
ChaloHoppo to a Green Mechuka – Arunachal
Summers are beautiful. Summers are pleasant. Summertime is a great time to be in the outdoors and doing things. If it means flying to a remote corner of India, a remote corner of Arunachal Pradesh and spending it in the home of the lovely Memba people. Would you be up for it? The magical valley of Mechuka invites you to embrace summer for what it has always been for the people in the mountains, a welcome season change.
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Reviews 7 Reviews5/5
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Vacation Style Holiday Type
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Arunachal Pradesh
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Backpacking
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Culture
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Hiking
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Nature
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Activity Level Moderate
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Group Size Medium Group
From a complete shift in architectural pattern, with wood replacing brick and mortar and herds of stray horses interrupting your path or seen grazing at a distance, replacing the usual cow herds seen on Indian roads, you slowly tend to relate to the deep-rooted Tibetan influence that you have read online about.
Why don’t you hear it from people who have travelled through us before?
To reach this village in Arunachal Pradesh, we took a plane, a train, a cab, a couple of shared sumos, woke up at unearthly hours, survived many hairpin turns, rocky roads, headaches and a near brain freeze. But boy, was it worth it!
Bhumika Udernani, Pune,
Being on the mountaintop where you feel like you are the only one in miles and surrounded by prayer flags is a pretty awesome feeling.
Avinash Kaur, Delhi
The trip gets better when you are received by your warm homestay hosts.
Traditional food preparation sessions, long nature walks and exploring Memba heirlooms( the major tribe inhabiting the valley) punctuate your Mechuka experience.
Mechuka turns fluorescent green from May right till August. September marks the beginning of Autumn and everything turns brown and stays that way until December.
January brings in snow and then spring comes. Regardless of the season, you visit it in, the place offers breathtaking beauty.
- Stay in comfortable, clean and hygienic accommodation, mostly homestays and traditional cottages.
- All entries, parking, tolls
- Transport from Guwahati to Mechuka and back
- AC 2 tier Train tickets to and from Guwahati
- Guide wherever required
- 1 ChaloHoppo guy to lead the tour
- Inner line permits to enter Arunachal Pradesh
- Breakfast
- Excess stay & meals due to bad weather conditions or strikes, resulting in delay of flights or any other form of transport
- Soft drink charges, table drinks, bottled water, laundry, cigarettes, telephone expenses, beer and liquor charges
- Lunch and Dinner
- Any other item not mentioned in “Cost Includes” section above
- Shopping
- Alcohol
- Your Personal Purchases
- Any insurances
- Day 1 A train ride where we break the ice
- Day 2 Bumpy roads and lot of pit stops later
- Day 3 A day of transitions and end of long drives, for now
- Day 4 The day we find ourselves atop Mechuka la(mountain)
- Day 5 The day we use the car more than our legs
- Day 6 The day we hike bearing gifts for the shepherd
- Day 7 The day it was about stopping over at Along
- Day 8 The day we stopover at Pasighat market before boarding the train
- Day 9 The day you wish you didn’t have to leave





Along
Anybody’s dream home, only a few get to live in it. Would you want to be one of those few mortals?
Mechuka
A tasteful mix of the traditional with the modern. Perfect for even those who have never hauled a backpack.
Pasighat
A place to unwind and listen to what Amir Khan and Kiran Rao did when they were here.
The cultural diversity of northeast India is so vast that we can’t blame outsiders for not being aware of communities in the region who are purely vegetarians, so much so that they avoid eating onions( they are indigenous to the region, in case you are thinking about communities from mainland India who have settled here). Having said that, we must admit that the region’s food habits especially in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya are predominantly non vegetarian with a whole lot of red meat based preparations. But the states have warmed up to tourists recently and almost every place you visit will provide the Indian staple diet of rice, dal and sabji, even chapatis if you are lucky. As far as Tripura, Assam, Manipur and Sikkim are concerned vegetarians have decent number of options. Your craving for butter paneer may not be satisfied, but you will do just fine as far as maintaining your health and strength is concerned.
Entry to Arunachal Pradesh will require an inner line permit for domestic travellers. Foreigners visiting Arunachal Pradesh have to get a protected area permit or PAP.
Extra nights can be booked based on availability. You can also visit our Custom trip section to plan a different trip.
A most definite yes, as long as you are okay travelling in a mixed group of other solo travellers or small group of friends.
