We welcome you on an adventurous Journey like none other to Sela Pass and Tawang via Shillong and Kaziranga across the following circuit:
Guwahati ~ Shillong ~ Cherrapunji ~ Dawki ~ Kaziranga ~ Dirang ~ Tawang ~ Bumla Pass ~ Bomdila ~ Guwahati
Keeping into consideration the various adventure journeys across India and the World, the travel from Guwahati to Tawang (covering the Kaziranga National Park and the Sela Pass) is one of the most breathtaking! From capturing your moments with the Endangered Indian One Horned Rhinoceros at Kaziranga, the Greenery of the Lush Tea Gardens of Assam, the Unadulterated natural landscapes of Arunachal Pradesh at Dirang, the Snow Covered mountains of the Sela Pass, the Holiness of the Lord at the Tawang Monastery and the exquisite Handicrafts and Handlooms of North East India at Bomdila you feel your time standing still for a moment and get to relive a moment entirely different from the hustle and bustle of the fast paced city life. We assure to take you on a journey that allow you to rediscover yourself in the lap of Mother Nature perfectly in tune with one of the famous quotes of Lord Buddha ~ It is better to Travel well than to arrive!
Sela Pass is a high altitude mountain Pass that connects the Buddhist City of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh with the plains of Assam. This Pass is situated at 13,700 feet above MSL and is located between Bomdila and Jung in Western Arunachal Pradesh. The only way one can reach Tawang by road is through Sela Pass. The Sela Pass is covered with snow most of the year and offers excellent heavenly views all year round. Very close to the Pass is beautiful Sela Lake, which could be fully or partially frozen in winter. Overall the Sela Pass is one magnificent place to visit an unparalleled view of the mighty Himalayas. In addition to being a place Tourist Attraction, the Sela Pass is special to the Buddhists. The Buddhists of Arunachal Pradesh believe that there are about 101 lakes in and around the Sela pass that are revered by them.
Sela Pass also has a unique legend attached to it that states, a Sepoy of the Indian Army named Jaswant Singh Rawat fought alone against the Chinese soldiers near the pass during the 1962 Sino-Indian War fought in Arunachal Pradesh. A tribal woman who had brought food and water to him (named Sela) is said to have killed herself upon seeing the dead body of Jaswant Singh Rawat. Singh was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his courage and devotion to duty. Local people around Tawang area believe that he has become a saint and his spirit protects the area. A Shrine (Memorial) has been made at the place where he fought and the place is fondly called as Jaswant Garh. All Indian Army personnel passing by this route from General to a Jawan pay their respects here. Jaswant is treated as if he is alive, his boots shined, linen washed, towels changed. Soldiers who polish his shoes claim that they are often found covered with mud, a sign that he has been walking around at night. The Legend goes that convoys in blizzards have seen Jaswant directing the vehicles through the serpentine bends. He continues to receive his promotions on time even after his death.He even gets letters from people seeking his blessings and help in all types of problems.
Tawang is a beautiful hill town located in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. The name ‘Tawang’ is believed to have been derived from the ‘Tawang Monastery’ which is located in the midst of Tawang town and is the Largest Buddhist Monastery in India. Tawang town is inhabited primarily by the Monpa Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh who practice Buddhism as their faith. In addition to varied Flora, Tawang, is also home to a wide species of Fauna and Avifauna of the likes of high altitude birds, mammals, reptile species, snow leopard, musk deer, barking deer, bear, etc.
A town of Festivals and Fairs, the major festivals celebrated in Tawang are the Losar, Torgya, Dungyor, Drukpa and Zhapa Saka Dawa. Most important is the Losar Festival which is celebrated every year in February at the Tawang Monastery and marks the beginning of the Tibetan New Year.
The beautiful town of Tawang is at a distance of approximately 70 kilometers from the Sela Pass driving across the Snow Clad mountains of the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. Inhabited by the Monpa Tribes who are primarily Buddhists by religion, Tawang is a town of a wide variety of tree species, blue pines and Orchids grow in natural splendor in the friendly company of precious herbal and medicinal plants. Tawang has a varied Fauna and Avi-Fauna of the likes of high altitude birds, mammals, reptiles, snow leopard, musk deer, barking deer, bear and other animals.
The name Tawang is believed to have derived its name from the grandiose of Tawang Monastery. The popular interpretation is that the name Tawang was given by his holiness the Mera Lama Lodre Gyatso. TA means Horse and WANG means Chosen. As legend goes the site of the present Monastery is believed to have chosen by a Horse owned by Mera Lama Lodre Gyatso. Mera Lama Lodre Gyatso was on search for an appropriate place to establish a Monastery and was unable to locate any appropriate site. Finally he decided to sit on prayer for a guidance of a divine power. As he opened his eyes after prayer, he found his horse missing. So wearily he went out for searching his horse and found it on top of hill calm and quite. Believed it a good omen, Mera Lama Lodre Gyatso decided to initiate a work for building up of Monastery with the help of people living across the land of Monpa in the later part of 17th century according to the wishes of 5th Dalai Lama.
The Tawang Monastery is the Largest Buddhist Monastery in India and the Second Largest Buddhist Monastery in the World after the Potala Palace in Tibet. The Tawang Monastery stands atop a hill at around 1000 feet above the mean sea level and is surrounded by the green mountains of West Kameng. Appearing like a fort, the Tawang Monastery offers a majestic view of the Tawang-Chu valley. This Monastery is the fountain-head of the spiritual life of the Monpa people of Tawang.
How to reach Tawang:
Tawang can be reached via roadways connecting it from Tezpur in Assam. The town of Tezpur is located at a distance of 312 km from Tawang and the total drive time is around 12-14 hours dependant on weather conditions. It is always recommended to take a halt at either Bomdila or Dirang instead of taking a continuous drive from Tezpur to Tawang. The nearest accessible Airport and Railway Station are at Tezpur itself. But flight connectivity from Tezpur to other parts of India are not regular. It is always advised (if you are travelling by air) to arrive at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport at Guwahati and then plan you drive to Tawang by making a halt at either Bmdila or Dirang for a night before continuing on your journey to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
During your stay at Tawang:
- Sight the Tawang Monastery
- Sight the majestic snow Clad peaks of Tawang
- Visit the Jung Fall and the Madhuri Lake near Tawang
- Visit the India and China Border at the Bumla Pass
- Visit the local Monpa settlement a Tawang
- Taste local savories of the Monpa people of Tawang
- Be a part of the religious festivities at Tawang
To Plan your visit to Tawang with Kaziranga National Park and Shillong please fill the form below:
Sample Itinerary for your visit to Shillong, Kaziranga and Tawang ~
Day 1 ~ Guwahati and Cherrapunji
Arrive at Guwahati Airport in the morning. On arrival you will be received by our representative at the airport offering a warm welcome in traditional Assamese style. From the Airport drive to Cherrapunji. Enroute visit the Umiam Lake at Barapani. At Cherrapunji, visit the Nohkalikai Falls and Mawsmai Caves and Seven Sister Falls. Also visit the Arwah caves at Cherrapunji near your homestay.
Night Stay: Sohra Plaza at Cherrapunji or Similar
Meals Included: NA
Day 2 ~ Cherrapunji – Mawlynnong – Dawki – Shillong
Early morning, depart to the Border of India and Bangladesh at Dawki. Click pictures at no man’s Land at the pillar 1275 at Dawki. Later visit the Asia’s Cleanest Village at Mawlynnong. At Mawlynnong visit the Living Root Bridge of Riwai. Travel to Shillong city for night halt after visiting the Elephant falls in Upper Shillong. Arrive at Shillong and check into your Guest House. At Shillong we will visit the Police Bazaar and Madina Masjid – India’s only Glass mosque.
Night Stay: Sunrise Guest House at Shillong or Similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 3 ~ Shillong – Kaziranga National Park
After Breakfast, we will do local sightseeing at Shillong by visiting the Cathedral of Mary’s Help of Christians. Enroute to the Kaziranga National Park. On the way visit the Don Bosco Museum at Shillong which showcases the rich culture of North East India. Arrive at Kaziranga National Park. Evening free to visit the nearby Tea Gardens of Kaziranga.
Night Stay: Nature Hunt Eco Camp at Kaziranga or Similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 4 ~ Kaziranga National Park and Kaziranga Orchid Park
Early morning go for an adventurous Elephant Safari into the interior of Kaziranga National Park. After breakfast go for a Jeep Safari ride into the interiors of the Kaziranga National Park to spot the endangered Indian One Horned Rhinoceros species from a different range. Afternoon, visit the Largest Orchid Park in India at the Kaziranga Orchid and Biodiversity Park.
Night Stay: Nature Hunt Eco Camp at Kaziranga or Similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 5 ~ Kaziranga – Dirang
After Breakfast, proceed to Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh. On the way visit the Tippi Orchard famous for its orange cultivation. Arrive at Dirang.
Night Stay: Hotel Sundupkhan at Dhirang or Similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 6 ~ Dirang – Tawang
After Breakfast, proceed to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. On the way visit the snow covered Sela Pass and Jastwatgarh. Enjoy the scenic drive to Tawang with snow covered mountains all around.
Night Stay: Hotel Bumla Inn at Tawang or Similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 7 ~ Tawang Monastery – Bumla Pass – Madhuri Lake
Early morning depart to Bumla Pass – the border of India and China. Also visit the Madhuri Lake named after Bollywood actress Madhuri during the shooting of movie Koyla. View the PT Tso lake as well. Afternoon visit the Largest Buddhist Monastery in India at the Tawang Monastery.
Night Stay: Hotel Bumla Inn at Tawang or Similar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 8 ~ Tawang – Bomdila
Depart to Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh. At Bomdila, visit the Bomdila Monastery.
Night Stay: Gompa Monastery Guest House at Bomdila
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 9 ~ Bomdila – Guwahati
Depart to Guwahati from Bomdila. At Guwahati visit the Holy Balaji Temple.
Night Stay: Hotel Vrinda Residency at Guwahati
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 10 ~ Kamakhya Temple – Guwahati Airport
After an early breakfast we will proceed to visit the Holy Maa Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati. After Temple Darshan we will drop you at the Guwahati Airport for your onward destination. Trip Ends. Bid Adieu!
Meals Included: Breakfast
Places of Interest in and around Tawang ~
1| Tawang Monastery Tawang
The Tawang Monastery is the largest Buddhist Monastery in India and the second largest in the World after the Potala Palace in Tibet. The Tawang Monastery is the most popular tourist destination in Tawang and it offers majestic panoramic views of the the tawng valley and the towering Eastern Himalayas. The Tawang Monastery is located at an altitude of 10,000 feet above the sea level. This monastery was built in the year 1860 AD by Marak Lama Lodge Gyantso. The entire Tawang Monastery area appears like a grand fort and has huge doors which measure 925 feet in length and 20 feet high. Once you enter the premises of the Tawang Monastery you are filled with an immense sense of calm and inner peace. The large prayer hall is filled with various artwork depicting the sketches of various Buddhist monks and Saints. Inside the prayer hall there is a large statue of Lord Buddha. A visit to Tawanf Monastery is a must for any traveller to Arunachal Pradesh.
2| Sangestar Tso (Madhuri Lake) Tawang
The Sangestar Lake was formed by the earthquake of 1950 and is now a very popular tourist attraction near Tawang. This lake came to be known as the Madhuri Lake after the successful shooting completion of the Bollywood Movie “Koyla” here and the lake came to be known as Madhuri Lake after the renowned actress Madhuri Dixit. The Madhuri lake is surrounded by snow covered mountain peaks and beautiful valleys. This is the most popular lake in Tawang district and a leisure walk is the best way to explore the area around the lake.
3| Bumla Pass Tawang
The Bumla Pass is the India-China border that is located at an elevation of 5,000 meters above the mean sea level. The Bumla Pass i famous as this place marked the entry point of Dalai Lama into India. This place instills a spirit of patriotism towards the country in the minds of the travellers as you can see the Indian soldier patrolling the borders under the harshest temperature conditions. However, prior permission is needed to visit the Bumla Pass from the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Tawang district. The best way to reach Bumla Pass is to hire a local SUV at Tawang and then travel to the Pass from Tawang on a clear day as the route is not an a plain. Visit the madhuri lake on your way to the Bumla Pass at Tawang.
4| Nuranang Falls/Jung Falls Tawang
One of the most popular waterfalls in North East India, the Nuranang Falls of the Jung Falls on the approach from Bomdila to Tawang falls down from a height of 100m. The water source for the Jung falls originates from the Sela Pass with the Nuranang river forming the waterfall and finally plunging into the Tawang river as the Nuranang falls. As per legends, this waterfall is named after a local monpa girl “Nura” who is believed to have helped Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat who had put up a brave resistance against the Chinese troops during the war of 1962. The waterfall offers majestic views and this is a popular tourist attraction. In addition to being a popular tourist spot, the waters of the Jung falls is used to generate electricity as well and there is a small hydel power plant located at the base of the Jung falls near Tawang.
5| Gorichen Peak Tawang
Situated at a height of 6858 m, the Gorichen Peak is the highest mountain peak of the State of Arunachal Pradesh located in the Tawang district. The Monpa people of Tawang consider the Gorichen Peak to be sacred and they also believe that it protects the community from any evil. A popular tourist spot in Tawang district, the Gorichen Peak offers various activities around its area like camping, trekking and mountain climbing, etc. It is advisable to be a certified mountain climbing professional before you decide to conquer the gorichen peak. This mountain peak is visible on a clear day on your journey from Bomdila to Tawang by road. The best time to visit the Gorichen Peak in Tawang is in the months of April, May and post October.
6| Gorsam Chorten Zemithang Tawang
Another popular tourist destination near Tawang is the Gorsam Chorten at Zemithang. This is a high stupa that was constructed in the 13th century by Lama Pratha who hailed from the Zemithang village. Zemithang is located around 92 km from Tawang. The stupa is 93 feet high and has a base width of 186 feet. This stupa is similar to the Boudhanath stupa in Nepal. Every year during the Gorzam Kora festival, thousands of devotees come to the Gorsam Chorten Stupa to offer their prayers and take part in the festivities that falls on the first month of the lunar calendar every year.
7| The Chagzam Bridge Tawang
The Chagzam bridge is another popular tourist destination near Tawang. The architectural marvel of this iron bridge speaks of fine craftsmanship in metallurgy. The Chagzam bridge is located at a distance of 25 km from Tawang and was built by the disciple of Dalai Lama – Lama Chag-Zam Wangpo (Tangton Gyalpo). Tyangton Gyalpo was accredited with the building of more than 100 iron bridges across the Himalayan region. The Chagzam bridge was built around 1420-1430 and was to be used as a passage between Kitpi and Mukto areas.
8| Tawang War Memorial Tawang
The Tawang War Memorial is dedicated to the brave Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in the Sino-India war of 1962. A beautiful stupa stands stop paying tribute to the brave souls. The Tawang War Memorial is located at a distance of 1 km from the main town of Tawang and sends a strong message that the brave soldiers of the Indian army always would protect their motherland and keep fighting for the security of their land until their last breath.
9| Hot Springs Tawang
The two hot springs of Tsachu and Thingbu are located nearby Tawang town and are a popular tourist spot for providing unique and pristine views. These springs are drawing tourists as a place for unique health rejuvenation at Tawang.
10| Urgelling Monastery Tawang
The Urgelling Monastery has gained prominence as being the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama Tsangyang Tashi. This monastery is located at a distance of 3 km from the Tawang township. The Urgelling Monastery was built in the year 1487 and the Dalai Lama was born in 1683 here. This is a small Monastery as compared the to Tawang Monastery however it holds a great religious significance among the Buddhist people of Tawang and in the World as well. The Urgelling village where this Monastery is located is a very serene place where one can spend their day walking around the village admiring the culture and heritage of the Monpa people of Tawang.
11| Taktsang Gompa Tawang
Located on the way to the Bumla Pass, the Taktsang Gompa near Tawang offers a unique divine and spiritual retreat to any traveller. This Gompa is located at a distance of 40 km from Tawang on a hilly terrain. This stretch takes a drive time of almost 2 hours and a hike of about 30 minutes to reach. The Taktsang Gompa is located at an elevation of almost 13,000 feet atop a cliff. One of the finest religious places to visit near Tawang, the sight and surroundings of this Gompa fills your mind and soul with peace and tranquility. The Taktsang Gompa was visited by Guru Padmasambhava in the 8th century where he meditated in the cave here. This Gompa is visited by thousands of devotees every year.
12| Regyaling Gompa Tawang
Another Gompa within the premises of Tawang city is the Regyaling Gompa. The Regyaling Gompa at Tawang came into existence as talks of hardships faced by Rigya Rinpoche came into narration across the people of Tawang. It is a very beautiful Gompa structure, the Reggyaling Gompa is located a kilometer away from Tawang township. The Gompa has been under the care of Chang Sey after the death of the founder of the Gompa.
13| Brahma Dung Chang Ani Gompa
This Gompa is located 8 km from Tawang township and the place offers stay options for tourists and pilgrims. This Gompa near Tawang was built in 1595 by Lama Karchen Yashi Galek and since then this place has offered refuge to visitors. This Gompa also shelters Buddhist nuns from various age groups as well.
14| Banga Jang Lake Tawang
Yet another spot near Tawang that offers majestic views is the Banga Jang lake. Local Monpas of Tawang area believe that this lake is possessed by deities and therefore many pilgrims to Tawang visit this lake and try their luck to catch a glimpse of these deities here. Once you are here you feel very spiritual and would love to spend some quiet time in meditation here.
15| Panganag Teng Tso Lake Tawang
Popularly known as the P.T. Tso Lake, this is a very popular tourist attraction of Tawang. The entire backdrop of the P.T. Tso lake is magnificent as one can see the towering Himalayan Mountain range and the beautiful valleys and rivers, quaint clouds, wet snow covered forests and sweet chirping of birds in the sky. To reach the P.T. Tso lake it is a 17 km drive from Tawang across the Himalayan mountain ranges. Driving further takes you to the beautiful Shong-Tser lake that also offers various picturesque views.
16| Sela Pass Tawang
The Sela Pass is a high altitude mountain pass in the Tawang district that remains covered with snow across the year. The Sela Pass is located at an altitude of 13,700 feet and falls along the way from Bomdila to Tawang. It is an army base as well at the Jaswantgarh base. This popular tourist destination near Tawang is always filled with tourists who halt here to admire the beautiful snow clad mountains view. An interesting feature of the Sela Pass is that the area houses around 101 lakes around the Pass which are revered by the Monpa people of Tawang. Therefore it is also called as the Paradise Lake because of its appeal and beauty. The best time to visit the Sela Pass is during the winters to experience the snowfall here.
Shillong – Kaziranga – Tawang Tour ~
Of all the exotic travel destinations across North East India, the most popular tourist circuit happens to be that of Shillong – Kaziranga and Tawang. Visitors from across India and the World come to explore North East India keeping in mind this tourist circuit of Shillong – Kaziranga and Tawang. All these three destinations are located in 3 different states of North East India at Meghalaya, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Located in the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, Shillong is the State capital of Meghalaya often referred to as the ‘Scotland of the East’. This title was given to the place by the British who came to the place and established it as the then capital of Assam province and they found the landscape of Shillong very similar to that of Scotland. Shillong is a bustling city that shows visitors a balance of the modern and the traditional life. Home to the Khasi people of Meghalaya, at Shillong you get to witness the matrilineal system that exists among the Khasi people of Meghalaya. Numerous waterfalls, mountain peaks, canyons, valleys, etc. complete the landscape of Shillong. The modern city can be seen at the center of the city where visitors get to see the high rise buildings, top class malls, modern markets, etc. The popular tourist attractions of Shillong are Ward’s lake, Umiam lake, Botanical gardens, Police bazar, Cathedrals of Shillong, Don bosco museum, Elephant falls, Shillong peak, Laitlum canyons, Abbey falls, Polo grounds, Shillong golf course, Sweet falls, Butterfly museum, Lady Hydari park, Madina Masjid, etc.
Kaziranga National Park on the other hand is an opposite of a modern city. This place is a dense forest covering an area of over 429 sq km and has one of the richest biodiversity across the World. Kaziranga National Park is located at 200 km from Guwahati and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its population of the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros. Kaziranga has the highest population of the endangered Indian One Horned Rhinoceros anywhere in the World. Kaziranga also has the highest population of Asiatic Wild Water Buffaloes and four Deer species along with a fair population of Tigers, Leopards, Wild Elephants, Boars, Hoolock Gibbons and various species of Birds and Reptiles as well. Kaziranga National Park is the most famous tourist destination of North East India and every year thousands of visitors come here to witness the varied flora, fauna and avi fauna of Kaziranga National Park. Kaziranga is also home to the largest Orchid park in India at the Kaziranga Orchid and Biodiversity Park. Entry into the forest reserves of Kaziranga National Park is allowed across four (4) different ranges of the park at the Central range (Kohora), Western range (Bagori), Eastern range (Agoratoli) and the Burapahar range (Ghorakati). While Elephant safari rides are conducted at the Central and Western ranges, the Jeep safari rides into the interiors of Kaziranga National Park are conducted across all the four ranges. We welcome you to the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Kaziranga National Park.
Tawang on the other hand offers an altogether different landscape from Shillong and Kaziranga National Park. Perched at an elevation of 10,000 feet above MSL, Tawang remains covered with snow around the year. So across this tour of Shillong, Kaziranga and Tawang you can get to witness 3 totally different landscapes along your journey. From the valleys, gorges and waterfalls of Meghalaya to the lush green forest cover of Kaziranga National Park to the snow laden mountains of Tawang. Tawang is a Land of Festival and Fairs as these have always been an integral part of the Monpa Tribes of Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh. The festivals of Monpas are mostly associated with agriculture and religion. Monpas of Tawang district celebrates numbers of festivals every year. Some of the important festivals are Losar, Torgya, Dungyur, Choekor, Ganden Ggamchoe, Drukpa, Tse-ze and Zhepa Saka Dawa.
Two major festivals namely DUNGYUR and TORGYA festival are celebrated in the premises of the Tawang Monastery. The people from all parts of the district come on these auspicious occasions and enjoy with cheer and joy. Dungyur festival is celebrated once in three years. The Torgya festival is a Monastic festival being celebrated in the month of January every year. At the occasion of this festival a monastic dances are performed in the courtyard of the Tawang Monastery.
Losar festival is also one of the major festivals of Monpa people, which is celebrated in the last part of February and early part of March every year to commemorate the “New Year”.
Across this Tour of Shillong – Kaziranga – Tawang, the places we will cover are ~
1| Shillong – The Scotland of the East, Shillong is the capital city of Meghalaya. A bustling city, shillong gives you an insight into the lives of the Khasi people of Meghalaya. Places of prime interest in Shillong are the Ward’s lake, Botanical gardens, Police bazar, Laitlum canyons, Shillong peak, Elephant falls, Don Bosco museum, Cathedrals of Shillong, Polo grounds, Shillong golf course, Abbey falls, Madina masjid, etc.
2| Cherrapunji – The land of valleys, gorges, pristine waterfalls, mysterious caves and the Living root bridges. Cherrapunji is the Second wettest place of Earth. Places of prime interest in Cherrapunji are the Nohkalikai falls, Seven sister falls, Mawsmai caves, Umshiang double decker living root bridge, Arwah caves, Eco park, Dainthlen falls, Cherrapunji local market, etc.
3| Dawki – Dawki is the Border of India and Bangladesh and is also famous for the clear water boating on the waters of the Umngot river. Places of interest at Dawki are the International border of India and Bangladesh, Boating on the clear waters of umngot river, Adventure sports at shnongpdeng, Camping by the riverside on umngot river at Shnongpdeng.
4| Mawlynnong – The cleanest village in Asia – Mawlynnong provides a deep insight into the lives of the Khasi people of Meghalaya and a success story of how tourism can reform a place. Places of interest at Mawlynnong are the Cleanest village in Asia, the Holy Cathedral of Mawlynnong, Khasi traditional homestays, Balancing rocks, Bangladesh view tree house, Riwai single decker living root bridge, etc.
5| Kaziranga National Park – A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kaziranga National Park is one of the most diverse forest areas in the entire World famed for its success story in the conservation of the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros species. Things to in Kaziranga are go for Elephant and Jeep safari rides into the interiors of Kaziranga National Park, visit the Kaziranga Orchid Park, visit the Tea gardens of Kaziranga, etc.
6| Dirang – A beautiful valley area in Arunachal Pradesh, Dirang town lies midway between the journey to Tawang from Tezpur. Dirang town has a very picturesque landscape overlooking the towering eastern himalayas. Places of interest at Dirang are the Dirang Monastery, Dirang Dzong fort, Sangti valley, Tippi orchards, Kiwi gardens, Apple orchards, etc.
