In most parts of Namdapha, paths and trails are either non-existent or narrow and overgrown. The only broad and easy trails in all of Namdapha are some parts of the Miao-Vijaynagar road, or M-V road (from Miao to Deban, and within the park, e.g. stretches between Firmbase to Gandhigram) and the tourism area in the western part of the park (the track that goes from Deban to Haldibari, Hornbill, Bulbulia and Rani Jheel). Even these paths, especially on the M-V road, are often broken by steep landslides and rivers and streams and the company of a knowledgeable and experienced guide is essential. It is very easy to get lost and lose one’s bearings in the forest, and where the path is interrupted by landslides or other barriers, finding it again on the other side is sometimes near-impossible for the inexperienced. Apart from the tourist areas in the west of the park, where the trails are wide and relatively level, other trails within the park are narrow and difficult and go over steep and rugged terrain; the only comparatively easy going being on old elephant trails in some parts of the park. Even small showers can make these trails, even the M-V road, change drastically from an easy pleasant walk to a prolonged battle with mud and slush. Often, you may end up leaving one of your shoes behind as you try to take a step forward. During the rains, the going is agonizing, each step is an effort in itself, and it is not at all uncommon to sink up to your shins and knees in the poorer stretches. This is definitely not for the unfit and faint-hearted! Landslides in some parts are common and recurrent, and sometimes unexpected, and might involve making large detours to rejoin the path beyond the slide. River crossings are an essential part of exploring Namdapha. During the winter, the Lisu construct makeshift bridges from bamboo and poles lashed together by cane and creepers. These are over the more difficult parts of the rivers, and crossing them is at first a harrowing affair. There is usually a succession of single narrow bamboo stems and beams from poles as the footwalk, with a flimsy railing to one side for support. The whole structure sways maddeningly, while you stare down at the river below. These bridges are washed away by the rising rivers every monsoon, and apart from winter, the lack of bridges at other times of the year makes it necessary to walk over difficult, slippery and broken ground along the river or crossing the rivers in waist-deep water. Never attempt to cross the larger rivers and streams on your own. The depth and the force of the current is deceptive. Walking in these parts of Namdapha takes a certain level of fitness and a fair amount of spirit. Going off the path is advisable only if accompanied by an experienced guide who knows his way around the area. The old elephant trails in the park and in the community forests to the east of Namdapha are often obscure and overgrown, and there are no clear markers showing the way. Further, the vegetation on these trails is often dominated by dense bamboo and thorny cane, which inevitably makes progress slow, bloody and painful. Even a few steps off the trail can be disorienting, and it is easy to get lost in the denseness of forest and bamboo. Dangerous creatures: elephants to ticks Encounters with large animals are unlikely in Namdapha, as elephants have almost disappeared; one herd is occasionally seen. One needs to be careful of sudden encounters with bears, wild pigs and gaur while walking on foot. However, most mammals occur at very low densities and are very shy; they are more likely to run away from you! You would count yourself very lucky if you saw any.
One also needs to be careful about snakes… it is also useful to carry some insect-repellants for the myriad bugs, ticks, mosquitoes that will cause unnecessary discomfort, irritation and itching. The Lisu advise that one should change clothes immediately when you are back at camp after a day’s walking or dance around a small fire beating your clothes to get rid of ticks; apparently they all fall of from the heat and smoke. For the more important and frequented paths and trails, see trekking routes. Namdapha is one of the few national parks in India where one can camp inside the forest. Indeed, to explore Namdapha fully, it is necessary to camp in the forest. As with all other activities in the forest, camping is bound to cause disturbances at the campsite and around it. Responsible campers ensure that the forest suffers minimal damage, and the campsite is left in the same condition as it was before. Although not as much a threat in the wet and humid jungles of Namdapha, fire is a potentially destructive force. Cooking at camp obviously requires fire, and more often than not, campers in Namdapha use wood fires for cooking, rather than gas stoves. Fires must be started, contained and extinguished carefully to prevent them from spreading. A useful tip is to keep a bucket of water handy to extinguish fires which might go out of control. In the same vein, smoking within the protected area is illegal for the same reasons and should be avoided. Existing dead wood should be the only fuel used in fires, and cutting down of trees and poles should be avoided, not only for fuel, but also for building campsites. It is best to plan in advance and carry essentials like tents, plastic sheets and other camping items rather than trying to create them on-site from materials collected from the forest. The campsite must be cleaned up before leaving; garbage (especially non-biodegradable materials like plastic) should all be collected and carried away for disposal outside the area. Paper and polythene waste, if not taken away from the site, should at least be burned. Several designated campsites have existing structures built by the Forest Department and these should not be damaged or disfigured in any way. Toilets become a problem