We have all heard about Manali, Darjeeling, Ladakh, and Leh, and some of us might have visited there once after hearing about the beauty of the place. But how many of you have been to Arunachal Pradesh, the land of the rising sun? Arunachal Pradesh is blessed with an abundance of picturesque landscapes and exotic topographies. Out of the many places that one could visit in Arunachal, one of them is Ziro valley, which is the headquarter of the Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh. Ziro is blessed with lush green mountains and a landscape that surprises you every different season.

Ziro is a small & beautiful hill station surrounded by picturesque paddy fields and dense pine trees. It is one of the oldest towns in the state and was also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 2002 for its Apatani Cultural Landscape. The place has a stunning landscape of alluring lush green forest and stunning ravines. This small hamlet is also famous for the terraced paddy fields where the unique system of polyculture and water management is practiced by the locals. Apart from sight-seeing the paddy fields and landscape of Ziro, one can also trek in the Talley Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. It is located just 32 km away from Ziro's main town and offers an adventurous trekking trail through a dense forest of ferns, bamboo, silver fir, and rhododendron.

Ziro valley is mainly inhabited by the Apatani community, who are famed for their unique tribal heritage. They belong to one of the oldest communities in the North-East and are known worldwide for massive nose piercings and dark facial tattoos that cover their forehead, nose, and chin. It is believed that women of the Apatani community are so beautiful that they do this kind of practice to protect their women from other tribes. Nowadays, this community is well known for the hospitality they offer to their guest and has opened up to the outside world giving a glimpse of their centuries-old culture and traditions. When in Ziro you will find guest houses or homestays as an accommodation option where you can try local delicacies, which has indeed given a boost to the tourism sector in their region.

Ziro valley has pleasant climatic conditions throughout the year, though it may get very cold during winters. One can visit Ziro at any time of the year. However, in between October and April is considered the best time to visit this place when the valley is at its best with lucid greenery everywhere. You can also visit during September as well when they host the famous Ziro Music Festival, known as ZMF. It is one of the grandest outdoor music festivals in India where artists from across the state come to perform. The festival also hosts several adventurous sports like motorsports, etc.

How to reach there -

One can reach this popular tourist destination via all modes of transportation. 

By Air: One can board a flight to Jorhat Airport or Lilabari Airport, North Lakhimpur. Both the airports are situated in the North-East part of Assam, from where you can take a bus to the Ziro valley. After the completion of Green Field Holonggi Airport, Itanagar, one can also board a flight up to there from where Ziro is just 2 hours drives away.