Vanishing Tribes Photo Tour - full itinerary

Our photographic journey through Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, two of India’s most remote regions, as we document the fascinating traditions of the Apatani and Konyak tribes while they preserve their ancient ways of life. In the secluded Ziro Valley of Arunachal Pradesh, we'll encounter the Apatani tribe, renowned for their unique cultural practices and remarkable agricultural expertise. We continue to the Mon district of Nagaland, home to the Konyak tribe, where we'll photograph the elaborately tattooed former warriors and document their rich cultural heritage through their intricate woodcarvings, traditional attire and more. The final leg of our journey takes us through the lush tea gardens of Assam.

Day 1:
Arrive Delhi
We will arrange for you to be picked up from the airport. There will be a pre-tour meet ‘n’ greet with Nathan at the hotel starting at around 6pm.

Day 2:
Delhi — Itanagar
After breakfast, we head to the airport for our noon departure to Itanagar, the capital of the northeast Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. On arrival, we will be collected from the airport then we check in at our hotel. 

After lunch, we pay a visit to a Buddhist Gompa, a serene and spiritually significant monastery that stands as a testament to the rich Buddhist heritage of the region. We admire the intricate  architecture, colourful murals and sacred relics that make this place a peaceful retreat for meditation and reflection.  

Later in the afternoon, we visit the vibrant local market in Itanagar, where the culture and daily life of the locals come alive. The market buzzes  with activity, offering a mix of traditional handicrafts, tribal textiles, bamboo products, and locally produced spices. We can interact with the local vendors to get a deeper understanding of their crafts and livelihoods.

Day 3:
Itanagar — Ziro
Today after breakfast we visit a tribal market to capture shots of local culture and daily life. From there we set off on the 4-5 hour drive to the picturesque town of Ziro, which is inhabited mainly by the Apatani people. The area is renowned for its terraced paddy fields where the unique system of poly-culture and water management is practiced by the local people.

Ziro is almost a level valley enclosed on all sides by pine-clad low-stooping hills. The area, also known as the Apatani Plateau, is famous for Paddy-cum-Fish culture. Here we discover the local culture of  the Apatani tribe, whose old ladies still practice the unique tradition of nose plugs piercing and facial tattooing. The tribe practices Doniy Polo animism and believes in Sun and Moon.

We arrive in Ziro in the late afternoon, just in time to visit a blacksmith and find a sunset spot. Afterwards, we check in to our hotel and enjoy dinner with the group.

Day 4:
Ziro
Early this morning, we visit Old Ziro viewpoint, where we have a panoramic view of the magnificent Ziro valley. Afterwards, we set off for the whole day to explore the local Apatani tribe, where we meet the old ladies with their unique nose plugs and facial tattoos, in their own homes. 

After lunch, we go deeper into the interior of the Ziro valley and visit Hong, the largest village of the Apatani community, as well as some other tribal villages such as Bulla, Hari, and Hija. We don’t leave without seeing a bamboo forest and visiting a sunset spot.

Day 5:
Ziro — Majuli (5-6 hour drive)
This morning, after breakfast, we drive past paddy fields to see villagers at work (step farming). We continue onwards to Majuli, famously known as the world's largest (or, arguably, second largest) river island. It is formed by the Brahmaputra River to the south and east, the Subansiri River to the west, and a branch of the Brahmaputra River called Kherkutia Xuti to the north.

Majuli is the cultural capital of the state of Assam. Shrimant Sankardeva established this practice of Vaishnavism in the 16th century. Vaishnavism is a sect of Hinduism where they worship Lord Vishnu, The Protector, and his re-incarnation. The major population of this island is made up of the Mishing tribe, who are believed to have migrated from present Arunachal Pradesh.

En route to the island, we stop at the Assam Tea Gardens to see the tea workers. If time permits, we make stopovers on roadside paddy fields and villages as any photo opportunities present themselves. On arrival in Majuli Island we settle down in our guest house for our overnight stay.

Day 6:
Majuli
At sunrise we take an atmospheric walk along a riverbank with bridges and Chinese fishing nets. We spend the rest of the morning exploring Majuli, which offers rich photographic opportunities at ancient Vaishnavite temples (satras) where monks perform traditional rituals. The Chamaguri Satra is renowned for its mask-making artisans. 

After lunch, we visit the Mishing tribal villages, presenting intimate glimpses of daily life, with traditional stilt houses and women weaving on hand looms along the Brahmaputra's banks. Towards sunset, we make our way to a local car ferry port where all manner of boats pull up for the night.

Day 7:
Majuli — Mon Village (5-6 hour drive)
We set off early this morning to drive to Mon Village in Nagaland. We start our journey with a river cruise of around one and half hours, to reach the head of the road that connects to Mon Village. Along the way, we visit a few historical Ahom monuments, including the towering Shiva Dol temple in Sivasagar and the seven-story Kareng Ghar palace, showcasing the dynasty's architectural grandeur. 

Mon Village is home to the Konyak Nagas, once feared headhunters who now welcome visitors to witness their distinct culture, including traditional face tattoos and ornate headdresses. They are famous for their accomplished craftsmanship in making woodcarvings, headgears, necklaces etc.

Upon arrival in Mon Village, we visit the police station for foreigners’ registration and then we check into our tented retreat.

Day 8:
Mon Village — Hongphoi — Mon Village
After breakfast, we drive to Hongphoi Village, another Konyak settlement, featuring a traditional morung (community hall) adorned with ancient wood carvings and animal skulls. The main attractions of the village are the colourful traditional attire and the beating of log drums in the morung. 

The village's centerpiece is the local king's house, decorated with ceremonial wooden pillars and relics from headhunting days. Here, Konyak elders share stories of their warrior past while wearing traditional brass ornaments. In the afternoon, we visit another Konyak settlement to explore village life. We return to our tented retreat in Mon Village for the night.

Day 9:
Mon Village — Longwa — Mon Village
Longwa is situated in the easternmost tip of Nagaland and the village itself is right on the border between India and Myanmar. 

Today, we explore the village to meet and interact with the Angh, a hereditary chief who oversees 16 villages in Myanmar and four villages in Indian territory under his sovereignty. The house of the Angh of Longwa is situated half in India and half in Myanmar. We also meet some of the last surviving headhunters in the village. We return to our retreat in Mon Village for the night.

Day 10:
Mon Village — Dibrugarh
After an early breakfast, we drive down to Dibrugarh, a town in upper Assam surrounded by sprawling tea gardens. Enroute we visit a working tea factory. On arrival in Dibrugarh, we rest before we visit the Brahmaputra riverside for sunset with its riverscapes and scenes of river life. We spend the night at our plantation hotel just outside Dibrugarh.

Day 11:
Dibrugarh
This morning, we visit one of the many misty morning tea gardens. After breakfast, we visit Graham Bazaar, a vibrant local marketplace bustling with activity, where we can capture authentic scenes of daily life as shopkeepers and sellers interact with their customers. If time allows, we revisit the riverside where small cottage industries make clay pots by hand.

In the afternoon, we check out from our hotel and head to the airport for our departure to Delhi. From Delhi airport, we transfer to our hotel in Delhi Aerocity for dinner with the group.

Day 12:
Departure from Delhi
You have the day free at your leisure until our driver transfers you to the airport for your flight back home. We hope you will have had an enjoyable and memorable experience, and we look forward to seeing you again on another photographic adventure!