7| Tawang – The home to the Monpa people of Arunachal Pradesh, Tawang lies at an elevation of 10,000 feet above MSL and remains covered with snow the year across. Tawang is the halt over place to proceed to Bumla Pass. Places of interest in Tawang and on the way to Tawang are Tawang Monastery, Tawang local market, Tawang War memorial, Jung falls, Jaswantgarh, Sela Pass, etc.
8| Bumla Pass – The Border of India and China, Bumla Pass is located at an elevation of 14,000 feet above MSL. The view of the snow covered mountains here is simply breathtaking. Places of interest at Bumla Pass and along the way are the Border of India and China, Pt Tso lake, 102 other small lakes, Madhuri lake, etc.
9| Bomdila – The layover point on your journey from Tawang to Tezpur. Bomdila is famous for the Bomdila Monastery and the Bomdila local market.
10| Guwahati – The gateway to Assam and North east India, Guwahati is the fastest growing city across North East India. Guwahati is an industrial hub and it connects all the major states if North East India via roadways and the states of India across Airways and Railways. Places of interest at Guwahati are Maa Kamakhya Temple, Umananda Temple, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary, Deepor Beel, Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, Regional science museum, Assam state museum, Assam State Zoo, Basistha temple, Balaji temple,l Temple of North Guwahati, Hajo, Suwalkuchi, Chandubi lake, etc.
Hosting our Guests from Pune at Tawang, Kaziranga and Shillong
In the month of February 2019, we hosted our guests group from Pune starting from Guwahati, Tawang, Kaziranga National Park, Shillong and back to Guwahati. This was a group of 26 elderly people who had come down from Pune to enjoy their tour of North East India across 10 days. Even though the travellers were all aged 50 and above their enthusiasm was always at the peak and they took the moments to enjoy all of their tour. We started our journey from picking them up at the Airport and we executed the entire tour until dropping them back at the airport. Our team members Krishna and Kaustav accompanied the guests on two 17 seater Tempo Travellers and attended to all their needs. As the group members were elderly, special attention was needed to be provided to the group especially during the high altitude climb at the Sela Pass to reach Tawang. The group members were strict vegetarians so their diet had to be taken care of as well as the places they were travelling to were having a population of non vegetarian diet preferring people. Our detailed Itinerary and travel experience is narrated below:
Day 1 (February 3rd) ~ Guwahati
Krishna and Kaustav went to the airport to reach by 10 AM as the guests were scheduled to arrive at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International airport at Guwahati at 10.30 AM. The flight was on time and by 11 AM the guests were out of the airport. Krishna and Kaustav greeted the entire group and welcomed them by adorning a traditional Assamese ‘Gamusa’ around their necks. The tempo traveller vehicles were waiting for the guests to board and shortly they started on their journey to Guwahati city. As the guests were hungry we first decided to make a stop for lunch at a traditional Assamese restaurant in Guwahati. We took them to a restaurant at Ambari in Guwahati. The food ordered was vegetarian traditional Assamese thali for the group. The guests enjoyed their lunch and we proceeded to visit the Umananda Temple at Umananda Island. We reached the ferry ghat at Uzan bazar and went to board the ferry to go to Umananda island in Guwahati. The Umananda Island that is home to the Umananda temple is the smallest inhabited river island in the World. This island is also home to the last few surviving species of the Golden langur primate species. We crossed the Brahmaputra river onboard the ferry and reached Umananda Island in 15 minutes. Then we climbed a few stairs to reach the entrance of the Umananda Temple. The group members purchased their puja offerings and then went in to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva inside the Umananda temple. After their darshan it was around 2 PM and we went to check in the guests at their hotel – the Sai Kripa Inn at Chandmari in Guwahati.
After refreshing themselves, thes guests were taken to the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati. The Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra where you can get to witness the rich culture and heritage of the people of Assam. Located in the heart of Guwahati city, the area is spread across a sprawling green campus with a huge garden, a parking area, a museum building, an amphitheatre, office buildings, traditional souvenir shops and a food court as well. We took the group to the main museum building where they got to witness the culture of the varied indigenous people of Assam as well as their way of living as depicted in the models. There were display of various bamboo handicrafts of Assam, the handlooms of Assam as well as the bell metal crafts of Assam. The museum depicted the indigenous people of Assam and their way of living in villages all nearrated in the form of elaborate models. After this, the group relaxed for a while in the green lawn area of the Kalakshetra. We ordered tea and light snacks for the group at the IORA-Canteen and later went back to the Hotel. At the hotel we ordered for their dinner and had a small get to know each other session. After dinner the group retired to their rooms.
Day 2 (February 4th) ~ Guwahati – Dirang
Today we were set to travel to Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh from Guwahati. The group was ready at 8 AM and we went for breakfast at the Hotel. At 8.45 we set out on the drive to Dirang. We crossed Khanapara, Jorhat, Sonapur, Jagiroad, Raha, Nagaon to reach Amoni. At Amoni we made a quick halt for tea and snacks for the group. After half and hour we started on the drive again to go to Kaliabor where we took a left to head to Tezpur and then to Balipara crossing Nameri National Park forest reserve to finally arrive at Bhalukpong. At Bhalukpong we had to validate our Inner Line permits (ILPs) for the group which they had applied online and brought along. It was around 1 PM and we made our halt at Bhalukpong for lunch. We stopped at the Norling restaurant at Bhalukpong. Krishna and Kaustav had already informed the restaurant of our group’s arrival and ordered for the lunch to save time. As the guests wanted a light lunch keeping into consideration the curvy roads ahead to Dirang they had rotis, veg sabji, paneer bhurji and pickle for lunch.
At around 1.45 PM the group started to drive across the towering eastern himalayas now. After about 45 minutes we could see a long line of cars, buses and sumo vehicles waiting ahead of us. Our travellers stopped and Krishna and Kaustav went to enquire the cause for this halt. It seemed that there was a landslide a little while ago and the PWD dept. of Arunachal Pradesh were now trying to clear the roads with earthmover machines. This got us stuck for almost 2 hours and the sun was also setting. Anyways the group started on their drive again and finally arrived at Dirang at 6.30 PM. The stay at Dirang was booked at the Aoo Resort here. This is a nice place to halt in Dirang as it is located along a valley from where you get a beautiful view of the mountains as well as Dirang town. As we reached late we had nothing much to do apart from sitting by the bonfire and speaking. We ordered for the group’s dinner that had rotis, rice, dal fry, gobi manchurian, matar paneer, salad, papad and pickle. Dinner was served at 8.30 PM and everybody got busy eating after a long journey and retired to their rooms.
Day 3 (February 5th) ~ Dirang – Tawang
The next day everybody was up by 6 AM and we took a short hike behind the hotel area where we could see the lush valleys and mountains. Dirang is known for its various bird species both resident and migratory and we were successful in spotting many of the birds as well. we came back to the Aoo resort and had our breakfast of Puri Sabji and tea/coffee. Everyone packed their bags and we started on our drive to Tawang from Dirang at around 8.30 AM. We made our first halt for sightseeing at the Dirang Monastery. A newly constructed Buddhist Monastery, the Dirang Monastery is located at an elevation of 8000 feet above MSL. The spectacular construction is a real treat to a visitor’s eyes. Dirang is home to the Monpa people of Arunachal Pradesh who practice Buddhism as their faith and so there are various small monasteries across the numerous small villages around Dirang town especially at Sangti valley near dirang. As we did not have much time in hands we did not include these untouched paradise of a place in our itinerary this time. We do of course conduct various offbeat, cultural and birding as well as hiking tours across sangti valley in Dirang but not on this tour. we explored the Dirang Monastery for 30 minutes admiring its grand architecture and also spent a moment of silence inside the prayer hall and then started on our drive again towards Jaswantgarh and Sela Pass to approach Tawang.
On the way we sighted the Kiwi garden and the Apple orchard from the vehicle itself in the interest of time. We continued on our drive and gradually the roads started to get narrower and the mountains were starting to be seen to be covered with snow. We kept driving to finally arriving at the Jaswantgarh. We made a halt here to sight the Jaswantgarh War Memorial and to have tea and samosas that are served by the brave soldiers of the Indian army. It was really heartwarming to see these brave soldiers surviving the harshest weather conditions and standing tall to serve their motherland. The temperatures were freezing cold and yet these brave soldiers put a smile on their faces and they welcomed us to Jaswantgarh War Memorial. The Jaswantgarh War Memorial stands as a symbol of bravery of the Indian Army as this memorial is dedicated to a sepoy of the Indian army Jaswanth Singh who single handedly gave the Chinese army a tough battle here at Sela Pass during the Indo-China war until the chinese army captured him. Tales of his bravery are still sung in tunes of the soldiers of the army who guard the fronts from any outside invasion. The army soldier guided us across the Jaswantgarh war memorial where we paid our tributes to the brave martyr.
We came out at the small shop area here near the war memorial to have black tea that is served free of cost to all travellers here. We also bought hot samosas as lunch was not sure due to the climate conditions. There is a shop here that sells army goods like gloves, woolen wears, cpas, jackets, etc. The group members got busy with shopping for a while and then we left Jaswantgarh to continue to Sela Pass. The roads now were getting covered with snow. After about an hour we reached the summit of the Sela Pass. A breathtaking view caught our eyes and the entire area of mountains was covered with snow. We stopped our vehicles here and the visitors were all very excited to see the snowfall here. They immediately got down and started playing with the snow here. It looked like as if we had brought a group of teenagers here who were happily playing for the first time in snow. They made snowballs and started hitting each other with it. Some elders even started chewing the snow while Krishna and Kaustav stood there shivering. It was really nice to see them lose their worries of a busy life and living in the moment. They went down for sightseeing as well where they saw the frozen Sela lake. After sometime we started on our drive to Tawang crossing the valleys and mountains and we finally arrived at Tawang at 7 PM. It was pitch dark and the markets and shops were all closed. We checked into our Hotel at Tawang – Hotel Monyul and everybody were allocated their rooms. The dinner was ordered and people had to eat the food on serving as it was very very cold and the food would get cold very fast. Visitors got to their rooms and immediately turned on the heater to beat the cold. They asked for their dinner to be served in their rooms as they did not want to come to the restaurant in the cold. Everyone finished their dinner and retired for the day.
Day 4 (February 6th) ~ Tawang – Bumla Pass – Tawang
Today we were all scheduled to go to the Bumla Pass near Tawang that is the border of India and China. The Bumla Pass is located at an elevation of 15,200 feet above MSL and it connects India with Tibet as well. The 14th Dalai Lama has come to India via this route itself. The Bumla Pass remains covered with snow across the year and it is advisable to go here on a clear day only due to snowfall and the narrow roads. The Bumla Pass is heavily guarded by the soldiers of the Indian Army and BSF on the Indian side and the Soldiers of the People Liberation Army of China on the other. This place is also one of the 5 designated official meeting points of both these armed forces as they meet here once a while to discuss better relations. Special permission is required to go to the Bumla Pass from the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Tawang district and also the same has to be stamped by the Indian army cantonment in Tawang. Also you cannot go to Bumla Pass with the vehicle you take from Guwahati or any other vehicle you hire from another place. You will have to hire local SUV vehicles at Tawang to go to your onward journey to Bumla Pass from Tawang and back.
We had our documents ready and also our SUV rides (Mahindra Bolero – 8 nos) were ready at 7.30 AM to take us to Bumla Pass from our Hotel in Tawang. The drive is further up the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh and it would get even more colder so the group members were adequately briefed to carry all woolen clothing. We started on our drive from Tawang at 8 AM after having tea and biscuits to continue to Bumla Pass. After driving for about 2 hours we reached the Y junction. At the Y junction we made a stop at the Indian army outpost here. Here too the Indian army serves free tea and Hot samosas (on purchase) to keep the travellers motivated along the journey. The group headed for a short sightseeing time here and came back soon to have tea and samosas for breakfast. After tea we continued to head straight to go to Bumla Pass. The roads were getting narrower and the climb steeper. We reached the Pt Tso lake shortly and also many other lakes we crossed on the way. After driving for another hour we finally arrived at Bumla Pass. The Bumla Pass was heavily guarded as usual by the brave soldiers of the Indian army and the Border Security Forces (BSF) as this is the border of India and China. The group got down from the vehicles and went out for sight seeing of the India China border and the snowfall all around. We explored the place for sometime speaking to the army personnel and thanking them for guarding our frontiers for us so that we could get a good night’s sleep. The always smiled and thanked us back shouting slogans of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’! A sense of pride fills your heart once you see these brave men battling all odds thousands of mile away from their homes surviving in the chilly weather of these frontiers.
We left Bumla Pass at around 12 PM to continue to drive back to the Y junction. This time at the Y junction we took a left to go see the Madhuri lake. The drive from Bumla Pass to Madhuri lake is about an hours time and along the total drive we sight a total of 102 lakes which are considered sacred by the Monpa people of Arunachal Pradesh. We finally reached Madhuri lake at around 1 PM. A beautiful place, this lake is named after the Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit who had come here in 1997 to shoot for the Bollywood movie Koyla starring along the Indian Superstar – the Badshah of Bollywood Shahrukh Khan. The lake was partially frozen and the group got to clicking their pictures here. After this we all gathered at the Army Canteen here for lunch as there is nothing else. A simple yet delicious meal of roti, sabji, pickles was served here and we enjoyed it and started on our drive back to Tawang. We reached Tawang at 4 PM and we headed straight to explore the Tawang Monastery. The largest Buddhist Monastery in India and the second largest in the World, the Tawang Monastery is an architectural finesse that leaves visitors awestruck! We went inside the monastery and started exploring the place. The Buddhist monks were all immersed in their prayers and devotion and we found the place very peaceful. After exploring the Tawang Monastery we all returned back to our Hotel in Tawang town.
Day 5 (February 7th) ~ Tawang – Bomdila
Today morning we were set to leave Tawang after a memorable time here to embark on our return journey via Bomdila. We left Tawang at around 9 AM after breakfast to travel to Bomdila after having to cross the Sela Pass. We continued driving and reached Sela Pass at around 12 PM. To our bad luck, this time we were not lucky and got caught up in heavy snowfall at Sela Pass. Vehicular movement was completely stopped. Due to high altitude some of the elderly travellers began to feel altitude sickness as well. The Indian army offered help and we took the elderly lady to the army camp where she was provided with oxygen mask to breathe in fresh oxygen as the level of this gas was low at higher altitudes. The Tempo drivers tied ropes on the wheels to the vehicles to increase the grip on the snow covered roads. Finally at 5 PM the Indian army was successful in clearing the roads for travel at Sela Pass and we started on the drive to Bomdila. By the time we arrived at Bomdila it was almost 9.30 PM. Our stay at Bomdila was arranged at Hotel Elgin and Krishna informed the hotel staff to prepare our dinner and keep it ready. The tired travellers checked into their rooms and dinner was served to them in their rooms itself. They had their dinner and retired to bed after a long and hectic journey.
Day 6 (February 8th) ~ Bomdila – Kaziranga National Park
Today was our final day in Arunachal Pradesh and due to the experience the previous day the travellers were excited to finally enter Assam and reach the plains. After breakfast we started on our drive to Kaziranga National Park. We had a plan of visiting the Bomdila Monastery but the group wanted to get out of Arunachal Pradesh as soon as possible and so we skipped our visit here and proceeded on our drive to Kaziranga National Park. We arrived at Tezpur at 12 PM and we made a halt here for lunch at the Spring Valley resort. We had our vegetarian lunch here and then left Tezpur to reach the Kaliabhomora bridge. This time we went underneath the bridge to go to a place for River Dolphin sighting. The river dolphins were once found in abundance across Assam in the waters of the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries. But due to uncontrolled hunting their numbers have reduced drastically and are now classified under the endangered category with their populations limited to the protected areas in Assam. One popular spot to sight these river dolphins is near the Tezpur area under the Kaliabhomora bridge. The man who runs this small camp like area welcomed us here and we got down from the vehicle to go for river dolphin sighting. We took our seats here and in sometime spotted a river dolphin jumping out of the waters of the river. After sometime another one and in total we spotted about 6 of them. It was a memorable experience to watch these beautiful mammal species swimming around freely in the waters. We finished our sighting and started on our drive to Kaziranga National Park.
We reached Kaziranga National Park at around 4 PM and we headed at first to the Kaziranga Orchid Park – the Largest Orchid Park in India. At the Kaziranga Orchid Park we admired the various indigenous orchid species of Assam as well as the various traditional handicrafts and handlooms of Assam. The visitors got busy with shopping at the souvenir area here and they bought tea, rice, herbal medicines, etc. We were up for the closing ceremony of the day at the Kaziranga Orchid Park and various cultural performances would be now displayed at the open stage area here. We saw the bamboo dance, mishing dance and the bihu dance as well. We ended our visit at the Kaziranga Orchid Park at 5.30 PM and went to check into our place of stay for the night at the Dhanashree Resort in Kaziranga National Park. The visitors were allocated their rooms and they retired for the night to get up early at 5 AM to go for their Elephant Safaris here in Kaziranga National Park.
Day 7 (February 9th) ~ Kaziranga National Park – Shillong
The guests were up at 5 AM and took their time to get ready to go for the 6.30 AM Elephant safari slot from the Bagori Safari range here at Kaziranga National Park. We left Kohora at 5.45 AM to reach Bagori at 6.10 AM. Krishna and Kaustav led the group to the Bagori Elephant Safari office and collected their passes and they proceeded for their Elephant Safari rides. Elephant safari rides for Indian Nationals are allowed in the Bagori (Western) range of Kaziranga National Park and so the group climbed atop the Elephant and went in the forest reserves for their safari rides. After about an hour they came out of the park interiors with a smile on their faces and we understood that they enjoyed their Elephant safari rides here at Kaziranga National Park. We travelled back to the Dhanashree resort where the group had their breakfast and got ready for the Jeep Safari ride into the interiors of Kaziranga National Park at the Central (Kohora) range.
The Jeeps picked us up from the Resort and took us to the safari entry point at the Kohora Safari range. After making an entry at the gate we started on the Jeep safari ride into the forest reserves of Kaziranga National Park. On the ride we spotted various animal species like the One Horned Rhinoceros, Asiatic Wild Water Buffaloes, Hog Deers, Deers, Wild Boars, Elephants, Jungle Fowls, etc. We also sighted snake species and various bird species as well. We finally finished our ride and came out of the park at 10.30 AM. The group went to pack their bags and at 11.30 we started on our journey to Shillong from Kaziranga National Park. At around 1 PM we reached Nagaon and we made a stop for lunch at the Seven Sisters dhaba here. A traditional vegetarian thali meal was ordered for the group and it was an elaborate presentation. The group loved the traditional Assamese lunch and after lunch we started on the drive to Shillong. We reached Jorabat at around 3 PM and took a left to go towards Shillong. We crossed Nongpoh, Umsling to finally arrive at Barapani at around 4 PM. Here we made a stop to view the waters of the grand Umiam lake near Shillong. Umiam is the largest man made water reservoir in North East India and the waters here look very crystal clear. We ordered for tea and biscuits for everyone here and the group clicked their pictures near the Umiam lake. We started on our drive to Shillong again and finally arrived at the Pine Hill Homestay at Upper Shillong at around 6.30 PM. The group checked into their rooms and Krishna ordered their dinner. The Pine Hill Homestay is located away from the hustle and bustle of Shillong city and is a beautiful place to spend a night. Dinner was served at 9 PM and the group retired to their rooms after dinner.
Day 8 (February 10th) ~ Shillong – Dawki – Mawlynnong – Cherrapunji
The next day morning we started on our drive to Dawki from Upper Shillong. Dawki is the International border of India and Bangladesh and is also renowned for boating on the clear waters of the Umngot river here. We crossed Pynursla and finally arrived at Dawki at 11 AM. We went to the border area here where the group crossed the Indian border to reach no man’s land at pillar 1275. here they clicked their pictures and we next came to the boating point at Dawki. We had arranged for 5 boats for the group and they went for their boat ride experience on the waters of the Umngot river at Dawki. The boat ride on the clear waters lasted for about 45 minutes and at 12.45 PM we started on our drive to Mawlynnong – the Cleanest Village in Asia to arrive at 2 PM. At Mawlynnong, at first we had our lunch and then took a walk along the cleanest village in Asia. After this we sighted the balancing rocks and then went to see the Living Root Bridge of Riwai here at Mawlynnong. The visitors were all excited to see this man made bioengineering marvel of the Living Root Bridge here at Mawlynnong. At 4.30 PM we started on our drive to Cherrapunji. We reached Cherrapunji at 7 PM and checked into the Saimika resort at Cherrapunji. The group were allocated their rooms and dinner was served at 9 PM. After dinner they retired to their rooms.
Day 9 (February 11th) ~ Cherrapunji – Guwahati
The next day we were all set to explore Cherrapunji before heading back to Guwahati. We started at 8.30 AM by first exploring the Nohkalikai Falls – the tallest plunge waterfall in India. The beauty of this waterfall left everyone amazed. The group explored the area around the Nohkalikai falls and clicked their pictures. After this we went to the Mawsmai Caves and the Seven Sister Falls. After admiring both these beautiful places we went to the Arwah caves at Cherrapunji. A prehistoric cave area the Arwah caves is a much deeper cave to explore compared to the Mawsmai cave and has various fossils, stalactites and stalagmites inside the caves. The group was all excited to enter the Arwah caves and we took a walk inside this majestic caves. We completed our visit at Cherrapunji at 12 PM and proceeded for lunch at the Orange Root Restaurant in Cherrapunji. We ordered for masala dosas and lassi for everyone and by 1 PM started on our drive back to Guwahati. We crossed Shillong shortly and finally arrived at Guwahati at 6 PM where the group checked into the Sai Kripa Inn. Krishna and Kaustav returned to their homes in Guwahati.
Day 9 (February 12th) ~ Kamakhya Temple – Guwahati Airport
The final day we were scheduled to visit the Maa Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati before dropping the guest group at the Guwahati airport for their flight to Pune. We started at 8.30 AM after breakfast to proceed to the Maa Kamakhya Temple located atop the Nilachal Hills. The Kamakhya Temple is the holiest temple shrine in North East India and is also one among the 51 Shakti Peethas. Krishna bought VIP entry passes for the group and they began their darshan accompanied by a Temple Panda. They completed their darshan at around 11 AM and we headed out from the Kamakhya Temple to go to the Guwahati airport. We dropped them at the airport at 12.30 PM for their afternoon flight to Pune thereby ending an eventful Tour of Shillong – Kaziranga National Park – Tawang.
Additional details about Tawang District ~
The Tawang district that was carved out from the subdivision of West Kameng on October 6, 1984 and is located in the westernmost part of Arunachal bordering the country of China to its north, Bhutan to its south and the Sela Mountain range to it west. The entire district of Tawang is filled with mountains and valleys with average altitudes varying from 3500 feet to 22,500 feet. Several prominent mountain peaks are present in Tawang district with the most renowned ones being the “Gourichen” at an altitude of 22,500 feet and the “Chongchong Ma” at 14,000 feet respectively. These mountains remain snow capped across the year and look beautiful onlooking the Tawang district. The main rivers flowing across Tawang district are Tawang Chu and Nymjag Chu that are fed with numerous tributaries flowing down from the mountains.
A beautiful land filled with high mountains, deep valleys and gorges, gushing rivers, snow clad mountain peaks, etc. Tawang is a prominent tourist destination in the North east of India today. Tawang is gradually gaining importance as a prime tourist destination of India and visitors from across the World visit Tawang. This has made tourism an important source of revenue for the local people of Tawang along with other occupations of cultivation. Other occupation of the Monpa people of Tawang are carving on wood and bamboo woven handicrafts, painting, carpet weaving, etc. The monpas of Tawang follow Buddhism and this is evident from the presence of various monasteries across the district of Tawang that have a very soulful and pacifying ambience. Festivals are an integral part of the monpas of Tawang characterized with ritualistic songs and dances. The prominents festivals of Tawang are Losar, Torgya and Choekhor.
The staple diet of the monpa people of Tawang is Zam which is a flat bread served with vegetables or meat. Other popular dishes of the people of Tawang are momos, thukpa and gyapa khazi speaking of the characteristic tibetan influence on the food habits of the people of Tawang.
Tawang was earlier ruled by the Kings of the Monyul kingdom until the 6th century across a period of over a thousand years. After the Monastery was built here as per the wishes of the 5th Dalai Lama, the people of Tawang gradually adopted Buddhism as their faith. This has further led to abundance in prosperity in the region of Tawang as Buddhism has an innate ability to absorb and integrate nature’s faith to create prosperity and unity. Tawang today is a town of both cultural and commercial importance to Arunachal Pradesh. Tawang is a major town connecting the border of India and China at Bumla Pass and hence is a town of strategic National security interest.
