The beautiful DD Homestay at Mechuka
A cosy place to rest

Best Homestay in Mechuka | DD Homestay

from ₹1,200

How do you define a wooden home in a beautiful Himalayan valley home to a family which will become your extended family once you spend a few nights there? This Memba house is in the centre of the town in gorgeous Mechuka where conversations around the kitchen fire will stay with you forever.

  • Reviews 2 Reviews
    5/5
  • Vacation Style Holiday Type
    • Activity Level Challenging
      3/4
    All about Best Homestay in Mechuka | DD Homestay.

    About the village

    Menchukha has something magical about it. Not just that the word Menchukha literally translates into “a place where medicinal water from snow flows”. Whether it is the remoteness of it or the fact that it happens to be the last Indian town in its direction before we cross into Tibet (Or China as they claim) or the scenic setting which turns green, brown and white based on the season you are visiting or the warmest people who inhabit the valley. It is quite special. This is the first village on a drive from tropical forested Arunachal Pradesh that has alpine vegetation. The journey to reach this place is a tough one. One that is worth all the troubles.

    Distance from the main town

    How to reach
    Food

    You will be treated to some traditional Memba dishes and delicacies like “ghee chai”, “paa”, ask Khandu for some more names of traditional food items.  Khapsey, momos, tingmos etc.

    You can actually learn the art of making momos and go back and show off to your friends back home. The hosts are also adept at making rotis

    The one night where “roasting” by the riverside happens is a special treat.

    Know your host

    Khandu sir as we call him first met us serendipitously in a “ Tata Sumo” on our first ever trip exploring Mechuka. Back in 2016 before he had constructed his homestay, he hosted us at his aunt’s home. Khandu Philley is a teacher at a local school in Mechuka and is a gregarious person. Always ready with the next question. He has 2 young naughty boys who will be your buddies if you were looking to revisit your childhood.  A cancer threat in 2018 shook him and the family but later that year he completed the construction of his homestay and now he is all set to receive you.

    Activities

    Points of interest

    1. Note Things to note

      Ideally, we recommend spending at least 4 nights in Mechuka because it makes your effort of visiting this place worth it. If are looking for a shorter stay then the same can be planned accordingly.

    2. Day 1 The day you just reach Mechuka

      Leave from Along, early in the morning, starting by 6 am would be ideal.

      Keep in mind that the drive with only 2 stipulated pitstops takes about 8 hours.

      Today you will reach Mechuka just before the sun sets and ideally take rest and get acquainted with your hosts.

    3. Day 2 The day you hike up ‘Mechuka la’

      Last night you would have been a little tired. If you liked last night’s butter tea then the same shall be had now for breakfast.

      You met the hosts of the homestay last night remember? As per today’s plan you – hike! Yay!

      You will almost walk the length of Mechuka town but at a higher elevation which will give you almost bird-like views of the town. It will be long, hence packed lunch will be had atop the hill.
      Specific brief about how to prepare for this day hike will be shared when you sign up. Don’t worry.

      It’s going to be handy to keep the cameras charged since you may lose count of the number of photographs you click.

      By evening we should be back at the homestay or just loiter around Mechuka town. Perhaps pay Abdul’s restaurant a visit?

      Who is Abdul now? You will find out.

    4. Day 3 The day we have langar at Gurdwara

      You have worked hard so far. Sleep a little late today. You can stay in bed till 8 30 am. That according to the rest of the country’s time would be around 10 am. Good enough?

    5. Day 4 Get ready for another hike

      Another hike today! How’s the body and the mind feeling now, eh? It better be good because Dorjeeling which is your first village pitstop before hiking to the shepherd’s hut in Rinjinling. It is a beauty and your mind needs to be clear to be absorbing the positive energy.

      We should definitely pull over by the riverside and dip our feet in the waters and it would be a good time to invest some energy in wild berry plucking. It’s very addictive to pluck one and put it straight in your mouth and the worst part is that you keep eating them as you collect them and eventually you have none to show (depends on the season).

      After this distraction, you are again set on your path to hike up the trail. It is ideal to carry some simple gifts for the shepherd whose hut you are visiting. It would be nice if he is free to sit with you for a cup of his special ghee chai. It’s not going to be very nippy but it will be pleasant with a hint of chill in the air. So the ghee chai will be perfect.

      His hut in this obscurely lush grazing paradise is like travelling in a time machine and visiting a place at the confluence of the changing times, changing governments and flexible identities. Have a light lunch in that hut, perhaps time to cut open that packet of Maggi?

    6. Day 5 Time to bid goodbye

      Did you sleep last night? It’s time to bid goodbye. Your new family will miss you. You should ideally not want to leave but a family bound by blood waits back home. Perhaps a job as well that lets you fund the wanderlust waits too.

    Facilities at the Homestay

    Facilities

    • The rooms have coffee, tea and milk powder sachets in case you want to make your own drink.
    • There are rooms with attached toilets and also ones that are shared.
    • Room heaters are available since it can get quite cold in the winters.
    • Ample space for parking one vehicle.
    • Hot running water is available. 

