Ziro Valley, in Arunachal Pradesh, is probably best known for hosting the infamous Ziro Music Festival which sees an inflow of music enthusiasts from all over the globe. The energy of music in the picturesque, natural and remote setting of the village hits different, for sure. It is also home to the Apatani people who are spread across 7 villages all across the valley. Ziro is recommended by UNESCO to receive the title of a World Heritage Site for the unique ways its people conserve their environment. The Apatani tribe, as cultivators of rice, are known for their high levels of production without the use of farm animals or machinery, thereby being labeled the protectors of the ecology. With its wide expanses of paddy fields flanked by a canopy of dense forests on all sides, it is hard not to swoon over this place once you’ve witnessed its magnificence.
It is also the trail head for one of the most beautiful jungle trails in Arunachal Pradesh, the Talle Valley Trek . If you are in Arunachal Pradesh or any of the neighboring states, you absolutely must add a few days to your trip to visit Ziro valley.
By Air:
Some of the closest airports to Ziro Valley are:
1. Guwahati, Assam: 460 kms
2. Jorhat, Assam: 100 kms
3. Dibrugarh, Assam: 260 kms
4.Lilabari Airport, Assam: 130 kms
5. Hollongi Airport, Arunachal Pradesh: 130 kms
Guwahati is the gateway to all northeastern states and the only international airport of all the ones mentioned above. It is well connected to all the major states in India. Considering the distances and ease of travel between various points, it is best to fly in to Guwahati.
You can get night buses from Guwahati straight to Ziro Valley. These buses run 4 days a week. Plan your travel accordingly.
If you choose to fly to Hollongi Airport, you will need to hire a private cab to travel 32 kms to get to Itanagar. Itanagar is the capital city of Arunachal Pradesh. You can get buses run by the Arunachal Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation from here to Ziro valley.
By Rail:
The closest railway station to Ziro Valley is Naharlagun in Arunachal Pradesh. This station is not directly connected to many places. There is one train, Donyi Polo Express (15817) that runs between Guwahati and Naharlagun. The train takes close to 7 hours. It starts from Guwahati at 2330 hrs and reaches Naharlagun at 0640 in the morning.
There is a train from New Delhi to Naharlagun once a week, every Sunday.
You will need to hire a private cab to get from Naharlagun to Ziro Valley. Since the railway station is far off from the main city (15 kms), and also does not receive too many trains during the day, transport facilities are scarce and unreliable. We’d recommend you pre-book your travel with your travel agent or trek guide if you have one. In case you are not travelling through an agency and are unable to get transport from Naharlagun, take a cab out to Itanagar (15kms). You should be able to get shared cabs or private cabs to Ziro Valley from here much more easily than from Naharlagun.
By Road:
Make your way to Guwahati. An Arunachal Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation bus runs between Guwahati and Ziro Valley 4 days in a week. Remember to check for the availability of the bus on your day of travel. Alternatively, you can hire a cab from Itanagar, which is the capital city of Arunachal Pradesh and is a 100 kms from the valley. It should be a 3-4 hour drive.
The easiest way to get to Ziro Valley is to reach Guwahati, take a train to Naharlagun and pre-book your drive forward to Ziro Valley.