Many Monasteries and Gompas surround the area of Tawang town. The famous Gaden Namgyal Lhatse Monastery or the Tawang Monastery is the largest in the Tawang district as well as in India. The Urgelling Monastery at Tawang was built in the 15th century and is also the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama. The Ami Gompa in Tawang is a 500 year old Nunnery in Tawang area that houses many Buddhist nuns. The Khinmey Monastery in Tawang is the shrine of the Nyingmapa sect of Tawang region. Around Tawang town area there are many artistic landscapes to be enjoyed as a tourist. The Bumla Pass is a beautiful place to sight the breathtaking frozen lakes. The Zemithang village is a perfect place to witness the heritage and culture of the local people here. The Gorsam Stupa is a sacred site that resembles the Boudhanath statue of Nepal.
Around Tawang town one can find many community development projects being undertaken. These projects help in social upliftment of the local people. Two such initiatives are the Manjushree Vidyapeeth and the Jhamtse Gatsal. At both these programmes visitors can volunteer to assist the children in their field of interests.
Popular Hotels in Tawang
1| Hotel Bumla Inn Tawang
2| Tawang Guest House Tawang
3| Monyul Lodge Tawang
4| Hotel Tawang Holiday Tawang
5| Siddhartha Hotel Tawang
6| Hotel Ugyenling Tawang
7| Tawang View Hotel Tawang
8| Gayki Khang Zhang Hotel Tawang
9| Tashi Ga Tsel Motel Tawang
10| Hotel Mon Paradise Tawang
11| Hotel Taktsang Tawang
12| North Hill Homestay Tawang
13| Dolma Cottage Tawang
14| Jambey Villa Homestay Tawang
15| Arunachal Pradesh Tourist Lodge Tawang
Popular Restaurants in Tawang
1| Woodland Restaurant Tawang
2| Dragon Restaurant Tawang
3| Orange Restaurant and Lounge Bar Tawang
4| Dharma Coffee House and Library Tawang
5| Hotel Mon Valley and Restaurant Tawang
6| Hotel Mandela Fooding and Lodging Tawang
7| Sno yak Restaurant Tawang
8| Cafe Suburb Tawang
9| Greenwood Restaurant Tawang
10| Tawang Food Court Tawang
11| Cafe Nirvana Tawang
12| Blue Pine restaurant Tawang
Exploring Tawang on a Road Trip from Kaziranga National Park ~
In the month of April 2017, after the tourist season at Kaziranga National Park was almost over for the year, my friend and I decided to go on a road trip to Tawang from Kaziranga National Park. We finished organizing most of our tours, Jeep Safaris and Elephant Safari across Kaziranga National Park and we wanted a break. As it was almost summers approaching across Assam we decided to go towards a colder place and we didn’t have much time in hand so we decided to explore Tawang since my last journey here was ten years back in 2007. I had been to Tawang with my family that time and the infrastructure to travel was not very good and no proper accommodation options were available. I still remember that my father had planned our visit in the month of December when the temperature was extremely cold and we had a tough time covering the area in the smaller car that we had hired. We had to get stuck at many places due to snowfall and therefore we chose to travel in the month of April this time when even though it would be cold but unlike December. We had planned the following route for our journey.
Kaziranga National Park – Bomdila – Tawang – Zemithang – Thembang – Kaziranga National Park – Guwahati
On April 20th, my friend and I started our car a Tata Sumo vehicle to go on our way to Bomdila from Kaziranga National Park. We packed in all essentials needed for our trip to Tawang from Kaziranga National Park. Bomdila is located at a distance of 200 km from Kaziranga National Park and we were scheduled to make a stop at Bhalukpong to enjoy the view of the river Kameng here as well and to try our luck at fishing here. As the roads are across mountains we planned to leave early to Bhalukpong so that we could reach Bomdila much ahead of sundown. We started at around 7.30 AM on our journey from Kaziranga to Tawang via our scheduled stop at Bomdila today. After driving for 1 hour we reached the town of Tezpur in Assam. Known to be the knowledge city of Assam, Tezpur has a rich history that dates back to the mythological era. Since we visited Tezpur a couple of times earlier, we did not make an additional stop here in the interest of time and headed towards Balipara area near Tezpur. After reaching Balipara we headed straight towards Bhalukpong in Arunachal Pradesh driving further close to our final destination of Tawang. We reached Bhalukpong at around 10 AM and we had to stop at the State border to validate our Inner Line Permits (ILP). ILPs are a mandate for Indian Nationals residing out of Arunachal Pradesh to make a visit to Arunachal. We both had our ILPs ready and showed them to the security officials who let us through the checkpoint after verifying our documents. Next up we reached the Bhalukpong local market.
It is a beautiful local market here at Bhalukpong that draws a huge number of vendors and buyers everyday. Various traditional handicrafts, handlooms, local products, vegetables, meat and fruits are sold at Bhalukpong market. Being home to the Aka tribes of Arunachal Pradesh, Bhalukpong market showcases the possessions of the people of this tribe like their unique collection of silver ornaments. The Bhalukpong market also has on sale the various colorful dress patterns of the Aka tribal people of Arunachal Pradesh. This market is a must visit if you like collecting rare things from the indigenous people of India.
After exploring the local market for a while we went to the banks of the Kameng river near Bhalukpong where we would try our hand at fishing. Bhalukpong was earlier a favorite destination of visitors interested in fishing the prized golden mahseer. This fishing practice has gradually declined now but the traditional fishing is still practiced here. We went to the area of the picnic spot where various adventure tourism sports are conducted here in Bhalukpong. The picnic spot is a favorite destination for travellers coming for a picnic to Bhalukpong especially during the winter season. But as the rainy season had almost started now this crowd had reduced and so we among the few visitors here today. We contacted a local person by the name Namchi who assisted us to arrange for a fishing trip here in Bhalukpong. But when we reached here Namchi told us that the weather was not favorable and therefore fishing was not being allowed at present in the interest of safety of the visitors here at Kameng river near Bhalukpong. We tried to persuade him to do something but he informed us that it was for our own safety as there were reports earlier of visitors drowning in the river due to the fierce current of the Kameng during rains. So we had to change our plans and instead we decided to visit the Bhalukpong fort.
We reached the Bhalukpong fort at around 11.30 AM and it was a ruin from the 10th century. This fort is an ancient structure with certain remnants of brick structures. The Bhalukpong fort was the seat of King Bhalukpa who was the ruler of the Salasthambha kingdom. Later on this fort was under the control of the Palas of Assam. We explored the ruins admiring the architecture of an ancient time. In sometime we headed to the Tipi Orchard garden cum Research Center on our way to Bomdila from Bhalukpong.
The Tipi orchard center is a one of a kind garden that houses around 1000 species of orchids here in Arunachal Pradesh. The Kaziranga National Orchid and Biodiversity Park is however the largest orchid park in India. The Tipi orchard center gives visitors a unique opportunity to sight various indigenous orchid species of North East India. This place is located across a huge area spread over 10 hectares and the place also houses a museum, tissue culture lab, gardens and offices. The orchids are well displayed in a glass house along with a fountain. It was really interesting to see these many orchids here. We admired the area around the Tipi orchid garden and at 12.30 we bid goodbye to the place near Bhalukpong to continue to Bomdila.
We wanted to visit the Pakke Tiger Reserve near to Bhalukpong but as the season had ended we had to skip this part along with the Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary near to Bhalukpong. So we started on the drive to Bomdila along the Chariduar-Tawang road. We had our lunch at a small shop after the Tipi Orchard Center. The meal had rice and chicken curry and a leafy vegetable along with tomato chutney. It was a simple yet delicious meal. The drive from Bhalukpong to Bomdila is an uphill drive and the distance to be covered is 97 km but the drive is almost around three and a half hours. We planned to reach Bomdila before 4 PM but the unplanned stops made it seem difficult. We continued on the drive along the Chariduar-Tawang road continuously without making any further stops. The entire journey is across the majestic mountains of the Eastern Himalayas of Arunachal Pradesh. The beautiful valleys are a real treat to any visitor’s eyes. We gradually crossed Dedza and continued on our drive. The Tenga river gradually approached as it flowed along the road towards Bomdila. After about 2 hours we approached Nag Mandir Jamiri where we made a quick stop at the Nyezino resort here for a cup of coffee.
We knew the owner here who had come to Kaziranga National Park once and stayed with us and had invited us over to to his place at Nag Mandir Jamiri. A beautifully constructed resort, it offers accommodation as well as fine dining experiences to the visitors here. The resort has an amazing view overlooking the rivers and valleys. The owner welcomed us here and we spoke about the location and the place as well and after the coffee we bid goodbye to continue to Bomdila. Next up we crossed Dahung, Tenga market and Dakhupamir to reach Pedung and finally arrive at Bomdila at 5.30 PM. It was already pitch dark as the sunset happens early in this part of the country. Our stay at Bomdila was booked at Hotel Seagull. The manager was a friend as we keep sending many tourists here at Bomdila from Kaziranga National Park and arrange for their accomodations at Hotel Seagull. It is a nice place located near the market area of Bhalukpong. The manager had booked a deluxe room for us and arranged for a wonderful evening tea along with snacks as a way of saying thank you for our business with him.
Bomdila is a beautiful town located in the west Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh that acts as a perfect stopover on your long journey to Tawang. Tourism is gradually catching up in Bomdila with the place attracting many bird lovers at the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary located here. Bomdila also offers magnificent views of the Kangto and Gorichen peaks of Arunachal Pradesh. The popular spots to visit are the apple orchards and the orchid farms here. The Bomdila Monastery is also a soulful attraction here which we planned to visit tomorrow on our way to Tawang. It was getting very cold in the evening and there was nothing much to do. There were another four guests at the place and the manager had lit a small bonfire behind the campus of the Hotel. The guests were all present there. We too went near the place to get little warmth from the cold weather. The guests had bought along two bottles of rum with them and they offered us a glass to help keep ourselves warm. The guests had ordered onion pakoras and chilli chicken as starters that came along shortly. The guests were from Dirang and they were on their way to Guwahati. As it got dark along their journey they made a halt at Bomdila to start early next morning to Guwahati. They spoke to us about their place Dirang which is another tourist spot on the way to Tawang from Bomdila.
Dirang is a tinsel town midway between Bomdila and Tawang. A paradise of a place that had a confluence of towering mountains, lush valleys, river flowing across and a beautiful countryside as well. Dirang also acts as a stopover on your long journey to Tawang with a few hotels and guesthouses that accommodates travelers. Located close to Dirang is the Sangti valley which is home to the Monpa tribes of Arunachal Pradesh and is a fast gaining popularity in the tourist circuit of Arunachal Pradesh as an offbeat destination perfect for ecotourism. Sangti valley offers its visitors a chance to witness how man lives in harmony with nature keeping a perfect balance in the ecology. People in Sangti Valley use the produce of Mother Nature to do all sorts of activities like building homes, use for cooking, making handicrafts and in turn give back by planting more trees not disturbing the parts of forests in a severe manner. There are many apple orchards and kiwi orchards here in Sangti Valley owing to the pleasant weather and climatic conditions. Sangti Valley can be best explored on foot around. However, the most renowned this about Sangti is the arrival of highly revered black necked crane here during the winter months from November. The Monpas of Sangti valley revere this bird species and pray to it for a good fortune the year ahead. This is what attracts many visitors to Sangti Valley from around the World. Sangti is also home to the various other migratory birds as well as resident species. This was a gist of what the visitors had told us about Dirang and Sangti valley during the course of our conversation by the fire. Dinner was served shortly and it had offerings of rice, dal, mixed veg sabji, chicken curry, salad, papad and pickle. A simple yet delicious meal. We retired to our rooms after thanking everyone and went to bed in sometime.
The next morning we were up early to continue on our drive to Tawang crossing Dirang, Sela Pass, Jaswantgarh and Jung. We were scheduled to depart by 7.30 AM as the weather conditions along the road from Bomdila to Tawang is never predictable so its better to start early. Although the road distance to Tawang from Bomdila is around 180 km, the drive takes around 6 hours keeping in mind the mountainous terrain and the narrow roads. Army convoy trucks keep plying on the road and when the convoy passes cars along the journey have to wait and allow them to pass through. We were also scheduled to make a stop at the Bomdila Monastery as well. We ordered a quick breakfast of bread toast, omelette and tea and after bidding goodbye to the manager of the Hotel Seagull we headed to the Bomdila Monastery along the Tawang route. We reached the Monastery at around 8 AM and we decided to quickly explore the Monastery as we did want to cross Sela Pass before 1 PM as Sela Pass being a high altitude mountain pass loses light by afternoon itself. We also had to make stops at Jaswantgarh and Jung before reaching Tawang.
The Bomdila Monastery was built in the year 1965 by the 12th incarnation of Tsona Gontse Rinpoche. It is a beautiful and artistically constructed Monastery that looks very attractive from the outside and inside it has a large prayer hall and along the Monastery there are residential quarters of the Monks. The Bomdila Monastery follows one of the most prominent centers of Lamaistic faith of Mahayana Buddhism. The Bomdila Monastery was blessed by his holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in 1997. A beautiful campus we could see various young monks here at the Bomdila Monastery. As per Buddhist customs, the young monks enter the Monastery from a very early age are taught about the various traditions and practices of leading a monastic and religious life. We visited the altar at the Bomdila Monastery where there is a huge statue of Lord Buddha along with the backdrop of other Buddhist Gods as well. There were prayer offerings at the Altar with candles on bronze cups. We admired the Bomdila Monastery for a while and at 8.45 continued on our drive to Tawang.
We crossed the small town of Munna and reached Dirang at 10.30 AM. We did not make a stop at Dirang and only saw the beautiful Hotels from the road and crossed the Dirang market. A beautiful valley greeted us after Dirang and we continued on our drive to Sapper and Baisakhi. Finally at around 12.30 PM we reached the magnificent Sela Pass. A beautiful sight greeted us once we arrived at Sela Pass. There was snowfall to be seen along the Sela Pass and we halted to admire the majestic view of the Sela Lake that is present near the Sela Pass. The lake was partially frozen and offered wonderful view of the backdrop scenery. As per beliefs of Buddhism, there are around 101 lakes around the Sela Pass and these are considered to be sacred. Temperature at the Sela Pass was quite cold. We admired the area for a while and then continued to head on our journey to the next stop at Jaswantgarh. When we were approaching Jaswantgarh we could see the various army outposts heavily guarded by the brave men of the Indian Army. A sense of patriotism dawns inside any traveller once they see the soldiers of the Indian Army patrolling our borders in the harshest conditions possible. We made a stop at Jaswantgarh to admire the bravery of a brave soldier who single handedly protected the area from the Chinese invasion of 1962 and fought till he was captured by the Chinese soldiers. A war memorial has been constructed here to pay tribute to the bravery of this soldier.
We did not go inside the war memorial but made a stop to have tea and snacks at the canteen run by the Indian Army Personnel. They serve hot momos, samosas and other bakery items here. Hot water and tea is served complimentary to all travellers who make a stop at Jaswantgarh on their journey to Tawang. We had momos and samosas along with tea. There is also a small shop that sells winter gears to travellers at subsidized army rates. IO bought a jacket and a pair of gloves to help me keep myself warm on the journey to Tawang and further. After spending a little more time near the army pont at Jaswantgarh we headed on our journey to Tawang. It was already dark as mentioned earlier it happens here at high altitudes. It was already around 2.30 PM and we had to reach Tawang in another 2 hours drive time. We decided to skip our halt at Jung to view the Nuranang Falls/Jung falls this time and instead head directly to Tawang. We continued on our drive following the other vehicles that we ahead of us. The roads were slippery due to snowfall so we had to drive slowly as well.
At 5 PM we finally reached Tawang after a long 8 hour drive from Bomdila. We headed to the Tawang Guest House in Tawang where our stay was booked. The manager welcomed us in and this place too was known to us from our earlier bookings in Tawang. He alloted us our rooms and we headed straight in front of the heater in our room as it was freezing cold in Tawang. The manager brought us hot tea to help keep us warm. I put on my jacket and gloves that I had purchased in Jaswantgarh. It did bring in a sigh of relief from the cold. My friend jumped into bed and covered himself with the warm blankets to stay warm instead. The manager called us for dinner at 8 PM and the meal had rice, dal, matar paneer, chicken curry, potato fry and salad. We enjoyed our meal and headed back to our room to retire for the night.
The next morning we were scheduled to explore Tawang Monastery and the market area of Tawang. We were originally scheduled to visit the Bumla Pass today but the weather conditions were not good and hence the manager advised us against it and told us that hopefully tomorrow would be a better day and he would make all arrangements for us before we can head out to the Bumla Pass. We had our breakfast at 8.30 AM and headed out to the Tawang Monastery. It is a slight uphill drive from Tawang town to reach the Largest Buddhist Monastery in India – the Tawang Monastery. The Tawang Monastery is the most popular tourist destination in Tawang and it offers majestic panoramic views of the the tawng valley and the towering Eastern Himalayas. The Tawang Monastery is located at an altitude of 10,000 feet above the sea level. This monastery was built in the year 1860 AD by Marak Lama Lodge Gyantso. The entire Tawang Monastery area appears like a grand fort and has huge doors which measure 925 feet in length and 20 feet high. Once you enter the premises of the Tawang Monastery you are filled with an immense sense of calm and inner peace. The large prayer hall is filled with various artwork depicting the sketches of various Buddhist monks and Saints. Inside the prayer hall there is a large statue of Lord Buddha. A visit to Tawang Monastery is a must for any traveller to Arunachal Pradesh. We offered our prayers here at the Tawang Monastery and at 11 AM we came out from here.
Next we stepped into the local market of Tawang town where we could see various vendors selling local goods. We took a walk around the market where various Monpa people were buying and selling goods. Their local handicrafts and handlooms were a sight to watch out for. There was a food section as well where people were selling meat of ‘Mithun’ and some dried fish items. We spotted a small local restaurant here that was selling hot thukpa and momos. The thukpa in an originally tibetan dish which is basically a noodle soup. This is a very popular dish among the Monpa people of Arunachal Pradesh as it helps to keep the body warm in the severe cold climate of Tawang. We were served with chicken thukpa while other meat options are also available here. Momo is another popular dish from tibet and had found place in the hearts of the people of North East India especially Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Momos are basically a dumpling filled with meat and onion and often served with a spicy chutney and hot soup. These two food varieties speaks of the Tibetan influence on the people of this place. It was a very tasty meal especially as it was served fresh and hot. The chillies in the thukpa made the dish more appealing. We finished by 4.30 PM and then we went ahead to visit the Tawang War Memorial. We had to travel for 20 km further to reach the Tawang war Memorial. The place is a tribute to the brave 2140 soldiers who laid down their lives in the 1962 Indo-China war. The entire place is gracefully maintained and speaks aloud of the bravery of the soldiers of the Indian Army. A sense of patriotism dawns inside you once you visit the Tawang War Memorial. We admired the place and at 3 PM we left the place to return to our guest house. The manager told us that he had arranged for the permission from the DC Office at Tawang and also a separate local vehicle for us to go to the Bumla Pass the next day. We thanked him for his efforts and just explored the area around the guest house. We were served tea in a while and hot chicken pakoras were arranged for us too. We had bought a small bottle of rum to be had with warm water to help keep us warm. The manager lit a small bonfire behind the place and only the hotel staff and we were there. It was pretty cold outside and the rum technique didn’t work out to keep us warm so we decided to eat our dinner and retire to bed to prepare our visit to the Bumla Pass near Tawang the next day.
We were up early the next day and we took a walk nearby the guest house. We were scheduled to leave to Bumla Pass at around 8.30 AM as it was an easy 2 hour drive to the place and weather conditions are never predictable here so it is always advisable to start your journey to Bumla Pass in the morning and then on the way back explore the Madhuri Lake and the PTSO lake as well and return to Tawang. Our driver of the local vehicle Mr. Thapa came to the guest house at 8 AM and greeted us and along with it described us the road ahead of us to Bumla Pass. He was carrying chains along with him in the car as it might be necessary to wind these across the tires to get a better grip of the snow covered roads. We had a quick breakfast and at sharp 8.30 started on our drive to the Bumla Pass near Tawang. The roads were windy and we had to climb up further elevation to the Bumla Pass. The Bumla Pass is situated at a height of 15,200 feet above the mean sea level and acts as a connection between India and Tibet. The Bumla Pass was reopened in 2006 and business started happening between the two countries. The Bumla Pass is covered with snow mostly across the year. The area is heavily guarded by the Indian army personnel and it is always advisable to seek their permission before setting out to explore the area. We reached the Bumla Pass at around 11 AM. The vehicle stopped at a distance and we had to walk about 500 m to view the border of India and China. The army personnel checked our passes and we were allowed to see the Pass. It was severely cold and it immediately speaks of the lot about the dedication of the soldiers who spend day and night guarding the international border here. We enjoyed the view for about 30 minutes at the Bumla Pass and then headed on our way back to Tawang with stops at the Madhuri lake and the Pt Tso lake. By the time we arrived back in Tawang it was almost 4 PM. We thanked Mr. Thapa for his skilled driving and bringing us safely back to Tawang. We also thanked our Hotel manager for arranging everything for us as well. After dinner we retired to bed early as it was a long and hectic day as well.
Today morning we were all set to bid goodbye to a wonderful stay and amazing experience at Tawang to head to Thembang village after making a stop at the Nuranang/Jung falls on the way. We started early at 7.30 AM in order to cross Sela Pass before afternoon and to reach Thembang village before sundown. We reached Nuranang falls by 9 AM and it was indeed a wonderful sight to view this waterfall. The water here was crystal clear and it reminded us of the Nohkalikai falls at Cherrapunji in Meghalaya. We finished exploring the Nuranang falls and then headed on our journey to Thembang village after crossing Jaswantgarh and Sela Pass. The weather was bright and sunny and the roads were clear so we did not have trouble driving today. We admired the drive all along and finally arrived at Thembang village at 3 PM. We stayed at the local homestay here in Tawang. The next morning we explored the Thembang village as per the inputs provided by our friends we had met in Bomdila and then headed on our way to Kaziranga National Park to arrive by late afternoon. It was a very memorable drive and holiday in Tawang and we shall cherish it forever.
The Monpa people of Tawang and the West Kameng districts of Arunachal Pradesh are descendants of Tibet and Bhutan who have over the years migrated from their places of origin and settled here. But knowing as to certain when their migration happened has not been dated and it must have happened in phases over the centuries. However the oldest record could be said to be that in the 4th century when King Ling Gesan had defeated King Shingtri of Mon. The term ‘Mon’ is referred to ‘Monyul’ that happened to be encircling the areas of Tawang and West Kameng districts in Arunachal Pradesh. From a certain part of Michael Aris’s book ‘Hidden treasures’ there can be a derivative of the people of Bhutan migrating to Tawang. And even with the cultures and practices, life styles and food habits of the Monpa people of Tawang and West Kameng areas of Arunachal Pradesh it can be noticed their similar touch to Tibet and Bhutan and so it is an easy derivative of their ancestors belonging and later migrating to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh via the famed Bumla Pass.
The Monpa people of Tawang are primarily Buddhists who follow the Mahayana sect of Tibetan Buddhism who follow the Mahayana sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Before they adopted and started practicing Buddhism in as their faith they were primarily belonging to the Bon religion. The Monpa people of Tawang believe strictly in the principles of Karma and based on ones deeds in the present life be it positive and negative that will decide their next life. The Monpa people of Tawang are very religious and they practice the guidelines of the Mahayana sect of Buddhism in a strong order. Every home will have a prayer hall in Tawang when the family members ensure to offer water, butter lamps and light incense in the praise of Lord every morning. Their age old practices are especially particular when it comes to the health of the Monpa people of Tawang because they believe that sickness and death are because of one’s own karma. They do not believe much in the modern healthcare systems and believe that many diseases are caused by supernatural beings that can only cure the disease. They also believe black magic to be one of the sources of sickness being inflicted on a person and once the cause is identified the monks perform a sequence of rituals and recite sacred texts to get rid of the disease here in Tawang. Even after performing these rituals if unfortunately the sick person dies then another set of rituals are performed to see to the benefit of the dead.
To witness the rich heritage and culture of the Monpa people of Tawang along with a glimpse of the largest Buddhist Monastery in India and some of the most beautiful and natural places in the World one had to plan their visit to Tawang and the West Kameng districts of Arunachal Pradesh. To reach Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh the best way to arrive is at the Guwahati airport/railway station in Assam and plans your journey either by road or by helicopter. By road, Tawang is approximately 543 km from Guwahati and regular flight from major metros connects to Guwahati. The helicopter service operates from the Guwahati airport itself and is operational on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The seats are however limited (approx. 10-12) and it is necessary to priorly book the tickets on the hour long ride from Guwahati to Tawang. By road, the approximate time to reach Tawang from Guwahati is around 15-16 hours and this is due to the mountain terrain. A road break is necessary to undertake this journey and the preferred halt points are either Bomdila or Dirang that is if you are starting from Guwahati early in the morning. However if you arrive at Guwahati late and still want to continue on your journey it is advisable to halt either at Tezpur or Bhalukpong.
