Apatani villages
The Apatani are the people of the Ziro valley, and walking through their villages is why you come. Ask before photographing people or homes.
3 daysHow long to stay
Budget to mid-rangeRough cost
Couples, Friends, FamiliesWho it suits
Arunachal PradeshNortheast India
Is this for you?
Ziro is a quiet valley in Arunachal Pradesh, home of the Apatani people, with pine groves and a lake. It's easier than Tawang, but you still need a permit and a long drive. It suits friends and couples after a slow, cultural trip. Plan three days, plus travel. If you want somewhere you can go on a whim, skip it.
When to go
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Go in the coloured months. The black ones are best avoided.
What to do
Tarin Fish Farm
A farm on the national tourism board's list of Ziro sights, easy to combine with the villages.
Siikhe Lake
A lake about 2.5 km from Hapoli, the main town.
Kile Pakho viewpoint and Pine Grove
A viewpoint and a pine grove, both on the official sights list. Save them for an easy walk on your last day.
What to eat
Food here is home cooking: rice, smoked meat and bamboo shoot in an Apatani house. We can't confirm any restaurant well enough to name, so eat at your homestay and ask your hosts to arrange traditional dishes. Hapoli has basic places for noodles.
Apong
Local rice beer brewed at home, and offered at Apatani tables and at festival stalls.
Vegetarian
Bamboo shoot
Bamboo shoot stewed or fried, with or without meat. It turns up at most Apatani meals, and it's an easy vegetarian choice.
Vegetarian
Pike pila
A spicy Apatani pickle. Your host may serve a spoon of it with rice.
Smoked meat
Meat smoked over the kitchen fire and served with rice, the centre of an Apatani meal. Ask your homestay at dinner.
Getting there
Naharlagun, the nearest railhead, and Itanagar are each about 100 km away, about 3 to 4 hours by cab or shared Sumo, a jeep-style taxi that carries several passengers. Guwahati is about 445 to 470 km. Airport figures disagree (Hollongi about 125 to 135 km, Lilabari about 123 km), so confirm the route with your tour operator.
Where to stay
Hapoli The main town, with most guesthouses, shops and ATMs. Cash machines are limited, so carry cash.
Old Ziro and Siiro village Smaller stays and Apatani homestays, if you want it quieter than Hapoli. You give up the shops and most of the ATMs.
Worth knowing
Permit
The whole of Arunachal Pradesh is a Protected Area. Foreign visitors need a Protected Area Permit (PAP) before they go, and an e-Visa alone is not enough. Permits from Tibetan-settlement sites elsewhere in India do not replace it.
Permit
You need a Protected Area Permit, even though the national tourism page doesn't mention it. Book an approved Arunachal tour operator at least 30 days ahead; the state sets a royalty of USD 30 per head. Sources conflict, so get in writing who files it, its validity, whether a solo foreigner is accepted, and the fee. Plan on two or more people. An e-Visa alone isn't enough. Citizens of Afghanistan, China or Pakistan, or with parents or grandparents from there, need Home Ministry approval first.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
Safety
The US lists the Northeastern States at Level 3, reconsider travel. Check your own government's current advice, and make sure your insurance covers Arunachal Pradesh and altitudes above 2,400 m, including rescue.
