Arunachal Pradesh

Needing a cure of the ‘been there, done that’s? Here’s one: it’s called Arunachal Pradesh. For years sheltered in a shadow of obscurity, this far-flung state of India is as amazing a place as your ever likely to see. Why do we say that? Well, aside from it’s scenic qualities (which alone are reason enough), not one single westerner before us had ever been to the villages where we’ll be taking you. Sound good? Believe us – it is!

Hemmed in by Tibet to the north, Bhutan to the west and Myanmar to the east, Arunachal Pradesh is entirely dominated by the eastern extension of the great Himalayas. Unbroken jungles teeming with wildlife crowd the lower elevations, while spartan Fir and Pine forests take over higher up, all drained and gouged by circuitous rivers of crystal waters that tumble to the plains below. Seemingly untouched by modern man, this paradisiacal wilderness is not without reason; a government imposed moratorium on logging, and an overall lack of economic development are the driving factors maintaining this stunning status-quo.

Spectacular aesthetics are a perfect compliment to our main reason for coming here, and that, of course, is the tribes. Few places in the world own such a diverse and dominant tribal population in such a small area. Approximately eighty-percent of the population are tribal, comprising some twenty-six major groups and many more smaller ones. Because of Arunachal’s geographical extremes – dense jungles, high mountains, forbidding rivers – intercommunication has historically been next to impossible, creating over time cultural distinctions found between peoples living sometimes only miles apart. That, of course, is changing rapidly with the advent of roads, towns, immigration, etc, but for the most part many of the tribes continue to follow their customary way of life more or less unchanged.

Like the moratorium on logging has saved the forests, a moratorium of sorts on immigration has done the same for these fragile indigenous cultures. Fearing this sensitive area would be swamped with outsiders (and also because of the strategic border areas), India’s government imposed rigid entry requirements for tourists and non-Arunachali Indians alike. Foreigners were barred completely, while non-Arunachali Indians had to first obtain a special permit. Today entry is still rigorously controlled, but thanks to years of local criticism against the no-tourist policy, foreigners have finally been allowed in. There are strict guidelines: tourists must be in groups of a minimum four people and pay a US$50 entry fee, can stay a maximum of ten days and can travel only on certain routes. However, thanks to our good relationship with the local people and authorities, The Tribal Experience is able to get off those routes and take you into the truly unexplored.

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