THEY CAME THEY RODE, THEY CONQUERED

FOUR WOMEN BIKERS TRAVERSING THE UNTOUCHED TERRAIN OF EASTERN ARUNACHAL ON THEIR DUCATI MULTISTRADA BIKES. THE 'EXPLORE BEYOND' BIKING EXPEDITION WAS AN INITIATIVE OF ARUNACHAL TOURISM TO SHOWCASE THE STATE AS A SAFE DESTINATION FOR SOLO WOMEN TRAVELLERS. THE RIDE WAS FLAGGED OFF BY CM PEMA KHANDU FROM THE BANKS OF THE SIANG AT PASIGHAT AND WOUND UP AT THE ORANGE FESTIVAL OF ADVENTURE & MUSIC, DAMBUK, WHERE THE BIKERS LET THEIR HAIR DOWN AND PARTIED LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW. YUP, GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN, AND IN ARUNACHAL THEY CAN - SAFELY

- Amit Dixit

THE WILD EAST 

The Explore Beyond' expedition was all about exploring the eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh, which is not as frequented by tourists as big-ticket attractions in the west like Tawang and Bomdila. Here the four bikers can be seen riding together in a remote section of the route. They are heading towards Namdapha National Park, after having checked out the Golden Pagoda at Namsai the previous day and explored the quaint village of Rima

RIDE LIKE A GIRL

Being highly experienced riders, the women bikers take Arunachal's terrain in their stride on this offbeat expedition. Roads are by and large excellent across the state, even in the remoter reaches, but there are some off-road sections which need to be tackled with finesse. The easy-to-ride bikes with their amazing pick-up and excellent ergonomics are a joy to ride on these roads which have next to no traffic at all

1. MEET THE LOCALS

A big part of exploring any destination is interacting with the locals. Arunachal Pradesh is no different there is curiosity on both sides and numerous opportunities for interesting interactions and cultural exchange. Wherever the women bikers went, they were met with a lot of love by the local residents. Here, the bikers pose with some gorgeous handloom fabrics which they borrowed from their new friends to add some welcome pops of colour to the photo shoot

2. AN AUSPICIOUS START

The Explore Beyond' expedition kicked off to a flying start with a gorgeous Ponung dance performance by women from the local Adi tribe. The tribe is known for its many fine traditional dances. The location for the flag-off was the scenic banks of the Siang as the mighty Brahmaputra is called in Arunachal Pradesh in Pasighat, the oldest town in the state (and now on its way to becoming a 'smart city'!)