiversity hotspot of the Eastern Himalayas. This is the Land of the Dawn Lit Mountains, India’s Own “Land of the Rising Sun”. The overall experience of mountain ecology and life, landscapes, livelihoods, rural settings and Buddhist Monasteries make for a unique journey.
The transboundary Monpa community inhabits this region, along with other communities such as the Sherdukpens, Aka, Bugun, Bhut, Lish and Miji. There are also three major Tibetan settlements in this region. You will cross the valleys of Tenga, Rupa, Kalaktang, Shergaon, Dirang and Tawang through the high mountain passes of Bomdila and Se La. The meandering Kameng River and its many tributaries will be a constant companion throughout your travels. This trip is carefully curated by our local experts towards offering you an intimate insight into the landscape, life, histories and flavours of Western Arunachal Pradesh, taking you along on an experience of a lifetime.
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Darter ‘CULTURAL EXPERIENCES’ are photography holidays to interesting and often isolated places where you get up-close with traditions, festivals and everyday life of people with strong bonding to their roots. -
Tour Dates
Nov 22 to 29, 2024
Tour Price – ₹79,950/-(Double Occupancy)
Max group size: 10 only
Jump to: ◆ Overview ◆ Itinerary ◆ Tour Highlights ◆ Is this tour for you? ◆ Tour Price ◆ Tour Mentor ◆ Detailed Itinerary ◆ Sign Up
Overview – Arunachal Pradesh – In The Land of Rising Sun
Arunachal literally means land of the rising sun. A unique and enthralling experience from the land of rolling hills and dense forest to the high-altitude mountains of Arunachal – The Western Arunachal Landscape is spread over an area of 7,000 sq km in the West Kameng and Tawang districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
Arunachal Pradesh is located in the northeastern part of India, the expanse comprises mountains from 50 meters above sea level in the foothills to high elevations of over 7,000 meters.
On this trip, we will be travelling into the western part of Arunachal.
We have combined your visit to the Tawang monastic life, and native tribal culture along with the beautiful landscapes. During this trip, we will be visiting and photographing the famous Tawang monastery exclusively.
Arunachal Pradesh, the forest cover is 81% of the state’s area and the state is bordering with Bhutan, China and Myanmar.
Images from Western Arunachal Pradesh
The slideshow of images below gives you a glimpse of what to expect during the “Arunachal Pradesh – In The Land of Rising Sun” photography tour. Scroll down to ‘detailed itinerary‘ section for a day-by-day travel plan.
Dates & Itinerary
Dates: Nov 22 – 29, 2024
Also scroll down to see the ‘detailed itinerary’ section for more information on the tour plan and things we do.
Note: The itinerary is subject to change. Our lead photographer may make changes to the itinerary during the tour depending on weather, photography opportunities and any other local conditions that prompt for making alternate plans.
Tour Highlights
The tour includes visits to the most remote parts of India, interaction and photography with the aboriginal people of Arunachal, witnessing and photographing village life and monastic culture at Tawang and a stopover at remote villages.
This tour is designed keeping photography in mind. It is led and mentored by our award-winning travel photographer. Some photography-related aspects of this tour include –
Is This Tour For You?
This tour is intended for amateur as well as serious photography enthusiasts with an interest to visit and photograph the beauty of Arunachal Pradesh. No prior expertise or experience in photography is necessary, as our photographers will be there to assist you at every level. You may carry any camera – a simple aim-and-shoot or a DSLR or a Mirrorless. Travel enthusiasts who are not photographers but keen to experience the multiple facets of the Northeast can also benefit from the tour.
Can I bring my non-photographer partner with me?
Yes, you can. We visit many beautiful places in Arunachal Pradesh, see the celebrations of life and experience amazing culture. Having a good time during the trip is as much on the agenda as photography is. Your partner will enjoy the journey with the group.
I am not a keen photographer. But I want to visit Arunachal Pradesh with your group. Can I still join?
Yes. The answer is exactly the same as in the case of the previous question. We visit many beautiful places in Arunachal, enjoying a road trip and having a good time during the trip is as much on the agenda as photography is.
Have more questions? See our photography tours FAQ or reach out to us using the form at the end of this page.
Tour Price
Tour Price: Rs.79,950/-
The cost includes
The cost does not include
Cancellation Policy:
– 75% of full tour fee is refunded on cancellation at least 45 days before tour starts
– 50% of full tour fee is refunded on cancellation between 44 to 30 days before tour starts
– 30% of full tour fee is refunded on cancellation between 30 to 15 days before tour starts
– No refunds for cancellation within 14 days before the start of the tour or for no-show
Accommodation
Due to the nature of the places we are visiting, and the type of accommodation during this tour, we will be staying in cheerful homestays and with local families to get first-hand experience of local culture.
Arrival & Departure
We have organized group pick-up for participants from Guwahati Day 01 at the following schedules.
On Day 01
On Day 09
Please contact us if you need any information on reaching Guwahati.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 01 – Arrival at Guwahati Airport and transfer to Tezpur (4 hours/190 km).
