There’s a valley in Arunachal Pradesh where, once a year, bamboo stages go up between the pine trees and paddy fields, and for a few days the whole place turns into something between a music festival and a village fair. That’s the Ziro Music Festival. If the name’s new to you, fair enough — it’s still one of Northeast India’s best-kept secrets. Not for long though.
No barricades shoving crowds around, no mountains of plastic cups by the end of the night. Ziro Music Festival stages are handbuilt by local Apatani artisans out of bamboo and wood. There’s a genuine zero-plastic rule here, not just a poster saying so. And the lineup swings from Indian indie to folk to electronic acts, artists flying in from across the country and a few from further away too. It’s been running since 2012, and somewhere along the way it turned into one of those festivals people plan their whole year around.
Why Ziro Music Festival Isn’t Like Other Festivals
At most festivals you go for the acts and tune out everything else. Ziro Music Festival doesn’t let you. The valley — misty hills, quiet pine cover, Apatani villages dotted along the way — ends up mattering just as much as whoever’s playing that night. Even the little things, serving plates, stage material, all of it’s chosen with the environment in mind. And a decent chunk of what the festival earns goes straight back into the community — local jobs, artisan support, skills training for the youth.
Then there’s the camping. Live sets right next to your tent, craft stalls open till late, strangers turning into friends over shared bonfires. It’s not really a “checklist” kind of trip. More the sort you keep thinking back to weeks after you’re home after experiencing Ziro Music Festival.
The HimTrek Package — What You’re Actually Getting
We’ve built this as a 6 day, 5 night trip so all the boring logistics are handled and you just show up for the music at Ziro Music Festival.
Starts from ₹24,999. The trip begins and ends in Guwahati. You’ll be staying in double-sharing tents right at the campsite, nothing fancy but comfortable. No cap on group size either — works whether you’re rolling in solo, as a couple, or dragging your whole friend group along. English and Hindi are both spoken throughout.
Included in the price:
Pickup and drop from Guwahati, all transport for the trip, tent stay every night, 5 breakfasts plus 4 dinners, your inner line permit (non-negotiable if you’re heading into Arunachal), local sightseeing around Ziro, and driver allowance / vehicle costs.
Not included:
Getting yourself to Guwahati (flights or train), the actual Ziro Music Festival pass, optional guided tours or fishing add-ons, lunches, personal medicines and toiletries, plus anything unexpected — road closures, sudden weather, that sort of thing.
Day by Day, Roughly
Day one is mostly travel meet up in Guwahati by evening, then it’s an overnight drive up into the valley. Sleep through most of it if you can, you’ll want the energy later.
By Day two you’re actually in Ziro. Check into camp, catch your breath, and head straight into the Ziro Music Festival grounds for night one — music, art installations, food stalls, a few hundred strangers who all flew in for exactly this.
Day three eases up a bit in the morning. There’s an optional fishing trip through Ziro’s terraced paddy fields if that interests you, cosmos flowers in bloom, a look at how the Apatani farm sustainably. By evening you’re back at the festival for round two.
Day four is for people who like wandering. A guided walk through an Apatani village, centuries-old bamboo homes, and a stop at Naara Aaba India’s first kiwi winery, if you can believe that for a tasting with the valley laid out below you. Festival again that night, obviously.
Day five is Ziro outside the music. Pamu Yalang for views that don’t need editing, the Shiva Lingam temple (one of the tallest natural lingams in the country), Sikhe and See lakes if you fancy a zipline or just some quiet by the water. And then the last night of the Ziro Music Festival — usually the one people talk about longest.
Day six, you’re heading back to Guwahati. Long drive, but honestly it’s a good few hours to just sit with everything that happened.
Who’s This For
Pretty much anyone who wants music, hills, and a slice of tribal culture without juggling three separate bookings. Solo travellers tend to love it — easy to meet people. Couples looking for something other than the usual hill-station routine. Groups of friends who’d rather sleep under actual stars than in a hotel room with a mini fridge.
Weather-wise, days stay pleasant, evenings get a little cold — pack a light jacket. Comfortable shoes, a power bank, sunscreen, and a reusable bottle (you’ll need it, given the zero-plastic thing).
Worth It?
If Northeast India’s been sitting on your someday-list, this is a decent way to finally cross it off — real music, real culture, a valley that hasn’t been flattened by tourism yet. Seats fill up fast for the Ziro Music Festival, so it’s worth sorting your dates sooner than later.
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