Series: AN ADVENTURE CALLED ARUNACHAL
Part- Two
RIDE TO KIBITHU (MARCH 2018)
Introduction:
The sun rises every day in the easternmost part of India at Kibithu, Arunachal Pradesh. This part of the state is the most pristine and relatively much less explored, that too only by a few adventure seekers. Tourism as a commercial activity is almost zero in this region, owing to its remoteness. A journey to this place seems like you’re travelling in a different country as you witness landscapes that one could never actually see in India elsewhere. The Lohit River traverses down into India from China to join the mighty Brahmaputra, around 30 kms outside Tezu, forming a very huge delta with braided channels finally joining the Brahmaputra River that flows through Assam valley further down west. The famous Parasuram Kund (lake) lies in the middle of the catchment/delta area of Lohit River. The whole delta area can be seen from atop the hills after crossing the Udayak pass, 40 kms from Tezu, the headquarters of Lohit District and nearest town to Kibithu that is situated 200 kms away.
In March 2018, I and my wife set out on a bike ride to the easternmost place of India to witness the first sunrise in India at Kibithu, Arunachal Pradesh. Kibithu is technically the easternmost place in India; however, two villages Dichu and Kaho lie on the left bank of the river Lohit that are inaccessible by vehicle during rainy season when the water level is high. I happened to visit both Kibithu and Kaho by crossing the river Lohit through a makeshift bridge which was practically touching the cruising waters of the river.
Planning and preparation for the ride:
The distances, maps, topography, climate conditions were assessed before we started our journey since these were the remotest areas and preparation was required as no assistance would be available in a short notice. However, we found that the local people and the defence forces were of much help to amateur explorers who visit the region. Still, lack of resources can make it difficult in case any problem surfaces. Biking here, in this part of the country isn’t just about riding and admiring nature. It requires thorough skills to be able to traverse the tricky roads and rocky terrains. Although roads and conditions of riding are better than Tawang and Mechuka, the ride to Kibithu can be termed challenging in view of the remoteness of the region. Communication is especially hard since setting up mobile towers in this rocky terrain is next to impossible.
Geared up for the ride!
Day 1, March 29, 2018, Jorhat to Tezu- By the valley and the mystic sunsets:
Jorhat to Tezu can be reached via Dibrugarh, the only city of upper Assam with its own greenery & charm by the river Brahmaputra. On the way to Dibrugarh, we visited 'Shiv Dhol' in Sibsagar, the famous Shiva temple in Upper Assam. Seek the blessings of eternal almighty and ride on our adventure.
The routes to Tezu from Dibrugarh are two, one via Roing, Arunachal Pradesh and other via Namsai known for the Buddhist monastery. I travelled by both the routes, one onward and other during my return journey. The route to Roing is through Dhola-Sadiya bridge over Brahmaputra which is the longest bridge over a river in India when it was opened in May 2017. The mighty width of River Brahmaputra can be witnessed here with bridge spanning 11 kms in length. The onward journey to Tezu was a bit of adventure as I must ride between forest trails as soon as I entered Arunachal after crossing the Dhola-Sadiya bridge. Expecting the road to be a shortcut, we took this road as it was getting dark sooner since we were travelling towards the east. This road joins the Roing-Tezu road which is worth mentioning for its mesmerizing landscapes by the highway. Travelling on this road made us feel that we were cruising on an international expressway in a different country amidst tall trees and river crossings. This road enables a travel of 65 km distance to be covered in under an hour only if one doesn’t stop to admire the nature in between. We were astounded that such a road exists in Arunachal Pradesh between Roing and Tezu. The trip got exciting with the temperatures dropping by the night in Tezu. Tezu is the headquarters of Lohit district and is the nearest town to all the places till the China border (around 200 kms away). Despite the fact that it being a district headquarter, Tezu doesn’t have even a couple of decent hotels for the stay. We managed to stay in a guest house in Tezu with the help of a friend from Dibrugarh.