The sources of such warnings should be checked and speaking from the perspective of locals living in the region we can say that though some parts of Northeast India do have cases of groups clashing against government forces from time to time, it doesn’t affect a tourist as long as the route is chosen wisely and hours of commute are decided smartly, much like travelling in any other part of the world.
If you have seen warnings in the advisory pages of governments, then we would like to remind you that governments (of different countries)will always take precaution and not be in sync with the real situation. Northeast India is absolutely safe with warm and welcoming locals. You should have no issues even going to the most interior places. As with any other tribal dominated region, respect the local culture and don’t hurt their sentiments, and you will have a great time in a beautiful place.
Because so less is known about the region in general, it may be a wise idea to get in touch with some travel experts before you plan your trip.
The roads in Arunachal Pradesh are like most mountain roads in India, i.e. not in a great shape. So your cup holders in the car may not really work. But the roads aren’t risky to be driving on, just a little uncomfortable.
Homestay: Please understand that you will be staying in homestays and not hotels, and hence you are requested to treat the host and the family not as professional staff but as a family that is hosting guests.
Avoid plastic: Please avoid buying mineral water, since it is a major cause of pollution in the delicate eco system of the places you are visiting. Carry a reusable water bottle and fill filtered water or spring water. The hosts and your guide can assist you in showing where the water can be found.
Respect local culture: You are travelling to remote parts of the country where people speak freely and sometimes it comes across as rude, but understand that their intention isn’t to hurt your sentiments, just that they perhaps lack the skill of sugar coating and diplomacy. During your tour you may see things that may surprise you like a cat roaming around in the kitchen while you eat. But understand that many of these things are part of the way of life here and hence respect the same.
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A shop in Mechuka
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A Memba lady in Mechuka with some kids
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Yargypchu river flowing gently
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Views akin to Dzukou valley in Nagaland , on the hike to Rinjinling
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The quintessential energy drink, millet beer
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The clouds keep playing hide and seek
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Humbled by natures' display of art
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We are thinking of declaring it the official rainbow point
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Hiking up the Menchukha la offers views such as this
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He's a bugger! Green friend
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walking in Mechuka
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The waters where holy men have bathed
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stop and stare
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The white flags are put up in the honour of the deceased
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Looking at the reflection of the sun on the waters of Yargypchu
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A very common sight in Mechuka
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The view and card game
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The lady and the view
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In one frame
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By the riverside
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Green valleys of Mechuka
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Trekking life
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One can never get enough of this view
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View from my lens
Ready, steady…. Chalo! Phew!…. what a trip. If holidays to you are about experiencing a destination and not just sightseeing in one then these are the guys/girls for you. I used the following two products from their basket for my journey through the northeast 1. Consultancy service for two weeks For my solo travel across Arunachal Pradesh I wanted to experience culture the way a local does and not as an alien. For this, I needed an itinerary with destinations, things I could do there, options for transport, places to stay & services I could use (guides, local taxi, etc.) during my stay…. all in my budget. Basically, a bespoke blueprint for travel with subjective experiences. For a nominal consultancy fee, the itinerary prepared by Chalohoppo guy (Chetan Jalan) was well planned & meticulously detailed (current weather conditions in areas technology hasn’t reached) and suggestions for destinations & things to do was a perfect match for me. I could make reservations myself or ask him to make them for me at no extra charge and all dealings were transparent and smooth. Excellent service *****
I haven't experienced or seen anything like Mechuka in all of India. This sleepy little town is magical and breathtakingly beautiful. The people are extremely warm, loving and caring and take extra efforts in giving you an all encompassing experience. ChaloHoppo did a fantastic job in curating this trip for me. From creating an impeccable itinerary to answering my calls at odd hours of the day and night, the vacation was nothing short of a dream come true. The team knows the in and out of Northeast and can answer pretty much anything thrown at them. They went out of their way to make me feel at ease all throughout. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND ChaloHoppo for all those who want to experience the beauty of the Northeast. I am already planning my next trip this very year!
