chalet jasmine Voyaging to the Ziro Valley is one of the undisputed highlights of a trip to Arunachal Pradesh and,

Rest House Nongriat GUESTHOUSE $ (%9856891520; chalet jasmine Nongriat; per person 100) This highly basic four-room guesthouse is just one minute from the double-decker chalet jasmine bridge and so is ideal if you want to explore the escarpment floor in greater depth. If you stay, take the absolute minimum with you because carrying a backpack chalet jasmine back up all those steps would be a real bitch! Meals cost 100.

Eastern and central Meghalaya are mainly populated by the closely related Jaintia, Pnar and Khasi peoples, originally migrants chalet jasmine from Southeast Asia. Western Meghalaya is home to the unrelated Garo tribe. Despite their different ethnic backgrounds, these two groups use a matrilineal system of inheritance with children taking the mother s family name. A good time to be in Meghalaya is when the four day, state-wide, Wangala festival takes place. This Garo harvest festival is renowned for its impressive traditional dancing.

Kohora village is closest for Kaziranga s central range with an obvious Rhino Gate leading to the Kaziranga Tourist complex 800m south. Here you ll fi nd the range offi ce, elephant-ride booking offi ce (h6-7pm, book the previous night) and jeep rental stand (rental from 1200). Pay your fees at the range office before entering the park, 2km north.

Voyaging to the Ziro Valley is one of the undisputed highlights of a trip to Arunachal Pradesh and, though the scenery is stunning and the village architecture fascinating, the voyeuristic main attraction here is meeting the friendly older Apatani folk who sport facial tattoos and nose plugs that would be the envy of any tattooist in the West (see p 566 ). The most authentic Apatani villages are Hong (the biggest and best known), Hijo (more atmospheric), Hari, Bamin and Dutta; none of which are more than 10km apart. It s vital to have a local guide to take you to any of these villages otherwise you won t see much and might even be made to feel quite unwelcome. Christopher Michi (%9402048466/8014012558; christopherdulley@ chalet jasmine yahoo.co.in/christophermichi@hotmail.com) is the chairman of the Apatani Cultural Preservation Society and can organise superb visits to the villages don t be at all surprised if your tour culminates in an evening of drinking chalet jasmine rice wine and chowing down on barbequed rat in a villager s house!