The Animist Festivals of Reh & Boori Boot
Travel to the wilds of Arunachal Pradesh to celebrate indigenous culture with tribal folks as they start the year with two important festivals.
The tribal heritage of the glorious dawn-lit mountains of Arunachal Pradesh is best experienced during the festivals. The mystical eastern Himalayan land comes alive with colorful cultural performances and animist rituals. In this immersive travel experience, you will have an intimate and friendly look into the lives of the tribespeople, get to be a part of the zestful celebrations and eventually fall in love with both the kind-hearted native people and faraway mountains.
A journey into Arunachal Pradesh is inspiring, especially in a rapidly changing planet it gives us a glimpse of the ways of the ancients and a chance to learn, grow and respect. The journey begins at Dibrugarh and one proceeds towards Roing in the Mishmi Hills to witness the Reh festival of the Mishmi community when the villagers pray for prosperity.
Continue traveling to the Siang Valley, in the most splendid of countryside, you will meet the Adis, a warrior tribe also known for their skills of constructing complex bridges of cane and bamboo to cross the Siang. In the Subansiri Valley, you will meet the Tagins. Then somewhere in these lush subtropical mountains in the village of Raga you will be right on time as the colorful Hill-Miri and Nyishi tribespeoples gather to celebrate the annual Boori Boot festival. Lastly, in the splendid Ziro Valley you will meet the friendly Apatanis, peaceful hill-people who still give importance to their ancient sustainable ways of living.
At a Glance
Reh Festival
Get together with the Idu Mishmi people as they celebrate the Reh Festival.
Eastern Himalayas
A beautiful journey through the lush mountains and verdant tribal communities.
Boori Boot Festival
Get together with the Miri and Nyishi peoples to celebrate Boori Boot Festival.
Day by Day
Dibrugarh - Roing
Upon arrival at Dibrugarh Airport in the far-eastern plains of the country, you will proceed to Roing (4-5 hours), the small town sits overlooking the foothills of the mysterious Mishmi Hills. En route cross the fertile countryside of Assam and the mighty Brahmaputra River. Evening at leisure.
Roing
Visits to villages such as Abango and Kuruno of the Idu Mishmi Tribe will be arranged where you can interact with the people and observe daily life. You will also visit RIWATCH, an NGO dedicated to preserving ancient knowledges of the tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. For most time, you will be participating and observing the Reh Festival which is the main animist event for the Mishmi people. See their dances, ethnic cuisine, songs and rites to learn more of their distant and fascinating culture. Evenings at leisure where you can spend time relaxing by the fire and meeting fellow travelers.
Roing - Pasighat
After breakfast, continue on a scenic drive on some tough roads to Pasighat (6 hours), headquarter of East Siang District and the land of the once-warriors Adi tribe. Pasighat town is located beside the feared Siang River (Brahmaputra River) at the foothills of the eastern Himalayas. Spend the day visiting a few villages en route for cultural interaction. Local sightseeing of Pasighat if time permits.
Pasighat - Aalo
After an early breakfast, leave for Aalo (6-7 hours). The drive will pass through some breathtaking scenery of the valleys of the ever-mighty Siang River. These valleys are inhabited sparsely by the Minyong and Gallong Adi Tribes. They practice high-altitude terraced farming, and their crop fields and villages form perfect landscape photographs. Spend the day visiting a few villages of the Adi Tribe and knowing about their culture.
Aalo
Spend the day exploring villages around Aalo of the Adi Gallong Tribe such as Kabu, Jirdan and Kayin. In Kabu cross a cane hanging bridge which are famous for their native ingenuity. Evening will be at leisure by the campfire and a traditional dance performance.
Aalo - Daporijo
After breakfast, you will leave for a scenic drive through bad roads to Daporijo (8 hours), located at the heart of the Subansiri Valley where the Tagin people live. En route you will visit villages for cultural interactions. Gallong houses are peculiar as they are built on the stone without the use of nails.
