The Hoolock Gibbon (Lesser Ape) found in the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary near Kaziranga National Park in Assam, India
I woke all excited at 5:00 am to head out to the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary near Kaziranga National Park and Jorhat in Assam. The day started with a small blip: my guide was missing. I had to go to his house and wake him up – it turned out he had slept late after a night of theatre and drinking with friends. Apparently with the tip I had given him the previous evening.
But the guide was good. He had made advance arrangements with another guide to spot the Gibbons and wait for us there. When I saw the family, I was a little disappointment: I was imagining they would look like those Great African Apes you see in National Geographic. I was even visualising sitting with them for photos – and feeding them bananas I specially carried. [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Assam,
Chimpanzee,
Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary,
Gorilla,
Great African Apes,
Great Himalayan Drive,
Hoolock Gibbon,
Jorhat,
Kaziranga National Park,
North-East,
Orangutan
A Great Indian Hornbill at Kaziranga National Park in Assam, India
After the turmoil of Arunachal’s mountains, it was back to the wilds – this time at the Kaziranga National Park, one of the best wildlife reserves in the country.
The experience at Kaziranga turned out to be great for two reasons: I stayed at Wild Grass Lodge – why can’t all properties in national parks be like these? (Will post a review of this later). I also managed to secure the services of their best guide, Budheswar Konwar, to take me around. [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Assam,
Great Himalayan Drive,
Indian Roller,
Jungle Fowl,
Kaziranga National Park,
Lesser Adjutant,
North-East,
Oriental Pied Hornbill,
Otters,
Parakeet,
Purple Swamphen,
Rhino,
Rhinoceros,
Swamp Deer
The beautiful landscapes on the road to Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh
Feeling like I had conquered the North Pole, I thanked the Army officers for their hospitality at Kibithu (the eastern most motorable settlement in India) and started back in the rain. And then the troubles started.
Rocks of all sizes were having a free run, plonking themselves at alarming regularity on the highway. One big fellow stopped me in my tracks at Walong one hour later, forcing me to spend the night in an Inspection Bungalow (I was lucky to have got one, and the rooms were very comfortable). But it was a cold, long night – and it seemed even more so with the uncertainties of what lay ahead. [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Arunachal Pradesh,
Assam,
Dibrugarh,
Great Himalayan Drive,
Hayuliang,
Kibithu,
North-East
On India's eastern most road in Arunachal Pradesh, headed to Kibithu on the Chinese border
I set out on a rainy morning for Kibithu – the eastern most settlement in India that can be accessed by road.
It was a picturesque drive on a well maintained road, valleys on one side and lush green mountain faces on the other. Bamboo houses and rivers completed the postcard settings. A sign post near Kibithu announced I was on the eastern most road of India. It was with a sense of achievement that I drove into Kibithu – only to be told there were no guest houses there. The benevolence of the Army ensured me a room and hot meals in the Mess. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to venture out and to try and sight some Chinese villages across the border – the weather had made any hiking dangerous. It was time to sit back and enjoy a break after a month of heightened physical activity
This trip was sponsored by TripAdvisor.in and Yatra.com.
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Tagged as:
Arunachal Pradesh,
Chinese Border,
Eastern Most Road,
Great Himalayan Drive,
Himalayas,
Kibithu,
North-East
Crossing a stream on a shaky bamboo bridge on the way from Pasighat to Hayuliang in Arunachal Pradesh
Day 32 of the Great Himalayan Drive marked what would be many days of adventurous, and sometimes dangerous driving, into the lesser known after I left Pasighat.
After an hour of driving, I came across a broken bridge with little choice but to drive over a dry river bed. It took another hour to negotiate a rock strewn path, going over a shaky bamboo bridge over a stream and then losing my way before a boy out hunting guided me back to the highway. Incidentally, there are ‘Hunting not allowed’ signs all over but that does not deter locals from using slingshots and air guns to bring home dinner. [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Arunachal Pradesh,
Circuit House,
Debang River,
Great Himalayan Drive,
Hayuliang,
Himalayas,
Khupa,
Kibithu,
North-East,
Pasighat,
Roing,
Tezu
Children weaving cloth in Khonoma Village near Kohima in Nagaland
I spotted these children in the Khonoma Village of Nagaland, located 20 km from the state capital Kohima. They were weaving cloth on the roof of their homes. The residents here belong to the Angami tribe. Scroll down for more images of these children; click on any for a larger view. [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
Angami,
Himalayas,
Khonoma,
Kohima,
Nagaland,
North-East,
Tribe
Members of the Sumi Tribe of Nagaland performing at the Hornbill Festival
This image of Sumi tribals was taken at the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland that takes place from December 1-7 every year. The Sumis are one of the 16 recognised tribes of Nagaland.
Tagged as:
Hornbill Festival,
india,
Kisama,
Kohima,
Nagaland,
North-East,
Sumi,
Tribe
I have just returned from the north-eastern state of Nagaland, for long a state affected by political violence and underdevelopment. Even before I left, friends and family expressed concerns over my decision to explore this volatile region. The usual expression was, Why Nagaland? I could not answer this before I left, but now I can.
For starters, safety is currently a non-issue. And hope it stays that way. I spoke to Government officials, Army and Police personnel, locals and other tourists – they all gave a thumbs up. They were not wrong. [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
festival,
Himalayas,
Hornbill,
Nagaland,
North-East
