Tucked away in the remoteness of pristine Mechuka Valley, Aalo makes as the administrative headquarters of the West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, perched at an elevation of 300 metres above sea level. Bewitching natural scenery, salubrious weather and tranquil settings, truly make this little town one of the must visit destinations in North East India. While its bucolic beauty fringed with snow-clad mountains and beautiful rivers flowing by, lends it an unmatched natural charm inviting countless nature lovers from far and wide, it’s exhilarating aura offering scope for myriad activities like river rafting and trekking, makes it an empyrean for innumerable adventure freaks too, who often throng here in quest to satiate their adrenaline desires.
Aalo, with its rich cultural heritage and tribal legacy, also finds its name enlisted on the map of top tourism places for avid cultural freaks; ‘Kazu Village’, located just 2 km. off the main town is the hub of native Adi Tribes and provides for a great insight into their unique customs, traditions and religious practices. Worth checking out during a trip to Kazu is the tribal people’s beautiful architecture that reflects in their huts and cottages made from cane and bamboo, offering a breath-taking scenery, sitting against the charming backdrop of snowy-white cliffs and lush green forests.Yet another beautiful artefact one simply cannot miss marvelling at during their visit to this quaint village is the long bamboo-decked suspension bridge that precariously hangs over the Yomgo River. Not only this bridge adds to the rustic beauty of the place but, also makes one wonder about the brilliant artistic and engineering skills of the people here.
In case one is seeking for the best time to visit Aalo, must plan a trip here during the annual ‘Yomgo River Festival’ which is celebrated in the month of January and showcases its rich cultural heritage packed with exhibitions displaying local handloom, handicraft items, agricultural and horticulture produce of the region. Folk performances, make-shift floating restaurants, fireworks, lighting shows and arrangement for activities like hot-air balloons and paragliding are some of the added attractions and which provide for a fascinating treat to all the visitors.
For those who are not able to make it to the Yomgo Festival, have another chance of visiting Aalo during ‘Mopin Festival’, another major festival of the region celebrated in the month of April with great zeal and fervour. Unusual tribal, religious and animistic rituals are the main highlight of this festival and leave every visitor gasping in awe of such bizarre practices.
For tourists seeking travel instructions as to how to reach Aalo, note that the town is bound with a good road network that connects it with all major cities of the state including the capital Itanagar; many of Arunachal Pradesh State Transport Service (APSTS) buses ply on regular basis between the two destinations and make for a great commuting choice for travellers looking forward for fun-filled journey blessed with nature's serene treasures. In case one is planning for an air travel to Aalo, can take a flight to the ‘Lilabari Airport’ which lies in the neighbouring state of Assam; state run buses, private and shared taxis frequently operate between the two towns and nearly take about 4-5 hours getting tourists to their vacation destination. Not to explicitly mention, Arunachal being a restricted zone, all travellers visiting the state, be it domestic or international, need to have prior permits which can be well arranged from liaising and Resident Commissioner Offices located in all major cities across India like New Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati. For those travelling on a holiday package with Tour My India, need not worry about arranging these permits. We, apart from organizing for sightseeing tours, tourist guides, accommodations and other travel needs for our esteemed guests, also take care of such additional requirements, which sometimes can prove to be major hassles for them.
For those travellers, seeking for more details on Aalo, we bring for them a consolidated travel guide below, which provides for a brief information on the town’s popular tourism places, things to do and activities to indulge into.
