Ziro is a beautiful valley in the mountains of central Arunachal Pradesh which attracts many visitors to experience the indigenous culture and rural life of the native Aptani tribe. Ziro is also a pristine destination as it is surrounded by lush green mountains, coniferous forests and terraced farms. In order to provide the visitors an authentic experience of Apatani culture, homestays have been started by the local families who host the visitors and offer a unique travel experience.
Ngunu Ziro is a community based NGO registered with the state government which is working for development through tourism and also preserving the tribal heritage for which the Apatani culture is well known. They organize training and awareness programme on community based eco-tourism and biodiversity conservation as well. They promote the potential of tourism of the valley by engaging families in providing homestay activities and training local guides for sustainable livelihood. The NGO provides training on recycling and maintaining cleanliness in the villages. They also encourage Self-Help Groups to produce traditional hand loom and handicraft products. Ngunu Ziro is also engaged with conservation of butterfly species, its monitoring and protection.
Apart from exploring the villages and enjoying the scenic beauty of the place, visitors in Ziro can also actively participate in the volunteering activities through the NGO in the forms of teaching at primary schools, learning fishing practices, conducting nature walks and butterfly monitoring. Though standard hotels and lodges have come up in Hapoli town due to the growing popularity of Ziro as a major travel destination in Arunachal Pradesh, we accommodate our clients at the homestays in Siiro village so that our guests can have a truly memorable experience of their rural stay and have a better understanding of the local culture.