Tawang Arunachal tour package

Tawang sits at 10,000 ft in a bowl of a valley, three ridgelines back from the Assam plains. Getting there means crossing Sela Pass at 13,700 ft, and the drive is genuinely part of the experience rather than something to endure.

This itinerary takes seven days because it needs to. We break the climb at Dirang so you sleep at 5,000 ft before you sleep at 10,000 ft, and we keep the Bum La day for your third day at altitude. Shorter versions exist. They are why people spend their first day in Tawang with a headache.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. 1

   Guwahati to Bhalukpong

   Airport pickup and east along the Brahmaputra, about five hours to the Arunachal gate at Bhalukpong where your permit is checked. Evening free by the Kameng river.

   Night: Bhalukpong, 700 ft

2. 2

   Bhalukpong to Dirang

   Up through Tenga valley to Bomdila at 8,000 ft for the monasteries and the craft centre, then down to Dirang. The descent is deliberate — it helps you acclimatise.

   Night: Dirang, 5,000 ft

3. 3

   Dirang to Tawang over Sela Pass

   Dirang Dzong and the hot springs in the morning, then the long climb to Sela Pass and Sela Lake at 13,700 ft. Jaswant Garh war memorial and Nuranang Falls on the way down into Tawang.

   Night: Tawang, 10,000 ft

4. 4

   Tawang Monastery day

   The monastery during morning prayers, then Urgelling where the sixth Dalai Lama was born, the Ani Gompa nunneries and the war memorial above town. An easy day by design.

   Night: Tawang, 10,000 ft

5. 5

   Bum La Pass and Madhuri Lake

   Early start with permits collected the evening before. Bum La at around 15,200 ft on the border, then Sangetsar (Madhuri) Lake and the P.T. Tso lake on the way back. Weather and army clearance dependent.

   Night: Tawang, 10,000 ft

6. 6

   Tawang to Dirang or Bomdila

   Back over Sela with the light on the other side of the valley. Afternoon free in the market.

   Night: Dirang / Bomdila

7. 7

   Return to Guwahati

   Down through Tenga and Bhalukpong to the plains. Guwahati airport by early evening — book flights after 7 pm.

   Trip ends

What's included

About Bum La and Madhuri Lake

Both sit above Tawang towards the border and need a separate permit issued by the Deputy Commissioner's office in Tawang, with army clearance, applied for a day in advance. Foreign nationals are generally not permitted at Bum La.

Neither can be guaranteed. Snow closes the road, and clearance is occasionally withheld at short notice. We build the permit and the vehicle into the package, and if the road is shut we refund that component rather than substituting something and keeping the money. Any operator who guarantees Bum La in January is promising something they do not control.

Altitude on this trip

You sleep at 700 ft, then 5,000 ft, then three nights at 10,000 ft, with day trips to 13,700 ft and 15,200 ft. That is a sensible profile, but it is still high. Drink more water than feels necessary, go easy on alcohol the first two nights in Tawang, and tell us in advance about any heart or lung condition — medical facilities above Bomdila are limited.

Doing this trip in winter

Since the Sela Tunnel opened in 2024, traffic passes beneath the worst of the pass weather, and Tawang is now a realistic December-to-February destination. Expect sub-zero nights, limited heating in some hotels, and a real chance that Bum La is closed. If snow is what you want, this is the season. If Madhuri Lake is essential, come in April or October instead.

Other trips you might prefer

Related guides

• Where is Tawang? Location, distance and how to reach
• How many passes in Arunachal Pradesh? Permits and mountain passes
• Why Arunachal Pradesh is famous: what it is known for

Further reading

Independent sources, if you want a second opinion before you book:

• Arunachal Pradesh Tourism — the state’s official tourism site, which also notes the ILP and PAP requirements
• Arunachal Pradesh on Wikipedia — history, geography and demographics of the state