in camp in Namdapha because the designated campsites lack any toilet facilities. When several people are staying in a particular campsite for a long time, it is better to have a deep pit dug some distance away from the cooking and sleeping area as a toilet. This area can be screened, and don’t forget to cover up the pit with soil leveled to the ground before leaving! Unlike other sanctuaries or national parks in India, exploring Namdapha means that provisions have to be carried (on foot) and food cooked at the campsite by members of the camping party. Even at Deban (where there is a forest rest house and a cook) there is often a lack of provisions, and it is advisable to carry groceries and foodstuffs to Deban also. For short trips (up to a week) to the western part of the park (the tourism zone), provisions are best purchased at Miao, which has a large number of shops selling groceries and grains, as well as pre-packaged foods like noodles. For foodies, it is best to remember to purchase a wide variety of foods, because monotony in diet is prone to occur while camping. There are a few places within Namdapha where one can buy extremely basic provisions. These are the villages of 38 mile (an hour’s climb from the north bank of the Namdapha River at Firmbase), 52 mile and 77 mile. The latter two are on the MV road. For longer periods of camping in the more interior areas of the park, these places are the only villages with (small) shops, and one’s route and routine is often dictated by access and distance to these villages. One can buy rice and some greens and vegetables from these villages. Salt is usually available, as are small numbers of eggs. Meat (chicken, pork and duck mainly) and fish are difficult to obtain at most times; as villagers may sometimes be unwilling to sell their poultry, keeping it for special occasions. During winter, pigs are slaughtered and the pork salted and smoked and it is sometimes possible to buy some. Sugar, tea, coffee and oil are not available, nor are the more fancy food items. The most important thing with respect to provisions is to plan well, and calculate how much is required, and then add a little more. Many species of plants in the forest are eaten as vegetables by the Lisu and other tribes. These include the leaves and shoots of some species of ferns, various types of mushrooms, the flower and stem of some varieties of wild banana, the leaves of several shrubby dicots, the stems of various herbs and the inner succulent stems of some species of canes and a palm. There is, however, no guarantee that these will be encountered, and one must not bank on finding them to supplement food in camp. It is also advisable to attempt eating these only if picked by knowledgeable local people. One can also carry dried fermented soyabeans, chillies/garlic pickled in mustard oil and other such small non-perishable items that can be used as seasoning to flavour rice when other rations are over. For visitors making the entire trek to Gandhigram, it is usually possible to stay en route with a Lisu family in the settlements of 38 mile, 52 mile and 77 mile, after speaking to the village headman or gaon-burra. Lisu houses are built of a timber skeleton, with walls of inter-woven cane and floors of bamboo. Almost all the houses are raised on timber stilts, with a staircase carved out of a tree trunk or thick bamboo stem. Usually, houses have two sections with a common area and kitchen in one section, and the sleeping quarters in the other. All houses have a long narrow balcony running the length of the house in the front, a front yard, and a vegetable garden at the back. Most houses also have separate shelters for pigs and chickens. Lisu houses, especially in the bigger villages, usually have a toilet which is located away from the main house; these are obviously basic and functional but often reasonably clean and dry. Visitors are usually accommodated in the common area, which has a fireplace in the centre. In the main villages in the community forests, Lisu houses are bigger, often with a separate small house for kitchen and sitting area and a bigger house for sleeping/staying with several rooms. Staying in a Lisu household is a great experience. Although mostly unfamiliar with tourists, Lisu hosts are warm and welcoming, but not intrusive. Wintertime is a great time to visit, since guests are offered locally produced foods like juicy pineapples, persimmons, popcorn, smoked pork and a variety of roasted and fired rice breads. Lacha-kha or bitter green tea is in constant flow, although this is an acquired taste. Arranging porters
Since vehicles cannot go beyond Deban, camp supplies and provisions have to be carried by porters. Once the necessary permits have been obtained, one can arrange for porters with Mr. Phupla Singpho in Miao: Namdapha Tours and Treks
(M) +91 9436228763
(R) + 91 3807 222296 Alternatively, one can speak with officials at the forest department for arranging for porters. Another option is to speak to Lisu leaders at the Lisu camp (also called Yobin camp) in Miao for hiring Lisu porters. Hiring porters is always a tricky business, and in Arunachal, plans keep changing up to the last moment, and it is best to find people willing to carry luggage and provisions as soon as possible, and keep following up till the day of departure. However you arrange for porters, it is essential that the terms and conditions are made clear from the outset, and a reliable person is in charge. Namdapha is wet! This is the most important thing to remember when planning equipment lists, because stuff getting wet is simply a matter of time thanks to rain and river crossings. Zip-loc and polythene bags are vital to protect important papers, books and clothing that need to be dry. What to take
Tents, although the more intrepid and experienced can manage with plastic tarpaulins (or big leaves!) as roofs also.
