Dambuk Orange Orchards

Picture hundreds of acres of mandarin trees glowing amber against the Eastern Himalayas, the scent of ripe citrus in the winter air and, somewhere across the valley, the distant thud of a rock bassline.

The Dambuk Orange Orchards spread across the sunlit slopes of the Lower Dibang Valley, where over fifty groves have earned this pocket of Dambuk Arunachal Pradesh its title as the "Orange Bowl" of the state. Come winter, the orchards of Dambuk hang heavy with juicy Khasi Mandarins, and the whole valley shifts into celebration during the Dambuk Orange Festival — the famed Orange Festival of Adventure and Music, where indie bands, off-road trails and tribal warmth collide amid the trees. Reached by a thrilling drive across riverbeds from Roing, the Dambuk Orange Orchards Roing offer a rare mix of Idu Mishmi and Adi culture, adventure and fresh-picked fruit.

Best time to visit: November to February, peaking with the harvest and the Orange Festival of Adventure and Music each December.

Traveller tip: Time your visit with the December festival for the full experience, but book Dambuk homestays or orchard campsites well ahead — they fill fast — and carry warm layers for chilly nights. The river-crossing route from Roing is part of the adventure, so travel by a sturdy vehicle. An Inner Line Permit is mandatory for Arunachal Pradesh.

For official travel information, see the Official Arunachal Tourism portal.

Dambuk Orange Orchards, Arunachal Pradesh can be easily covered in BreakBag Holidays' customised Offbeat Arunachal Pradesh tour packages, combined with the Orange Festival, Roing and the wider Dibang Valley.