The Shiv Dhol of Sibsagar
Dhola-Sadiya bridge over Brahmaputra River in Upper Assam
Day 2, March 30, 2018- Tezu to Walong, the true exploration begins
We woke up early in the morning to the view of the distant hills covered in clouds with temperatures just nearing double digit making it the perfect time to start on our ride. We hit the road early in the morning with Walong on mind for the day (190 kms approx.). The only town in between is Hayuliang, a small town amidst the hills. The initial 30 kms was again a plain stretch among hills covered with thick tall trees on either side of the road. Gradually, as the hills come into view, we rode through a small pass at an altitude of around 1500 metres above MSL named ‘Udayak Pass’ after which there is a viewpoint on one of the hairpin bends on the road which gives a glimpse of the delta formed by the river Lohit before joining the mighty Brahmaputra. From here, one can view the road below on which they have driven the way up. An astonishing view of delta also has the famous “Parasuram Kund” in it. Parasuram Kund is another beautiful place to visit in this route. The true exploration begins today as these places are very remote and out of touch with the hustle and bustle of the city. You wouldn’t even find a tea stall, if you want to take a break. I hardly managed to get water and some biscuits on the way. This might sound a little cliché, but I forgot all about my hunger after taking a look at the landscapes. Further, the thought that we were travelling to places that was not traversed by many made the ride all the more enjoyable. Remember here, no mobile signals beyond this point and rarely one can catch a signal that too at midnight.
The hamlets in ArP have only 03-04 houses which depended mostly on the forest produce for sustenance. They grow their veggies and grains by the valley side and depend mostly on hunting for the meat necessities. Locally, hunting is a traditional practice and is allowed by the Govt. here. It was exciting to be riding in these beautiful landscapes. By sunset, we were able to reach Walong. Walong is a beautiful village in a valley by the banks of Lohit River which is mostly a transit point for the defence forces stationed there. Also, Walong is famous as the place till where China was able to penetrate into the Indian territory in the eastern sector in the 1962 war with India. A must visit is a war memorial in Walong which was set up to commemorate the sacrifices of our warriors. The war memorial is located on an elevated hilltop. Just as you enter you find a tall statue of a soldier with his head bowed in respect to the sacrifice of the brave soldiers who put up a fight against the Chinese incursion decades ago. Memorials like such are very common along the Indo-Sino borders; however, the location of each memorial is unique in itself, them being located at the very place a battle against the Chinese was fought. Each memorial tells us the story of those brave unsung souls who fought for us and serve as a reminder that they are the unnamed heroes fighting for the nation without thinking twice. Walong is an even colder place compared to Tezu. It started drizzling in the late evening and temperatures touched sub-zero in the night. We found a cosy room at an Inspection Bungalow for the night. We learnt that a resort opening was planned by Arunachal Tourism Dept to boost tourism the area. So amateur explorers while starting on an adventure in this part of the country must plan before regarding accommodations in Tezu before heading further east. Accommodation in Kibithu is very hard find as it is a very small settlement.
in pics: day 02
The long road to Kibithu
The road one travelled by to reach
The view of Lohit River
Walong War memorial
Day 3, March 31, 2018- To Kibithu and back to Hayuliang- waking up to the first sunrise of the country and riding by it
Early sunrise in Walong starts at around 3.30 am as we woke up very close to the first sunrise in the country. We hit the road early in order to catch glimpse of the sunrise and started towards Kibithu. Kibithu is around 25 kms from here and the way to Kibithu from Walong has the most unique topography in which I have ridden for first time. The alpine vegetation on the plateaus is a bliss to watch and I doubt any other place in India could offer such views except Kashmir, of course. The pictures stand the testimony to the great beauty we witnessed that day which cannot be described in words.
The landscapes were in greenish & orange hues which is rare in lower altitudes of tropical climate region. Mist covered the place and the early sunrays breaking through the trees and the mountains to bring light into the whole country. The slant rays of sun lighten up the valley through the misty morning clouds that seems like a painting or a surreal landscape from a fiction. That moment is absorbed, locked, stored and cherished forever. I crossed onto the left bank of river Lohit to visit Kaho village, the first village of the country when you see from the east. A famous trek which can be undertaken with help from locals is a phenomenal “Dong Trek” which starts at around 2 AM in the morning. The beauty of this trek is that when you reach the summit, you can watch the sun’s rays fall on the first village in India. In other words, the first place in India to witness the sun’s rays. A beautiful place relatively unknown to many, it felt like we have been living our dreams on a bike that day. The whole idea of exploring new places rather than ride the old ones was really paying off with equally mesmerizing landscapes that were awe inspiring. As we proceeded further, a cherry blossom tree welcomed us to a local re-treat in a para-military camp at Kaho village. Forget not guys, these people are the saviours, and, in these places, they are always ready to help. Further, to mention, no foreigners are allowed beyond Hayuliang and Indians are also permitted only with an ILP. Better have an ILP than not as it is also being asked at hotels/homestays.
