The Tipi Orchid sanctuary in Tawang houses thousands of varieties of orchids. This research center is a beautiful insight into the flora of Tawang. It is amazing to know that Tawang has more than 600 species of orchids.
About Tipi :
Tipi which is situated at Tipi, is surrounded with hills and semi green tropical rain forest vegetation. This centre covers an area of about 10 hectares and houses orchidaria, museum, garden, office buildings, tissue culture lab and herbarium.
The main attraction of this centre is the orchid glass house that is built of fibre glass roof and has a display gallery and central pond with fountain. The house was inaugurated on 26th December 1972 and has 1,000 orchids displayed in the hanging baskets and pots. Tourists can explore different species of orchids like cattleya, dendrobium, vanda and paphiopedilum.
Attractions Of Tipi In Arunachal Pradesh :
Tipi is a town that is located in the state of Arunachal Pradesh and it is famous for its orchid farms. The town has the third largest orchidarium in Asia and this is the main attraction of the place. The research center that is located in the town is visited by many tourists and there are many different varieties of the flower that are grown here. The center was first established in the year 1972 and there are 20 species of endangered orchids that can be seen here. In total there are over 500 varieties of orchids that are present here and some of them are artificially created by scientists.
The place is located near the River Kameng and this is a perfect place for fishing and other similar activities. One can also opt for river rafting in the rapids of the river. Some of the other activities that are possible are trekking and hiking. There are various spots that are located around the place that are ideal for this. One can also visit the Pakhui Game Sanctuary that can be reached by crossing the Kameng River using a canoe. The park is covered with evergreen forests and lush green vegetation.
Best Season / Best time to visit Tipi :
The climate of the town of Tipi is a similar to the climate of many parts of the state and it can be classified as a sub tropical climate. There are three main seasons in the place and they are the summer, monsoon and winter seasons. Summers can be humid in the lower lying areas; however the conditions are never extreme. The winter season is cold and protective clothing is required while travelling to the town during this time. The place gets rainfall during the monsoon season.
The summer season starts in the month of March and extends till the end of May. Temperatures rarely rise beyond 35 degrees Celsius during the summer season. The lowest expected temperature is around 20 degrees Celsius during this period. Many people visit the place during this time.
The monsoon season is during the months from June to September. Temperatures range in the high twenties for the most part during this time. Rainfall is abundant and the wet conditions make it a bad time to visit.
The winter season starts in the month of December and extends till the end of February. Temperatures can drop down to single digits during this time. The coldest month of the year is January.
History :
Arunachal Pradesh is a state blooming with various kinds of flora, out of which orchids are arguably considered the most beautiful. Orchids are flowers with unusual shapes, beautiful colours and a very delicate fragrance. To protect the ones that are too delicate to survive in the harsh environmental conditions The Orchid Research Centre was inaugurated at Tipi in 1972. It is located at a distance of around 180 kms from Guwahati, the capital city of Assam on the banks of pristine river Kameng and is surrounded by evergreen mountains.
The Centre has come a long way from being a research centre to being the third largest orchidarium in the world. It is spread over a massive 110 acres and houses around 50,600 orchids. The board at the entrance names this centre as the temple of orchids, while just opposite the entrance is a warning asking visitors to beware of elephants. The main attraction of the centre is its fibre proof glass house that has around 1000 beautiful exotic orchids in pots and hanging baskets. Adding to ambience of the area is a pond with a fountain located centrally in the Research Centre.
Location :
The Tipi Orchid Research Centre located at Tipi near Ziro is a beautiful research center for the rare orchids of Arunachal Pradesh. The center is surrounded by hills and semi green tropical rain forest vegetation. Spread over an area of 10 hectares it houses a variety of orchids with a museum, a garden, an office building, a tissue culture lab and a herbarium.
How to Reach:
Nearest airport is Tezpur (60 kms).
Nearest railhead is Bhalukpung, Tipi (7 kms).
Tourist Taxis are available at Tezpur. Daily bus services are also available from Tezpur (60 kms).
