Breathtaking Tour At Namdapha
Posted On November 30, 2009
Common Info:
Namdapha National Park in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, the state at the north-eastern extreme of India is the largest protected region in Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot. Namdapha is the largest national park (1985 square kilometers) and also one of the richest biodiversity in India. Settlement of Lishu, Chakma, Singpo and Tangsa tribes are found in and around the park.
Country Info:
India is world’s seventh largest country located in the southern Asia. It has borders with Pakistan in the north-west, China, Nepal and Bhutan in north, Myanmar, Bangladesh in the east. The peninsular south is flanked by the Bay of Bengal in the east, Arabian Sea in the west and Indian Ocean in the south. The country is the world’s second largest in terms of population. National capital is New Delhi.
Geography:
Located close to the Indo-Mayanmar border in the Arunachal, Namdapha has a core area of 1808 square kilometers and 177 square kilometers as the buffer zone. The location of the park is between the Mishmi Hills and Patkai range with altitude ranging between 200 metres and 4571 metres. Climate at Namdapha varies between 8°C to 37°C. Rainfall varies between1,485 mm to 2,508 mm.
Flora:
The vegetation habitat in the park changes with the changing altitude from sub-tropical forests to sub-tropical pine forests, temperate broadlived forests which give way to alpine meadows and perennial snow further up. Namdapha has extensive bamboo and secondary forestland besides primary forest. The park is also home to the northernmost evergreen rainforests in the world. Wide expanse of Dipterocarp forest also covers the park area. The endangered orchid The Blue Vanda is also found here. The local tribals use Mishimi Teeta, a local medicinal plant available in this forest to cure diseases.
Fauna:
The wide variety in vegetation grooms a rich animal diversity in the Namdapha. It is known for its tigers (Namdapha is known as a Tiger Reserve and National Park) and leopards (including snow leopards, clouded leopards besides the common leopards). Wolves and Asiatic black bears are other predators found here. Smaller predators include red fox, red panda and yellow-throated marten. Otters, civets, wild cats and mongoose also live in these forest areas. Elephants, forest musk deer, sambar, takin, bharal are some of the herbivorous inhabitants. Also there can be found non-human primates like gibbons, macaques (including stump-tailed macaque, Assamese macaque) and langurs. Namdapha is the only forest in India where apes are found. Tourists can also get glimpses of various reptiles, amphibians and fish species here.
Avifauna:
Namdapha has about 425 recorded bird species and yet many unregistered species live at the higher altitudes here. Besides five distinct species of Hornbills, there are babblers, fulvettas, laughing thrushes, warblers and falcons. Rare and endangered species like Snowythroated Babbler, White-winged Wood Ducks, White-bellied Heron, Blue-eared kingfisher, Pied Falconer, White-tailed fish eagle, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Himalayan wood-owl and others can be seen in Namdapha. The fact that a greater part of the park is yet not easily accessible has kept its pristine and virgin state undisturbed.
How to reach Namdapha:
Dibrugarh airport (182 kilomtres), Tinsukia railway station (141 kilometres) and Margherita railway station (91 kilometres away) are the nearest connecting points to Namdapha. Also Assam and Arunachal Pradesh state transport buses ply from Dibrugarh daily to Miao (less than 160 kilometres), a little town which is a threshold entry for Namdapha. The distance between Miao and Deban in the park is 26 kilometres and the journey is breathtaking. It is advisable to have own transportation since taxi fares on this way would be quite expensive.
When to visit Namdapha:
The time between October and April is the best time to visit the park.
Accommodation:
The forest rest house at Deban is located inside the Namdapha National Park. It is 186 kilometres from Dibrugarh, 141 kilometres from Tinsukia, 91 kilometres from Margherita and 136 kilometres from the district headquarters Changlang. For booking here: one can contact The Field Director, Project Tiger, Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Miao – 792 122, Changlang District, Arunachal Pradesh, Phone/Fax: +91-3807-222249.- Circuit House at Mioa
- Tourist Lodge at Miao
- Inspection Bungalow at Miao (For advance booking at Miao one can contact The Additional Deputy Commissioner, Miao – 792 122, Changlang District, Arunachal Pradesh, Phone: +91-3807-222245
Other attractions at Namdapha/Changlang:
Deban forest camp on the bank of Noa-Dihing River. Trekking and hiking on river here are popular activities- Camping at Firmbase, located on the banks of Noa-Dihing and 25 kilometres from the Deban Forest Lodge
- Viewing hornbills at Hornbill, 9 kilometres from Deban
- Camping at Haldibari which lies across Noa-Dihing River can be reached by boat. Overnight stay can be arranged here.
- Camping site at Bulbulia.
- Camera Point which gives a breathtaking view of Namdapha and its beautiful landscape
- Motijheel grazing pastures
- Gandhigram village near the international boundary. Trekking along the jungles here is an enthralling experience.
