India is a country of extreme diversities; a boiling point of various religions, ethnicity and natural landscapes. It is hard for a traveler to get a grip about India in just one trip. Instead, one needs many years of stay in the country to totally understand the phenomenon that is India.

But internet has made the people of the world smarter, and today, almost everything is available at the click of a mouse. And yet, Mother Earth is so vast and amazing, that it is always a pleasure for a writer to write about something exotic or unheard of.

Coming back to India, this special post provides a insight into India's little secret, a land of virgin rain-forests, remote mountain passes and beautiful indigenous people.

This is the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, located in the far Northeast of the country, and guarded by forces of natural elements and its proximity to international borders with three countries. Much of this region still remains unexplored, making it a sought after destination for naturalists and adventurous explorers.

For the offbeat traveler, some of the thrills of Arunchal Pradesh are :-

1. Extreme white water rafting and kayaking - Blessed with many mountain rivers that possess thunderous rapids which can be considered to be among the deadliest of the world, rafting here has become a much sought after ambition for the pros of the world.

2. Tribal Culture - The region has one of the most diverse cultural habitation found in the world. A home to about fifteen major tribes and many sub-tribes, all of who live a animistic lifestyle, meeting and staying with these tribal people is an experience of a lifetime which connects you to nature and provides you a better understanding about the world we live in. One can expect colorful ceremonies and interesting folk tales.

3. Biodiversity Hotspot - Arunachal lies right at the center of Eastern Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspot and the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot, which makes it a very very significant ecological region of the world. Much of the forests remain unexplored and undocumented, and news of new species being found occur every few years. Many species are endemic to the region and occur no where else in the world. A handful of tour operators organize exploratory tours for researches and biologists, a "must do" for those looking for extreme escapes.

4. Trekking - Arunachal is a delight for hikers as it offers many types of landscapes. One can indulge in high mountain hikes, or fight through the hard terrains of tropical rain-forests. One can also follow the tribal routes and end up becoming friends with the local tribesmen.

5. Angling - The mountain rivers are not only a source of entertainment for the die-hard rafters, but also a delight for the anglers of the world, who flock the region every winter, to catch the much prized, sought after, and very hard to catch fish, called the Himalayan Golden Mahseer.

Bio:

Vaivhav Todi writes travel tales for the blog of Greener Pastures, which is an Eco-tourism organization based in the Northeast of India that promotes conservation and sustainability.