[gunin]

Namdapha Tiger Reserve:





As Nibir (my 5 year old son) ran off towards the Noa-Dehing river with me in hot pursuit inside the Nampdapha Tiger Reserve, a memory came flooding back which made me smile. I was here 24 years back as a kid and was running off with my friends with my father calling out to us to slow down .



When I was a kid


I am writing a small trip-log of our trip to Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Changlang District, Arunachal Pradesh in the following post. Hope you enjoy reading it.

[gunin]

Namdapha Tiger Reserve is a biodiversity hotspot of the Eastern Himalayas. I discussed visiting the place with my wife and we made enquiries for accomodation inside the Tiger Reserve at a Forest Rest House (FRH). Bhpian and friend, Reeturaj Yogi provided me the much needed contacts for the same (I will provide the contact details in a separate post). My friend and brother-in-law, Pahar also joined in for the trip after having ridded his Bajaj Avenger from Diphu, Assam to Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh.

Day 1: Pasighat to Miao, Arunachal Pradesh

Distance: Around 260 kms

Road condition: Excellent

Stay: Namdapha Jungle Camp, Miao

I had booked accomodation for the first night at Miao as I did not want to drive inside the Tiger Reserve in the evening. During our earlier trip in 1998, the Ambassador we were travelling in broke down inside the jungle and we were rescued by a friendly local named G. Singpho. Interestingly, the Namdapha Jungle Camp, Miao is owned by the brother of this gentleman.



Starting from Pasighat. Always a good sign to see elephants



Ranaghat bridge over Siang River




Break after crossing Mebo.




Bolero Lx 4wd on Sisseri Bridge, Dambuk



Beautiful clear waters

We bought some tasty oranges in Dambuk keeping us fresh and full during the journey.



Long bridge near Roing. No stopping or standing allowed here and everyone obeys


We soon reached Roing, the Headquarters of Lower Dibang Valley. I always struggled to find a good eating place here. This time a new dhaba had opened, Pertin Dhaba and my quest for good food in Roing ended. Parathas were excellent here. We ate here on our way back too.



Pertin Dhaba. Good Food and Toilet Facilities


Bhismaknagar Ruins

There are ruins of an ancient kingdom here. We decided to visit the ruins this time:







At the entrance



Ancient ruins of Bhismaknagar. No visitors here. We opened the gates and closed them after visiting.


Golden Pagoda, Tengapani, Namsai

We soon reached Namsai thereafter and my son spotted the Golden Pagoda. He loves the small shop here which has lots of sweet candies encased in toy bikes, cycles, cars etc.It is always pleasant to visit the Golden Pagoda with its huge clean lawns. Some pictures:







Beautiful place to hang out



A festival was underway with beautiful prayer flags.





Big statue near the Golden Pagoda. It is a sight to see at night.



Lunch break at Namsai at a Singpho Dhaba. Disn't look like much but food was simple, tasty and in huge proportions.



Tucking in!

We reached Miao in the afternoon and went in search of the Namdapha Jungle Camp located near the banks of the Noa-Dehing river. After freshening up, we went to the nearby river side. There were lots of picnic parties going on and we drove on the rocky surface to get a little bit of solitude. Thanks to the Bolero 4wd which allows us to go a that bit further than would have been possible in some other car.



Nibir and Mandira enjoying



A kid out in the open outdoors.




Pahar with his nephew in a challenge of who can cause the biggest splash

One can cross the river on boats and cars too can be boarded on these boats. Across the river is an alternate route to Namsai and an adventure I kept for another time.



A place to still your inner self

As the sun set, it became cold and we retired tour comfortable huts at Namdapha Jungle Camp. There were owls hooting and flying inside the huge campus. A clear night with cold winds. Soon it was time for dinner which was very good with rice, chicken and sabji in generous proportions.



Namdapha Jungle Camp at night

[gunin]

Day 2: Miao to Deban (Inside the Namdapha Tiger Reserve)

Distance: 25 kms

Road condition: It is a narrow dirt track and is acceptable considering it is a jungle road. During rains, it can become a 4wd only road. It forms a part of the under construction Miao- Vijaynagar or MV Road.

We woke up fresh to the chirping of birds and the dulled gurgle of the Noa-Dehing river.





Beautiful morning at Namdapha Jungle Camp, Miao



A warm winter sun, hot cup of tea and good company



We discovered this mantis almost frozen on the windshield.



Nibir put it in the sun and it soon returned to its warm self. Nibir was sad when it hopped off but comforted himself saying it went back to its kids


After a heavy breakfast, we started for Deban Forest Rest House (FRH) inside the Namdapha Tiger Reserve. We had already booked two rooms there through the Forest Authorities.



Starting towards Deban



Checkgate at Mpen. Some nominal fees and permits are checked here.



Welcome!



Happy kids at Mpen

We were informed that the Governor of the state was visiting the Miao-Vijaynagar road for inspection and its effect showed on the tired faces of the forest guards who had been awake the whole night.