    Rules and restrictions

    1. Smoking is allowed.
    2. Alcohol consumption is allowed and you can try the local brews made out of millet, “chang” as they call it.
    3. There is no restriction in terms of check in and check out time but it is a homestay so we expect visitors to be considerate

    A: Relax! We got your back for that. We will get your Inner Line Permit made. It is included in the package

    Overall Rating
    5/5
    Sam
    Reviewed On 30/09/2019
    5/5

    Well This was my first experience with ChaloHoppo. I chose to spend my new year eve at Nagaland in the most old fashioned yet offbeat way. The campsite provided to us at Zakhama was just what I had expected. Besides the food cuisines and the local rice beer offered to us by the host was of great taste. The hiking gears given to us were taken care of and the basic amenities were met. Overall the hospitality was just what I had thought of. As I have already happen to covered 5 states in Northeast. Sooner or later I might as well get back again to explore more of Arunachal Pradesh with them. Thank you ChaloHoppo for the unforgettable experience. Btw I have happen to mention my Dzukou valley experience on my blogsite Samtravelogue.com Do read about what this place has to Offer and of course the ChaloHoppo experience

    Deenaz Raisinghghani
    Reviewed On 30/09/2019
    5/5

    We are a family of three and we (hubby n me) have been travelling for the last 11 years. we also love to backpack with our daughter and have managed to explore a few parts of the World with her..However, we had been waiting to do a trip to the North East of India for a long time and somehow it had not materialised. In December last year, we got a chance to make this long awaited trip happen with Chalohoppo to Nagaland during the Hornbill Festival. From the very first interaction with them over email, I got a very positive and warm vibe from them as well as a very responsible tour operator. We reached them after a roadtrip via Dimapur-Wokha-Mokokchung-Kohima(Thanks to Abhishek for coordinating the first point of contact for us even though he was travelling himself). They curated a lovely travel itinerary for us which I shall write about below: Stay at Campsite Yedikha: The campsite is located very close to the Hornbill festival venue(Kisama Heritage Village) and is the acclimatising base for the Dzukou valley trek as well. Facilities:The site has tents pitched on two levels overlooking the terraced fields of Jakhama, Nagaland. It has a full service kitchen, extremely clean and permanent tiled toilets with continuous water supply, a roofed lounging zone with games and music and a bonfire area that is open to the sky. The hosts (Chalohoppo) are always available and stay with the guests on site most of the time. We were welcomed by Chetan,John, Deepika and Aishwarya who were always at camp looking after the guests and taking care of logistics. Sleep:The camp is literally the hub of activity in this part of Chalohoppo’s Nagaland. We were travelling with a toddler(3yo) and it was December so one can imagine how low the temperatures were; however we slept beautifully in the tents as they were insulated, blinded from morning light, and had very comfortable good quality sleeping bags with space for luggage inside the tent. Eat:We were served fresh warm breakfast early in the mornings (no matter what time everyone slept) and delicious local meals every night with both vegetarian and non vegetarian options. The cooks (local staff) whip up authentic organic food with a side of Naga non vegetarian and vegetarian recipes and they are truly delicious to say the least. We had a meal every night with them and each night was special be it the Naga chicken curry or the dry dal with greens that Chetan suggested we try or the fresh chickpea salad that we relished. Aishwarya helped make the yummiest breakfast sandwiches for us and we found a friend in all of them. Day trip 1- Khonoma: We finally met the Chalohoppo guy (famous on Instagram) Nishant in Khonoma where he welcomed us with his infectious warm smile, extensive anecdotes and generosity. We were a group of like minded travellers(bloggers,vloggers,photographers) from different parts of the country and we were taken on an amazing tour of Khonoma village(the first green village). We were left awestruck by the beauty of this village, its pristine open fields, smiling villagers, zero garbage, pretty houses, and lots of fresh air. Chalohoppo arranged a local guide for us named Neizo, an educated qualified local boy and the way he narrated the tour was incredible. His knowledge of the history, local traditions and opinions about contemporary Naga life were something to learn about. We ended up knowing a lot more than we would have otherwise. We lunched at the Meru Homestay overlooking a breathtaking view and had the juiciest cucumbers I have ever eaten. Gorgeous local organic food again that left us happy after a hearty walk around the village. We also witnessed the Friendship festival at Khonoma village (which is something to see for sure) as the locals were dressed in their traditional ceremonial attire and it was a great experience meeting them besides the Hornbill festival. Day trip-2:Jakhama Village Hike. We went for a hike around Jakhama village with a guide from the camp named Kikosonu, and she took us around her pretty village surrounded by lush paddy fields and rolling hills. Just walking around the entire village of Jakhama is a beautiful experience as you will get to see lovely tin roofed houses, meet some warm smiling locals, and get to hear about the history of the Village along with her personal anecdotes that will make this village hard to forget. Live Music: on our last day at camp, we were treated to a live band from Kohima who jammed with us into the night and we met and danced with some beautiful strangers that felt more like friends. For parents wanting to travel with kids, this is a perfect itinerary and you would get to enjoy each aspect of the State without tiring your kids too much and also exposing them to a camping experience. USP:-1) Attention to detail 2) Knowledge of local place, tie ups and information about everything that will be required right upto the point you leave Nagaland. 3) Responsible, Ready to take feedback and always positive 4) Ready to customise plans according to the comfort of the travellers 5) Extremely well spoken, fun, confident and amazing people in one team 6) Easily the coolest tour operator in all of North East! Trust me Go on a trip with them to get your own experience! Chalo Northeast Chalohoppo...

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