Should I travel alone to Arunachal Pradesh? If you are asking about safety and experience, YES!
For those of you solo travellers with prior experience, you know that travelling alone comes with a unique sense of exploration and thrill, and yes is generally the answer. If one were to go deep, the experiences and interactions that one comes across when they leave behind their masks, to go to a corner of the world where almost nobody knows you, are ones that help you find yourself and grow into the person that you want to become. The people you meet, the cultures you experience, the conversations you have, when you travel alone are ones that you would cherish for a long, long time.
However, is it easy?
No. After all, the best things in life are never really easy, are they? That being said, Arunachal Pradesh is actually one of the most challenging destinations for the solo traveller. There are many complexities that come into play here-
1. Stay
Being in it’s nascent stages of tourism, there are very limited options when it comes to finding quality stays. With little or no information on the internet, navigating through options and finding a decent place, one that allows you to meet other like minded travellers in the region, is very challenging.
There are no good travellers hostels as such (not yet). Homestays and Hotels are the way to go.
2. Experiences
This one is comparatively easier. For those who know how to look, and have the time in hand, there is magic in every corner of Arunachal Pradesh. The locals are some of the warmest, fun-loving people that you will come across (some of the best karaoke singers too). Boozy local brews are made in almost every household, and the art of conversation and living in the moment has not faded yet. It’s probably the lack of 4G in the interiors that has preserved this art.
However, for those looking for quality guided experiences, there is a huge dearth as the tourism industry has only made it’s way into the region in a big way in the recent times.
3. Getting around
This HAS to be the hardest part about travelling solo to Arunachal Pradesh. With nearly 80% of this huge state said to be under forest cover, the connectivity in the region is a huge hurdle for solo travellers who don’t want to spend a lot of money (It can get very expensive). Travelling alone in Arunachal includes covering long distances while being dependent on the timings of the limited shared vehicles.
The Sumo services are the lifeline of the state but they only connect the major areas. A lot of the untouched nature and culture requires you to go off the major destinations. This would require you to book a private vehicle many a times.
The Sumos are packed with 11 people- 10 passengers and 1 driver. For tall and well built travellers, this becomes a very cumbersome affair. Moreover, the Sumo services are not cheap as such + you will need to reserve vehicles at exorbitant prices to get from the Sumo stand to the places of interest as some of the hidden gems require you to go the distance, with challenging roads often being a hurdle.
So does that mean that you should not travel alone to Arunachal Pradesh? Absolutely not. We recommend joining small group tours where you can travel alone, but not really alone. That way, you get the best of both worlds- the charm of travelling alone, where nobody knows you or judges you, and you can meet like minded people, as well as the conveniences of travelling in a group- like splitting costs for things like transport, quality guided experiences, and even stay.
Recognising these challenges, we have worked hard to curate a truly magical small group tour to Western Arunachal Pradesh. We limit our group size to maximum 12 travellers in order to provide for an intimate and memorable experience.
With limited seats, we suggest you get your hands on one as soon as possible if Arunachal Pradesh has been in the books for you. Trust us, this chapter into the Eastern Himalayas is one that you do not want to miss.
