Lower Subansiri

The land of scenic grandeur : ZIRO
One of the most beautiful hill station of Arunachal Pradesh, located at about 1500 metres above mean sea level in the midst of the pine clad mountains, a Hidden land by Ursula G. Bowler, Ziro is the headquarter of Lower Subansiri District inhabited by more than have 50,000 friendly Apatani’s people. The land of Apatani’s is a valley, uneven and dotted with a number of hillocks beneath the lust paddy field. On the east, a high ridge, which demarcates the plateau from the wooded hills of the lower region. The ridge is having some important peaks. The Salin peak is on the old Apatani trade route to North Lakhimpur. Often these ranges remain with thick clouds. A small river, the Kele, drains the plain of the Apatani valley. It flows to the south for some 40 km before it meets the Panior River near Yazali.


What to see in and around ZIRO .....

KILE PAKHO
A ridge located at 7 km. from old Ziro. In a fine morning, one can have clear bird’s views of Ziro plateau on one side and snow range of Himalayas called “NYIME PEMBU” in the other.
PINE GROOVE
Pine clad area about 3 km. from old Ziro. GREF (Border Road organization) established in December 1961 is located around this scenic grandeur.


MIDEY
A place famous for gigantic SAT-NII PIISHA and SAMENII, a Blue pine tree (Pinus wallichina) being biggest and tallest tree in the Apatani valley measuring about 7 (seven) metre at GBH ( girth at breast height). One can trek through bamboo groove beneath the paddy field to this see this gigantic blue pine trees which is 2 Km from old Ziro.


ZIRO PUTU
Sometime called ARMY PUTU is a Hillock at old Ziro where first administrative centre was set up after India’s independence and ARMY cantonment was located in sixties. From this hillock one can have bird’s eye view of Apatani plateau. The Airport is also located beneath this hillock in the midst of the scenic paddy field.


DOLO MANDO
A hillock of legendary love affairs between DOLO & MANDO. It is located at 2 KM from Hapoli towards Old Ziro on the western side of ZIRO – Daporijo Road. One can trek to the top to see the Hapoli Town in one side and old Ziro on other side.

D.I.C
District Industries Centre located at 1 km. from Distt. Hq. Ziro(Hapoli), where traditional handlooms & handicrafts and others traditional items are displayed and also available for sale at competitive rate.


PAAPU
First administrative centre established before independence in 1944-45 by a foreigner Mr. F. Heimendrof famous anthropologist, author of “Himalayan Barbary”, “Apatani and their Neighbours” and “A Himalayan Tribe: From cattle to cash”, as a Special Officer appointed by British Administration.

HAPOLI
Headquarter of Lower Subansiri District Administration. The Deputy Commissioner’s residence and Circuit House are located at a hillock from where one can have clear view of Hapoli Township.

TARIN FISH FARM
About 3.5 km from Hapoli Town, one can see beautiful high altitude fish farm where breeding of high altitude fishes is done. The fingerlings are sold during paddy cultivation season.


PADDY CUM FISH CULTIVATION
A famous innovative cultivation practices followed in Apatani plateau, now a day, where fishes are rear alongwith paddy cultivation. After transplanting of paddy from the nursery in wet rice cultivation field (W.R.C.), the fish fingerlings are put in MUGO (channels in paddy field for drainage of water) at knee-deep height that are kept for 2-3 months before harvesting of fish. Fish Catch
BAMBOO GROOVE
One stem monopodial Bamboo, (Phyllotachys bamboosoides) grown with blue clad pine, is one of expert practices of farm forestry followed in this part of the world. One will appreciate their expertise when one venture inside in this groove in conjunction with hiking and picnic.


TALEY WILD LIFE SANCTUARY
Most beautiful and virgin forests having diverse flora and fauna ranging from sub-tropical to alpine forests. It is covered with impenetrable vegetations marked by giant silver fir trees, a variety of rhodendron, orchids, ferns and varieties of bamboo. One should not leave Ziro without visiting this biodiversity hot spot of this plateau, which is away nearly 32 KM north east of ZIRO.


DILOPOLYANG -MANIIPOLYANG
A twin hillock on the way to Talley Valley after crossing Siiro village is a scenic grassland land beneath the natural forests catches the spectacle of eye. Further, the area is part of extension of Hapoli Township.

ORCHID AND FLOWERS
Ziro is famous for rare orchids and other flowers like Rhododendron arboreum (SANJI APU), Hedychium ellipticum (PAPPI APU), Hedychium densiflorum, etc. The climate of the area is congenial for cultivation of orchids and varieties of flowers. At present one local entrepreneur has developed an orchid farm in which large variety of rare and exotic orchids are cultivated for sale and research pupose. The farm, M/s Nanakoo Orchid Farm, half a kilometre from Hapoli on Hapoli-Talley Valley road is a place worth visiting to.