Home»All Photographs»Dibru & crossing the Bramhaputra, March 2009

In March, as part of a month-long North East India birding trip, we visited the eastern most part of Assam before proceeding to Mishmi Hills in Arunchal Pradesh. In Assam, we explored the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park spectacularly located on the floodplains of the Debang, Lohit, Dibru and the Brahmaputra Rivers. This habitat is very unique and water is a very significant part of daily life. Therefore, river crossings are inevitable to reach any place and are either done on foot (especially during birding) or by boat.

The only way to Arunachal Pradesh from Dibru-Saikhowa is to cross the mighty Brahmaputra River at Saikhowa Ghat (near Tinsukhia town) in a ferry (unless you charter a chopper). Buses, cars, cargo, cattle, everything is loaded on ferries for the crossing which can take upto a couple of hours and this offers a a great opportunity for people-watching. The take-off and landing spots vary by the week because of the shifting banks of the Bramhaputra and the whole infrastructure (hotels, ferry companies, etc.) moves on both sides to keep the crossing short. It was fun to do the journey both ways (not that we had an option!)

I have also included some pictures of Roing town at the base of Mishmi Hills in Arunachal Pradesh. Kept these images in color for obvious reasons!

On the way back from Mishmi Hills (after re-crossing the Bramhaputra), we stopped at the Dihing River Resort near Dibrugarh and the community-run resort had very kindly and thoughtfully arranged an elaborate Bihu folk dance.