Day 10: Daporijo

Definitely the worst hotel of the trip for me. Windowless room with a dingy bathroom, that had a huge hole in the wall providing plenty of entertainment for anyone caring to watch! Daporijo is a must for the trip because of its stunning scenery but there are only two 'hotels' in town, both way below acceptable Western standards. During the day we crossed the river and entered the small village of Lida where there is a beautiful Donyi Polo mandir delicately balanced at the top of some rocks in the river. I told Dave this would make a great picnic spot, and that's when Dave had his eureka moment. Even better, this would be an unbelievable location for camping... it had everything, it was cut off from the noise of the main town, on the bank of the river, a waterfall, stunning mountain scenery and lush green landscapes. We are both keen that our tours should benefit local communities, and we feel that by purchasing supplies from the local village and engaging them from the start, they too should gain from this. Further on we discovered another perfect lunch spot, a short drive uphill overlooking the quaint village of Dumporijo.
All in all, a very satisfying day's work!

- Rahul