The areas of Tawang and rather the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh falls under a restricted area and hence prior permission is needed to travel to the places here and this permission comes in the form of Inner Line Permit (ILP for Indian Nationals) and PAP (Protected Area Permit for Foreign Nationals). The ILP can be applied online at arunachalilp.com and generally takes about 2 days for issuance after the visitors furnish their details and requisite documents. The PAP for foreign nationals can be obtained from the Indian Missions abroad as well as the Foreigners Regional Registration Office at Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.
Tawang region is blessed with immense natural beauty and visitors to Tawang can get a chance to witness this beauty and the local customs and practices of the people as well. But for many tourists a visit to Tawang is special to witness the snowfall in the region. So if you are an admirer of the landscapes and nature then the best time to visit Tawang is during the months of October and November. To experience the snowfall in Tawang the best time to visit is from December to March. But be rest assured that these months are very cold and it is absolutely necessary to carry adequate warm clothing on your travel to Tawang. It is also compulsory to mention that due to the high elevation of Tawang many visitors often experience altitude sickness and therefore it is advisable to halt for a night at either Bomdila or Dirang to get acclimatized with the weather conditions before continuing on their journey to Tawang and further upto Bumla Pass. Once you reach Tawang and get to witness the rich culture and heritage of the Monpa people you might want to visit any of the local markets at Tawang to carry a souvenir or memento of your visit back to your hometown. Tawang had three important market areas Old market, new market and Nehru market. The oldest among these is the old market and this market had numerous stalls selling handicrafts, handlooms, traditional Monpa clothing, general goods, etc. Visitors can also visit the Govt. Handicrafts emporium and Craft center to buy the traditional handicrafts of Tawang as well.
When it comes to flora and fauna, due to its different topographical type from the rest of the state, Tawang harbours an immense wealth in terms of the variety of flora and fauna. The beautiful forest cover of Tawang region changes with the elevation and these are respectively Blue pine, rhododendrons, Fir, Pine, etc. The Tawang region in Arunachal Pradesh is also a storehouse of very rare and powerful medicinal plants and along with these there are species of high altitude orchids to be found as well. With the sparse population in the Tawang region due to extreme climatic conditions nature has ensured to keep its prime available due to lack of urbanization in the area.
Having a cold climate the year around, Tawang region is rich in animal life as well. Varied animal species are a pride of the Tawang region like snow leopard, musk deer, wild yak, sambars, wild boars, barking deers, etc. Varied bird life is also present in this region and their likes include cranes, sandpipers, partridges, doves, pigeons, babblers, etc. In addition there are 15 species of butterflies and various amphibian species to be found in the Tawang region as well. The Monpa people of Tawang revere the nature around them and most of their worship is based on the elements of nature as well as earlier they were practicing ‘Bon’ a their religion that believed in the existence of Gods and spirits. This had made them fearing of nature and they believed that if mankind messed with nature then nature had the power to cause disasters if it was offended. So the people in and around Tawang revere nature and they even consider the 101 lakes around the area to be sacred. The black necked crane that comes to the region every year during the migratory winter season is highly revered by the Monpa people of Tawang and its arrival is considered to be good luck to the people. The Monpa people of Tawang are mostly Buddhists and they carried their age old traditions and blended them with the Buddhist traditions including they absorbed a number of Bon deities into the Buddhist rituals who they considered to be their protectors of faith. The establishment of the Tawang Monastery in 1681 and the birth of his Holiness the 6ht Dalai Lama also added further importance to the spread of Buddhism across the Tawang region.
The beautiful Tawang Monastery was founded in the year 1680-81 by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso and the actual name of this Monastery is Gaden Namgyal Lhatse. Located at a picturesque view about 10,000 feet above MSL the Tawang Monastery is built on the spur of a hill overlooking a ridge in the north and a gradual slope on the east. The Tawang Monastery has a tremendous socio cultural influence on the Monpa people of Tawang and it affects the day to day life of the people of the area. The Tawang Monastery is the largest Buddhist Monastery in India and the second largest in the World after the Potala Place in Tibet and owing to the fact the Potala Palace is not functional the Tawang Monastery can be said to be the largest functional Buddhist Monastery in the World. The aspiring structure of the Tawang Monastery in itself makes every visitor to this place left in awe. The Tawang Monastery houses a huge prayer hall at the centre and a big huge library as well along with the quarters of the monks who live here and it is said that it can house upto 700 monks at a time. The approach to the main monastery is from the north side and at the entrance there is a huge gate that welcomes the visitors here. Near the entrance of the Tawang Monastery there is a building from where water is fetched for the use inside the Monastery premises. The eastern side of the Tawang Monastery has 60 quarters of the monks and interestingly each of these quarters has been constructed voluntarily by local villagers who also look after the maintenance speaking highly of how much the local Monpa people revere these monks at the Tawang Monastery.
The library area of the Tawang Monastery where various ancient religious scriptures are kept is on the western side of the Monastery and the eastern side there is the kitchen called locally as ‘Rhum Khang’ where the cooking and various food offerings for rituals are prepared. During the ritual days at the Tawang Monastery, various ritual offerings are also prepared at this kitchen here. Of all the buildings at the Tawang Monastery, the most imposing among all of these is the main assembly hall that is called as the Dukhang. This place is a 3 storied building and the inner walls of this building at the Tawang Monastery are painted with murals of various Buddhist saints and divinities. The altar area occupies the northern part of the hall and has a huge statue of Lord Buddha that is richly ornate and decorated. The huge statue almost 25 feet in height is seated on a lotus throne and Lord Buddha’s statue is accompanied by statues of his principal attendants Maudgalyayana and Sariputra. The altar occupies the entire northern part of the hall at the Tawang Monastery and there are several Thankhas of Goddess Sri Devi who happens to be the principal deity of the Tawang Monastery. For better information to the tourists at the Tawang Monastery a museum has also been setup with various old artefacts and a photo gallery as well. Apart from this there is also a courtyard area that is basically a stone slab court and various religious dances and ceremonies are held at the courtyard at the Tawang Monastery.
Monasteries and Gompas around Tawang region
Urgelling Gompa
Another beautiful Monastery around the Tawang region in addition to the Tawang Monastery is located around 7 km away from the Tawang township across the highway to the Y junction and is known as the Urgelling Gompa. Initially built in a moderate design and construction, the Urgelling Gompa was later rebuilt into a grand structure at the vision of the royal father. A part of this monastery near Tawang was destroyed in the year 1714 and had to be rebuilt. The Urgelling Gompa today is a two storied structure covering an area of 180 sq. m. Every year on the 6th of July the birth of the 14th Dalai Lama is celebrated with great pomp and fervour by the local people of Tawang region here at the Urgelling Gompa.
Khinmey Monastery
Another important monastery located at the Tawang district is the Khinmey Monastery that was founded by Kundun Sange Yeshe and the area where it is situated belonged to Sonam Rinchin. It is believed that earlier the area was filled with wild animals and the local hunters often lot their dogs out loose to control these animals. One leading hunter Sonam Rinchin had once found a monk in meditation and he was so influenced that he became his disciple and gave away his land for this monastery to be setup at Yubu village near Tawang and so this place was established in 1440. Across the years this beautiful monastery near Tawang had undergone several reconstructions and today over 100 monks study ancient Buddhist Literature and modern studies as well.
Gyangong Ani Gompa
This Gompa is located about 10 km away from the Tawang Monastery. The area of the Gompa is located in a beautiful area with lush forest and abundance greenery filled with pristine beauty of the Tawang area. It is believed that as no women were allowed to reside inside the Tawang Monastery so the founder of the Tawang Monastery built a meditation cave for his sister nearby and the provisions were provided from the Tawang Monastery. Over time the number of nuns embracing this place as a sole source of meditation started to increase and hence this place was eventually turned into a nunnery to be called as the Gyangong Ani Gompa at Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
Baggajang Gompa
This unique place is located close to Tawang viz 18 km enroute to Sela Pass and is considered to be one of the holiest places in lho Mon. As 1010 lakes surround the Sela Pass and these lakes are considered as holy by the local Monpa people and as this monastery is located in the area it also overlooks these lakes as well near Tawang. The Monpa people of Tawang are said to have worshipped these lakes by burning of butter lamps, apparition of Gompa and hanging of fluttering flags around the area.
The Monpa people of Tawang fall under the Bodic group of Tibeto Burman linguistic group and they have a few dialects that differ from group to group. For example the dialect spoken by the people of Zemithang is not understood by the people of Tawang and this is not the case only in Tawang area but across Arunachal Pradesh and North East India as there are over 200 indigenous communities who have their own dialect and in addition they have a common state language in which everyone can communicate and understand each other. To make this approach simpler across Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh, the Tibetan language of Bhati was introduced as a third language in school by the Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh and student from class I to VIII were to study this language that was earlier known only to the lamas and nuns. This language has helped the local people in the Tawang areas to grasp the ancient culture and history and also serves as a medium to communicate among them.
The Monpa people of Tawang are well accustomed with the cold weather and climate of the Tawang region and their distinct attire helps them to adapt to the environment easily. The Monpa men of Tawang have forms of woollen short and full length trousers to protect them from the cold and a traditional black woollen cloth called as Khajan helps to keep their body warm. During the severe winter time they also wear a red cloak called as the Chupa. The woman attire of the Monpa people is very grand and is weaved with coarse Eri silk and is called as the Shinka. Certain married women also wear a multi coloured Apron called as the ‘Pangten’. The footwear for both men and women are similar and it comprises mostly of traditional boots known as Tsem-lham. These boots are made with woollen cloth and the sole is made with cow or yaks hide. The Monpa people of Tawang also wear elaborate headgear to protect their ears and this headgear is called as Ngama-Shom that is made with yak hair. Both Monpa men and women also wear a traditional cap as well.
Ornaments also form an integral part of the Monpa attire as well and these ornaments are similar to the ones worn by Tibetan people. Some of these ornaments worn by the people of Tawang are finger rings made of gold or silver, bangle made of gold of silver, earnings, silver clips, silver brooch, etc. The Monpa people love their food and they have many unique preparations that is acclaimed with the climatic conditions. They use a lot of green chillies as an ingredient in their food and this helps to keep them warm as well. Some of the local popular cuisine of Tawang are Zan, Khura, Momos, Thupkas, Puta, Bresi, Krazi, etc.
Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh witnesses numerous festivals both religious and non-religious that occur across the year. While many of the festivals of the Monpa people of Tawang are based on religious background and so each of these festivals have a history and significance of their own. Some of the popular festivals celebrated across Tawang are:
Losar Festival
Celebrated during the month of Feb-March and mostly on the 1st month of Lunar calendar, the Losar festival is the prime festival of the Monpa people of Tawang area and it is the celebration of New Year. The Losar festival is celebrated with great festivities at the Tawang Monastery. The preparations to celebrate this New Year Festival by the Monpa people of Tawang begins during the mid of the 12th month itself wherein people gather sufficient food stock like meat, butter, flour, edible oil, fruits, etc. to be prepared during the time of the Losar festival. As per the rituals on the 29th day of the last month the houses in the locality are cleaned and white washed and preparations are on for hosting a grand dinner. On the 30th day of the month the Monpa people of Tawang begin decorating their houses where they hang colour paper flowers from the ceilings and paint wall with auspicious signs with flour or lime. On the day of the Losar the Monpa people of Tawang wear new clothes and keep biscuits, loaves, fruits, liquor, etc. at the dinner table and as an offering in the home chapel as well. All of these rituals of the Losar festival are as a sign of good omen for the upcoming year.
On the first day of Losar the family members go to fetch water from a nearby stream and bring the water to cleanse them. The first day the family members pray for a better year and spend time at home drinking, having good food and playing traditional games while people staying at Tawang town go to the Tawang Monastery to seek blessings. On the second day Monpa people of Tawang region visit the homes of the neighbours to wish them a happy new year. Sumptuous meal is prepared across the households for the guests and between meals family members and neighbours play games like dice, mah-jong, etc. The Losar festival of Tawang region goes on for almost 15 days.
Saga Dawa
The Buddhist people of Tawang area consider the fourth month of lunar calendar as a very holy month and this falls during the month of May. This month is the birth month of Lord Buddha and also the month where Buddha attained enlighten as well. The Monpa people of Tawang engage in praying to seek better fortune and also to cleanse one’s sin and earn merit.
Torgya
One of the very important festivals celebrated at the Tawang Monastery is that of Torgya. The Torgya festival is held for 3 days and it generally falls in the month of January and the main motive of celebrating this festival by the Monpa people of Tawang is to drive away evil forces and also to ward off any natural calamities for a prosperous life. During the three days of the Torgya festival hundreds of Monpa people came and gather at the Tawang Monastery in their colourful attires making this festival a carnival of colours. During the festival days sacred dances are performed and the monks of the Tawang monastery dress themselves in colourful attires and wear masks depicting various divinities and characters.
Traditional Dance forms of the Monpa people of Tawang
One of the very popular dance forms of the Monpa people of Tawang (based on their climate and natural conditions around) is the Yak dance that is performed by men who dress themselves up in the form of a yak (a special costume) and perform this dance in tune to the movements of the Yak. Yak Dance of the Monpa people of Tawang holds a very high cultural influence on the youth of Tawang to understand the value and importance of their rich cultural heritage. The Yak dance of Tawang is associated with an epic historical story of three young brothers who were in distress and performed this dance to pacify their emotional feelings they were going through. The three brothers introduced certain expressions that came to be known as Thoipa Gali and since then this Yak dance form of Tawang has found immense popularity not only in Tawang district but across the country ans this dance form was even awarded the first prize in the Republic Day tableau award in 2017.
Another dance form of the people of Tawang is the Snow Lion dance that is associated with the Lion Dance that is popular in the Tibetan areas of the place. Another name of this dance form of the Tibetan Monpa people of Tawang is the Senggeh Garcham and the word is derived both from Sanskrit and Buddhism. This unique dance form of Tawang is practiced by the Bon Po monks and this is performed as a secular dance as well as a ritual dance as well.
The Aji Lhamu dance is by far the most popular folk dance performed by the Monpa people of Tawang. Uniquely this is an adaptation of the Tibetan version of the Hindu epic Ramayana (the story of how five brothers were sent to exile by their King father and they all marry the same lady). In the Aji Lhamu dance of the Monpa people there are five characters who are Nyanpa – the main character and Nyao the rival character. Other three characters of this dance drama are Lhamu, Lhun and Gyali who are all of mythological origin. This unique, vibrant and colourful dance of the Monpa people of Tawang district is performed mostly in the Losar festival (Tibetan New Year) celebrations mostly at the Tawang Monastery and it depicts the Grand ceremony of the wedding of King Chhoegey Norzay with Lhamu (the fairy from heaven who came to earth and became the queen of Gyali).
Monastic dance is another very important ritualistic dance of the Monpa people of Tawang and is mostly performed during the Torgya festival that is celebrated widely at the Tawang Monastery. This dance form is performed by only the select monks of the Tawang Monastery during the three day celebrations of the Torgya festival. This is a very elaborate ritual and lot of efforts go in to prepare for this dance performance of the Tawang Monastery. The outfits worn the by the people who perform the Monastic dance is a work of art and the most important part of the dancer’s attire is the mask that is called as the Bak. These traditional masks are carved out of wood and painted in bright colours and are often of size double to that of the human face. The elaborate costume that the Monpa dancers of Tawang wear to perform this Monastic dance during the Torgya festival of the Tawang Monastery comprises mostly of brocade and silk. The various outfits are designed elaborately as per the deity of the higher rank as per the Buddhist rituals and customs. The dancers also carry weapons and other objects during the performance that are attributed to the characteristics of a particular God or Goddess. The common objects carried by these dancers are skull caps, daggers, sword, bell, flags, etc.
To sum up in brief, Tawang is a beautiful land of the Monpa people of Arunachal Pradesh that is situated at approximately 3500 m above the MSL with the beautiful backdrop of the Eastern Himalayas. Tawang district whose administrative headquarters is Tawang town is covering an approximate area of about 2200 sq. km and is bordered by the country of Tibet in its North, Bhutan is south west and the beautiful Sela mountain range and the West Kameng district in the East. The beautiful scenic environment, pollution free weather, the snow covered mountains, pleasant and sacred lake along with the friendly and hospitable people makes Tawang a must visit destination on your tour of North East India. Tawang is a combination of the mix of rich ancient and glorious history, religion and legend of its glorious past and any tourist to Tawang is left enthralled with the awe aspiring mountain views, quaint countryside, beautiful Monasteries and Gompas along with the tranquil lakes.
Though much is not known about the origin of the name Tawang it is often believed by the local Monpa people here that this name has been derived from the Tawang Monastery that is situated of the western part of Tawang town. A unique story is associated with the founding of and building of this largest Buddhist Monastery in India wherein ‘Ta’ means horse and ‘Wang’ means the chosen one. It so happened that the horse of the founder of the Tawang Monastery viz. Mera Lama Lodra Gyatso is said to have accredited with finding the place for building this Monastery. The person went in search for an appropriate place to build a monastery along with his horse but after long hours of search he couldn’t find an appropriate place. The founder sat down to meditate for a while and by the time his horse went missing. He hastily went out in search of his horse and ultimately found the horse staring atop the hill of Tara Mandekhang that was also the place where earlier the palace of the King Kala Wangpo stood. Thinking this to be an auspicious sign and also finding the site suitable for building a monastery the founder gathered the local people and initiated the construction of the Tawang Monastery in late 1681.
With such rich history behind its glorious past today Tawang is a prime tourist attraction in North East India. The drive from Guwahati to Tawang is one of the most scenic across North East India where you cross a varied topography starting from the plains of Guwahati, reaching the forest reserves of the Sonitpur district and later the mountains of the towering Eastern Himalayas of Arunachal Pradesh. Tawang (the district headquarters of the Tawang district) is endowed with both history and nature and the unique culture and historical moments of the place are what make Tawang favoured tourist destinations across the visitors to North East India. Along with the various natural endowments like streams, rivers, mountains, lakes and snow covered peaks, Tawang is blessed with several species of flora and fauna as well that makes it a place with a tremendous potential for development of adventure and ecotourism. The Monpa way of life, their vibrant costumes, the colourful festivals, ancient religious practices and their ability to dine in harmony with nature and utilizing the most of it’s in the harsh temperatures conditions is what makes Tawang an area with a high potential for ecotourism and this can be witnessed best by staying with it local people in one of the various homestays at the place.
In a nutshell, Tawang has a very calm and serene ambience away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city life. The presence of a number of Buddhist Monasteries and Gompas around the town area of Tawang speaks clearly that the culture of the local Monpa people of Tawang is based on the principles of Buddhism and most of it related to the Mahayana Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The local people rely on cultivation (shifting and permanent) as their primary livelihood with tourism gaining popularity as an alternate profession and source of livelihood of the local Monpa people of Tawang. The locals of Tawang celebrate three major festivals in a year viz. Losar, Torgya and Choekhor and these festivals are celebrated with great pomp and vigour and the locals perform traditional dance of Pan and Pantomime followed by feasting and drinking of rice wine to celebrate. The Monpa people of Tawang are skilled artisans and craftsmen and they are renowned for their wood carvings works, carpet making, weaving of costumes out of wool and the unique art of Thangkha paintings. It is said that the Monpa people both men and women like to wear clothing that are woven locally by hands and each house has a loom where the local people weave out costumes. Some of the rich and influential families even employ local people to weave clothing for the entire family thereby generating livelihood and creating jobs for the local people of Tawang.
The Buddhist lamas who reside at the local monasteries also practice various art forms and they are known for making exquisite wooden bowls and bamboo products. For these hard working Monpa people of Tawang food is what provides them energy and with the harsh climatic conditions around Tawang they have to ensure to eat food that would keep the body warm and also produce sufficient energy to keep them going the entire day. The staple food of the Monpa people of Tawang is Zan – that is flat bread and it is generally served with a meat and vegetable soup/broth. Other cuisine of the Monpa people is Gyapa Khazi, momos and Thukpa. Tawang is located in the magnificent highlands of the Eastern Himalayas where the principles of the Mahayana sect of Tibetan Buddhism have survived since long and has progressed true to its essence. Earlier Tawang was a contingent of free Tibet ruled directly from Lhasa and today Tawang serves as the district headquarters of the Tawang district in western Arunachal Pradesh. Tawang district is a beautiful land filled with the bounties of nature like high mountains, massive rivers, plentiful fruits and flowers and humble people who live their life in simplicity with a culture so vibrant and alive that visitors leave the place in awe of their hospitality.
The earliest inhabitants of Tawang were the Monyul people who resided in the region for over a thousand years up to the 6th century. The Monyul people adopted Buddhism and with the building of the Tawang Monastery in the 17th century Tawang has now become a centre of glorious Buddhist studies and literature with lamas from across the World coming to spend their time at the Tawang Monastery to gain deeper insight to the knowledge of peace as spread by Buddhism. Tawang region is also said to be an example of the ability of Buddhism to absorb and integrate nature’s faith towards the line of unity and prosperity. Today the Monpa people, Takpa people and the Sherdukpen people who reside at Tawang district and the western cultural places of Arunachal Pradesh and have embraced Buddhism completely and mixed it with their earlier practices of the pre-Buddhist Bon and the animist elements of faith as well. Travelling across from Bomdila to Tawang a tourist will find the influence of Buddhism among the local people who are mostly the Monpa people and their hospitality and welcoming nature makes one feel at home in Arunachal Pradesh.
Across the drive a visitor feels the awe of the paradise like landscape of the Eastern Himalayas ain Tawang. On the way to Tawang when you are at the Thembang village one can get to witness the true essence of the Monpa life when you get to stay at their homestays and learn about their culture, traditions and food habits including the Bon-Buddhist culture. This all is a part of a responsible tourism project that is going on at the Thembang village and this village was also awarded with the best ecotourism project award by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh. This village was earlier ruled by a powerful ruler named as Thembang Bapu who was a direct descendant of the King of Tibet and the remains of the fortification of the kingdom is still found at the Thembang village near Tawang. Driving further uphill one reached Tawang along the border of Tibet and here one can witness the beautiful Tawang Monastery and Tawang is today both a cultural and commercial hub of Western Arunachal Pradesh. The presence of various Monasteries, Gompas and nunneries around Tawang town makes one feel in a sense of calm in the frontiers of the Eastern Himalayas.
Some of the other renowned Monasteries and Gompas of the Tawang region apart from the Tawang Monastery are the Urgyelling Monastery that was built in the 15th century and is the birth place of the 6th Dalai Lama (his Holiness Gyalwa Tsangyang Gyatso). Another important Gompa is the Ani Gompa that was built about 500 years ago by a Tibetan Lama and today is the oldest Nunnery in the Tawang area that is spread over a vast area with several quarters housing Buddhist nuns. The Khinmay Monastery is another large and artistic Monastery in the Tawang region that happens to be a major shrine of the Nyingmapo sect and as per the legend attached with this Monastery, is that a great sage named Sangey Rinpoche while at this place tamed several wild barking dogs while he was meditating here and hence this was an auspicious sign to make a Monastery here. It is believed that the Nyingmapos were earlier a majority sect in the Tawang region and later the Gelugpa sect emerged of the Tawang Monastery. The Nyingmapos were known to incorporate various religious practices among the local deities and they believed in the certain elements of shamanism.
Further ahead of Tawang when a visitor travels along the border areas more of geography opens up where beautiful pastures, wetlands, streams and off course the high altitude snow covered peaks. Indian Nationals who visit as tourists to Tawang can obtain permission from the DC office to travel for a day long visit to the Bumla Pass to get a glimpse of the strategic border of India and China and a pass that was earlier an important trade route connecting Tibet with India. The brave soldiers of the Indian army are on a constant vigil across these borders to stop any kind of illegal infiltration and a sense of awe comes in every travellers mind to view the beauty of the landscapes and the breathtaking lakes here. This permit is applicable to Indian Nationals only and Foreign Nationals can instead travel to Zemithang village that is on the way to Bhutan. At the Zemithang village near Tawang one can get to see the traditional lifestyle of the people here who are the Sherdupkhan people who mostly leas a nomadic lifestyle. At Zemithang the major place of interest is the Gorsam Stupa that is a sacred pilgrimage site and is believed to resemble the colossal Stupa of Boudhanath in Nepal.
