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GHiRT-1> Arunachal-3 > Shilapathar, Bogbill Ferry, Dibrugarh, Parsuram-Kund, Hayuliang
Crossing the Brahamputra with our SUV loaded up on a Ferry at Bogbill to South bank and then we head past Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Doom-Dooma and we re-enter Arunachal Pradesh at Dirak. We continued to Wakro, Parasuram-Kund, Hauyliang and finally reach Kibuthu - the Eastern most road point of India where there is a Indian Army Camp - just 10Kms short of China-Tibet border; near tri-point junction of India, China and Burma.
Arunachal - Shilapathar (Assam) to Hayuliang (AP)
4th April 2009: We left our Shilapathar hotel at the crack of dawn at 5:00 am. The first ferry was at 7:30am but we were told vehicles line up early, as each boat takes only 3 or 4 cars on board. We didn't want to miss the first boat in any case. So we hit NH-52 and went further 8 Kms west, before branching of South (wp494) on some very muddy, rutted roads to Bogbill Ghat. The Ghat is another 16 Kms on low lying areas very close to where the new Bridge crossing the Brahmaputra to Dibrugarh is coming up. The heavy dumpers and earth-moving equipment of the at Project has made the ghat approach road even worse. We reached the Bogbill Ghat (wp497) at 5:30am.
At the ferry tea-shop we met two drivers of a Scorpio-Taxi, who had been to Kibuthu several times. HVK got some valuable information on the route from them. So far we had not get any map or distances showing Kibuthu. So it was lucky that we met these two guys. By 7:00 am there were quite a few passengers gathered and so they started loading the vehicles and at 7:30am we departed the Ghat. It was slow progress on the river and we had to go several Kms down stream first to avoid huge mud-banks and then back upstream to reach the Kareng Ghat on Dibrugarh side at 10:30am. We had to cross some very slushy stretches of muddy tracks to reach Jamirah on NH37 (wp504) and then go to Dibrugarh and beyond.
Our Ferry Boat
Passengers on the Boat
We continued on NH37 past Dibrugarh and Tinsukia where we stopped briefly to get the spare tire puncture repaired and also have lunch at the Dhaba-NH37, just before Doom Dooma. We passed many tea estates along the highway and around 2 pm we reached Rupai (wp519) where we turned East towards Dirak border post to enter Arunachal at 2:40pm. The drive through Arunachal plain areas continued through several exotic name places like Namsai, Lathao, Tengapani, Medo, T-Junction, Wakro and finally we reached Parsuram-Kund where we crossed a long new concrete bridge over Lohit River (wp533). The climb into the mountains starts just after crossing the bridge.
Cars struggling to cross the mud-slush at Dibrugarh-end of ferry
Dhaba-NH37 just before Doom-Dooma where we had lunch
HVK gathers vital information on Kibuthu route from two drivers
The muddy slushy track leading to Bogbill Ferry Ghat
Small Boat crossing the mighty Brahamaputra river
HVK's Scorpio gets on board the boat, at Bogbill Ghat
Four Cars on the boat was a real tight squeeze!
Arunachal Tea Gardens in the lower plain areas
Doom Dooma Tea Gardens
Entering Arunachal at Dirak
A Burmese style temple on a river island in Arunachal
Lohit River from the Bridge
Lohit River downstream of bridge
Looking back at the Bridge and Parshuram temple as we climb the hill
Lohit River at Sunset from the road climbing past Parsuramkund
A watchtower of bamboo & thatch at ParsuramKund check post
KS at Parsuramkund temple
Hayuliang to Kibuthu
After seeing the sunset at 5:30pm from the high ridge above Parsuramkund we continued on to Hayuliang. It soon became dark and the road was twisting around wildly and climbing all the way. Fortunately, the road was pretty good except one stretch before Salangam and again as we neared Hayuliang where the road was rough with landslide debris lying around. We took 3 hours to do this 87 Km stretch and reached Hayuliang at 8 pm. We took a room in the so-so Hotel Valley View (DBL Rs 200), after the IB caretakers refused accommodation without prior permit.
25th April 2009: We left Hayuliang very early at 3:10am and it was already beginning to show pre-dawn light. By 4:15 the sun had risen and we could see snowy peaks at the head of the valley (see pic below at wp546):
At 5:10am we reached Changwinti where the road to Hawai turns right across the river over a bridge. We continued straight to Walong still 50Kms away.
Ashrams of Parsuramkund
Snow peaks appear ahead in the valley as dawn breaks
4:16am - we cross the bridge ahead at Kuibiang as dawn was breaking
The sign at Changwinti after we had come 50Kms
A stream flowing down to R. Lohit
We finally reach Kibuthu at 7:40am (wp556) ... the sign here says "Welcome to Kibuthu - East of North-East"
Milestone ahead says "Namti 5Kms"
As we climb higher the road is enveloped in misty clouds
Green scenery as we near Kibuthu
Walong village down there (wp553) we passed at 6:50am
Lohit river is along side our road
Scenic view as we near Kibuthu now at 7:35 am
Walong and Lohit River
View from helipad
Kibuthu
KS-HVK & Scorpio at Kibuthu Helipad 7:42am - Pic by an Army Jawan
Kibuthu turned out to be a very scenic place where the valley had widened a bit. But the mountains were standing tall all around us with green forests all over and white clouds floating around the peaks. We found a tea shop being run by UP Bhaiyaa. Actually he runs the army's tailoring contract here and also supplies tea/coffee a side business! The Tea-walla said it is has been quite peacful here for last 2-3 years at this Chinese border. He was willing to guide us some further 6kms to the border on a rough track road, to show us the Chinese camp across the border. He said the Chinese army men across the border were a friendly lot. But we didn't go there and left 8:40 am to return the same way.
Kibuthu Army Helipad (wp556)
Happy HVK waves at the Tea shop
Kibuthu Village Main street
Kibuthu Army Helipad
View from Kibuthu
Kibuthu cloud play
At Kibhutu, HVK with the guys who run the Army Tailoring & Tea shop
Looking back towards Kibuthu as we return along the valley
HVK drove continuously all the way without stopping, except to visit the temple briefly at Parsuramkund at 3:15pm. We continued along the same route NH52 and NH37 all the way to Dibrugarh reaching at 8pm. We stayed the night at a nice brand new Hotel Rajawas on the AT Road the AC-DBL room there cost Rs 1450.
25th April 2009: We left Dibrugarh early at 5:00am and went to Guwahati along the AT Road passing Kaziranga, hoping to see some Rhinos along the road. But we were out of luck for seeing Rhinos. We reached Guwahati very fast, being a sunday, and Priya Palace Hotel at 11:30am. I hopped-off here, but HVK continued on his solo-drive across the country in 4 days to reach Koteswar on 29th April, at 11:15am. HVK is an amazing guy with tremendous stamina and enthusiasm for driving the Highways, in his black Scorpio.
As for me, I was happy I didn't have to do the cross-country run and so I chilled out in my hotel room, with a relaxing cold beer and slept all afternoon, after a nice lunch. Next day, I caught the early morning JetLite flight at 7:45am, and reached Mumbai by Noon, after a brief stopover at Kolkata. Thus ended GHiRT-1.
*****
Views looking East towards Burma
View towards China from Kibuthu
View looking North, from Kibuthu towards the Chinese camp just 6 kms from here, on other side of border
View towards China from Kibuthu
Note: WPnnn = WayPoint# for that location. The GPS Waypoints for this tour is labelled as "S2SApril2009.zip" in my "Files D/L" page here
If you download that file and click on the unzipped file, you can see the entire route we travelled in Google Earth if installed in your computer.
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