Pakke is now claimed as a Tiger Reserve located at Arunachal
Pradesh. This untouched wilderness is situated in East Kameng district that is
very close to Assam. We started our journey from Guwahati to Pakke by road.
It’s a long car journey but the pristine beauty of Assam eases all our fatigue
and made us energetic.
We reached Pakke in the evening starting our journey in the
late morning. The only accommodation in Pakke is Eco Tourism Resort run by Help
Tourism Pvt. Ltd. The cottages are magnificently made up of timber and dry
leaves just like a tree house. It is really an awesome concept in wilderness. And
the food was fabulous to recall.
The resort is on a hilly upland few meters away from Pakke
river bed. Sunset at Pakke River is an unforgettable experience. Pakke is called the Land of Hornbills. Four species of Hornbill
found here - Rufous necked Hornbill , Great
Hornbill, Oriental pied Hornbill and Wreathed Hornbill.
The other vibrant
birds we watched inside the forest are huge number of Scarlet Minivet. The mammals we
sighted are Malayan giant squirrel, Hoary Bellied Squirrel and Asaamese
Macaque. And the major variety saw in Butterfly. You may say it is a Land of
Butterflies during November. We got a very rich collection of butterflies in
Pakke. A rare giant Birdwing butterfly made our mood that time. The officials
told us that 150-200 species of butterflies are spotted here every year during summer
and monsoon season. We spotted at least 80-90 different species altogether.
A significant
phenomenon happened to me during our stay “Music of Sicada”. It is a small
insect but a very sharp music or call they produce.Clear starlit sky
and music of Sicada will be your guide at night and chirping of birds, roosting
of hornbills during sunset, cold fresh breeze, serene and pristine greenery and
dancing river will soothe your soul and give you eternal calmness in Pakke for
sure.
