Ziro Travel Guide

Ziro town comprising the original Ziro village and the new town Hapoli doesn’t have too many touristy sights to offer. After navigating the towns hire a taxi Rs 5-8 per km plus fuel and head out to the Apa Tani villages that are at a distance from the new town. Its best to reach the villages before 7 am or else you’ll have to wait until evening when the villagers head back from the fields and bamboo groves.

District Museum

Established in 1956 the museum hosts a collection of artifacts turquoise and coral jewellery bone and ivory ornaments bamboo and cane household products, textiles and a small collection of Dao machetes. The museum is what you might expect in a remote place like Ziro but if you don’t mind the randomness of display it gives you some interesting insights into the indigenous skill base of the tribal communities of the district.

Mithun Spotting

Try spotting the mithun the bovine family member that’s a cross between the wild gaur and the buffalo. A large lumbering loner the mithun prefers the quiet of the forests and the Talley Valley Wildlife Sanctuary 38 km away to the banter of the villages and towns. The APA Tanis too let the mithun be until that is there’s a bride price or a fine to be paid or a sacrifice to be made. Then a hunting group sets out into the forests with salt said to attract the mithun and help it identify its owner.

Festival Harvest
Being an agricultural community festivities are often timed around agricultural activity. The Mloko Festival (March-April) is celebrates at the beginning of the agricultural cycle and is associated with the popular local sport, Bobo. Bamboo poles are installed in open spaces with cane ropes stretched between them on which the locals perform acrobatics. It can be a heady experience, especially if you have a couple of rice beers in your belly. The Dree Festival (july) marks the end of the plantation cycle. Offerings are made to the gods for a healthy crop.

Around Ziro

Talley Valley Wildlife Sanctuary (35 km)
A jeep ride from new town Ziro drops you off at the Manipolylong settlement from where the Talley Sanctuary is another 8 km. This natural botanical garden is a treasure trove of flora and fauna. Several orchids can be spotted here and the shy and retiring mithun. Pange on the way to Talley is an ideal spot for angling.

Train Fish Farm

This regional high altitude fish seed farm at Tarin near Ziro is a great example of the Apa Tenis paddy and fish culture.

Daporijo 172 km

Part of the popular Itanagar Ziro Daporijo along pasighat travel circuit in Arunachal Paradesh. Home to the Tagin, Hill Miri and Adi tribes Daporijo is a fairly large village town located at the confluence of the Sippi and Subansiri rivers. The long, long drive to Daporijo takes anywhere from 6 to 8 hours. It is the district headquarters of Upper Subansiri and is a favourite camping destination en route to along the head quarters of west siang district.

Air Nearest airport Lilabari, North Lakhimput (100 km/3 hrs). Shared Sumo to Ziro is Rs 110 per head

Rail Nearest station North Lakhimput. Sumo taxi to Ziro costs about Rs 1,500-2,000 (return fare). Shared cab is about Rs 110 per head