As a result, we saw a lot of security on our way to Deban. Nibir didn't care much for the security and was worried about a tiger jumping in and kept the windows closed .

Some pictures on the way to Deban:





Towards Deban



Faithful work horse

After driving for around 2 hours, we reached the Deban FRH belonging to the Forest Department. It is a beautiful campus surrounded by huge lawns and ofcourse the wilderness. It costs around Rs.300 per night per room which is a bargain anyway you look at it. Food is prepared by the forest department people and served at the mess.



Deban Forest Rest House. There are tourist huts too here run by the forest department. This is the oldest structure here and is still excellent to stay in.





It has 4 rooms. We booked 2 and as there were no other guests, we had the whole building and lawn to ourselves.


After requesting for lunch, we went trekking to the Noa-Dehing river nearby. Nibir ran off and I took off after him remembering the scene 24 years ago.



To Noa- Dehing river



Namdapha Tiger Reserve. Finally here. A dream comes true.

I couldn't resist taking a dip in the cold river. It was very cold and very refreshing. Almost like some weight were taken off my body.



Take away all my worries Noa-Dehing



Father and son.




We spent a good couple of hours near the river. Nibir on way back for a late lunch.



Mess hall at Deban FRH



View from Deban FRH



Amla trees were aplenty.




Fresh amla. Amlokhi in Assamese.

We spotted a huge flying squirrel inside the campus. It welcomes all visitors here by jumping and showing off its acrobatics. I need a zoom lens soon.



Nibir is all attention



A caterpillar. The foresters were very happy seeing a kid so interested.




A beautiful sunset.



A view point for the soul

After dinner we stayed up late hoping to see some bear wander inside the lawn. It was a surreal feeling with silence all around and us ensconed safely inside the FRH. There is no mobile network here btw which is a big boon if you feel you are too connected.

[gunin]

Day 3: Trek to Haldibari Camp and Return back to Pasighat

The day before, we had requested a forest guard, Mr. Tamang to guide us inside the Tiger Reserve. The forest department people at Namdapha are very welcoming and cooperative. Mr. Tamang, a very genuine and helpful person showed up at 6 am for our trek on the opposite side of the Noa-Dehing river.



Our ride to the other side



Only one picture with all 4 of us



Our ride back





Cold morning ride

Haldibari camp is a trek of around 6 kms (one way) and people trek and camp to more interior camps with the forest guards. It is a paradise for wildlife photography enthusiasts.

As we entered the dense jungle, the roaring wind completely vanished and from the cold open winter we reached a tropical jungle. There are lots of leeches here and even in the cold November, I donated some blood to a couple of them.

Now, trekking with a 5 year old is tough. For starters, each and every thing fascinates him and progress becomes slow. Also, to save him from leeches, I carried him which improved my cardiovascular capacity a great bit. Pahar also improved his as he carried Nibir for a little bit.

Mr. Tamang was disappointed that we didn't spot much wildlife except a few squirrels. We told him we weren't expecting a zoo like experience and were happy just soaking in the wilderness. We heard a loud helicopter like sound and sure enough, we spotted a hornbill landing on a tree nearby.



From open windy beaches


We walked towards



The jungle



Dense jungle



Orchids aplenty









Workout time




Finally Haldibari camp



With Mr. Tamang

With Pahar, adventure is always waiting to happen. Here, while returning we were returning by the river bank when he decided to go exploring off the beaten track. Mr. Tamang and I got very worried as we were not able to locate him among the high reeds and spent around 20 minutes searching for him. The jungle is no place for wandering off and after some time, we spotted a distant figure taking snaps . Pahar got an earful from each of us.



Pahar with nephew Nibir



Boarding point. I could have spent the entire day sitting here.



Back at the FRH. Nibir happy to see two monsters.

After a late lunch, we drove almost no-stop to reach Pasighat at night capping off a wonderful 3 days.



Long drive



Thank you for reading!

[gunin]

Contact Information:

Namdapha Tiger Reserve:

Mr. Das of the Forest Department: 9612434463

email: fdnamdapha@gmail.com

Namdapha Jungle Camp, Miao:

Mr. Singpho, Owner: 9436228763

Hope you find this helpful. Thank you

[BlackPearl]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing Gunin!

[deepak_misra]

It is really nice to read your detailed and well photographed travelogue. The north east is so beautiful.

[ruzbehxyz]

Dear gunin
Thanks for sharing this wonderful travelogue.

Namdapha is one of the only National Parks in the world to house four wild cats - leopard, snow leopard, tiger and clouded leopard. One of the reasons for this is that the park elevation ranges from 300 to 4,500 m. (980 to 14,760 ft) and vegetation zones from evergreen, moist deciduous to temperate broadleaved and coniferous forest types to alpine vegetation.

[catchjyoti]

This is the first time I heard of Namdapha. Thank you for introducing us to this tiger reserve. You guys seem to have had a great trip!

Keep showing us more such hidden gems of North East.