Apart from the various natural landscapes across the region of Tawang one can also find various community project that are to be seen in the region and is one has time one can engage in some of the social work here as well. One the way to Lhou from Tawang one can find the Manjushree Vidyapeeth that is a community project run by Buddhist monks and is open for visitors at Tawang. Visitors can also offer to help towards the welfare of this social project as well. Another local community project near Tawang is the Thamtse Gatsal that is a project cum school cum home for about 90 children who come from nearby villages in Tawang. This community project aims to help these students from underprivileged backgrounds to study and help secure a better future for them thereby enabling these kids to unleash their full potential. Not only educating these children with books, this community project focuses entirely towards the overall development of a child’s personality from education, cultural preservation, family bonding, gardening, cooking, community outreach, the call of the day viz. sustainable living, healthcare, etc. In this community program volunteering is actively encouraged and the project assists the volunteers with adequate recognition.
How to reach Tawang
While the most common mode of transportation to reach Tawang is by road from Guwahati but then the journey is quite long because of the meandering roads uphill. So it is always advisable to break the journey from Guwahati to Tawang either at Bomdila or Dirang. But if you are short in time and want to explore many places of North East India in the stipulated time you can choose to fly to Tawang from Guwahati itself by the Pawan Hans helicopter service that is operational on certain days and it is better to check availability much priorly as there are about eight seats in the helicopter only. And is you are unable to find a seat there is no need to worry because there is always the option of travelling by road. This is a good experience as well because you get to see some amazing picturesque views along the way. From Kolkata you can come to Guwahati by air or by train and from Guwahati you can hire the services of Toyota Innova taxi, Tempo traveller, Maruti Ertiga taxi to go to Tawang. You can travel to Bomdila or Dirang and break your journey here and get acclimatized with the weather before proceeding further up towards Sela Pass and Tawang.
For the adventure seekers there is an option of cycling to Tawang as well and one can hire the services of a local adventure tour operator in North East India who conducts custom tours to Tawang on cycling expeditions. Trekking is an option on certain routes and one trekking expedition is the Bailey trail trek that covers some of the most beautiful landscapes across the remote forests of the Eastern Himalayas. There some of the most pristine and virgin forest landscapes that have abundance of pine, rhododendrons and oak trees. The Bailey trail trek was an ancient route discovered by the British who were commissioned to survey the land across Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet in 1911-12.This route was also opted by the Chinese forces who invaded India in 1962. Across the Bailey trail one crosses various mountain passes, rivers, crystal clear lakes and also get a chance to sight the peaks of Gorichen and Kangto (the two highest in North East India) and also get a chance to stay with the local Monpa people at their Homestays and Camps. The Bailey trail trek starts at Dirang and continues for almost seven days crossing the Sela Pass towards the Sela ridge and reaches the highway at Sela from where the drive continues to Tawang. Tawang is indeed a natural and cultural paradise that highlights age old customs and practices amidst the beautiful landscapes. We welcome you to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh – the Land of the Dawn Lit mountains.
Tawang is becoming an increasingly popular destination in the tourist circuit of Arunachal Pradesh and Northeast India and today thousands of visitors go to explore Tawang each tourist season and get the opportunity to witness the snowfall across the place. Tawang is a perfect hilly destination for guests who want to have an escape to the holy abode of the Himalayas and the Tawang area is a beautiful haven on Earth. Tawang is situated at an elevation of 3048m in the heart of the towering eastern Himalayas and the place is known for its picturesque landscapes, waterfalls, snow clad mountains, beautiful monasteries that have a spiritual influence and much more. Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is a perfect abode for any guest who would want to soak in the charm of nature and at the same time explore the rich culture and heritage of the place as well. Tawang can be described as a place where one can get to see the various Buddhist Monasteries that see an influx of tourists all across the year and few of the very prominent mountain peaks are visible to the guests here at Tawang. Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is home to many glacial lakes like the lakes around the Sela Pass and the famed Madhuri lake area that have crystal clear waters and remain frozen across the year this allows guests to Tawang to have a spectacular view of these places.
Tawang is a perfect and ideal spot to view to beat the fast paced city life and get the opportunity to relax and take a break from the noise and hustle and bustle of a city life. Many of the guests who want to seek inner peach can come to Tawang to meditate at the Takstang Gompa that is a pilgrimage site that is surrounded by thick growth of coniferous trees and mountains and one can come to Tawang in the winter season to explore the vast snow clad mountains and peaks. Winters in Tawang are pretty harsh and so the ideal time to visit Tawang is during February and March, then you can have the opportunity to enjoy enthralling water sports at the place and enjoying skiing here in Tawang as well. Perhaps one of the top destinations to explore around Tawang is the Sela Pass that is a high altitude Pass that boasts of stunning natural beauty. The Sela Pass is known for its vast stunning natural beauty and it is having an elevation of 4170m above MSL. The awe inspiring scenery around the Sela Pass near Tawang allows you to relax and unwind and the surrounding area across the place near Tawang is absolutely stunning.
The Sela Pass at Tawang is blessed with a blanket of snow all across the year and it offers a spectacular view of the magnificent views of the Himalayan range and apart from being a popular tourist attraction, the Sela Pass is a prominent religious site for the Buddhists and there is the presence of 101 lakes across the Sela Pass near Tawang. Once you are at Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh then you must take the opportunity to explore the beautiful Tawang Monastery that is one of the most important places to visit in Tawang. The Tawang Monastery is also called as the Golden Namgyal Lhatse and it is a holy site for the sect of Mahayana Buddhism. This is the largest Buddhist Monastery in India here at Tawang and also the largest functional Buddhist Monastery after the Potala Palace in Tibet. The Tawang Monastery belongs to the Gelugpa sect of Buddhism and the place is home to over 300 monks and it is holding 17 gompas of the region as well. The Tawang Monastery is known for its 16th century architecture and this beautiful monastery overlooks the Himalayan valley and there are sketches and paintings of Bodhisattvas across the place. The festival of Losar celebrated here is one of the must visit attractions here in Tawang.
Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India is often referred to as India’s Land of the rising sun and this is a treasure house of vast and abundant nature that is tucked away in the easternmost corner of India. On your tour of Tawang you will get a combination of the various sightseeing destinations along with the exotic wildlife at Kaziranga National Park, the beautiful tea gardens of Assam, the grand waterfalls of Meghalaya and also the snow clad mountains of the Eastern Himalayas. You will be thrilled and amazed to see the beautiful colour of the valley that bound Arunachal Pradesh and gradually you will see the cover of the snow clad mountains once you proceed on your journey to Tawang. The beauty of nature and the stunning pictures will leave you enthralled and would want you to ask for more from your trip to Tawang. In the itinerary of exploration of Kaziranga National Park and Tawang at first you will arrive at the Guwahati airport and you will be welcomed by a local representative who will assist you on your arrival and you will board your comfortable vehicles and be transferred to Kaziranga National Park from Guwahati.
At Kaziranga National Park you will check into a hotel and later in the day you will go to explore the Kaziranga Orchid Park – the largest Orchid Park in India. After your exploration of the Kaziranga Orchid Park you will enjoy the evening in relaxation and the overnight stay will be at your hotel in Kaziranga National Park. The next day you is your day of safari at Kaziranga National Park and in the morning you will go for a jeep safari ride at the eastern range of Kaziranga National Park and this is known as the place that is famed for the sighting of the tigers, rhinos and the various other animals of Kaziranga National Park. You will have your breakfast and proceed on your drive on the jeep safari vehicles to the park and the eastern range is also known as the place that is home to the various bird species of Kaziranga National Park. Return back to your hotel for your lunch and later in the day you will go to visit the western range of Kaziranga National Park for another round of jeep safari. The western range of Kaziranga National Park is known as the territory of the Rhinos and one can get to have various sightings of the animal of the park from upclose and the animals here are beautifully captures in your camera lenses. You might also get to see the wild elephant herds here and also the Bengal Tigers as well. Post your safari experience at Kaziranga National Park you will return to the hotel at Kaziranga National Park and enjoy a peaceful stay in the hotel.
The next day you will proceed on your drive from Kaziranga National Park to Bomdila. Your journey will start post breakfast and you will cross Koliabor area to travel to the border of Assam and Meghalaya at Bhalukpong and here your ILP will be verified and you will travel to Bomdila from Bhalukpong and travel across the mountains to go to Bomdila. The tall mountains of the eastern Himalayas will welcome you along with the fast flowing River Kameng and the entire drive is picture perfect across the place and you will reach Bomdila by late afternoon and check into your hotel at Bomdila. In the evening you will be free to explore the Monastery at Bomdila and you will seek inner peace here and you will return to your hotel for night halt. The next day is your day of long drive from Bomdila to Tawang. The night halt at Bomdila allows you to get acclimatized with the weather conditions and so you will not have problems with the high altitude when you cross the Sela Pass to travel to Tawang. Cross the beautiful snow covered mountains of the Sela Pass that is located at an elevation of 14000 feet and also get to visit Jaswanthgarh and witness the war memorial here.
Arrive at Tawang by late afternoon and as these places are located in the remote eastern parts of the country so you will have the option to witness an early sunset here. Arrive at your hotel in Tawang and the evening will be at leisure at the place and enjoy the cold weather of Tawang sipping tea and also get to enjoy the flavourful Monpa cuisine of Tawang here at Arunachal Pradesh. Your evening will be at leisure and you will enjoy the evening at the hotel here in Tawang. The next day is your local sightseeing tour of Tawang and post a nice breakfast at your hotel you will go to explore the Tawang Monastery. This is the largest Buddhist Monastery in India and the 16th century architecture of the place is a thrilling experience for all the people interested in architecture. Explore the Tawang Monastery that is the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama and the grandeur of this monastery will leave you in awe. Also visit the war memorial at Tawang that is dedicated to the brave soldiers of the country who laid down their lives in the war of 1962. Also visit the craft centre at Tawang that sells beautiful masks, hand woven carpets and jewellery.
The evening will be at leisure here in Tawang and you will spend the night at your hotel in Tawang. The next morning you will start with a nice breakfast at your hotel in Tawang and post breakfast you will drive to a high altitude lake near Tawang that is called as the Madhuri Lake that is named after the beautiful Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit who had come to Tawang to shoot for the movie Koyla. The beautiful lake remains covered with snow and it is nestled amidst a very picturesque surrounding. Enjoy local cuisine of the momos and maggi at the lake area and later in the day proceed on your drive to the Bumla Pass that is located at around 37km from Tawang. On your return take time to stop and click pictures at the beautiful PTSO Lake here in Tawang. Return back to your hotel for night halt and the evening will be at leisure and you will enjoy your overnight stay at your hotel in Tawang. Return back to your hotel for night halt and the evening will be at leisure and you will enjoy your overnight stay at your hotel in Tawang. The next morning you will begin on your drive from Tawang to Dirang after exploring the vast places of beauty across Tawang. Arrive at Dirang to check into your hotel and also visit the local farms of Kiwi and Apple as well.
Arunachal Pradesh is a nature lover’s paradise and the place is locked up with lush green meadows that makes the place one of the most loved tourist destinations in the country and Northeast India. The Tawang tour package that covers some of the most ideal tourist destinations across Assam and Arunachal Pradesh is a must to undertake on a person’s visit to Northeast India and you are sure to cherish this for a lifetime. You will be picked up at the Guwahati airport or the railway station and from here you will set out to explore some of the most picturesque tourist destinations of the country. You will set out to explore Tawang on a journey like none other and this will allow you to leave the hustle and bustle of a busy city life and enjoy the tranquillity of the place in the calm surroundings of Tawang. In this tour of Tawang you will get to explore the Tippi Orchid Center that is home to around 600 species of flowering orchids, the vast grandeur of the Tawang Monastery, the Sela Pass near Tawang that remains covered with snow across the year, the beautiful Bumla Pass near Tawang that is the border of India and China, explore Nameri National Park in Assam that is renowned for the various bird species and also the Bengal Tiger and the endangered white winged wood duck species. This tour of Tawang ends at Guwahati where you can go to explore the revered Maa Kamakhya temple and the Assam state museum as well.
In this Tawang tour, the itinerary spans across 8 days when you will at first come to the Guwahati airport or the railway station and here you will be picked up by a local representative who will offer you a warm welcome in traditional Assamese style. From the airport you will board your comfortable vehicles and begin on your drive to the Bhalukpong area that is the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and the place is famed picnic spot for the locals as the Kameng River flows across the place and you will get to enjoy your time at the Bhalukpong market area that is a very famed local market. Check into your hotel at Bhalukpong and prepare for the next morning drive to Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh on your onward journey to Tawang. The next day you can enjoy a nice and delicious breakfast at your hotel and later on board your comfortable vehicles to begin on your drive to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. On the way to Dirang from Bhalukpong, you can get to visit the Tippi Orchid centre that is located by the banks of the Kameng River and the place houses around 500 species of orchids an later continue on your drive to Dirang and on the way you will visit the Nag temple and on the way you will get to witness spectacular views of some waterfalls on the way to Tawang. Arrive at Dirang and check into you hotel here at Dirang.
The next morning you will begin on your drive from Dirang to Tawang that is often referred to as the land of hidden paradise. Your drive will begin post breakfast at your hotel and ensure that you do not eat too much as the drive is across a hilly terrain. On the journey to Tawang, you will cross the beautiful Sela Pass that remains frozen across the year. Cross over Sela Pass to travel to Jaswantgarh where you can visit the Jaswantgarh war memorial and continue further to explore the beautiful Jung Falls area near Tawang. Arrive at Tawang by late afternoon and take time to check into your hotel at Tawang. The evening at Tawang will be at leisure and you can spend your time here in relaxation. The next morning is your day of local exploration across Tawang and post breakfast you will go to explore the Tawang Monastery that is the largest Buddhist Monastery in India and also the birth place of the 6th Dalai Lama. This monastery has the beautiful 16th century architecture and it is known to house around 300 monks who learn about the teachings of Lord Buddha here. Later after the exploration of the Tawang Monastery you will get to explore the craft centre at Tawang that sell various hand made masks, hand woven carpets, silver and amber jewellery, etc.
Spend your evening at leisure here in Tawang and the overnight stay will be at the hotel in Tawang. The next morning you will have your breakfast at the hotel and post your breakfast you will drive from Tawang to Bomdila. Cross the beautiful Sela Pass again and have the opportunity to explore with the snow and later in the day you will reach Bomdila to check into your hotel and later go to explore the Bomdila Monastery and the local market in Bomdila. Overnight stay will be arranged at your hotel in Bomdila and you will retire for the evening. The next morning you will leave Bomdila after your breakfast to travel to the Nameri National Park and you will cross the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh at Bhakukpong and come to the Nameri National Park. On arrival at Nameri you will be checked into beautiful eco camp Lalimou and the evening will be at leisure where you can spend your time at leisure by the banks of the Jia Bhoreli river and admire the various bird species that live across Nameri National Park. The overnight stay at Nameri will be at the camp and you will get to witness and taste the delicious local cuisine here at Nameri National Park on your tour of Tawang.
Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is one of the prominent tourist destinations in the country and the place is endowed with the vast natural beauty that makes it one of the best destinations to visit. The Sela Pass near Tawang is located at an altitude of 4170m above MSL and this pass is considered to be a lifeline of the people of Tawang.
Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the country and the place is endowed with vast natural beauty that makes it one of the best destinations to be visited. The Sela Pass near Tawang is located at an elevation of 4530m above MSL and the place is considered to be a lifeline for the people of Tawang as this is the only Pass that connects Tawang to the rest of the country and apart from its geographical significance this pass is known for its mystic beauty and snow clad hills. The Sela Pass near Tawang is a perfect place to get the vast views of the Eastern Himalayas. When you are at Tawang then surely do not miss out on the opportunity to visit the Tawang Monastery that is the largest Buddhist Monastery in India and the largest functional Monastery in the World after the Potala Palace in Tibet. The Tawang Monastery has an inspiring 16th century architecture and the place is home to 300 monks who spend their life dedicated in the name of the teachings of Lord Buddha. The Tawang Monastery is perched atop the Eastern Himalayas on a valley and the place provide awe inspiring views of the Tawang Chu Valley.
The Madhuri Lake near Tawang is one of the very beautiful lakes in the country and people travelling from Tawang to the Bumla Pass have the perfect opportunity to sight the Madhuri Lake near Tawang. The Madhuri Lake near Tawang is nestled at an altitude of 12000 feet and it is just 30km away from Tawang but on a hilly terrain and it offers views of the crystal clear waters that is free from pollution. Named after Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit, the place got very popular after the Bollywood movie Koyla was shot here in the Tawang area. Another prominent waterfall near Tawang is the Jung Falls or the Nuranang Falls that is situated near the dense forest area of Tawang and the place is considered to be one of the very beautiful waterfalls in the country. The Nuranang Falls or the Jung Falls in Tawang is an offbeat destination that is almost 100m high and it is surrounded by the lush green hills of the area of Tawang. The Tawang War Memorial is another popular tourist attraction in Tawang and this place overlooks a 40 feet tall structure and this war memorial is dedicated to the brave soldiers of the country who laid down their lives here in Tawang in the Indo-China war of 1962. This war memorial in Tawang, overlooks a beautiful valley and the snow clad mountains of the Himalayas.
Another grand destination to explore in Tawang is that of the Gorichen Peak that is basically situated in between Tawang and Kameng districts of Arunachal Pradesh and this is indeed a spectacular sight to behold. The Gorichen peak is located at an altitude of 22,500 feet and it is just about 164km from Tawang. The Gorichen peak is an ideal tourist spot for all the nature lovers who come to trek to reach the summit here and also the local people of Tawang consider the Gorichen peak to be sacred and they believe that this area here protects them from any evil. The famous PT Tso lake is another spectacular sight to witness here on the way to the Bumla Pass from Tawang. The lake is located around 25km away from Tawang and it is located in a very picturesque surrounding as well. The lake is a very popular tourist spot near Tawang and one can get to admire the vast surroundings of the place as well. On the way you will travel to the Bumla Pass near Tawang that is one of the most famed spots for tourists who come to Tawang and this is the strategic border of India and China. The Bumla Pass near Tawang is a must visit place and local vehicles are available for hire from Tawang to take you to the Bumla Pass along with the permission from the DC office at Tawang.
Tawang is a very popular tourist place in the tourist circuit of Northeast India and this place attracts thousands of tourists here during the peak season and the main reason being the place so popular is the presence of beautiful and captivating sightseeing places. Tawang has a lot of scenic places that are blessed with natural wonders and these include the Gorichen Peak, Madhuri Lake, Sela Pass, Nuranang Falls, etc. The Tawang Monastery that is basically a 400 year old Monastery located in the heart of Tawang town is the largest Buddhist Monastery in India and it is known to attract thousands of tourists to the place every year. The Monpa people of Tawang are known to be having a rich and traditional heritage and a visit to Tawang will allow guests to look at the traditions of these people and also at the same time, the Tawang Monastery is a prominent pilgrimage center among the locals. Tawang can be visited all around the year and guests who prefer to enjoy the snowfall can visit the place in the winter season and get to admire the vast carpet of snow that spreads across the Sela Pass and also the towering eastern Himalayas as well. But be advised that the winters across Tawang is very freezing cold and so you must ensure to bring adequate warm clothes along with you.
The word Tawang is derived from a local Monpa word that is basically comprised of two words ‘Ta’ and ‘Wang’ while Ta means a horse, Wang means a green pasture land. It is believed that in the 17th century, Mera Lama has spotted a beautiful horse in the valley and s he was intrigued by the beauty of the horse and he had tried to catch the horse but the animal suddenly disappeared and even thought the person kept looking for the horse he couldn’t find it and instead he landed up in a serene spot and he built a monastery at the place. Later on the place that developed around this monastery came to be called as Tawang. To reach Tawang there are various options for guests who come to explore Northeast India and Tawang is located at around 450km from the Guwahati airport and you can hire the services of a cab to go to Tawang or in case you are short on time then you can hire the services of the Pawan Hans helicopter to travel to Tawang from Guwahati and vice versa. Alternately you can come to the Lilabari airport and travel to Tawang as well. The roadway connecting Tawang to Assam starts from Guwahati and also from Tezpur as well. You can hire the private cabs from Guwahati to Tawang or in case you want shared taxis then Tata Sumo vehicles are available from Tezpur to Tawang and vice versa.
Alternately if you want to explore Tawang via train then you can come to the Rangapara railway station near Tezpur and here you can hire a taxi and travel to Tawang that is just around 383km away. Tawang is the best place in Northeast India to witness snowfall and as the place enjoys an alpine weather so the summers here are short and mild while the winter season gets quite cold. The best time to witness snowfall in Tawang is during the season of December and January. Tawang can be visited from Guwahati on a Northeast India trip while apart from the surreal beauty of the Tawang area guests can also have the opportunity to explore the famed Kaziranga National Park that is a UNESCO World Heritage site famed for its population of the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros. To plan your visit to Tawang you will need to have a valid ILP to cross over to Arunachal Pradesh as this is a protected state and to obtain the ILP you can get it online or you can ask your tour operator to arrange the ILP for you. Any visitor who comes to Arunachal Pradesh need to have a valid ILP that is issued by the Govt. or else they will not be allowed to enter the state or else they need to have a valid work permit.
The culture of Tawang is highly influenced by the Tibetan and Buddhist way of life and the place also has a number of Buddhist Monasteries called as Gompa that makes the entire atmosphere of the place around Tawang very serene, peaceful and filled with a soulful ambiance. The three of the major festivals celebrated by the local Monpa people of Tawang are the Torgya, Losar and the Choekhar harvest festival. These festivals are marked with grand celebrations here in Tawang that are celebrated with great pomp, vigour, song and dance. Tawang is depended much on tourism as an economy and apart from tourism the local people of Tawang are also engaged in shifting and permanent cultivation as well. The staple diet of the local Monpa people of Tawang is the Zam that is basically a flat bread that is served with meat or vegetables and other popular dishes that are prepared by the local people of Tawang are Gyapa Khazi, Thukpa and Momo that clearly indicates the influence of Tibet in the culture and food habits of the local people of Tawang. The Bumla Pass near Tawang had served as a very important trade route between India and Tibet and so the people of Tibet who came to Tawang had brought the culture along with them to the place.
The Monpa people of Tawang are very skilled people and they have adopted well to the cold surroundings of Tawang and they practice a lot of crafts that are in great demand in the World market and these include wood carvings, carpet weaving, Thangla paintings, etc. The Buddhist monks of Tawang are known to make very beautiful wooden bowls and bamboo products as well. Tawang has an influence of Buddhism since ages and the region of Tawang forms the western part of the state of Arunachal Pradesh. Tawang is a beautiful land that is filled with abundance views, plentiful fruits and flowers, tall mountains, rivers, and offcourse the humble people who are known for their simplicity. The history of Tawang dates back to several thousand years back when the region was once inhabited by the rulers of the Monyul Kingdom who ruled over the region of Tawang for several years upto the 6th century. The Monpa people who were under this kingdom has adopted the practices of Buddhism and once the Tawang Monastery was built as per the wishes of the holy Dalai Lama, the people of Tawang started following the Mahayana sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The practices of Buddhism had become very prevalent among the Monpa people of Tawang and this evident when you travel across the place and get to see the various gompas and monasteries across Tawang.
The region of Tawang has thrived and shined gloriously since the Tibetan influence had gained significant contribution towards the place and this has allowed the place to have a great influence on the thriving practices. Apart from the Monpa people, the Aku and Serdukpen people who reside in the western most part of Arunachal Pradesh have found a culture that has allowed to integrate Buddhism with the pre-Buddhist and the animistic element of faith. Apart from Tawang where the Monpa people live, you can be introduced to the Bon Buddhist practices where you travel to the Thembang village. At Thembang near Tawang, you will come across to participate in the village life of the Monpa people and get introduced to the Bon-Buddhist culture. Get to enjoy the life and culture of the local Monpa people of Tawang and Thembang village by taking the opportunity to stay at one of their homestays and explore the beautiful natural places around Thembang. Tawang can be easily described as a place that is cultural and commercial hub in the remote region. There are various Monasteries and Gompas around Tawang region and one prominent one is the 15th century Urgelling Monastery.
The Anni Gompa near Tawang is belived to be one of the oldest nunnery that is spread across a vast area and at the several quarters that are known to be having many Buddhist Nuns who reside at the Anni Gompa in Tawang. The Khinmong Monastery near Tawang is the only major shrine of the Nyingmapa sect of the Tawang region and also the grand Tawang Monastery is a must visit for any traveller coming to Tawang as well. From Tawang you will later move on to explore the border roads and the geography here opens up to the spectacular high altitude pass and also the wetlands as well. The travellers and tourists from India who come to Tawang can travel further to the Bumla Pass that is the border of India and China and also the beauty of the Madhuri Lake and the Pt Tso lake. The Foreign travellers can have the opportunity to go to visit Bhutan and Zemithang village to see the traditional lifestyle of the people living across these secluded facilities and also you will have the opportunity to visit the Gorsam Stupa that is a very sacred pilgrimage site as well.
