Five Elements Walk in Abor Land
Adi Cultural Walk in Simong, Arunachal Pradesh
At Tales of Northeast, journeys often begin with movement rather than arrival.
The Five Elements Walk in Abor Land unfolds through Simong, an Adi village located along the banks of the Siang River in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
Across a series of settlement paths, riverbanks and forest edges, this journey moves slowly through everyday practices that continue to shape life here.
Raised bamboo homes, terraced rice fields, palm groves and seasonal farmhouses begin to appear not as isolated features but as part of a working landscape.
Simong becomes the point of entry into Abor Land, where cultivation, ritual and mobility remain interwoven with terrain and weather patterns.
This is an active, walk based and interactive journey.
Day one - Reaching Simong
We will arrive in Simong in the afternoon.
The day remains intentionally unstructured to allow time for you to settle in the community owned homestays and rest.
With an introductory evening walk, we will conclude the day
Day Two- Settlement Walk
You’ll walk through Tahat and Tadek groves used for roofing, rain protection and livestock fodder.
Nature walks through these groves often allow opportunities for casual birdwatching, particularly along streamside vegetation and farm boundaries.
Visits to Kumhung rice granaries introduce storage practices shaped by fire risk and long term food security.
Nearby Ippo farmhouses offer insight into seasonal agricultural life.
Day Three - Dolung Way
Walking trails between households begin to reveal the relationship between settlement and farmland.
Terraced fields descend gradually toward the river, interspersed with orange orchards and kitchen gardens.
Midday is spent at a farmhouse overlooking Mone Arik where lunch is prepared from produce grown across these slopes.
Guests may assist with preparing meals wrapped in Ekkam leaves before eating together.
Day Four - Along the Siang
You move toward the banks of the Siang River through forested paths where natural soundscapes begin to shift from settlement noise toward river movement and canopy cover.
Kayaking may be undertaken across calmer stretches while rafting options are available for those wishing to experience sections of the river with moderate to major rapids.
Evenings are spent camping beside the riverbank where meals are prepared collectively over open fires.
Guests are often invited to participate in cooking using bamboo tubes and locally foraged herbs.
Clear skies occasionally offer opportunities for stargazing beside the river.
Day Five - Forest Edges and the Merom
Morning nature walks introduce practices of gathering wild vegetables that continue to supplement household diets.
Residents guide you in identifying edible plants through familiarity with seasonal growth patterns.
Produce gathered during the walk is brought back to the Merom where meals are prepared together.
As the evening settles in, local rice wine Apong may be shared while conversations move between food cycles, festivals and seasonal rhythms.
Songs and movements practiced within the village often emerge naturally as gestures of welcome.
Day Six- Hiyeng Trail and Jihang Viewpoint
You walk through forested terrain where Mithun graze freely between village land and woodland.
With guidance from local hosts, you may learn to call them using repeated vocal cues such as “oh…oh…oh” as salt is offered to draw them closer from grazing areas.
A gradual ascent ahead offers views toward Mount Eko Dumbing along the skyline.
Lunch is taken at a clearing where guides speak of the Jihang route undertaken during coming of age ceremonies.
Bonus additions
The Five Elements Walk may be extended through additional explorations within Simong’s surrounding forest and conservation zones.
A guided visit to the Litin Community Conservation Area introduces ongoing community led efforts toward wildlife protection and forest monitoring.
Seasonal expeditions toward Mount Eko Dumbing may also be undertaken with prior booking.
How the Itinerary works
Over six days, movement between village settlement, farmland, forest edges and the Siang riverbank allows encounters with agricultural work, seasonal foraging practices, community cooking and semi domesticated livestock management.
Guided walks introduce traditional storage systems such as Kumhung rice granaries and seasonal farmhouses known as Ippo.
Time spent along the Siang includes opportunities for kayaking or rafting across sections of the river where moderate to major level rapids may be encountered.
Evenings in the Merom offer collective cooking practices and Apong tasting sessions.
Food
Meals are prepared within community kitchens using locally grown produce and seasonal forest ingredients.
Rice cultivated in terraced fields, bamboo cooked vegetables and freshwater fish form the basis of most meals.
Cooking is often participatory during campsite and Merom sessions.
Shelter
Accommodation is arranged in community owned homestays.
These are family homes adapted to host guests and constructed using bamboo, cane and timber suited to the region’s high rainfall.
Rooms are arranged on a twin sharing basis unless requested otherwise.
How to Reach There and Weather
Your Five Elements Walk in Abor Land begins at Dibrugarh Airport in Assam.
From the plains of Assam, the journey gradually ascends into the hills of Arunachal Pradesh toward Simong. The road moves alongside sections of the Siang river valley, offering changing views of forested slopes, cultivated terraces and settlement clusters along the way.
Our journeys run throughout the year and may also be scheduled around local festivals such as Solung, Etor or Aran.
A detailed packing list will be provided upon confirmation.
Is This For You?
This journey is for the curious traveller who is interested in understanding how people live with their landscape, what they grow, what they gather, and how these practices shape everyday life.
It is for those who know that travel is not always about distance, but can also be a quiet way to observe how food, architecture and belief continue to emerge from terrain and weather.
Walkers who prefer moving slowly through inhabited landscapes rather than covering ground quickly will find this an engaging experience.
Birdwatchers, nature walkers and those interested in settlement systems may also find time along these trails particularly rewarding.
More importantly, this journey is suited for travellers who are comfortable participating in daily village practices such as cooking, foraging or farm work, and who wish to spend time within community owned homes rather than separate lodging environments.
Groups are intentionally kept small, with a maximum of eight guests, allowing space for context, interaction and unstructured moments along the walk.
Pricing
Join the Five Elements Walk in Abor Land throughout the year!
Twin Sharing (Available for groups of up to 8 persons)
1 person in 1 room – ₹59,000 per person + 5% GST
2 persons in 1 room – ₹49,000 per person + 5% GST
4 persons in 2 rooms – ₹49,000 per person + 5% GST
Accommodation in Simong is arranged within community owned homestays.Single occupancy includes a private room within a homestay.
Includes
→ Accommodation in community owned homestays
→ All internal transfers from Dibrugarh onward
→ All meals from Day One dinner to → Day Six lunch
→ Village walk and settlement orientation
→ Farm visit with farmhouse lunch
→ Guided nature walks and birdwatching
→ Kayaking or rafting session on the Siang River
→ Forest walk with seasonal foraging
→ Community cooking sessions
→ Apong tasting session
→ Mithun interaction along the Hiyeng trail
→ Camping by the Siang riverbank
→ Entry permits for Arunachal Pradesh
→ Local guides throughout the journey
Excludes
→ Flights to and from Dibrugarh
→ Single occupancy homestay charges
→ Personal expenses
→ Additional adventure upgrades
→ Travel insurance
→ Additional accommodation outside itinerary dates
→ Alcoholic beverages other than Apong
→ Any services not mentioned in inclusions