10 places to visit in Tawang - Bumla Pass , Monastery
Tawang is the smallest district out of the 16 administrative districts of Arunachal Pradesh, but it witnesses the highest number of visitors every year. Twang Valley is situated at the height of 10,000 feet above the sea level and covers approximately 2,172 Sq.km.
People out there are mostly from the Monpa tribe, and they pronounce Tawang as Dawang. Tawang's meaning is "Ta" means Horse, and "Wang" means chosen i.e Horse chosen.
However, Tawang valley is always known for its extreme natural beauty, friendly locals, and pleasant weather, which attracts lakhs of tourists every year.
Tawang is the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso(1 March 1683 – 15 November 1706).
Best Time to Visit Tawang Valley:
If you plan to visit Tawang, then the best time to visit is March, April, and May. If you visit Just before the summer then you will get to experience stunning landscape views everywhere.
A visit to Tawang in Monsoon is not recommended as there will be high chances of rain and landslide. So if possible, try to drop the plan to visit in July, August, and September.
How to reach tawang from guwahati?
By Road:
The distance between Guwahati to Tawang is almost 518 kilometers. To reach there, you can take a bus from Guwahati ISBT to Tezpur or Bhalukpong. From there, You will need to take another bus to Bomdila.
From Bomdila, you can take the bus directly to Tawang. Guwahati to Tawang bus fare is around Rs 500/- and Travel Time by Road is about 12:38 hrs. By road, the journey is a bit hectic, so you can check below about the, by air journey.
By Air:
The nearest airport to Tawang valley is Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport, Guwahati, and Salonibari Airport(Tezpur). Tezpur is the nearest one, which is about 300 km away from the destinations.
The Indian Government recently announced in October 2014 a helicopter service starts operating twice a week from Guwahati to Tawang that the tourists can use.
Best Places to Visit in Tawang valley:
1. Tawang War Memorial:
The war memorial is located near the town, which is only 1 km away. This memorial was built in memory of rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, Mahavir Chakra Awardee.
He gave up his life in the 1962 war with China. The design of the war memorial is built in Buddhist stupa style. The memorial is around 40 feet tall, built by the Indian Army at Rs 15 lacs' cost.
This War Memorial is a must-visit place to salute the heroes if you are visiting Tawang. The names of the 2420 Indian Soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in the Indo-china War is written on the memorial's granite plates.
2. Panga Teng Tso Lake:
A beautiful landscape view surrounds the lake. If you want to enjoy the natural beauty, then you must put Panga Teng Tso Lake in your list.
This lake is also known as Penang Teng Tso Lake, and it is almost 16 km away from Tawang valley if you are visiting by road. This lake will be covered with snow in the winter season, so you can see it in the summer season if you don't like that.
3. Bumla Pass:
Bumla pass height is 15 200 Ft above sea level so, you can imagine how cold it will be there. To visit this place, you must take permission from the Deputy Commissioner in Tawang District, and then the Indian army cantonment of Tawang. Through this beautiful pass, Dalai Lama entered in India to seek refugee.
The Indian Army guides the tourist who visits there and gives refreshment and tells how to adapt the weather.
A telescope and binoculars tourist can use those to see on the other side of the border. If you visit this place, you are going to experience an incredible adventurous journey. People say that if you are on a trip to Tawang and don't visit Bumla Pass, your journey will be incomplete.
4. Tawang Monastery:
Tawang Monastery is the largest Buddhist Monastery globally, situated at the height of 3000 meters. This Monastery has got 65 residential house for the monks to stay and other structures for different uses.
This Monastery was built in 1680 as the 5th Dalai Lama Lodge Gyatso requested to make. Thousands of pilgrims and tourists visit this Monastery every year to explore the beauty of the Tawang monastery.
Dukhang or the Assembly hall is the Monastery's main attraction inside that a massive statue of Buddha has been kept. Apart from that, the Monastery also has a library and a printing press of their own.
5. Nuranang Falls:
This fall is also known as Jang Falls, which is a kind of heaven for all the landscape photographers. This fall is on the way to Tawang after Sela pass. Apart from the beautiful view, this falls is also used to generate electricity as a small hydel plant has been set up.
There is no parking space in Nuranang Falls, but you can park your vehicle near the power station and walk a few meters to get closer to the falls and enjoy the tunes of water.
This place came to limelight after a song from a Bollywood movie koyla shoot in this place that is "Tanhai Tanhai."
6. Nagula Lake:
Nagula is a small but a high altitude lake located at 13500 ft Approx in Tawang valley, Arunachal Pradesh. You can also call this lake frozen lake because it will stay frozen most of the time except for a few months of the summer season.
The presence of defense personnel is very high in that area near the indo-china border, but they are very friendly and will help you if you face any issues. The best time to visit Nagula Lake is April to May and September to October.
7. Shonga-tser Lake:
This is one of the most beautiful and stunning lakes near Tawang, a perfect destination for photography. So if you visit this place, don't forget your camera and other photography equipments. This lake is also known as Madhuri Dixit lake as few scenes of her movie was shoot there.
This lake is 42 km away from Tawang, and to get there, you must hire a cab.
8. Geshila Peak:
This lake is located in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh, and it is 25 Km away from Khrimu. The top of this peak, you can enjoy the most beautiful view which you have never seen before.
It's ideal for tourists who like to trek and adventurous journey.
9. Thingbu Hot Spring:
This is located in the Tawang valley of Arunachal Pradesh. The distance between Thingbu Hot Spring and town is around 70kms and 5km Trekking from Sarong Gompa. If you plan to go there, remember you need to climb down 147+ stairs to reach the destination.
If you can climb the stairs, then it worth a visit.
10. Sela Pass:
The district of Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh has a mesmerizing mountain pass named ‘Se La’ Pass where ‘La’ means pass.
It has barely any undergrowth. The mountains are covered with snow and bounded by clouds which give the feeling of being in paradise. It is the second-highest pass in India. Itis about 78 Km from Tawang town.
It is believed that the place was named after a tribal woman( Sela) who use to bring food for one of the Indian Army Jaswant Singh Rawat who fought alone in the battle with Chinese troops. It is said she killed herself after seeing the dead body of the army.