Travelling to Tawang is surely a very good idea to spend a vacation and as the saying goes that not all good things come easy and so is the case with Tawang as well. Being located in the remote eastern part of the country the journey to Tawang in itself is surely a lifetime experience that makes the thrill of a lifetime and in case you are in a hurry to travel to Tawang and also do not want to take the road, then you can surely try the mode of airways and this is the helicopter service that takes guests from Guwahati to Tawang. The helicopter service is available from Guwahati to Tawang and vice versa and this operates on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and this is a comfortable way to reach Tawang from Guwahati. But one has to be advised that the seating capacity of these helicopters are less around 10-12 seats and so one has to pre-book their tickets by calling the counter at the Guwahati airport. The journey to Tawang from Guwahati takes around 55 minutes and later on the local taxi to explore the area around Tawang can be arranged by the local hotels and tour operators. In case you do not want to travel to Tawang by helicopter and would want to enjoy a drive to Tawang.
The road journey from Guwahati to Tawang is a distance of around 543km and the journey is quite long and it takes almost around 14-16 hours depending on the weather conditions. This long distance of the journey makes it absolutely necessary for the guests to break down their journey from Guwahati to Tawang. There are various options to halt on the way and in case you are arriving at the airport at Guwahati in the afternoon then it is advised that you drive to the area near Tezpur or Bhalukpong and make a halt here or you can make your stay at Guwahati itself. The next day you can choose to travel to either Bomdila or Dirang that is located mid way on the drive to Guwahati from Tawang and here there are a few nice hotels at the place where guests can make a halt. A halt at either Bomdila or Dirang on your journey to Tawang is a perfect way for guests to halt and get used to the climate across the place as these are the places that are located at high altitudes and the oxygen level is low across the place and so it is better to get used to climate at slightly lower elevation like at Bomdila or Dirang and later on travel to the high altitudes at Tawang.
The same can be done on your visit back from Tawang to Guwahati as well where in you will come from Tawang to the Dirang or Bomdila area and you can make a halt at the place and later on you can continue on your drive to Guwahati where you can catch a flight to your onward destination. One thing noteworthy to be said or mentioned is that if you are planning to visit Tawang in the month of October to May then you must surely not miss out on the opportunity to explore Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Kaziranga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is known for the highest population of the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros and also the big 5 species as well and Kaziranga National Park is no doubt the most favored tourism destination in Northeast India. So in case you are on the way back from Bomdila or Dirang to Guwahati you can plan to make a stop at Kaziranga National Park and have the opportunity to go for your jungle safari rides inside the interiors of the park to spot the famed One Horned Rhino species and get to pamper yourself with a stay at one of the very luxurious resorts and hotels that are present across the park area and enjoy a luxurious stay at these places. A visit to the Kaziranga National Park should not be missed and once you witness the snowfall at Tawang and get thrilled ensure to enjoy the adventures of the wildlife safari at Kaziranga National Park as well.
The history of the Tawang region holds a specific importance among the Monpa community and this beautiful land of the Monpas called as Tawang is located in the western part of Arunachal Pradesh and it shares its boundary with China and Bhutan. Tawang is situated at a height of about 3500m above MSL and it is nestled amidst the mountain terrain of the towering Eastern Himalayas. Tawang is a district in Arunachal Pradesh and the area of the district is said to be approximately around 2172 sq. km. and the Sela Pass separates Tawang district from the West Kameng district. Tawang attracts thousands of visitors every year who come to the place to witness the magical views of the mountains, the vast remote hamlets, prominent lakes, the pleasant climate and the friendly and hospitable people who welcome guests with open arms. At Tawang, any visitor can be rest assured that he is sure to find a heavenly tryst with nature and at the same time get to witness the ancient history, the practices of Buddhism and the glorious legends that are associated with the place as well. As per the legends that are associated with the name of the place as Tawang, the name Tawang is said to have been derived from the Grandeur of the Tawang Monastery that is perched on the edge of a ridge on the western part of Tawang township. Ta means horse and wang means chosen and as per a legend, the site of the present monastery is said to have been believed to be chosen by a horse that was owned by Mera Lama who is said to have been looking out for a place to build a nice monastery but he was not being able to find an appropriate place or site. As the case of being unable to find an appropriate site to build a monastery has taken him aback, so he decided to sit and meditate in the divine reading and so he sat down in prayer to realize that once he opened his eyes after prayers, he found that his horse had gone missing and as he went in search of his horse, he reached on top of the hill and as this hill once was the palace of King Kala Wangpo and the person thought this to be a good omen and he found out that this place would be ideal to build the monastery and so he asked the help of the local people and he went on to establish that monastery here that was founded in late 1681 and it came to be known as the Tawang Monastery.
Another history that is associated with the name of the place being as Tawang because it is said that the great treasure revealer Terton Pemdingpa gave instructions such as Temidin and Ka Gyad and hence the place came to be known as Tawang where in Ta is an abbreviation of Tamdin and Wang means as initiation. The Monpa people of Tawang are considered to very hard working people and even after braving freezing temperatures they are able to thrive when it comes to the economy of Tawang. The traditional economy of the Monpa people of Tawang is dependant on agriculture, animal husbandry, trade and commerce. Across the past decade tourism has played an important role in the contribution towards the economy of Tawang and today there are many hotels, resorts and homestays that welcome guests and these in turn provide employment to the local youth of Tawang. Many people of Tawang are very expert in spinning and weaving of garments as well as carpet that is mostly performed by the women folks. The wood carvings and paintings are a profession of the male folks of Tawang who also work in the government departments and private construction to earn a livelihood as well. Agriculture still plays a very important role in the economy of the Tawang region as well.
The art and culture scene of Tawang is very vibrant and guests love to enjoy the performances that are done by the local people and are performed uniquely during the festival of Losar that is celebrated across Tawang Monastery in the month of February. Losar is the Tibetan New Year that is celebrated with great pomp and vigour by the people of Tawang and many traditional dance performances are displayed by the local Monpa people of Tawang. One dance form that is practiced by the local folks of Tawang is that of the Yak Dance. This Yak Dance is beautifully depicted by the performers and the beauty and grandeur of this Yak Dance holds a great significance showing that is essential for every youth to understand across the Tawang region. The Yak Dance is in fact the story of 3 brothers who eventually gave rise to the introduction of the Yak Dance to pacify the emotions of one of the brothers and this is showcased in the form of a dance. This unique Yak dance form is accredited to having won the best tableau award in the Republic Day parade of 2017. Another popular dance form practiced in the Tawang region is that of the Aji Lhamu dance that is a very prominent dance form that is practiced by the Monpa people of Tawang.
The Monpa people are the dominant majority of the Tawang area and even the present CM of Arunachal Pradesh (Pema Khandu) hails from the Monpa community of Tawang. The Monpa people have a rich culture and this is shown in their varied dance forms and one among these is the Aji Lhamu dance form that is the basically the version of the Ramayana of Tibet. This typical dance form is performed especially during the Losar festival at the Tawang monastery and there are five important characters in this dance drama form. The principal character is that of Nyapa and Nyao in the evil character in the play. Ihamu and Lhumu are the two female characters in the play and another prominent character in the Gyali. It is believed that these characters have a mythological origin and Lhamu is basically a fairy from heaven who came down to earth to become the queen of Gyali. In this dance form of the Monpa people of Tawang, this dance form portrays the grand ceremony of the wedding of the King Chhoegy Norzay and Lhamu. In case you are visiting Tawang in the month of February then you must take the opportunity to visit the Tawang Monastery and get to witness the grand celebration of the Losar Festival that is held here and this allows you to enjoy the vast culture and traditions of the Monpa people of Tawang as well.
Another prominent dance form of the Monpa people of Tawang is that of the Snow Lion dance and this form of dance that is found in the areas around Tibet is called as the Snow Lion Dance or the Senggeh Garcham. The name Senge and its related dance forms come from the Sanskrit name Sintia or Gorcham and this is one of the very nice dance forms of the Buddist ritual dance. This Snow Lion dance is performed as a secular dance or a ritual dance that is performed by the Bon Po monks of the Monpa community of Tawang and this is a very vibrant dance form as well. Another dance form is that of the Monostic dance that is a religious dance and it forms an integral part of the rituals of the Monpa community of Tawang. This is a festival that is celebrated during the Torgya festival and this dance is performed with great sanctity and spiritual quest and this dance form is performed by the selected monks of the Tawang Monastery as a part of the rituals of the Torgya festival that continue for 3 days. This is also called as the Chamu and a traditional outfit is worn among the dancers along with a special mask that is worn as well.
These traditional masks that are worn by the Monpa people of Tawang are carved out of wood and these are basically painted as well and these masks are often the size double of the face size. The costumes that are adorned by the performers are made of broach and silk and the outfit of the dancer represents a deity and this entire dance performance appears to be very heavenly. Few of the dancers who perform this monastic dance wear a circular breast plate called as the Melong and this personifies the dance much more and the dancers carry various ritualistic weapons as well.
In the olden days upto October 1984, Tawang was a sub-division of the West Kameng district and this district of Tawang is situated in the westernmost part of Arunachal Pradesh. The area of the Tawang district is approximately 2172 sq. km. and it is bounded by the country of Tibet to the north, Bhutan to the south west and the Sela mountain pass separates Tawang district from the West Kameng district in the east. As per history, it is believed that the name Tawang is derived from the grandeur of the Tawang Monastery and this beautiful monastery is perched atop a ridge that is present at the western pat of the Tawang township. Also it is said that the name Tawang was suggested by his holiness Mera lama and ‘Ta’ means Horse and ‘Wang’ means the chosen one. As per the legend associated with the people of Tawang, it is believed that the site of this Monastery is said to have been chosen by a horse owned by Mera Lama Lodre Gyatse. As his holiness Mera Lama was in search for a suitable and ideal place to build a monastery, though he was unable to search a proper site, he decided to sit for prayer and meditation with his eyes closed and as he opened his eyes after meditation he was unable to find his horse and so he set out to find his horse and he reached a divine place that was once the palace of a local King and he found it to be a good omen and so he asked help from the local people of this area in Tawang and he went on to build the Tawang Monastery in the 17th century. The first administrative centre at Tawang was setup in the year 1951 by the Govt of India and in 1984, Tawang became a full fledged district that was carved out from the West Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh.
At present Tawang district is divided into 3 sub divisions namely Tawang, Lumla and Jang and this Tawang district is comprised of 10 administrative centres. The Deputy Commissioner of Tawang is responsible for the overall administrative setup and to maintain law and order across the district as well. Tawang district is comprised of continuous chains of hills and mountains and the altitude of the place varies from 3500 to approx. 22500 feet above MSL and this allows Tawang to have a blessed climate across the year apart from the winter season when the weather reaches freezing temperatures.
The highest mountain peak of the Tawang region is called as ‘Gomichen’ and it is having a height of approximately 22500 feet above MSL. Another noteworthy mountain peak is that of Chongchongma that is at a height of 14000 feet approx. and it is located at the border of the Tawang district. Another beautiful mountain range is that of the lofty Goshila that consists of the vast mountains and this remains covered with snow around the year. Near Tawang, the high hills and mountains remain snow covered across the winter season and this is one reason that no habitation exists across the place. There are two major rivers across the Tawang district namely the Tawang Chu and the Nymjang Chu. Across Tawang a wide variety of tree species, blue pines and orchid species grow in the natural splendor and this is also it the friendly company of various other rare herbal and medicinal plants as well. When it comes to the animals and birds across the high altitudes of Tawang the species to be found are that of snow leopard, musk deer, barking deer, bear and the various high altitude birds. The primary inhabitants of the Tawang district are the Monpa people and they have a well built and fair complexion. The Monpa people of Tawang are very friendly, courteous, nice and gentle and they are extremely hospitable people and no wonder the visitors who come to Tawang are charmed by their hospitality.
A typical Monpa village around Tawang is characterized by the presence of a Gompa (village monastery) that is generally built atop a hill and this Gompa at Tawang is surrounded by the number of prayer flags, stone shrines and stupa shaped structure called as the Chortem and the Monpa houses are built in double or triple stories that are built with stone and timber. Each Monpa house in Tawang district has a family worship place that has a statue of Lord Buddha. The Tawang Monastery is a very sacred site for the Monpa people of Tawanf and it holds a special place in the socio religious life of the Monpa people of Tawang. As the Monpa people are primarily Buddhists by religion so their religious beliefs and practices are centered around the Tawang Monastery. In the Monpa family, it is said that in a family of 3 sons, the second son is to join the Tawang Monastery and the other sons are to make some contribution or another in the form of grains, butter or firewood, etc. Fairs and festivals are an integral part of the Monpa people of Tawang and many of these festivals are associated with agriculture and religion. The most prominent festivals of Tawang area are the Losar, Torgya, Choekor, Drukpa, etc. The Losar and Torgya festivals are the most prominent ones celebrated at the Tawang Monastery.
If you are an adventure freak, then Tawang is one of the most ideal places to visit. With cycling and motorcycle expeditions being conducted regularly by customized tour operators across the region, you are sure to enjoy the thrill of a lifetime here at Tawang and get to explore the varied places of interest here across Tawang. The motorcycle tour to Tawang starts at Guwahati and you will join a group of like minded persons who will take you on an adventure journey like none other to Tawang. On this bike tour of Tawang, you will get to witness the vast natural beauty of the Shonga Tser lake and the Ponga Tseng Tso Lake. Get to witness the Tawang monastery that is the largest Buddhist Monastery in India and also the birth place of the 6th Dalai Lama. Get the opportunity to view the breath taking Sela Pass on the way to Tawang that remains covered with snow most parts of the year. Also get to ride across one of the best and adventurous roads that takes you across the isolated villages and get time to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of a busy city life and indulge in peaceful living with the local people of the areas across Tawang. On this bike tour of Tawang, you will start at Guwahati and travel across the beautiful landscapes of Assam where you will get to enjoy the sight of the beautiful tea gardens of Assam and get to visit the pride of Assam viz. Kaziranga National Park – home of the One Horned Rhinoceros and continue further towards the elevation where you can get to visit Tawang crossing Bhalukpong, Dirang and Bomdila.
The various accompaniments will be arranged for you where you will get to stay in homestays and hotels to learn about the life of the local people of the Tawang region. A backup vehicle with mechanic, oxygen cylinders, first aid kit will accompany you on this bike tour of Tawang and the group will be led by an expert ride captain. All meals are to be included on this bike ride to Tawang and the bikes are well maintained and conditioned so that you do not have to face any glitches on your way to Tawang. On this bike tour of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, you will get to see the best of Northeast India and also you will see many places like Tippi Orchid Center, the Sela Pass, Tawang Monastery, Bomdila, Madhuri Lake, Pt Tso Lake, Bumla Pass and the Jaswantgarh War memorial. Also get to visit the beautiful Sela Pass and the Bumla Pass and get to witness the Tawang Monastery and ride to Shonga Tser that is a lake filled with the thrill and war bunkers of the Chinese Aggression of 1962.
On this bike tour of Tawang, your arrival will be at Guwahati and you will be welcomed at the Guwahati airport and your journey to Tawang will start from this place itself. As by the time you will arrive at Guwahati it will be a long day and so we will not plan on a long drive today and instead the bike ride will start from Guwahati to the Nameri area that is a short 3 hour drive from Guwahati. Arrive at Nameri National Park and you will go to check at the Camp Lalimou in Nameri that is a beautiful Eco camo to halt. Enjoy your evening at Nameri before you continue on your journey to Tawang and next up you will travel to Dirang from Nameri that is a beautiful place to halt and the bike ride from Nameri to Dirang on the way to Tawang is across a beautiful surrounding that will be a very thrilling and adventurous ride and journey. The next morning start on your bike ride to Tawang and you will have your breakfast at the camp and later continue to Bhalukpong and further to Dirang. On the way your ILP will be verified and also take the opportunity to visit the Tippi Orchid center that is known to house several rare and endangered species of orchids at the place.
Also visit the Nag temple on this bike ride itinerary across Tawang and you will reach at Dirang where you can get to check into your hotel and if time permits you can take the opportunity to visit the Kiwi and apple farms at Dirang. Reach at your hotel at Dirang followed by night halt. The next morning you will start on your bike ride to Tawang from Dirang that is an equally adventurous bike ride and you will cross the freezing Sela Pass and get to capture amazing pictures here. At Dirang you will have your breakfast and then proceed on your drive to the Sela Pass and Sela Lake and you will go to visit the Jaswanthgarh war memorial. Later you will visit Nuranang falls and check into your hotel in the evening at Tawang. The overnight stay will be at Tawang. The next morning will be your Tawang Monastery exploration and you will enjoy your breakfast and go to the place with the bikes and later in the day you will visit the Urgelling Gompa and also later the war memorial at Tawang. Visit the craft center at Tawang that displays beautiful masks, hand woven carpets, jewellery, etc. and the evening will be at leisure.
Continuing further on this bike ride to Tawang, you will have an early morning breakfast and later in the day you will continue to visit on your bikes a high altitude lake that is called as the Shong-Tser Lake. Later on you will proceed to visit the Sangestar Lake near Tawang that is a place that is known to have the various bunkers of the war aggression of the Chinese army of 1962. This place has a mini restaurant that is known to serve momos and maggi at the place and also get to sip nice hot coffee at the place as well. Later on you will take a local taxi to drive to the Bumla Pass that is situated 37km away from Tawang. The Bumla Pass near Tawang is the border of India and China and this is where the forces of the Indian Army are deployed and guests can get to witness the border and over see the Chinese soldiers at their bunkers all standing guard to protect each others land. During your return, you can get to visit the Pang Gong lake that is a very beautiful place to witness. Later in the afternoon, you will drive back to your hotel in Tawang and this will be an adventurous motorbike ride as well. Relax at the hotel in the evening and the overnight stay will be at your hotel in Tawang.
The next morning you will prepare to leave Tawang to travel to Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh that is known to be another popular mid way halt from Tawang to Guwahati and the place is also known to have beautiful local markets and the beautiful monasteries. Have a sumptuous breakfast at your hotel in Tawang and later prepare your bike to begin on your drive to Bomdila. Ride all the way crossing the Sela Pass to reach Bomdila and upon arrival you will get to check into your hotel in Bomdila. After the lunch you will go to visit the Upper Gompa and the Lower Gompa at Bomdila. In the late afternoon at Bomdila on this bike ride of Tawang you will get to explore the local market and the overnight stay will be at your hotel in Bomdila. The next morning continuing further on the last leg of this bike ride of Tawang you will have a healthy breakfast in the morning at the hotel in Bomdila and later you can check out of the hotel to ride to Tezpur in Assam. On the way you will cross the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh at Bhalukpong and you will come to Tezpur to check into your hotel here and the evening at Tezpur will be at leisure when you explore the market and later you will return back to your hotel.
The next day is your drive from Tezpur to Kaziranga National Park and this is a ride across the perfect plains of Assam where you can get to witness the lush green tea gardens of Assam. On the way you will go to the Koliabor area and later take a left diversion to travel to Jakhlabandha and further to Kaziranga National Park in Assam. The ride is filled with the views of the lush green tea gardens of Assam and the tall mountains of Karbi Anglong. You will leave Jakhlabandha to travel towards the Burapahar area and you will be welcomed by the signages that welcome you to Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Please be advised that this is an animal territory and the National Highway passes across the animal corridor and so you are advised to drive slowly and cautiously on your bikes while travelling across Kaziranga National Park on this bike ride of Tawang. You will cross the Burapahar area at Kaziranga National Park and continue further on your drive to the Bagori area. You will reach a view point area and here you can have the perfect opportunity to witness the first hand the pride of Kaziranga National Park viz. the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros species of Assam. Along with the One Horned Rhinoceros, one can also get to witness the Asiatic Wild water buffalo, Hog deers, swamp deers and the various other species of birds at this viewpoint as well.
From the view point continuing on this bike ride of Tawang you will go to explore the forest reserves of Kaziranga National Park the following day and today will be the day when you go to check in to your beautiful eco camp at Kaziranga National Park. Take your bikes and drive to the area of Kaziranga National Park at the central range of Kohora and you will go to the eco camp where you will check in and the evening will be at leisure at the eco camp. The next morning continue on the bike tour of Tawang and you will go to enjoy the jungle safari rids at Kaziranga National Park. In the early morning, you will get your bikes ready and go to visit the Western safari range of Bagori where the elephant rides at Kaziranga National Park are conducted and you will park your bikes at the parking area and you will be taken to the elephant safari counter by a local representative who will allow the guests to have a wonderful elephant back ride at the western safari zone of Kaziranga National Park. These elephant back rides is one of the best way to explore the forest reserves of Kaziranga National Park and one gets to witness the animals at the park. Post your elephant safari ride you can come back to the eco camp to have a nice breakfast and later on the jeep vehicles will come to pick you up for a thrilling jeep safari ride inside the forest reserves of Kaziranga National Park.
The jeep safari ride will be scheduled for you at the central range of Kaziranga National Park and you will quickly have your breakfast and you will travel to the area outside the eco camp where the jeep vehicles will pick you up and you will start on your safari ride to the central zone of the Kaziranga National Park. This is one of the most popular zones for safari as the place is in close proximity to the prominent hotels, homestays and the resorts of Kaziranga National Park and so the guests prefer to go for their safari rides at this zone itself. We will proceed on the jeep vehicles to the entry zone and this time we will not be carrying our bikes and we will go to explore the forests of Kaziranga National Park on this bike tour of Tawang. After coming back from Tawang, the weather across Assam will be very favorable as this is the time when the winter season kicks in and the weather is not very cold and not very hot at the same time and it is an ideal time to explore the forests of Kaziranga National Park. We will all enjoy the weather and in sometime we will reach the jeep safari counter at the central range of Kaziranga National Park.
We will go for our passes and then we further proceed inside the central zone of and this is where we will spot the many animals of Kaziranga National Park like the One Horned Rhinoceros, Indian Elephants, Bengal Tigers, Asiatic Wild Water Buffaloes and the various bird species of Kaziranga National Park. The jeep ride inside the central zone of Kaziranga National Park will last for about 2 hours on this bike tour of Tawang and soon we will come out of the forest reserves of Kaziranga National Park and the jeep vehicles will drop us back at our eco camp. The afternoon will be at leisure and we will have a sumptuous lunch at the eco camp and later in the afternoon we will take our bikes and we will set out to explore the Kaziranga Orchid Park – the largest Orchid park in India. It is a short drive away from the eco camp to the Kaziranga Orchid Park and we will reach the entrance of the Kaziranga Orchid Park where we will park our vehicles and get our entry tickets and set out to explore the largest orchid park in India on this bike tour of Tawang. We will at first go to explore the green house area at the Kaziranga Orchid Park that houses the various orchid species here.
Explore the orchid garden, the section of handicrafts and handlooms, the rice museum, the souvenir shop, the orchid photo gallery and also get to witness the various folk dance performances of Assam at the open stage area and post this we will start our bikes and travel back to the camp at Kaziranga National Park on this bike tour of Tawang. Dinner and overnight stay will be arranged at the eco camp itself. The next morning you will start your bikes and check out of the facility and we will start on our drive from Kaziranga National Park to Guwahati that will take about 5 hours to reach your hotel at Guwahati. After a long drive you will relax at the hotel and the bikes will be collected and examined and handed over. The next day is your day of exploration around Guwahati and you will be free to plan as per your requirement as there are Ola and Uber services available at Guwahati where you can hire the services of these cabs and explore the prominent tourist places of tourist interest at Guwahati at the Assam State museum, Umananda Island, Kamakhya temple and later you can travel to the airport to catch your flight to the onward destination. With this your bike tour of Tawang ends and you will leave Assam with a bouquet of memories and also the scenes of the snow clad mountains of Tawang that will remain in your heart and mind forever.