What a morning it was, amidst the hills that were secluded by the clouds in seconds. It is a really challenging and an incredibly tough to work in such places. You find absolutely nothing, no shops or tea stalls. The armed forces work in such terrains for the nation. Kudos to them. As already mentioned about mobile signal, the nearest town with decent basic amenities is Tezu which is at least 200 kms away. We finally reached Kibithu by morning 9 AM.
Kibithu village has only 30-40 houses and every day, one Tata Sumo leaves for Tezu and one leaves for Kibithu from Tezu to serve the daily needs of villagers. Information regarding the route/landslides on the way (in rainy season) can only be got from those drivers. Kibithu lies on a plateau end with huge mountains surrounding the place. China is visible and Lohit River can be seen entering into India. Snowy peaks are visible from vantage points, and we were so excited at being at that part of India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh that is evidently the least known place to anyone. We stayed for a while there exploring the local village and started back early as dusk falls early in this part of the country.
The ride back to Hayuliang stretched into dark after sunset (around 4.30/5 pm). My bike had a fuse out problem for head light, hence, I carried extra fuses and also an auxiliary head light. On that day, the extra lights came handy in the night ride when the headlight to my bike fused out. This is the only time I have ridden in night amidst hills in Arunachal Pradesh and it was a chilling experience. To check how dark it was, I switched off my auxiliary headlight. In the darkness I couldn’t even see my wife who was sitting on the backseat. Darkness engulfs the hills quickly here and visibility is not even 01 metre. While planning to visit these places it is better to be prepared to prevent any unforeseen circumstances since the roads are tricky too. I drove very slowly and carefully and reaching Hayuliang around 6.30 pm. Hayuliang also has an Inspection Bungalow to stay. Hayuliang is a silent town that sleeps by 8 pm in the night. It has an ATM, but it doesn’t promise any money all the time. Only petrol pump in between Tezu and Kibithu comes before Hayuliang on the way to Kibithu. Rest all the places, a standard rate of Rs 100 per litre is charged in small shops in villages where petrol (pink in colour, better clean carb/FI system after a ride to Arunachal) is sold in bottles. Most of the villages have petrol in shops. Even liquor and beer are also available in shops in ArP as separate shops for wines/liquor very rarely exist in hilly terrains.
in pics- day 03
The misty mornings
View of Lohit entering India
Hayuliang gave a bright shiny sunny morning with cold weather. The night was cold, but rooms have heaters here. The journey back to Tezu was blissful. The mountains have a way to bless people. On the way back, we took a second route through Namsai and visited a beautiful Buddhist monastery with Buddha statues in various decorations. A serene place at the foothills of Arunachal Pradesh. The road till Namsai from Tezu is again the manifestation of perfection in laying roads. There is no wonder behind it, those roads are laid by BRO which usually lays road among hills, which is a grueling task. So, when a plain comes, it’s like an opportunity to make it perfect and a pleasure to ride/drive on. Such perfection is generally not visible in the works of NHAI because the standards of operation are entirely different. Moreover, such perfect condition of roads can never be found in whole Assam or North-East India. We proceeded back to Assam through the same route via Tinsukia. Here you can see a train track running parallel to a thoroughfare road on one side and on the other side there’s sprawling greenery of the tea estates. Back to Assam, the beauty of Upper Assam is attributed to its greenery and the tea estate belt. The winters are colder, and summers are humid & hot. Well, back to Dibrugarh and to Jorhat.
Himalayan is a spectacular bike that has indeed helped me achieve what I wanted, to explore this place! I have really explored many places especially on a motorbike that has now shaped me into a better biker than before. Every ride has a story and well, this is the @story.of.my.ride. Kindly follow me on Instagram to follow my journey.
All pictures and videos in the write-up are originally shot by me with my mobile phones and an action camera. I have been a vivid biker by the time of this trip that I always followed biking to the core and always wore full protective gear with me while I ride, and I really suggest them for amateur bikers also. As a biker, I really believe that the helmet is the crown of a biker.
This is the second article in the series “An Adventure Called Arunachal”- a 03-part story of my bike ride as a part of exploration in Arunachal Pradesh, India on a Royal Enfield Himalayan.
By the side of rivers
By the side of valleys
By the side of lush green hills
I ride to live my dreams on a bike!