Daporijo - Raga - Ziro
After an early breakfast, leave for Raga Village (3-4 hours) to spend the day attending the Boori Boot festival of the Hill Miri peoples, a gathering to welcome the spring and successful harvest. Observe the colorful activities such as folk dances and songs. Later after lunch, continue to Ziro (4 hours), a splendid valley surrounded by farms and pine-conifer filled forests and home to the Apatani Tribe. The drive will be scenic, through the tropical forested areas of central Arunachal Pradesh and crossing scattered tribal settlements. Evening at leisure.
Ziro
Spend the next two days exploring Apatani villages such as Hong, Hari and Dutta. In these villages where Apatani build houses adjoining each other, you will get a closer interaction with the locals, especially the tattooed elders who still live a very traditional life. Visit the unique Apatani rice farms that stretch the vast valley with its infectious fertility. Enjoy a graceful dance performance by the old Apatani ladies in the rice fields. Visit to the local market can be informative about knowing more about Apatani culture, customs, eating habits, attires and ornaments. Evenings will be at leisure. You may also taste their ethnic cuisine over dinner.
Ziro - Dibrugarh
After breakfast, leave for a long drive to the town Dibrugarh (7 hours) thus returning to the Assam plains.
Dibrugarh
After breakfast, drive to the airport as per your flight schedule. Tour ends.
Your Retreats
When you travel with us, we make sure that you stay in the best available accommodations in the places you visit, especially since many areas in Northeast India are remote and do not have many options to stay. These properties are highly reviewed by our team of experts and are aesthetic in nature when possible. Our itineraries are flexible, highly customizable, and you can always choose a different property depending on budget and style.
Achayando
A small, locally run property at Roing with wooden cottages set around wide lawns and old trees, at the foot of the Mishmi Hills. Rooms are simple and comfortable, and it makes an easy stop before and after the climb to Anini.
“Green lawns under the Mishmi Hills, and time to slow down.”
Hotel Migung
A comfortable modern hotel on the bank of the Siang at Pasighat, where the river comes down out of the mountains into the plains. Rooms are spacious and well kept, with river and mountain views from most of them.
“The Siang on one side, the first hills of Arunachal on the other.”
Sipu Homestay
A homestay on the edge of Aalo run by a local Galo family, in a low house set back off the road with a lawn and covered verandas. Rooms are clean and comfortable, and meals are Galo home cooking — a good base for the villages around Aalo.
“A quiet lane, a lawn, and the hills closing in behind.”
Hotel Singhik
In a town as remote and badly administered as Daporijo, Hotel Singhik comes as a savior, a business hotel offering clean modern rooms and standard amenities.
“Clean sheets and hot water, deep in the Subansiri valley.”
Lempia Ude Homestay
Run by an Apatani family in Lempia, with a traditional fireplace in the rooms and a balcony over the valley. The kitchen cooks local — thukpa, bamboo shoot curry — and the family will teach you to weave a bamboo basket or throw Apatani pottery.
“Woodsmoke and the valley waking up below”
The Gymkhana Clubhouse
With a small-town open atmosphere, the Gymkhana Clubhouse in Dibrugarh is run by enthusiastic town folks and provides splendid modern rooms and a heritage club.
“A 1923 clubhouse with a well-stocked bar and a small-town welcome.”
Why Travel With Greener Pastures?
Curated Experiences
Our itineraries are one of a kind, curated from our own personal travel experiences, from choosing the best logistically correct routes to the most interesting stay options.
Native Guides
Our tour guides are native to the region, and bring you an insider view into the life and culture of Northeast India, sharing with you authentic local experiences and fostering friendships.
Experts in Tours
When traveling with Greener Pastures, you can be assured that you are in the hands of experts who are knowledgeable and passionate about the region. Expect hassle-free, easy-going, and insightful travel.
“By choosing us, we share together a pledge towards responsible tourism, and share a belief that travel has the power to positively transform local livelihoods, cultures and environment.”
— The Greener Pastures Promise
Read the travel guide to Arunachal Pradesh for the seasons, the festivals and what else is worth the detour.
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