Every September, Arunachal Pradesh hosts the most exotic music festival of the country. The weather is perfect as the rains recede and the temperatures begin to drop. This is when the landscapes are lush and rain-washed. The glorious mountains create the perfect backdrop to enjoy this wonderful music festival. Here we would like to highlight following details on Ziro Festival in Arunachal Pradesh:
About The Ziro Festival
This Festival was first conceived by guitarist Anup Kutty and Bobby Hano in the year 2012. It has now grown to become India’s biggest outdoor music festival.
The festival is four days long and is held in the Ziro valley. This valley, located at 5500 ft above ground level has the perfect backdrop of beautiful mountains that attract thousands of tourists each year. The festival is a tribute to the music loving and extremely friendly Apatani tribe that lives in this valley.
The festival gives music lovers an opportunity to experience the music of talented artists like Lee Ronaldo, Steve Shelly, Menwhopause, Barmer Bous, Peter Cat Recording Company, Madboy from Mumbai, Skrat from Chennai and the most popular blues band from Shillong, Soulmate. There are also International artists like GramLines from Italy and Natasha Humera Ejaz from Pakistan.
The best part of the festival is the hospitality of the Apatani Tribe. Enjoy local delicacies and rice beer as you sway to some outstanding music.
Those who love adventure may indulge in activities like cycling expeditions, fish farming and river rafting in the Kamle River. This is the perfect location for nature trekking and bird watching. Even the paddy fields around the area are worth a visit.
Staying at campsite accommodations is the best option. They need to be booked well in advance. Of course, there is the option of carrying your own tent with you. While you camp here, enjoy bonfires each night and have sing-alongs with fellow attendees.
Also Read: 15 Most Popular Festivals Of North East India
When?
The dates for the year 2017 are 28th September 2017 to 1st October 2017.
How To Get Your Passes
The best option is to book your tickets online. You may book them on the official website of this festival, www.zirofestival.com. You also have the option of travel packages to Arunachal Pradesh that include the festival passes. The tickets are also available on ticketing websites like bookmyshow.com.
A full access festival pass is priced between Rs.3000 to Rs.5000. It is priced lower for those who bring their own tents. You also have all inclusive packages that range from Rs. 6195 to Rs. 19,530.
Getting Permits
Anyone who visits Arunachal Pradesh is required to get an Inner Line Permit to get to the Ziro Valley.
For Indian tourists, the permit is available at:
- Resident Tourism Office
- Arunachal Pradesh in Delhi
- The Guwahati International Airport
- The Arunachal Bhawan at Kolkata
- The Naharlagun Railway station
- The Assam Paryatan Building in Guwahati
You will have to submit the following documents:
- Two passport sized photographs
- Valid ID
- A copy of your ID
The cost for each permit is Rs.200
How To Get There
There are different options for you to get to the Ziro Valley:
By Road
Buses are avaialble from North Lakhimpur and Guwahati in Assam and Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh.
By Flight
The closest airport is Tezpur, Assam. However, taking flights from Guwahati is recommended as those outbound from Tezpur tend to get cancelled and delayed frequently.
By Train
The closest railway station to Ziro is North Lakhimpur. There is the option of taking the Arunachl Express as well. It runs from New Bongaigaon to your destination.
The Ziro Festival is a must have experience for anyone who loves nature and music. Each year, the line ups get bigger and better. For 2017, the artist line-up includes Nicholson, North, Dualist Inquiry, Pratik Kuhad, The Koniac nest and lots more.
Tickets to the Ziro Festival sell like hot cakes. Make sure you book yours well in advance. This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a good mix of food, adventure and music.
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