I happened to know about Chalohoppo through Tanya Khanijow's videos. It was love at first sight. I was totally impressed by their efforts to bring the North east visible to the rest of the world in all its beauty and splendour. I have always wanted to go to Menchuka, but never got the right guidance. After getting in touch with chalohoppo and forwarding my requirements, I was so convinced that these guys are so awesome. They not only inspire you to travel, they make you feel at home and ensure you safe and fun filled trip. My itenerary was so perfectly crafted as per my requirements. Every place I stayed was wonderful. I must specially mention DD Homestay at Menchuka. They have become my family. I got to experience there culture, food and also could go on two treks during this one week trip. I cannot thank Chalohoppo enough for this beautiful life changing experience. I was traveling solo for the first time. And I must say, the team ensured that I was safe at every point in time. This reflects their thorough professionalism and commitment towards work. I'm so awed and moved by the way Chalohoppo arranged this trip. My special thanks to Pritika for entertaining all my questions, last moment changes and ofcourse keeping in touch with me. Keep it up Chalohoppo. Huge salute and loads and loads of love. You guys rock 🤘😎
These guys are amazing, they did all they could from their end to get me to one of the remotest parts of Arunachal Pradesh. Chalohoppo is the right people to go to if you would like to do anything in the northeast. They know what they are doing and they help you do it much better :) Cheers guys,
I’m a solo traveller from Canada who fell in love with India last year while visiting Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Kerala. I was literally checking prices for a flight back, while waiting to board the plane for Toronto in the Kochi airport. It was clear that I would be back to India, I just had to decide on the next places to explore! I became interested in the Northeast very quickly. All I had to do was look at the map of India and I knew the NE was a region I had to see. The seven sister states — bordering Bhutan, China (Tibet), Myanmar and Bangladesh — yet, it’s still India! It was safe to assume it would be a cultural epicentre, brimming with history. As I learned more about the people, the cultures and the landscapes.. I was completely sold! The NE would be my next destination in India. Through my research, I quickly learned that the Northeast, particularly Arunachal is not the easiest place to backpack around. I mean, nothing is impossible.. but I can assure you, travelling with ChaloHoppo will give you an entirely different appreciation. The ease and reliability of the transportation, the accommodations, meals, language and of course the incredible itinerary — all combined with extensive knowledge, local guides and the benefits of the relationships ChaloHoppo have formed in these remote districts. This is what you pay for — this is what you get. A perfectly curated journey through a virtually non-touristed region. With ChaloHoppo, we were able to visit places, and do things that most people would never have the opportunity. ChaloHoppo has started to change that, and it was absolutely incredible being a part of that evolution. Do you even know anyone that’s been to the Northeast? What do you know about Arunachal, Meghalaya or Nagaland? Where is Mechuka? Be the person that can point way up on the map, in the far right corner of India and say you’ve been there! India is vast, and as a foreigner speaking to Indians, I’ve learned that most have travelled within the country.. but everyone wants to go outside. Well, I’m telling you.. the Northeast is as close as you can get to feeling like you’re in a different world. And it’s all yours to discover! These unique tours attract individuals who are seeking something different, something life altering. People wishing to have new experiences, try new foods, meet new people. I personally, had never been on a multi-day group tour, yet because I knew I couldn’t enjoy Arunachal to the fullest without the help of an expert, I decided on ChaloHoppo. Most of us chose this tour for the same reason, which created an incredible dynamic and connection. From the moment we met at the train station in Guwahati, we knew we were in for an epic adventure, and we were in it TOGETHER! Every moment was filled with newness. Watching my fellow travellers marvel at nature, skip stones, drink from waterfalls, trek mountains, cook over fire.. it was truly soul-food. Chalohoppo runs these tours professionally, and logistically — but what they provide for people goes much deeper than caravans, schedules and checklists. Nishant, Nick and the team at ChaloHoppo are making a difference in peoples’ lives — the lives of the lucky travellers who take the leap and see firsthand what they have to offer.. but, also in the lives of the people in the communities they visit. They are building connection and it’s freaking beautiful. I could go on about the experiences we had making our way to the hamlet of Mechuka, or share stories of the magical nature, cuisine, culture, connections and self-discovery. But, I’d rather you trust me and go have your own experiences. Each tour is bound to be different, and that is what makes them so special. If you’ve gotten so far as to reading these reviews, you’re 90% of the way there. Gift yourself with the experience of a lifetime. Then, just one more piece of advice.. once you're booked — get EXCITED! The countdown will be on to one of the most epic trips you’ll ever take! Thank you Nishant! Thank you Nick! Thank you ChaloHoppo! The work you do matters. (YOU — be the next person to see what I’m talking about!)