Exploring Tawang with your family is another of the very nice vacation experiences and you can go to explore Tawang from Guwahati and we have a perfectly crafted itinerary for you to explore Tawang and the places of interest that are on the way to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. This family itinerary to explore Tawang and Arunachal Pradesh is one of the best ways to enjoy a family vacation in Northeast India and Arunachal Pradesh is known to be a state that is blessed with unmatched natural beauty. The state is bordered with Assam and also shares the International border with China, Tibet and Bhutan as well and the amazing thrill to explore Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is a must for all the nature lovers. Across this itinerary for a family getaway to Tawang, you will have the opportunity to explore the various places of interest like Guwahati, Bhalukpong, Dirang, Bomdila, Sela Pass, Jaswanthgarh, Tawang, Bumla Pass, etc. and you will return back from Tawang to Guwahati carrying a bouquet of memories of your visit to Tawang and Arunachal Pradesh. In this itinerary of the damily getaway to Tawang you will start with your arrival at the Guwahati airport and here you will be greeted and welcomed by our local representative who will offer you a warm welcome and assist you to board your comfortable vehicles and you will proceed on your drive to the area of Bhalukpong. Bhalukpong is located at the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and this is a renowned picnic spot among the locals and the River Kameng flows across the place and get the opportunity to explore the local market at Bhalukpong as well. The next morning is your day of exploration of Dirang and you will board your comfortable vehicles to drive to Dirang from Bhalukpong. On the way to Dirang you will get to visit the Tippi Orchard center that is known to house about 500 orchid species. Also visit the Nag temple at Dirang and the Dirang Monastery and the various farms of apples and kiwis at Dirang.
The overnight stay for our guests will be arranged at Dirang at a very nice hotel called as Pemaling. The next morning you will leave Dirang to travel to Tawang that is located at around 130km away and the beautiful morning and the snow clad mountains will leave you astonished here at Dirang. On the way you will cross the Sela Pass that is a high altitude pass that remains covered with snow across the year and the sighting across the place is absolutely stunning. Cross the Sela Pass to reach Jaswantgarh and here you will get the opportunity to explore Jaswathgarh war memorial. Visit the Nuranang falls on the way to Tawang and arrive at Tawang to check into your hotel here.
Today is the day of local sightseeing across Tawang and post a nice breakfast at your hotel you will set out to explore the various sightseeing destinations across Tawang. You will travel to the Tawang Monastery that is the largest Buddhist Monastery in India and it is also the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama. After exploring the Tawang Monastery, you will go to visit the Urgelling Gompa that is one of the very nice places to explore and later you will also go to visit the Tawang War memorial that pays a tribute to the brave soldiers of the Army who had put up a strong resistance against the Chinese Army in 1962. Enjoy an ethnic lunch of the Monpa people of Tawang at the market area and post lunch you will go to visit the Tawang local market where you will get to spot the craft center that sells beautiful masks, hand woven carpets, jewellery, etc. The evening will be at relaxation and the overnight stay will be arranged at Tawang itself. The next morning you will set out to explore more of the high altitude places around Tawang and post breakfast you will board the local taxi vehicles and begin on your drive to the Bumla Pass near Tawang.
On the way to the Bumla Pass you will have the opportunity to explore the beautiful Madhuri Lake that is a beautiful lake named after the Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit and take time here to enjoy momos and maggi and later you will continue your drive to the Bumla Pass that is located about 37km away from Tawang. Enjoy the sighting of the border of India and China at the Bumla Pass and later in the day when you return to Tawang you can have the opportunity to visit the Pt Tso lake. Drive back to the hotel in Tawang and the overnight stay will be at the hotel in Tawang and the evening will be at leisure for family time. The next morning you will travel from Tawang to Bomdila and you will have your breakfast at Tawang and later travel to Bomdila. Arrive at Bomdila and in the evening you will go to visit the Upper Gompa and the Lower Gompa at Bomdila and at the same time you can go to the explore the Bomdila local market. The overnight stay will be at Bomdila and the next day you will return on your journey back to Guwahati where you will do some local sightseeing and later the following day you will be dropped at the airport for your flight to your onward destination thus ending this family vacation at Tawang.
After having tea at the place our guests went to board the Toyota Innova vehicles and they started on their drive towards Tawang after crossing the Sela Pass and they drove towards Tawang and on the way they crossed the Nuranang Falls that is also called as the Jung Falls and it is a very beautiful waterfall to witness here and they explored the view here and later on they arrived at Tawang and the Toyota Innova taxi drivers took our guests to the Tawang Guest House that is one of the very nice places to halt for guests here at Tawang and our guest’s stay was booked here much priorly and they went in to check into their room and the rooms were allotted to our guests and it was a very nice place to stay as well. The Toyota Innova taxi driver was offered a stay at the guest house itself and so everyone checked in and they sat down to spend their time in relaxation after a long drive from Tawang to Dirang. The view across the guest house overlooks the beautiful town of Tawang and our guests took some time to freshen up and they came out to enjoy the view of Tawang. As the guest had travelled in the month of Apri so the weather at Tawang was not freezing and the guests loved the climate even though they had to wear thick warm clothes and at the same time the view was absolutely gorgeous.
At a point on the porch are one could see the huge statue of Lord Buddha that is a signature to view here at Tawang and guests who come to Tawang get the perfect opportunity to view the statue here. Dinner preparation was being done at the guest house itself and our guests spent sometime by the bonfire and the dinner was served to them and the Toyota Innova driver was served his food at the dorm itself. The next morning was the day of sightseeing across Tawang and our guests got ready and the boarded the Toyota Innova vehicles to begin on their drive post breakfast and they set out to explore the Tawang Monastery that is the largest Buddhist Monastery in India. The grandeur of this monastery is one of the top tourist attractions across Tawang and visitors from all across the World come to view this Monastery here in Tawang. Our Toyota Innova taxi driver took our guests to the Monastery and they set out to explore the beautiful Monastery.
In another itinerary of exploration across Tawang, get the opportunity to explore the vast unadulterated landscapes of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and you will get to visit Bhalukpong, Dirang, Bomdila, Nameri National Park and Guwahati. This is an itinerary that is spread across 8 days and 7 nights and you get to explore the vast and serene atmosphere of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh where Assam is known for its vast tea gardens and the dense forests that is home to various rare species of flora, fauna and avifauna. Arunachal Pradesh on the other hand is known for it vast unadultered landscapes that has a charm of unmatched beauty and hospitality. On this tour of Tawang you will get to witness the Kiwi and apple farms at Dirang and across Assam you will get to explore the vast tea gardens, the flora and fauna of Nameri National Park that is a Tiger Reserve and Elephant Reserve and at Tawang you will get to explore the vast grandeur of the Tawang Monastery and visit the local market that illustrates the variety of handicrafts and handlooms. On your day of arrival at the Guwahati airport you will be welcomed by a local representative who will offer you a warm welcome in traditional style and you will board your comfortable vehicles to begin on your drive to Bhalukpong that is the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Travel across the countryside of Assam to reach Bhalukpong and at Bhalukpong you will go to check into your hotel at Bhalukpong.
On this tour of Tawang, the first night of halt at Bhalukpong is a nice way to break up your travel and you will get to explore the local market at Bhalukpong that is known to be a place that is known to showcase several local made items of handicrafts and handlooms. The next morning you will begin on your drive from Bhalukpong to Dirang. The breakfast will be served to you at the hotel and you will leave to Dirang on your comfortable vehicles on this journey to Tawang. On the way you will visit the Tippi Orchid center and also visit the Nag temple and you will transfer to Dirang. Along the way to Dirang have the opportunity to spot grand waterfalls and also get to witness spectacular views on the way. Arrive at Dirang and go to check into your hotel and the overnight stay will be at Dirang. The next day is your day of journey to Tawang from Dirang and you will have a nice breakfast at Dirang and proceed on your drive to Tawang. On the way to Tawang get to explore the Sela Pass and Jaswantgarh war memorial and also visit the Nuranang Falls as well. Arrive at Tawang and get to check into your hotel and the evening will be free at leisure followed by an overnight stay at your hotel in Tawang.
The Tawang Monastery is an absolute grand feature monument that overlooks the beautiful valley of Tawang and this is one of the prime attractions of Tawang town that draws visitors from all around the globe. At present, the Tawang Monastery is home to 300 Buddhist monks who follow the Mahayana sect of Tibetan Buddhism and they have been staying at the Monastery across their life and thy spend their time dedicated in the praise of Lord Buddha and they are also known to possess various skills that make them an ideal way to showcase their art and culture to the people of the World who come here to explore the Tawang Monastery. Continue to explore the Tawang Monastery and out guests were absolutely thrilled to witness this place and explore the huge area of the monastery on this Toyota Innova tour of Tawang. The inner rooms of the Tawang Monastery are very ornately decorated and it appears as though the entire place is beautifully hand painted and the various Buddhist signages are to be seen across the place. Our guests took about an hours time to explore the grandeur of the Tawang Monastery and later on they came out of the place and they went to explore the area across the Monastery where they could see the grand views of the valley of Tawang and later they boarded the Toyota Innova taxi vehicles to begin on their drive to the Urgelling Gompa at Tawang that was the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama and next they went to explore the history of the Tawang War Memorial that is dedicated to the brave soldiers of the Indian Army who put up a strong resilience against the Chinese forces in the Chinese aggression of 1962. Later they went to the local market at Tawang where they set out to explore this beautiful market at Tawang and at first they stopped to have their lunch at the place and they enjoyed a traditional cuisine of the Monpa people of Tawang.
In another itinerary of exploration of Tawang you can get to explore this hidden gem of a place that allow guests to witness the vast and beautiful landscapes across Tawang and Arunachal Pradesh. In this itinerary after you reach and explore Dirang you will continue on your journey to visit Tawang and in the morning you will have an early breakfast and begin on your drive to Tawang. Tawang is often called as the land of the hidden paradise and it is the district headquarters of the Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh. On the way to Tawang you will cross the Sela Pass that is a high altitude pass that remains covered with snow across the year. Sela Pass is revered among the Monpa people of Tawang as the pass is known to be home to around 100 lakes that are revered by the Monpa people. The Sela Pass separates the two districts of West Kameng and Tawang and also an all weather tunnel is being made at the Sela Pass that will allow the traffic to pass across the pass to Tawang across the year and also the time distance will be greatly reduced in the journey to Tawang. After crossing the Sela Pass you can go to visit Jaswantgarh that is a war memorial that is dedicated to the brave sepoy of the Indian Army Jaswanth Singh who put up a brave resistance against the Chinese forces in the Indo China aggression of 1962.
Later on go to the Nuranang Falls on the way to Tawang also called as the Jung Falls. Arrive at Tawang and go to check into your hotel at Tawang and the evening will be free at leisure. The overnight stay for the guests will be arranged at Tawang itself. The next morning is your day of local sightseeing across Tawang and post a nice breakfast you will go to visit the Tawang Monastery and the Urgelling Gompa that was the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama. Also visit the craft center at Tawang that is known as the place that sells beautiful masks, hand woven carpets, jewellery in silver, etc. Spend your evening at leisure here at Tawang and enjoy the beautiful view of the place. The next morning you will transfer from Tawang to Bomdila and you will have a sumptuous breakfast at Tawang. Post breakfast board your comfortable vehicles and begin on your drive to Bomdila. On arrival at Bomdila you will go to check into a nice hotel after cross the Sela Pass on the way from Tawang to Bomdila. In the evening you will go to explore the Upper Gompa and the Lower Gompa and also explore the Bomdila view point and also get to explore the Bomdila market that is a very vibrant local market of the Monpa people and this market is known as a place that sells various local handicrafts and handlooms of the Monpa people of Tawang and Bomdila. Enjoy the overnight stay at your hotel in Bomdila. The next morning, you will travel to Nameri National Park that is one of the premier National Parks of Assam and after a sumptuous breakfast at your hotel at Bomdila board your comfortable vehicles to begin on your drive to Nameri National Park in Assam. Drive across the beautiful landscapes of Arunachal Pradesh to reach back to Assam and at Bhalukpong that is the border where you will leave Arunachal Pradesh to enter back to Assam and here you will get to travel to the Nameri National Park that is a short drive away. Arrive at Nameri National Park and go to check into your camp at Nameri. The evening will be at leisure and you will go to explore the area across the Eco camp that is known to be a paradise for all the bird lovers. Spend some time here and then go to explore the banks of the Jia Bhoreli River at Nameri National Park and the evening will be free at leisure here.
The overnight stay will be at the camp and an ethnic dinner will be served to you at the camp. The next morning you will get up early and you will have the opportunity to explore the forest reserves of Nameri National Park in Assam on this tour of Tawang that is a project Tiger Reserve and also an elephant reserve as well and you will go to the forest office at Nameri to get your passes on this tour of Tawang. At the forest office you will be provided with the passes and you will be accompanied by a forest guard who will escort you to the banks of the Jia Bhoreli River where you will cross the river on a country boat and reach the forest reserves of Nameri on this tour of Tawang. Explore the beautiful forest reserves of Nameri on foot and get to spot various animals and bird species on your visit here and with this you will come out of the forests of this tour of Tawang and later in the day you will go to explore the nearby areas and then pack your luggage to begin on your drive back to Guwahati.
The guests explored the beautiful market area at Tawang and in sometime they boarded the Toyota Innova Taxi vehicles again and they started on their drive back to the Tawang Guest House where their night halt was arranged. As the Toyota Innova taxi driver was staying at the guest house along with the guests it was not a problem and they all went to check into their rooms. The dinner preparation was being done at the hotel itself and our guests wanted to enjoy some rum to beat the cold weather here in Tawang and the hotel staff who were very courteous made the necessary arrangements to prepare some starters for our guests and also they got the rum and arranged for hot water as well as rum with warm water is one of the best combinations to beat the chilly weather and our guests sat by the bonfire and they enjoyed the rum and starters and dinner was served to them at the dining area of the guest house. The Toyota Innova taxi driver was also served his meal at the dorm and after another long day of exploration our guests retired to their rooms to prepare their journey to the Bumla Pass from Tawang the following day that is the border of India and China.
The next morning our guests got ready and they set out to explore the beautiful land of the Bumla Pass that is the strategic border of India and Chine located near Tawang around 37 km away. One thing to be mentioned while on your travel to the Bumla Pass from Tawang is that you cannot take the services of the taxi vehicle that you bring along with you and instead you will need to hire the services of the local Tawang taxi vehicles that will take you to the Bumla Pass. The local taxi for the tour of our guests was arranged by the hotel itself and also the permit to visit Bumla Pass was arranged from the DC office at Tawang. The next morning our guests had their breakfast at the Tawang guest house and the taxi vehicles came to the guest house to pick up our guests and they started on their drive from Tawang to the Bumla Pass. The Toyota Innova taxi driver along with the vehicle would get some rest today and the next day of travel for the Toyota Innova would begin again tomorrow from Tawang to Bomdila. The roads are across a hilly terrain and so the drive is slow and the snow covered hills could be seen all around and the guests admired the view of the place and the Tawang to Bumla Pass road and the snow cover is absolutely gorgeous.
In another itinerary of exploration of Tawang, you will go to explore Arunachal Pradesh on a 10D/9N itinerary where you will go to explore the vast and varied landscapes of the state and at the same time you will get to witness the calm and composure of the land of the Monpa people at Tawang. In this itinerary, you will go to explore Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh on the way to Tawang that is one of the most beautiful landscape areas in Arunachal Pradesh that is filled with the lush cover of the green mountains and also the view of the towering Eastern Himalayas across the place that is breath-taking as well. The rustic charm of the place blended with the tall cover of mountains is that makes the place one of the most loved destinations across Arunachal Pradesh and also you can get to explore the Sela Pass as well that is a high altitude pass that remains covered with snow across the year. At Tawang you will get to explore the Tawang Monastery, the Tawang local market, the Urgelling Gompa, the craft centre and the Tawang War Memorial that is a beautiful grandeur to witness on your journey. The state of Arunachal Pradesh is located in the eastern most corner of India and it is one of the very grand destinations that you can choose to explore. The experience you have while visiting Tawang is one of the lifetime experiences that you will have and this will make you enjoy your time here.
This itinerary of exploration across Tawang and Arunachal Pradesh is spread across Guwahati – Bhalukpong – Bomdila – Tawang – Dirang – Nameri National Park and Guwahati. The tour of Tawang that is spread across 10D/9N will cover your travel via Swift Dzire, SUV or tempo traveller, stay in hotels are per your requirement, toll charges, ILP charges, parking, driver allowance, breakfast on all days, etc. A visit to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is incomplete without a visit to the Tawang Market, where guests can have the perfect opportunity to shop for souvenirs and gifts for your family and friends and local food. Also while visiting the Madhuri Lake get to taste the maggi and momo there and experience the local Monpa cusine of Tawang. On this itinerary of exploration of Tawang you will arrive at the Guwahati airport where you will be picked up by a local representative and you will go to check into your hotel at Guwahati. In the evening you will go to have a nice river cruise dinner on the Brahmaputra River at he Kachari Ghat on the Alfresco Grand cruise. Return back to your hotel for night halt and later you will retire to your rooms. The next morning on this tour of Tawang, you will set out to explore the Bhalukong area that is set at the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and the comfortable vehicles will drive you to Bhalukpong.
Have you breakfast at the hotel in Guwahati and transfer to Bhalukpong crossing Nagaon and Tezpur. Your ILP will be verified at the check gate between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and later on you will go to check into your hotel at Bhalukpong. Evening will be at leisure and you can visit the local market at Bhalukpong that is known to display and sell some of the traditional products of handlooms and handicrafts and one very interesting thing to see here are the hand made knives that are locally called as the Khukris. The overnight stay will be at a comfortable hotel in Bhalukpong and dinner will be served at the hotel itself. The next morning is your drive from Bhalukpong to Bomdila on this tour of Tawang and you will have a nice breakfast at your hotel and you will set out to explore the area of Bomdila that is the district headquarters of the West Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh. On the way to Bomdila from Bhalukpong you will have the opportunity to explore the Tippi Orchid Centre that is home to around 500 species of orchids that are rare and endangered and are known to be found across the remote forests of Arunachal Pradesh and the presence of orchids speak about the biodiversity of the place.
Also explore the Nag temple on the way to Bomdila and further to Tawang and later you will arrive at Bomdila and you will go to check into your hotel at Bomdila. In the late afternoon set out to explore the local market at Bomdila and also visit the Upper Gompa and the Lower Gompa at Bomdila. Return back to your hotel for night halt. The next morning prepare yourself for your drive to Tawang from Bomdila. In the morning have nice breakfast and proceed on your drive from Bomdila to Tawang the district headquarters of the Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh. On the way to Tawang, you will cross the Sela Pass that is a high altitude pass that remains covered with snow all across the year and also this pass separates the Tawang and West Kameng districts of Arunachal Pradesh. This Sela Pass on the way to Tawang is considered to be a sacred place by the local Monpa community of Tawang and this is because of the presence of 101 lakes across the region of the Sela Pass in Tawang. As the place remains covered with snow it appears to be like a snow carpet and so it is ideal for photograpers to click amazing pictures at the place. Also visit the Jasanthgarh War memorial on the way to Tawang and savour hot tea and snacks here and later you can reach Tawang by late afternoon.
You will check into your hotel at Tawang and in the evening you will be free to explore across the hotel area and the dinner will be arranged for you at the hotel itself followed by a comfortable night halt at the hotel in Tawang. The next day is your local sightseeing across Tawang where you will go to visit the Tawang Monastery and also visit the Urgelling Gompa at Tawang. Later visit the craft centre in Tawang and this place is known to sell various local handmade masks, hand woven carpets and also jewellery items as well. Enjoy traditional cuisine of the Monpa people of Tawang at the local market and later return to your hotel for night halt. The overnight stay will be arranged for you at the hotel in Tawang. The next morning you will set out to explore the high altitude lakes of Tawang and travel further to the Bumla Pass that is another of the high altitude passes that is located at the border of India and China. Go to the Bumla Pass from Tawang on local taxi vehicles and on the way you will visit the Madhuri Lake that is one of the beautiful lakes of the region that remains frozen around the year and this lake is named after the famous Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit.
Our day of exploration of the Bumla Pass continued and after crossing the Madhuri Lake where we admired the vast natural beauty of the landscapes across the place our guests also took time to savour the delicious momos and maggi that is prepared here by the local Monpa lady and post this the local taxi vehicles started on the drive from the Madhuri Lake to the Bumla Pass on this tour of Tawang and the Bumla Pass is located at around 37km away from Tawang and our guests boarded the taxi vehicle again and later the driver drove them across the beautiful area of the Upper Tawang area and in sometime they reached the Bumla Pass. This Bumla Pass is the strategic border between India and China and also at India and Tibet and this used to serve as an important trade route that led traders from India to go to Tibet and later return with goods from Tibet and this pass was closed for many years and only recently it was opened again for guests. The taxi vehicle stopped at the Bumla Pass near Tawang and they admired the grandeur of the tall snow capped mountains and the Indian Army soldiers stood guard at the place and they all observed the bravery of the troops of the Indian Army who braved some of the toughest weather conditions and they stand guard protecting them motherland from any external aggression.
After spending some time at the Bumla Pass our guests boarded the local taxi vehicles again and they started on their drive from the Bumla Pass to Tawang. On the way back they stopped near the Pt Tso lake that is another of the pristine high altitude lakes across the region and our guests had their late lunch here and post lunch they started on the drive back to Tawang again. The guests along with the local taxi vehicles reached Tawang by late afternoon and the guests went in to their rooms to freshen up and today was their last day at Tawang and the next morning they would leave Tawang on their Toyota Innova vehicles to travel to Bomdila and so they would enjoy their evening here at Tawang and carry with them a bouquetful of memoirs of their visit to the land of the hidden paradise called as Tawang and they went to freshen up and come to the lobby area of the hotel to have their tea and snacks.
The year 2022 was a great year for the tourism exploration and business across Northeast India and guests from the country thronged to the prominent tourist destination of the region like Shillong, Cherrapunji, Dawki, Kaziranga National park, Manas National Park, Nameri national park and off course the destinations across Arunachal Pradesh like Bomdila, Tawang, Dirang and to continue the momentum of the tourists coming to the region we present to you the Tawang special tour that is designed to meet the requirements of the various travellers coming to the place. This Itinerary of Tawang is spread across 7N and 8D and it is a perfect getaway for a family vacation and also with friend that will allow you to explore the grandeur of Tawang along with the other sought after destinations of the region. In this family itinerary of Tawang we will cover Guwahati, Bhalukpong, Dirang, Tawang and Bomdila and it will be a perect way to explore the delights of this tour of Tawang. You will be picked up and dropped point to point where you will go to explore Tawang from Guwahati and later you will be dropped off at the Guwahati airport. The vehicle allotted for your journey will be a nice Toyota Innova SUV or a tempo traveller that would be based on your requirement of the size of the group to travel to Tawang and you can be rest assured that this are some of the best vehicles that you will find on offering.
On the first day of this tour of Tawang you will arrive at the Guwahati airport and you will be welcomed by a local representative who will offer you a warm welcome and you will board your comfortable vehicles and you will travel to Bhalukpong at the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and Bhalukpong is a place of vast natural beauty that is known as the famed picnic spot as the River Kameng passes across the place and enters Assam as the Jia Bhoreli River. Located alongside the place on one side is the Nameri national Park and on the other side is the Pakke Tiger Reserve. The overnight stay will be at your hotel in Bhalukpong. The next morning you will begin on your drive from Bhakulpong to Dirang and continue on this tour of Tawang and at first you will have a nice breakfast and later board your comfortable vehicles to travel to Dirang. On the way to Dirang on this tour of Tawang you will get to visit the Tippi Orchid Centre and also visit the Nag temple and later arrive at Dirang and go to check into your hotel at Dirang. The overnight stay will be at Dirang at a comfortable hotel on this tour of Tawang and you will enjoy a nice dinner at the hotel in Dirang. The next morning you will have a nice breakfast at the hotel and you will set out to explore Tawang from Dirang and on the way you will visit the Kiwi and apple orchids of Dirang and also get to explore the Dirang Monastery and later continue on your journey to travel to the Sela Pass on the way to Tawang.
The Sela pass is a high altitude pass that remains covered with snow all around the yeat and the pass appears as though a carpet of snow is places along a mountains and the place allows fantastic captures of the landscapes across the place. Later cross the Sela Pass and proceed on your drive to Tawang and you will reach the Jaswantgarh area that is a war memorial shrine that is dedicated to the brave Sepoy Jaswant Singh who is known to have put up a strong resistance against the Chinese forces in the war of 1962. Explore the Jaswantgarh War memorial and also get to enjoy fresh tea snacks at this snow covered area and admire the valour of the brave soldiers of the Indian Army who are posted here and later you will travel to Tawang. Along the way to Tawang get to sight the Nuranang falls at Tawang. Reach Tawang by late afternoon and you will go to check at the Tawang Guest House that is one of the very nice places to stay in Tawang and you will check in and take time to freshen up at the guest house and post this you will explore the area across Tawang guest house as the evening at Tawang will be at leisure.
