Ziro is a census town & a beautiful plateau dotted with a number of hillocks beneath the lush paddy fields in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is the district headquarters of Lower Subansiri district and is one of the oldest hill station towns in Arunachal Pradesh located at about 1680 mts. above sea level. This high town, in the beautiful valley of the Apatani plateau is almost a level valley enveloped on all sides by Pine clad low stooping hills & Alpine forests. On the east, there is a high ridge which has some important peaks. A small river, the Kele, drains the plain of the Apatani valley. It flows to the south for some 40 km before it meets the Panior River near Yazali.
The Apatanis practice the famous paddy-cum-fisciculture cultivation( paddy - fish cultivation.) Confined to an area of only 200 km in Kamala Valley, they utilise land to its best.
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Ziro is a small picturesque destination famed for its Pine and Bamboo groves, villages, a craft centre and Tarin Fish Farm, which is located at a high altitude. Also to see are the indigenous method of rice cultivation which are famous for its tranquility. Ziro is an ideal place for trekking and hiking. The beautiful handloom and handicrafts products designed by the Apatani Women are famed too.
It was the headquarters of the undivided Subansiri district comprising of the present districts of Upper Subsansiri, Kurung Kumey, Lower Subansiri and Papum Pare.
Ziro is the land of Apatani tribes, which forms most of the population & are its greatest attraction. The Apatanis are known for their hospitality, more so during festivals like Myoko, Murung and Dree(In July). These tribes speak not less than 60 dialects & are well acquainted with modern systems of cultivation. The Languages Spoken here are Apatani, Nishi, Hindi, Assamese & English.
Ziro’s climate is cool in summer and chilly in winter. The cool weather in summers is a major tourist attraction. Heavy woolens in winter and cotton in summer are recommended clothing for the place. The Best Season to visit is from April to November.
Tourists would need a restricted area permit (RAP) to visit Arunachal Pradesh apart from a valid Indian Visa for foreign nationals.
The Languages Spoken here are Apatani, Nishi, Hindi, Assamese & English.
The Entry and Exit Point to Ziro is Kimin. It is connected by Air & Rail from the nearest places of Tezpur & Lakhimpur. There are Govt. buses which run connecting Ziro with the major towns efficiently. Buses can be boarded towards Ziro from Itanagar/Naharlagun and from North Lakhimpur.
By Air: The Nearest Airports are Tezpur & Lilabari which connect Ziro to Kolkata & Guwahati. From there the tourists are well connected to the rest of the country.
By Rail: The nearest railhead to Ziro is North Lakhimpur by Arunachal Express from New Bongaigaon.
By Road: Govt. & Private buses run from Itanagar/Naharlagun and from North Lakhimpur to Ziro. Direct buses are available from Itanagar and North Lakhimpur.
Local Transport: A very small number of unmetered Taxis are available from the capital Itanagar. It is best for tourists to book a taxi/jeep from here itself to avoid inconvenience. Tourist/Deluxe buses are available on rent from the Director, Tourism, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, Nahariagun. A few other transport agencies in the state capital rent out private tourist cars and coaches.
Kile Pakho: A ridge located at 7 km. from old Ziro. On clear mornings, one can have clear bird’s views of Ziro plateau on one side and snow range of Himalayas called “Nyime Pembu” on the other.
Pine Grove: Pine clad area about 3 km. from old Ziro. The GREF (Border road organization) established in December 1961 is located around this scenic grandeur.
Paddy cum Fish Cultivation: A famous innovative cultivation practice followed in Apatani plateau, where fish are bred along with paddy cultivation. After transplanting of paddy from the nursery in wet rice cultivation field, the fish fingerlings are put in Mugo (channels in paddy field for drainage of water) at knee-deep height that are kept for 2-3 months before harvesting of fish.
Bamboo Grove: One stem monopodial Bamboo, (Phyllotachys bamboosoides) grown with blue clad pine, is one of the expert practices of farm forestry followed in this part of the world. It is worth a visit.
Tipi Orchid Research Centre: Situated on the way to Bomdila, the Tipi Orchid Research Centre is a treasure trove of a wide variety of orchids that grow abundantly in the state.
The climate of the area is congenial for cultivation of orchids and varieties of flowers. A local entrepreneur has developed an orchid farm in which large variety of rare and exotic orchids are cultivated for sale and research pupose. The farm, M/s Nanakoo Orchid Farm, half a kilometre from Hapoli on Hapoli-Talley Valley road is a place worth visiting.
Shiv Lingam at Kardo Forest: A miraculous discovery of Shiva Lingam of Sidheswar Nath Temple took place in the 1st-forthnight of July'2004 in the auspicious month of Shravana, a month to worship Lord Shiva. A Nepalese, Mr Prem Subha discovered the Lingam while cutting trees. The mystery of this Lingam in Ziro has been mentioned in the Shivpurana edition 1893 that the tallest Shiva Lingam will appear at a place which will be called Lingalaya and the later the whole will be known as Arunachal. There one can see not only the Lingam but also the image of Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha with trunk turning leftward. It is also said that the goddess of water, the Ganga lives with Lord Shiva. Therefore, the constant flow of water from the base of the Lingam can be clearly seen.It is about 4 Km away from Hapoli township. The height of Shiva Lingam is 25ft. and 22 ft width. It attracts hundreds of devotees from all around the region.
The rain forest areas of Arunachal Pradesh are the natural habitat of the Hoolock gibbon (Hylobates hoolock), the only species of ape found in India. Namdapha National Park is one of the few places in the country noted for its concentration of gibbons. Unfortunately, the demand for land and timber is threatening the existence of the species.
Accommodation is available at Circuit House and Inspection Bungalow. The Reservation authority lies with the Deputy Commissioner of Ziro.
Ziro Putu: Also called Army putu is a Hillock at old Ziro where the first administrative centre was set up after India’s independence and Army cantonment was located in sixties. From this hillock one can have bird’s eye view of Apatani plateau. The Airport is also located beneath this hillock in the midst of the scenic paddy field.
D.I.C.: District Industries Centre located at 1 km. from Distt. Hq. Ziro(Hapoli), where traditional handlooms & handicrafts and others traditional items are displayed and also available for sale at competitive rate.
Paapu: It was the first administrative centre established before independence in 1944-45 by a foreigner Mr. F. Heimendrof, a Special Officer appointed by British Administration.
Hapoli: Headquarters of Lower Subansiri District Administration. The Deputy Commissioner’s residence and Circuit House are located at a hillock from where one can have clear view of Hapoli Township.
Taley Wild Life Sanctuary: Most beautiful and virgin forests having diverse flora and fauna ranging from sub-tropical to alpine forests. It is covered with impenetrable vegetations marked by giant silver fir trees, a variety of rhodendron, orchids, ferns and varieties of bamboo. One should not leave Ziro without visiting this biodiversity hot spot of this plateau, which is away nearly 32 Km north east of Ziro.
It is advisable to mark this trip with the other places of Arunachal Pradesh to enjoy it best.
