Average rating Tribal Trail in Eastern India

The advivasi (‘old inhabitants’) are the diverse aboriginal communities of India, with a cultural history spanning over 30,000 years. This 13-day tour takes you to the mountains, jungles and beaches of eastern India to discover the past and present of these ancient tribes of India!

The east Indian states of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh are among the least spoilt and most enigmatic in the subcontinent, boasting vast expanses of jungle and grasslands, an incredible diversity of flora and fauna and some of the oldest temples in India. There are mountains, lakes and mile upon mile of glorious coastline, not to mention the vibrant cities of Bhubaneswar, with its 3,000 year history, and Hyderabad, India’s answer to Silicon Valley (as if that were a question!). More intriguing though are the states’ tribal cultures; nomads, hunters and horticulturalists number into the millions, with hundreds of distinct groups and an extraordinary diversity of customs and rituals dating back many millennia.

This 13-day tour is a true voyage of discovery! Starting from the pretty port town of Vizag, home to India’s second largest ship graveyard, you’ll head by train into the forested hills of the Eastern Ghats, where tribal communities inhabit the lush river valleys. Explore the cave temples, sacred mountains and ancient shrines that abound here, then drop into a tribal market and marvel at the multitude of beads, earrings and hairpins being worn and sold! You’ll chill out on Chilika Lake, Asia’s largest brackish lagoon and a haven for migratory birds and playful dolphins, then it’s on to the awesome temples of Konark, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where “the language of stone surpasses the language of man”. A magical end to magical trip!

This is a breathtaking, mind-expanding adventure, a feast of the new, unusual and spectacular! Needless to say, if you like your holidays to be neatly planned and without surprises you’ll probably loathe this trip. There’s nothing cosy and conventional here, just an endless stream of jaw-dropping spectacle! Even the transport is an adventure in itself, with everything from ferry to rickshaw, pole boat to bullock cart called upon! This tour is for anyone with a taste, nay, a hunger for adventure and a wide-open mind. You’ll get most from his tour if you’re not afraid to try new things and even look silly in the process. And given the amount of socialising you’ll be doing (with others travellers, villagers and so on), it helps if you’re pretty personable and outgoing.

Getting there

Your joining point for this tour is Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
You can get to Vishakhapatnam by train and plane. The tour itself will depart from Hotel Daspalla.

Price includes

Accommodation, meals (for four days), guide, all transport, entry to sites

When is best

Different departure dates can be arranged upon request. Prices vary depending on the size of the group.

Typical Duration

13 days

Comfort level

Down to earth (hostels, camping, huts)

Experience required

A reasonable interest is all that is needed