Tawang Monastery
The main sight of the town, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery. Go early in the morning.
6 to 8 daysHow long to stay
Budget to luxuryRough cost
Couples, FriendsWho it suits
Arunachal PradeshNortheast India
Is this for you?
This is the hardest trip in the region: a permit, an approved tour operator, two long road days each way, snow risk in winter and high altitude. What you get is Tawang, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery town close to India's border with Tibet, over the Sela Pass at about 13,700 feet. Plan 6 to 8 days in total. Go if you really want mountains and a monastery, and skip it if you're after a casual stop.
When to go
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Go in the coloured months. The black ones are best avoided.
What to do
Sela Pass and Sela Lake
The road crosses Sela Pass at about 13,700 feet (4,175 m), with Sela Lake beside it. In winter the pass can close for short spells, so aim to cross before noon.
Nuranang Falls
A waterfall on the district's official sights list. You'll usually see it on the way in or out.
What to eat
This is warming mountain food, Tibetan noodles and Monpa dishes from the local Buddhist people. Places close early. One review says many skip meat on Wednesdays, so ask your hotel.
Butter tea
Salty tea churned with yak butter. Have it near the monastery.
Vegetarian
Khura
A Monpa buckwheat pancake, with tea or vegetable curry. A good breakfast at a homestay.
Vegetarian
Momos
Dumplings filled with vegetables, chicken or pork, served with red chilli chutney. An easy lunch in town.
Thukpa
A noodle soup with vegetables or meat, the dependable meal here. Have it in the evening once the cold comes down.
Zan
A thick Monpa millet porridge, with a meat or vegetable stew. Mostly eaten at home, so ask at your homestay.
Vegetarian
Where to go
Dharma Coffee HouseNear Tawang Monastery
Vegetarian momos and butter tea after the monastery. Check first.
Cheap eatsYaksi CafeOld Market
Pork thukpa in a cafe setting. Check first.
Cheap eats
Getting there
Go by road from Tezpur in Assam. It took 10 to 12 hours in fair weather before the Sela Tunnel opened in March 2024, which saves about an hour, so plan about 9 to 11. Treat it as two road days each way, with a night your operator arranges. We have no confirmed Guwahati to Tezpur time. Winter snow can close Sela Pass for short spells.
Where to stay
Old Market and town centre The main cluster of stays, mostly basic. They usually come through your tour operator, so talk the area through with them.
Vivanta Tawang A five-star hotel that opened to guests on 26 December 2023. We haven't confirmed current rates or heating.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
Worth knowing
Permit
The whole of Arunachal Pradesh is a Protected Area. Foreign visitors need a Protected Area Permit (PAP) before they go, and an e-Visa alone is not enough. Permits from Tibetan-settlement sites elsewhere in India do not replace it.
Permit
Book the whole trip through an approved Arunachal tour operator at least 30 days ahead; the state sets a royalty of USD 30 per head. Sources conflict, so get in writing who files the permit, its validity, whether a solo foreigner is accepted, and the fee. Plan on two or more people. An e-Visa alone isn't enough. Citizens of Afghanistan, China or Pakistan, or with parents or grandparents from there, need Home Ministry approval first.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
Safety
The US lists the Northeastern States at Level 3, reconsider travel. Check your own government's current advice, and make sure your insurance covers Arunachal Pradesh and altitudes above 2,400 m, including rescue.
2 more to know
Safety
Rest on arrival, expect snow delays December to February, and insure for rescue and altitudes above 2,400 m (UK advice). Sela Pass, about 13,700 feet (4,175 m), goes sub-zero with short closures.
Permit
Don't count on Bum La Pass or Madhuri (Sungester) Lake: they need Tawang Deputy Commissioner and Indian Army clearance, and sources disagree on foreigners. Go only with written operator confirmation.