Dinner preparations will be at the Tawang Guest House and in case you want ot enjoy drinks and starters then the same can be arranged here as well. The next day is your sightseeing across Tawang the land of the mesmerizing Monpa people and post breakfast at your hotel in Tawang you will set out to explore Tawang where you will go to visit the Tawang Monastery – the largest Buddhist Monastery in India, the Namgya Lhaste, the Gorsham Chorteu, the Gonste garden, Singam Ani Gompa and explore the craft centre at Tawang and return back to the Tawang Guest House at Tawang. The dinner will be served at the Tawang Guest House and the evening will be at leisure. The next morning you will set out to explore more of the high altitude areas near Tawang and you will go to explore the Bumla Pass near Tawang that is the border of India and Chine and you will get to have your breakfast at the Tawang Guest House and the local Tawang taxi will pick you up and you will travel to the Madhuri lake area that is a very beautiful lake area that remains covered with snow across the year and this is named after the Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit. Go to explore the Bumla Pass near Tawang and later after exploring the Indo-China border you will come back to visit the Tawang memorial and also get to explore the art and craft centre at Tawang and Tawang local market and the next day you will leave Tawang to travel to Bomdila.
After crossing the Sela Pass you will reach Bomdila where you will get to check into your hotel and post a nice lunch go to explore the area of Bomdila where you will explore the Lower and Upper Gompa and go to the viewpoint area where you will get to see the beautiful views of the Himalayan Mountain range. Also visit the Bomdila market on this tour of Tawang and later you will come back to your hotel for night stay and dinner. The next morning on this tour of Tawang you will bid farewell to Bomdila and begin on your drive to Guwahati. Cross the beautiful landscapes of Arunachal Pradesh to enter back to Assam and at Assam get to sight the beautiful tea gardens and later you will continue on your drive to Guwahati on this tour of Tawang. Arrive at Guwahati and you will go to check into your hotel at Guwahati and the night stay will be arranged here and you will have ample time for shopping at Guwahati. The next morning post breakfast you will drive to the Maa Kamakhya temple at Guwahati and explore this Shakti Peetha and seek blessings and post your visit at the temple you will drive to the Guwahati airport and you will be dropped at the Guwahati airport thus ending this grand tour of Tawang.
In one final itinerary of exploration of Tawang is the one where the itinerary is spread across 9 days and 8 nights and in this grand itinerary of exploration of Tawang, we will allow you to have the perfect opportunity to explore Guwahati, Bhalukpong, Dirang, Tawang and Bomdila and the start point of this itinerary will be at the Guwahati airport or railway station and you will proceed on your visit to explore Tawang and other destinations in Arunachal Pradesh and you will be dropped at your final destination viz. the Guwahati airport or the railway station. Across the tour of Tawang, you will get the opportunity to explore the serene and vast landscapes of Arunachal Pradesh that are filled with the tall snow capped mountains and the deep gorges and valleys that makes Arunachal Pradesh one of the most sought after destinations in the country. While Assam is known for its vast natural beauty spread across the beautiful National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, the lush tea gardens and the warm and loving people, Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is known for its equally welcoming Monpa people as well. Blessed with abundance of natural beauty, Tawang is truly described as a hidden paradise and on your journey to Tawang on this grand itinerary you will get to explore the beautiful Sela Pass, Nuranang Falls, Old temples, the Tawang Monastery, the Dirang Monastery and offcourse the Bomdila Upper and Lower Gompas. At the end of this Tawang tour you are sure to be filled with memories that will remain with you for a lifetime and you will look forward to your visit to Tawang again in the future.
On the first day of this tour, you will arrive at the Guwahati airport or railway station and you will be welcomed by a local representative who will offer you a warm welcome and you will board your comfortable vehicles and begin on your drive to Bhalukpong that is the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Enjoy your drive and also enjoy a nice Assamese cuisine food at the Anurag Dhaba at Nagaon and proceed on your drive to Bhalukpong on this tour of Tawang and you will get the opportunity to check into a nice hotel here. The overnight stay will be at Bhalukpong and you will enjoy your dinner at the place. The next day you will transfer from Bhalukpong to Dirang on this tour of Tawang and on the way you will visit the Tippi Orchid Centre that is home to around 500 species of flowering and blooming orchid species. Also visit the Nag temple on the way and you will later reach Dirang and go to check into your hotel at Dirang. In the late afternoon you will go to explore the apple and kiwi farms at Dirang and also you will get to explore the Dirang Monastery and the Kalachakra Monastery. Return back to your hotel for dinner and night halt. The next day you will leave Dirang to travel to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh and you will cross the Sela Pass that is a high altitude pass that remains covered with snow all across the year and this is the perfect place to capture some fascinating pictures.
Cross the Sela Pass to travel to Jaswantgarh and visit the war memorial here and also explore the Nuranang falls. Check into your hotel at Tawang and the evening will be at leisure here at Tawang. The next day is your day of local sightseeing across Tawang and you will have a delicious breakfast at the hotel and set out to explore the Tawang Monastery that is the largest Buddhist Monastery in India. After you explore the Tawang Monastery you can go to visit the Urgelling Gompa and also the Tawang War Memorial. The day will end with a visit to the local market in Tawang and here you will get to explore the various local hand made masks, hand made carpets and jewellery items that are made up of silver and coral. Return back to your hotel at Tawang for night halt. The following day you will set out to explore more of Tawang and today will be across the high altitude areas of Tawang. Have a nice breakfast at your hotel and you will set out to explore the Madhuri Lake that is a very popular spot across these high altitude areas. Also explore the Sangestar Lake that is around a short distance from Tawang and you can get to enjoy nice maggi and momos at the place. Travel further to the Bumla Pass that is a high altitude pass around 37km away from Tawang and witness the border of India and China at the place.
Return on your drive back to Tawang and you will get to explore the Pt Tso lake later in the day and you will proceed on your drive back to Tawang. Overnight stay and the dinner will be arranged at your hotel in Tawang. The next day you will leave Tawang to travel to Bomdila and your journey begins after breakfast. Cross the Sela Pass and Jaswantgarh and arrive at Bomdila and also enjoy a nice lunch and in the evening set out to explore the Upper and Lower Gompa at Bomdila and the overnight stay will be at your hotel in Bomdila after you return exploring the Bomdila market. The next day you will start on your drive from Bomdila and you will travel to Guwahati from Bomdila crossing the border at Bhalukpong. Arrive at Guwahati in the evening and you will check into a nice hotel and the evening will be at leisure to spend at the hotel. The next day you will explore the area around Guwahati city across the prominent tourist sites like the Kamakhya temple, Balaji temple, Umananda Island and temple, Navagraha temple, Assam State museum, Assam State zoo, Sukreshwar temple and the evening will be free for shopping for souvenirs at Guwahati. Return to your hotel for night halt and the next day you will be dropped off at the airport for your onward flight and thus ending this fruitful tour of Tawang and Arunachal Pradesh.
At Bomdila our guests explored the local market and this was a nice opportunity for them to witness the traditional hand made goods of the Monpa people here at Bomdila and later they set out to explore the viewpoint area at Bomdila and in sometime they boarded the Toyota Innova taxi vehicles to begin on their drive back to the hotel and the evening was at leisure where they would spend time here and enjoy some cocktails and snacks at the hotel as this as their last evening on this Toyota Innova tour of Arunachal Pradesh and next up they would leave Arunachal Pradesh to travel back to Assam and proceed on their drive on the Toyota Innova taxi vehicles to Kaziranga National Park where they would enjoy a nice jungle safari and stay experience at Kaziranga National Park. The dinner preparations were on at the hotel and the guests enjoyed their time by the bonfire where they savoured rum and snacks and later the dinner was served to them at the hotel and post dinner they retired to their rooms. The Toyota Innova taxi driver was served his meal at the dorm of the hotel itself.
The next morning they set out on their journey to Kaziranga National Park and the Toyota Innova taxi driver got the vehicle ready because in these cold weather conditions these diesel engine vehicles need to be put to a good start or else it becomes difficult to start the vehicles as the fuel freezes and so the driver got the vehicle ready and our guests packed their luggage and they had their breakfast at the hotel and later they boarded the Toyota Innova taxi vehicles to begin on their drive from Bomdila to Kaziranga National Park in Assam. The Toyota Innova taxi driver drove across the beautiful landscapes of Arunachal Pradesh and they started on their drive back to Assam wherein they reached Bhalukpong at the border of Assam and Meghalaya and they crossed over to Assam and they saw the beautiful Kameng River and followed it as it entered Assam as the Jia Bhoreli River. The Toyota Innova taxi driver crossed Bhalukpong and it continued on its drive towards Nameri National Park in Assam and further to Tezpur and in sometime they reached the Kaziranga National Park area where our guests went to check in to their hotel.
A visit to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is one of the most rewarding experiences for any traveller coming to Northeast India and combined with a visit at the popular tourist attractions at Assam and Meghalaya, one can get to do many activities in Tawang that makes the place one of the most loved destinations in the India’s Land of the Rising Sun. At Tawang, you can take the opportunity to explore the Tawang Monastery and at the same time take time out to meditate at the Taktsang Gompa, hike to the Gorichen Peak, travel to the Sela Pass, visit the Jung Falls, explore the grandeur of the Tawang Monastery, visit Jaswanthgarh, cross the Sela Pass and much more. One thing not to be missed at Tawang is a visit to the Tawang Market where you can get to see various traditional hand made goods and you can explore this market and buy a souvenir of your visit to Tawang. Tawang is one place that is surrounded by the tall mountains of the Eastern Himalayas and you can undertake many activities here like hiking, meditation, travel to the passes, explore the lakes, etc. For the adventure seekers who plan to go to Tawang, they can have the opportunity to travel to Tawang on motorcycles or even cycles and this is an ideal way to explore the Tawang region. Also for adventure seekers a hike to the Gorichen peak is must take opportunity to view the grandeur of the place.
At Tawang, you can have the opportunity to meditate at the Taktsang Gompa that is one of the famous pilgrimage centres in the Tawang area and the place is located amidst the clouds and the entire area is filled with the thick growth of coniferous forests that make the place a perfect place to sit or meditation and the beautiful monastery is a nice place to sit back and relax. On the journey to Tawang you can indulge in several adventure itineraries and one can go to enjoy fun filled activities like paragliding, river rafting, rock climbing, rapelling, trekking, etc. and there are several adventure tour operators that conduct these adventure tours around Tawang and one thing to be surely enjoyed is the river rafting on the River Kameng that is conducted near Dirang. A hike to the Gorichen Peak near Tawang is a must to do thrilling adventure in case you are an adventure lover and this Gorichen Peak near Tawang is located at a height of around 6858m and this is the highest mountain peak in Arunachal Pradesh that is considered to be a sacred place by the local Monpa people of Tawang. In case you do not get time to go to explore on this hike to the Gorichen Peak then you can still take the opportunity to see this peak on your travel from Bomdila to Tawang. Located about 164km away from Tawang this adventure itinerary of exploration of the Gorichen peak is said to take almost 5-7 days and this is a moderate gradient trek that is a nice way to explore the Gorichen peak near Tawang.
A visit to the Sela Pass on the way to Tawang is one of the most thrilling adventure activities because this is a high altitude pass that remains covered with snow all across the year and it is located at an altitude of 13500 feet above MSL. The Sela Pass is accessible by road and once you cross Dirang on the way to Tawang you will have the perfect opportunity to explore the Sela Pass. The Tibetan settlement market at Tawang is a vibrant market area that is having numerous stalls and shops where vendors get together and they sell several traditional items to guests. Apart from shopping for souvenirs at the Tibetan settlement market at Tawang, guests can also take the opportunity to enjoy some of the delicious local cuisine of the Monpa people of Tawang that include the thukpas and momos and this place is generally known for its affordable prices. The Nuranang Falls or the Jung Falls is another of the must visit places at Tawang and this falls stands at an elevation of 100 metres located very close to a hydel power plant. You can get the feel of the water sprinkle across your face here at the Nuranang Falls and the vast vegetation across the place is sure to leave a soothing impression on your minds.
Another popular place to visit near Tawang is the Shong Tser lake that is one of the very beautiful high altitude lakes near Tawang and it is located in the midst of the cloudy sky. This lake near Tawang is also called as the Madhuri Lake because it is named after the famed Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit and this place is an absolute delight for all the photographers who come to Tawang. At this lake the waters remain frozen and the customary Buddhist religious flags that are hung across the place provides an absolute thrill of a sightseeing across the place. This is a perfect place to unwind from the fast and busy city life and once can get to enjoy the calm wind across the place. The Madhuri Lake is located at around 42km away from Tawang and it is open across the year and guests can plan their visit from Tawang on the way to the Bumla Pass. And once you are in Tawang, you should take the opportunity to visit the Tawang Monastery that is the largest Buddhist Monastery in India. This beautiful monastery sits atop a river valley and it is a 3 floor high building that is built atop a large compound wall. This beautiful monastery complex is spread across 65 residential buildings that houses the various monks who sit and spend their life dedicated in the praise of Lord Buddha and his teachings and the place provides a beautiful view of the Tawang valley as well.
After you explore the places of sightings across Tawang, you can have the perfect opportunity to go and explore the Bumla Pass that is present at the border of India and China and this is located at a height of 15200 feet above MSL. The Bumla Pass is located at around 37km from Tawang and it is the best place to witness the snow cover across the surroundings and to visit the Bumla Pass near Tawang, guests will need to have a special permit that is arranged to the guests from the DC office at Tawang. As the place remains covered with snow at a high altitude and so t is necessary to carry adequate warm clothing on your visit to the Bumla Pass from Tawang. The best time to visit the Bumla Pass near Tawang remains across the months from October to April and you need to be aware that you cant take your taxi vehicles that you brought along with you nor your private vehicles and instead you need to hire the services of a local taxi vehicle at Tawang to take you to the Bumla Pass. The sightseeing across the Bumla Pass is one of the most amazing sightings that allows guests to click amazing pictures and visitors can obtain the permission from the Indian Army and take a stroll across the permitted area of the place.
At the Bumla Pass you can get to sight the strategic border of India and China and this Bumla Pass was once an important trade route between India and Tibet that has been reopened for trade since a few years back and a stroll across this Bumla Pass is sure to leave you in goose bumps that is a grand thing to experience here near Tawang. Another important place to visit on the way to Tawang is that of Jaswantgarh and this place falls on the way to Tawang after you cross the Sela Pass on the way to Tawang. Jaswantgarh is a war memorial shrine that is infact dedicated to the brave sepoy of the Indian Army Jaswanth Singh who single handedly stood guard against the Chinese forces for several days until he was finally captured. It is believed that the brave sepoy was provided with food and water by a local Monpa girl named Sela under whose name the Sela Pass is located on the way to Tawang. This memorial pays a tribute to Jaswanth Singh and Jaswantgarh is located at around 25km away from Tawang and while on your drive across the place you get to feel that you are approaching you visit to Tawang. After you cross the freezing Sela Pass, Jaswantgarh provides you a respite on the way to Tawang as it is an Indian Army base and guests can have the opportunity to have snacks and tea at the place.
There is also a souvenir shop at the place where guests can get to witness the varisou local goods and also the army grade stuff and these are mostly woollens that allows guests to stay warm on their long journey to Tawang. With the recent construction of an all terrain tunnel across the Sela Pass, the journey to Tawang is cut short and this tunnel will allow all the year access to Tawang even in the monsoon season and so it can be said that once can come to Tawang to enjoy the grand beauty of nature all across the year itself. In case you are very much interested to visit Tawang to witness the snowfall across the place then it is best advised to explore Tawang across the months from December to February. But keeping in mind the vacation season, guests prefer to plan their visit to Tawang across March to September. However it is advised that you do not plan on your travel in the monsoon season as on the way to Tawang, there are places that report landslides and you might get stuck for a while but the BRO and the local administration ensure that all adequate steps are taken to clear the roads as soon as possible. A visit to Tawang can be planned in the summer season across the months of April to June and this is the time when the climate across Tawang remains favourable and not too chilly and freezing in the night time.
The landscapes across Tawang remains vibrant during the summer season and so it is why this is an ideal time to explore Tawang and the beauty of this hill station remains alive in the summer season across Tawang. The clear skies in the summer season makes Tawang a must visit and to be explored tourist destination and the various places at the time is clearly visible. The must visit tourist attraction at Tawang in the summer season remains that of the Gorishen peak, the Tawang Monastery, the Taktsang Gompa, Tawang War memorial, etc. Offbeat travellers who come to Tawang can go for various adventure treks and other adventure activities on their visit to Tawang. At Tawang, the average day temperature during the summer season is 26 degree Celsius and the average night temperature is around 10 degree Celsius. Tawang in the winter season is known to be extremely cold and in case you are planning to visit Tawang in the winter season you need to be advised to carry adequate warm clothings. The months from November to March is considered as the winter season and the night time remains absolutely freezing in Tawang. This is the best time to experience the snowfall across Tawang and the view of the Towering Eastern Himalayas is absolutely breath-taking at his time of the year here at Tawang.
Though it is not considered as an ideal time to visit Tawang, but the monsoon season can also be the time to explore Tawang in case you have planned your visit at this time. The monsoon season ranges from July to September and this might be the time when the place across Tawang becomes lush green and guests who come to explore the beautiful landscapes of Tawang can get to see the grandeur of the place. But you need to be advised that heavy rainfall lashes across Northeast India along this time and so you might encounter landslides on the way as well. The Beheinkhlam festival of Tawang is held during this time in July and in case you are very much interested to explore the culture of the place then this might be a time you can choose to visit Tawang and this is indeed the best time for the nature lovers and photographers to come to Tawang. When it comes to exploring the market at Tawang, one can get to witness the various items that are hand made by the local people and one particular item of interest is the bamboo and cane handicraft products that are present here at Tawang. The Monpa people of Tawang are known to make their own hats and these are very decorative and often have the feather of birds and are beautifully designed as well. Apart from hats, there are various baskets and bags that are designed and hand made by the local people and also a wide range of cane belts and elaborate home decors made up of cane that are made by the local Monpa people of Tawang.
When you explore the Tawang market then you can have the opportunity to see these local hand woven crafts and also the baskets that are used to store and carry paddy, fuel and water as well. Apart from the baskets, the local people of Tawang also make various vessels that are used to store water and these are the rice plates, mats, shoulder bags, etc. The Nocte people who live close to Tawang are also known to prepare dyed cane strings for their head gear, waist bands, etc. The traditional ornaments that are to be seen at the Tawang market are also very known here at the place and the local people of Tawang use various natural items to create jewellery for both men and women. The items like bamboo, feathers, glass beads, seeds, etc. are used to prepare these jewellery items and various metals are also used to prepare such items as well. Another art that is practiced is that of pottery making and in this process a special clay is pounded using a big stone or wooden hammer. Later on the clay items becomes a powder like substance here in Tawang and later water is mixed and this clay mixture is hammered again and it gains a substance.
In Tawang, these clay is used to form a pot and once the pot is prepared it is set out for drying in the sun and this is a beautiful art form to be seen here in Tawang. Another popular handicraft item to be seen at the Tawang market is that of the smoking pipes. These smoking pipes are made up of wood and bamboo roots and in certain places the metal is used to prepare these pipes as well in Tawang. The Monpa people of Arunachal Pradesh are known to wear very vibrant attires and these clothes are all woven with hands and the bright colored hue of these items are known to be a very popular attraction here in Tawang market. The use of certain types of ornaments and clothes are associated with the social status of the local people of Tawang and the design of fabrics here are an influence of the motifs of the neighboring areas. The local people of Tawang have known to use the traditional weapons since very long ago and these traditional weapons are all kept on display at the house of the local people of Tawang.
The weapons that are to be seen at the local market in Tawang are prepared locally and it is often a symbol of warrior traits. One of the principal weapons that is used by the local people of Tawang is that of the bow and arrow and there are various other weapons that are used by the local people. A bigger weapon that is seen at the local market in Tawang is generally used for hunting while the bow and arrow is hung over the shoulders and these all can be seen displayed at the local market in Tawang. Another very nice piece of handicraft that is to be seen at the local market in Tawang is that of the wood carvings that are a tradition of the various indigenous people of Arunachal Pradesh. The Monpa people of Tawang are expert in making these wooden carvings and these are on display at the Tawang market. The wooden crafts include masks that appear as real faces and this is one thing that is a must see here at Tawang market. These masks are traditional ones that are carved out of a simple block of wood and are painted as well. The masks that we see across the Tawang market are mostly adorned by the men folks.
Located at an elevation of 10000 feet above the MSL, Tawang is one of the most scenic destinations across Northeast India and the place is known for its vast scenic landscapes and the view of the towering Eastern Himalayas from the place. Tawang is an excellent vacation destination that remains covered with snow most of the year and the thrill of witnessing the snowfall at Tawang is what draws many visitors to the place. Tawang is located in the Northeastern corner of India and the place shares its border with China and Tibet at the Bumla Pass and to plan a visit to Tawang in case you are hiring the services of a taxi coupled with the visit to the other destinations in Northeast India then alteast 7 nights and 8 days need to be planned. In case you are short in time then you can plan a visit to Tawang by air and this can be done by hiring the services of a Pawan Hans helicopter service that plies from Guwahati to Tawang and vice versa. The nearest airport to Tawang is the Tezpur airport and you can come to the Tezpur airport and later hire the services of a local taxi or a tour operator who will plan your entire journey to Tawang. However the best way to approach Tawang is to arrive at the Guwahati airport as the flight frequency is more across this place and so you can choose to come to Tawang and with this you can also have the opportunity to explore more of the places at Northeast India and then continue on your journey to Tawang.
To reach Tawang by air you can place to reach the airport at Tezpur that is called as the Sonibari airport and the road distance from Tawang to Tezpur is around 330km and so the journey takes about 10 to 12 hours. However as already mentioned the best way to approach Tawang is to reach the LGBI airport at Guwahati and this airport is connected to the major cities of the country. From the Guwahati airport there are regular flights that connect to major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, etc. So you can be rest assured that you will have a grand ride when you plan your visit to Tawang and this is the best way to explore the beauty of this hill station of Tawang. Tawang has a good connectivity with Tezpur and Guwahati and so you can conveniently take a drive to the major destinations across Northeast India. In case you love to explore the place of travel by train then you can plan a trip to Tawang by train as well and the nearest railway station to Tawang is the Rangapara railway station at Tezpur.
This major railhead is near to Tawang and the distance is almost 314km from Tawang and you will need to hire the services of a taxi from the railway station to travel to Tawang an this is again another 10 hour journey from the nearest rail head at Tawang. Train routes running from across various cities are present here in Rangapara and so you can easily come to the Rangapara railway station and then proceed on the drive to Tawang to witness the grand beauty of the place. Undoubtedly from Tawang you can have the most common way of access to the place when you travel to Tawang via road and there are several taxi vehicles that are put on hire by the cab operators and the tour operators across Guwahati and the drive from Guwahati to Tawang is one of the very rewarding experiences that guests can get to see across the place. The drive is across the towering Eastern Himalayas and the winding roads of the place is absolutely breathtaking especially in the winter season. Even if you plan on coming to Tawang by air and rail then still the last leg of the journey is by road and it is one of the most pristine drives that you can get to experience on your visit to Tawang.
To travel by road to Tawang, it is the best way to hire the services of a Toyota Innova vehicle or a Tempo Traveller vehicle at Guwahati and you must avail the services of this taxi to take you across the beautiful destinations of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. In case you are planning to visit Tawang by bus then you may be advised that regular bus services is available across Tezpur and Tawang and these are operated by the state road transport corporation of Arunachal Pradesh. And in case you are looking for an economic ride to Tawang then there are several Tata Sumo vehicles that ply across Tezpur and Tawang and you can avail the services of such vehicles to reach Tawang on a sharing basis. These Tata Sumo vehicles start very early in the morning as the drive to Tawang from Tezpur takes almost 10-11 hours and so you will need to be prepared to leave Tezpur as early as 5AM in the morning and then you can avail the services of the Tata Sumo vehicles to travel to Tawang. In case you love adventure, then the best way to approach Tawang is by hiring the services of a motorcycle or cycles that will take you from Guwahati to Tawang and these are a few adventure tour operators that take guests on a planned itinerary and back up vehicles and tour leaders and these operators manage your entire adventure itinerary to Tawang and they provide guests a complete adventure experience as well.
To plan your visit to Tawang, it is best advised that you plan your visit from Guwahati because the place being a hub, it is one of the most convenient places to hire luxury taxis and also the tour operators are located at Guwahati and this allows the guests to have a very comfortable drive from Guwahati to Tawang and also you can get the opportunity to explore the other places of interest at Meghalaya and Assam like Kaziranga National Park before you proceed on your drive to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. At Tawang, take the opportunity to explore the Sela Pass that is a high altitude pass that remains covered with snow all across the year and this is a prime tourist attraction on the way to Tawang. Also visit the Shonga Tsar lake that is also called as the Madhuri Lake and this lake remains covered with snow across the year. At Tawang, also visit the Tawang Monastery, the Urgelling Gompa and the Gorishen Peak.
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