Small daypack/backpack for carrying essentials like field guides, water bottle, camera, first aid kit etc.
Rucksack (it is advisable that these are carried by the porters unless the person is very fit and able and sure of carrying this himself/herself throughout the journey)
Sleeping bag (for cold weather, up to 5°C in the lowland forests in winter. Synthetic stuffings like Holofil are the best because they dry quickly; down will take a long time to dry if it gets wet)
Carrymat (a foam waterproof rough-and-ready mattress to be placed under the sleeping bag; also useful for sitting around in camp)
Field guides to the plants and animals.
Camera, with equipment to keep it dry and clean. Silica gel is a must.
Binoculars: 7x35 or 8x40 is ideal for bird watching and viewing wildlife. In Namdapha, it is important to have a relatively large pair to let more light in and create a brighter image, because the dense canopy often makes the forest darker than in other areas.
A torch is an essential piece of equipment in camp.
Candles and matches, adequately protected against moisture.
Spare batteries for electronic devices. Clothing and shoes
Raincoat. An absolute must. One of the things that you hope will never be used, though! Ponchos are also suitable, although they may suffer some damage walking through dense vegetation.
A warm jacket and a couple of warm sweaters/sweatshirts.
Long-sleeved shirts and pants are ideal to ever-present leeches, ticks and mosquitoes. Cotton is ideal because it dries fast.
Shoes. These should be sturdy and not very heavy (i.e. no boots!). Several streams and rivers and squelchy paths will need crossing, and shoes that dry quickly overnight are a great advantage.
Leech socks (made of relatively thicker cotton, these are worn and tied over normal socks): these are probably the most essential items of clothing in this entire list! Leech socks are usually available at Miao (Sen Tailors in the Miao bazaar), and save a lot of trouble both in terms of having to keep pulling leeches off one’s legs, as well as having to staunch free-flowing blood at regular intervals. Essential medicines Within Namdapha, there are no medical centres and doctors, so carrying a few essential drugs and other medical equipment is essential in case of medical situations. Malaria is often a problem in the monsoon months, and preventive measures for malaria are essential at all times.
All malaria is because of carelessness, and given enough precautions, malaria is a near-impossibility. Mosquitos carrying malaria bite from dusk to dawn, so these precautions, which are mostly common sense, are essential during this period. 1. Wear long-sleeved uppers and avoid shorts.
2. Apply a mosquito repellent (a popular brand in India is ODOMOS, sold as creams and lotions) on all exposed parts of the body
3. Sleep in a mosquito net, if possible
Standard regimens of preventive medication against malaria are of limited value in and around Namdapha since the parasite in this area is resistant to most of the standard malaria-preventive medication. For short stays, a single 100 mg tablet or capsule of Doxycycline taken once a day at fixed time (for adults only) is suitable. This should be started one week before entering the area and continued for four weeks after leaving the area. Taking this medication for over four to six months is not advisable because of side effects. Doxycycline is not suitable for small children (below the age of eight) and people allergic to the drug. The tablet or capsule should be taken with a full glass of water and in an upright position. This medication is usually not necessary during the winter months if the precautions detailed above are followed religiously.
ANY FEVER with CHILLS and SHIVERING occurring after 10 days of arriving at Namdapha should be treated with Artesunate 50 mg (e.g. FALCIGO). The course is two tablets in the morning and two tablets at night on a full stomach for three days (a total of 12 tablets). Vomiting within half an hour of taking this medication will require repetition of the dose. Get to a hospital as soon as possible for testing for malaria (best if you get tested BEFORE starting medication), but if this is going to take even a day or two, then starting the course of Artesunate is vital. Paracetamol and anti-vomiting drugs can be taken along with Artesunate. |
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visitor guide