This will be a journey across the plains of Assam towards Tezpur, crossing the mighty Brahmaputra River. On the way, you will be able to stop by local village markets and some beautiful countryside tea gardens. Tezpur is the cultural centrepiece of Assam, and the town has some important historical monuments such as the Agnigarh. You might be able to get a glimpse of the blue mountains of Arunachal on a clear day. Overnight: Tezpur
Day 02 – You will drive from Tezpur to Dirang via Tenga and Bomdila on this day. (5-6 hours/200 km).
You will have the opportunity to soak in the tropical and dense foothills of the Eastern Himalayas, and make your way up through the verdant Tenga valley, the scenic town of Bomdila and follow the changes in the landscape up to Dirang Valley. There are several waterfalls on this route and you can stop by and stagger the long journey. You follow the Jia Bharali and the Kameng River all the way up to Dirang. Overnight: Dirang
Day 03 – All day at Dirang and its verdant surroundings.
This is your day to immerse yourself in the rustic surroundings of Dirang, where several traditional Monpa villages are located, and you can explore the rural lifeworld of the Monpas and the traditional architecture of the stone houses. You can visit the Dirang Dzong, which has a glorious history, the Dirang Monastery on the banks of the river, and Sangti Valley, which is set in a very picturesque and serene farming landscape. Overnight: Dirang
Day 04 – Dirang to Tawang (4-5 hours/140 kms)
You will make an early morning start towards the majestic and towering Se La, which is the major pass connecting Dirang and Tawang. You will spend some time at Se La, soaking in the enchanting views and the Se La Lake nearby, where a short walk will bring you to a landscape that will bind you in a spell. You will proceed to Jaswantgarh Memorial from where you will get the first glimpse of the town of Tawang. Overnight: Tawang
Day 05 – All day at Tawang and its surroundings.
You will spend the day slowly acclimatizing to the altitude of Tawang, and get a glimpse of the local markets and the Tawang War Memorial, which is dedicated to the soldiers who fought during the Sino-Indian War of 1962. You will visit the monastery of the birthplace of the Sixth Dalai Lama, who was born in Tawang. You will be able to visit a village near to Tawang, to get a glimpse of the rural life here. Overnight: Tawang
Day 06 – All day at Tawang Monastery.
This is your day to visit the imposing Tawang Monastery, locally known as the Galden Namghyel Lhatse, which is over 460 years old and is designed on the lines of the Potala Palace, the original and customary seat of the Dalai Lama in Lhasa, Tibet. You can spend the day traversing the incredibly large monastery and get a glimpse into the lives of resident monks, young and old, and their daily religious rituals/routines. Overnight: Tawang
Day 07 – Tawang to Bomdila (5-6 hours/190 kms)
You will visit the Chuksom Bridge in the early morning over the Tawang Chhu, built in the 14th century. You will make your way back towards Dirang, and visit the Jung Waterfalls on the way back, reaching through a small trek. You will slowly mark your way back through the Se La, Dirang valley and onwards to Bomdila, where you will visit the Bomdila Monastery and soak in the sights of this sleepy town. Overnight: Bomdila
Day 08 – Bomdila to Guwahati via Shergaon and Kalaktang (7-8 hours/280 kms)
You will make your way back towards Guwahati through a different route through the verdant landscape of Shergaon, where you will have the opportunity to visit Sherdukpen villages and get a glimpse into the traditional lifestyle of the Sherdukpen tribe, which inhabit the borderlands between Bhutan and India. You will drive through the charming landscape of Kalaktang to Guwahati, with several stops along the way. Overnight: Guwahati
Day 09 – Departures from Guwahati Airport
It is time to bid farewell to the easternmost part of India.
Photography Mentor: Manish Lakhani
Few people can boast of having travelled the high Himalayas like Manish has. For more than 15 years, he has explored these mountains extensively on foot, on bicycles and on two and four-wheels, often making his own path. He is a versatile photographer with a history of creating brilliant images of culture, heritage and landscapes.
He is renowned for his unique portrayal of remote cultures and traditions. He has photographed the cultural heritage across all the four corners of India, including the Changpa shepherds of the Himalayan Highlands, the native tribes of Northeast India, the nomads of Kutch and the rich traditions of Kerala.
He is Sony Artisan (Ambassador) in India for mirrorless camera systems and Skylum Global Brand Ambassador for Asia. His works have been regularly featured in magazines across the world. He contributes to Adobe, BBC, WWF, CNN, Lonely Planet and many others regularly.
An avid cyclist, he has done an incredible solo bicycling trip of 15,000 kilometers across India. He visited many states of India, meeting different people, experiencing the diverse cultures and making some incredible photographs along the journey. He has since led many expeditions in the high altitude regions of Ladakh.
He has been mentoring photography enthusiasts for several years now and is known for his exuberant personality, in-depth knowledge of the terrain, expedition organization skills and, of course, his keen eye for photography.
You can follow him on Instagram, Facebook and on his website.
Registration
Contact us at the email/number below to book the tour.
email: photography@darter.in
Tel: +91 97400 83260 (Shreeram) / +91 99988 66669 (Manish)
Please fill in the following form to get in touch with us regarding the tour.