A Hidden Paradise in the Himalayas: Your Ultimate Tawang Travel Guide

By Amanpreet Singh

It would not be an exaggeration to say that I had the best road trip of my life last week. I finally got to carry out my plan for Tawang together with my three friends. It is really a land of no return, this location in Arunachal Pradesh, as you simply do not want to be back!

Chapter 1: The Long, Winding Road and the ILP Stress

Our story began in Guwahati. First off, there was that whole Inner Line Permit (ILP) hassle. No entry into Tawang without it. Thank God, we had applied online beforehand. From Guwahati to Tezpur, and then the real adventure started. It took two days on the road, and a necessary stopover at Dirang. We had a running car and the three of us were singing at top volume to music. The landscape was different on every turn, thick trees, then huge mountains, and eventually the great Himalayas appeared.

Chapter 2: Conquering Sela Pass

The one thing I can never forget is Sela Pass. Man, the altitude was over 13,700 feet, and the weather! Our driver told us, “Boys, you are crossing the gateway to Tawang.” As we reached the Pass, all of our eyes were wide open. It was completely snow-covered! We stopped the car and had that classic snow-fight. We were so cold that our hands numbed up, but the sight of Sela Lake, which was half frozen, was simply unbelievable. The consumption of a hot cup of Butter Tea (which also tasted somewhat strange, yet so warm) in that frosty cold was completely a unique experience.

Chapter 3: The Spiritual Heartbeat

Immediately after passing Sela Pass we proceeded directly towards the Tawang Monastery. It is not a building, guys, it has a soul. It is the second-largest Asian monastery and I cannot describe my speech when I saw its grandeur. We stepped in and there was such peace in my heart at hearing the monks chanting. I recall that one of my friends sat down there, and meditated for nearly an hour. We saw the young monks playing; their innocent smiles just made our day.

Chapter 4: Frozen Lakes and Border Thrills

The intention of the next day was the adventure. We started early in the morning towards Bumla Pass, which is near the Indo-China border. We had to have a special permission to enter there which we were able to obtain locally in Tawang. It was a rough road, but a good place to go. I viewed the border of the nation at 15,200 feet… that was another experience that felt like pride. On the way back, we stopped at Madhuri Lake (Sangestar Tso). The half-submerged tree trunks in the lake, surrounded by those mountains—it was a perfect postcard picture. We had a great group photo session there, and yes, our Tawang Travel Guide (our phones) wasn’t working at all! Network off, life on.

Chapter 5: Momos, Thukpa, and Final Thoughts

The food there was amazing too. Morning or evening, our diet was fixed on Momos and Thukpa. The warmth of the Thukpa and the taste of the momos were the best comfort food in that freezing cold.

This trip was not just about seeing mountains. It was about travelling together—sharing jokes during the long drives, having a snow-fight at Sela, and sitting together in the peace of the monastery. Tawang gave us a high unlike any other. The best present you can give your group of friends is to plan a trip to this side of the Himalayas.

Now the next plan is being hatched, but Tawang will always be the first one to beat!