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This winter, zero in on Ziro valley for an unparalleled and intimate photography experience in the heart of Arunachal Pradesh. Home to the Apatani tribe, this experience to enable you an insight into the lifeworlds of the Apatani community.
This trip to the Ziro valley offers you a panoramic view of the Apatani plateau nestled among the heights of the Eastern Himalayan ranges. The area is renowned for the terrace paddy fields where the unique system of poly-culture and water management is practised by the local people. Our local experts have curated an exclusive photography experience like none other that helps you understand and photograph the unique social and cultural traditions of the Apatani community, in addition to the incredible landscape of the world they inhabit. Sign up today for an unforgettable photography experience!
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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
Dec ?? to ??, 2025
Tour Price – ₹6*, ***/-(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 – Ziro Valley, In the Plateau of Apatani – Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal literally means land of the rising sun. This is the land of rolling hills, dense forests and tall mountains. Arunachal Pradesh is located in the northeastern part of India, rising in altitude from 50 meters above sea level in the foothills to high mountain peaks of over 7,000 meters.
Ziro valley, located in central Arunachal Pradesh, is on the Tentative List for UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites for the Apatani cultural landscape. The Apatani are part of the larger Tani group of communities which inhabit central Arunachal Pradesh. Their engagement with their farms, with a combination of rice cultivation along with fish farming, underpins a unique practice passed on through generations. Walking through the sacred forests and bamboo groves amidst the various villages of the Apatani plateau, we understand and photograph the traditional architecture of dwellings and the cultural practices of a people in constant flux. This makes for an enchanting deep dive into local ethnic cultures.
On this exclusively curated photography tour, explore the village life of the Apatani tribe and native culture. Immerse yourself in the breathtaking villages and landscapes around. Photograph intimate portraits of people from the famous Apatani tribe and capture their daily life.
Images from Ziro Valley, in the plateau of Apatani
The slideshow of images below gives you a glimpse of what to expect during the “In the Plateau of Apatani – Photography Tour of Ziro Valley”. Scroll down to ‘detailed itinerary‘ section for a day-by-day travel plan.
Dates & Itinerary
Dates: Dec ?? to ??, 2025
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 some of the most remote parts of India, interacting with and photographing the Apatani of Arunachal Pradesh and their daily life.
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 Arunachal 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 an 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.69,950/-
The cost includes
The cost does not include
Cancellation Policy:
– 50% of the tour fee is charged as a cancellation fee for cancellations between 59 days and 45 before the start of a tour.
– 80% of the tour fee is charged as a cancellation fee for cancellations between 44 days and 31 days before the start of a tour.
– No refund for cancellation within 30 days of the tour start date or for a 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 home-stays with local families to get first-hand experience of local culture.
Arrival & Departure
We have organized group pick-up for participants from Dibrugarh Day 01 at the following schedules.
On Day 01
Please contact us if you need any information on reaching Dibrugarh.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 01 – Arrival at Dibrugarh Airport and transfer to a hotel in the town.
Once you arrive in Dibrugarh, we will transfer you to the hotel. In the early evening, we will have a welcome and orientation session where we’ll get to know each other. There will be a tour briefing, along with a photography discussion. Overnight: Dibrugarh
Day 02 – Drive from Dibrugarh to Ziro (7 hours/260 kms)
After an early breakfast, we embark on a long journey to our destination – Ziro Valley. Along the way, we’ll make multiple stops to photograph the incredible countryside. The mighty Brahmaputra offers some incredible views across the Bogibeel Bridge. The verdant countryside with a mix of bright mustard yellow and golden rice fields fills your heart to the brim. Overnight: Ziro
Day 03 & 05 – Full days at Ziro and its verdant surroundings.
We spend two and half days exploring the life and cultures of the Ziro valley – the home of the Apatanis. Most of the Apatani villages are located within a radius of 7 square kilometres. Prominent among them are Hong, Hari, Bulla, Tajang, Hija, Dutta, Mudang Tage and Bamin Michi. We will also do some easy walks in the community forests adjoining the villages. These forests are considered sacred spaces and we will gain insight into their traditional practices and rituals. We will be able to visit families and interact with them. Overnight: Ziro
Day 06 – Spend half-day in Ziro.
After a full morning session in Ziro valley, we start back to Dibrugarh. Overnight: Dibrugarh
Day 07 – Departure from Dibrugarh Airport.
It is time to bid farewell to the easternmost part of India, with our memory cards brimming with photographs and our hearts full of incredible memories.
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.