[Yogi..Reeturaj]

You always bring out a hidden gem in your tlogs @gunin. Lovely pics and engaging narration as always.

[mihir_m13]

Fantastic pictures, Thanks for bringing it to us.

[vsrivatsa]

Very good travelogue - well communicated with beautiful pictures and comments. Thanks for sharing. Had not heard about this place before - was good to learn about it.

They seem to have a website as well: https://namdaphatigerreserve.org/

When I saw Title with AP on the home page, being a South Indian, I thought it must be Andhra Pradesh, but lo and behold it turned out to be the exotic Arunachal Pradesh

[SafariMan]

Very good travelogue. Hope to write like this about so many places in the north-east. My last places before home being Mayodia-Annini and the scintillating Mechuka (Lamung and Yarlong) in Arunachal Pradesh

Just back to in-laws house in Kolkata from a 6 month gruelling north-east road trip on a 2003 5 speed Maruti 800.

For me the biggest and best would be the drive to Kibithoo from Namsai staying in btw at Hawaii and visiting Walong. Goosebumps.

[RoadAtlas]

Hello Gunin, Exceptional travelogue as always. I am planning a trip to AP this year and will surely add Namdapha to the list.

Can you pls update the status of the Online ILP system? One of my friends tried to get it online for his Tawang trip recently, however could not procure it, and had to contact an agent in Bhalukpong to get it done on his behalf.

[gunin]

Originally Posted by deepak_misra

It is really nice to read your detailed and well photographed travelogue. The north east is so beautiful.

Thank you for the appreciation.

Originally Posted by ruzbehxyz

Dear gunin
Thanks for sharing this wonderful travelogue.

Namdapha is one of the only National Parks in the world to house four wild cats - leopard, snow leopard, tiger and clouded leopard. One of the reasons for this is that the park elevation ranges from 300 to 4,500 m. (980 to 14,760 ft) and vegetation zones from evergreen, moist deciduous to temperate broadleaved and coniferous forest types to alpine vegetation.

Thank you for the kind words and also the information about the Tiger Reserve. Our guide, Mr. Tamang had told us of the many days trek they do to reach their last camp where the weather and vegetation changes like you mentioned. I am happy you shared the information .

Originally Posted by catchjyoti

This is the first time I heard of Namdapha. Thank you for introducing us to this tiger reserve. You guys seem to have had a great trip!

Keep showing us more such hidden gems of North East.

Thank you. We indeed had a good time. Being stationed in Arunachal mean weekend hangouts like these.

Originally Posted by Yogi..Reeturaj

You always bring out a hidden gem in your tlogs @gunin. Lovely pics and engaging narration as always.

Thanks Reetu! It would not have been such a great outing without your contact information. We should visit again for a longer trip here.

Originally Posted by mihir_m13

Fantastic pictures, Thanks for bringing it to us.

Thank you for the appreciation.

Originally Posted by vsrivatsa

Very good travelogue - well communicated with beautiful pictures and comments. Thanks for sharing. Had not heard about this place before - was good to learn about it.

They seem to have a website as well: https://namdaphatigerreserve.org/

When I saw Title with AP on the home page, being a South Indian, I thought it must be Andhra Pradesh, but lo and behold it turned out to be the exotic Arunachal Pradesh

Thank you. I am happy you found it a good read. Sometimes I spot rare AP registered vehicles here and think it is from Arunachal Pradesh .

Originally Posted by SafariMan

Very good travelogue. Hope to write like this about so many places in the north-east. My last places before home being Mayodia-Annini and the scintillating Mechuka (Lamung and Yarlong) in Arunachal Pradesh

Just back to in-laws house in Kolkata from a 6 month gruelling north-east road trip on a 2003 5 speed Maruti 800.

For me the biggest and best would be the drive to Kibithoo from Namsai staying in btw at Hawaii and visiting Walong. Goosebumps.

Wow! you seem to be posted in beautiful places. I visited Anini in 2014 and recently visited Lamang and Yarlung a few weeks back. You should definitely pen down your experiences here. A trip in the Maruti 800 must have been quite an adventure. In tough terrains, it is the hatches and burly UVs which are ideal. Regarding Kibithu, I have some unfinished business there.

Originally Posted by RoadAtlas

Hello Gunin, Exceptional travelogue as always. I am planning a trip to AP this year and will surely add Namdapha to the list.

Can you pls update the status of the Online ILP system? One of my friends tried to get it online for his Tawang trip recently, however could not procure it, and had to contact an agent in Bhalukpong to get it done on his behalf.

Thank you. Regarding the online ILP, I too have noticed the application stays pending for a long time (5-6 days) and then gets rejected. The reasons I have got are: Apply to respective office, Address details incomplete, Local contact to be from area of visit and so on. It was not like this before. This has been the case in our last 3 trips (I don't need ILP as I am working there) when I applied for trips to Mechuka and Shergaon. Only advice I can provide is to apply in advance (atleast 2 weeks prior) before your planned trip. If you need any help for your trip, please let me know.