Arunachal Pradesh, meaning the “Land of the dawn-lit mountains” is the largest among the ‘Seven Sister States of Northeast India’. Also known as the ‘Orchid State of India’, it’s a paradise for the Botanists. The people native to the state trace their origins from the Tibeto-Burman people. Itanagar, the capital of the state is known for its scenic beauty, inimitable culture and friendly locals. 

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It’s been fifteen years and how time flies off. We had planned our first business trip. But it didn’t come off after sudden declaration of curfew in Guwahati and other towns of Assam from where we were to enter the state. Another trip between friends didn’t take off beyond the planning stage. So till today the only state out of a total of 28 States in India that still remains elusive for me is ‘Arunachal Pradesh’. My 2021 bucket list destination.

Come let’s plan a 12 days holiday from Kolkata and visualize being there..

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Let’s start with the Budget

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Hotel Bookings

My go to trusted partner for more than a decade now for my own hotel bookings has always been Booking.com for the best deals.

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I have just completed my bookings for all hotels we are going to stay in during this trip and opted for the free cancellation & pay-at-hotel options. You could do the same by clicking this link of Booking.com.

Disclaimer: We are the official partners of Booking.com in addition to being an user and your Bookings here ensures a small commission to our account which helps your favorite travel blog ‘Travel with passion’ being healthy and running, without any added cost to you. And you get the best deals.

The journey begins..

I can visualize we are outside Guwahati Airport and in our cab, having just started our journey towards Itanagar. It’s 9 AM in the morning after having reached here on a 7.30 AM flight from Kolkata. Our booking is in ‘Namaste SC Continental’ which looks like a nice hotel with breakfast included.

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Itanagar

Day 1 – Guwahati to Itanagar – 330 kms, Travel time – 8 hours

It would be early evening when we reach our hotel. Itanagar gets its name from the mysterious Ita Fort, that is set atop a hill overlooking the city. That and more of the town on Day 2 starting after breakfast.

Itanagar Attractions

We would be visiting Ita Fort, Itanagar Zoo, State Museum, Itanagar Craft Center, Gompa Mandir and Ganga Lake the main attractions. Then we could head to ‘Ganga market’ for some shopping and dinner in the evening.

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Ita Fort is one of the most important historical sites in the state and literally means “Fort of bricks (brick being called “Ita” in the Assamese language). The Fort was built in the 14th or the 15th century and has three different entrances.

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Day 3 – Itanagar – Bomdila – 270 kms, Travel time – 8 hours

We start the day early morning after breakfast and it would be early evening when we reach our hotel in Bomdila. Our booking is in ‘Hotel Tashi Den’ and with a mountain view room it should be nice.

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Bomdila

This beautiful small town of Bomdila offers panoramic view of the awesome Himalayan terrain at an altitude of 2,530 m above sea level with its snow-covered mountains. The Bomdila pass offers views of Kangto and Gorichen Peaks, the highest in the state. It’s famous for its apple orchids and we would certainly enjoy our walk through them.

Bomdila Attractions

We would be exploring the town on Day 4. GRL Buddhist Monastery, Buddha Park, Guru Rinpoche statue are the must-visit places. We would also visit the New Bomdila helipad and enjoy the view of the whole town.

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The area around Bomdila has a number of trekking and hiking trails that should excite the adventure seeker. For the Wildlife lovers you could stay back a day to visit the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary which is 56 kms away from Bomdila. But the better option in my opinion would be to book an accommodation there. You could check out here on the options available in Eaglenest.

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Day 5 – Bomdila – Tawang – 176 kms , Travel time – 6 hours

We start for Tawang after breakfast. We should reach late in the afternoon giving us time to roam around in the center of town for few hours. Our booking here is confirmed in ‘Hotel The Oak’, centrally located with good reviews and a great price for our 3 nights stay.

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Tawang

Tawang, a town filled with natural beauty has an essence of Buddhism in its air. Set at a height of 3,800 meters, it is famous for its 400-year-old monastery. This monastery is one of the biggest Buddhist monasteries to be found in India and is an important pilgrim center for the followers of Buddhism. We would explore in and around this nature paradise on Day 6 & Day 7.

Tawang Attractions

We would be visiting the Tawang Monastery, Tawang War Memorial, Shonga-Tser Lake ( Madhuri Lake), Nuranang Falls, Gorichen Peak & Peng Teng Tso Lake among other prominent sites on Day 6.

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On Day 7, in the morning after breakfast we would set out for a day trip to Zemithang located 90 kms away from Tawang at an altitude of about 2484 meters. While travelling to Zemithang from Tawang we would halt at Luma, which is almost halfway. Luma is a settlement with numerous shops and markets. From Luma bus stop within a distance of half a km there is small idol of Lord Buddha named Dujen Lumpa which is supposed to be worth watching. From this hill top we look forward to a breathtaking view of Luma.

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Day 8 – Tawang – Dirang – 135 kms, Travel time – 5 hours

We start for Dirang after breakfast and should reach our hotel late in the afternoon giving us enough time after check-in to stroll around the city center, interact with locals, do some shopping if we find few things interesting and try out some local cuisine. Our booking for the next 2 nights is in ‘Pemaling Lords Inn’ close to the city center.

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Dirang

Dirang is a small town on the banks of River Kameng. It serves as the gateway to the city of Tawang. We would explore the town and nearby areas on Day 9.

Dirang Attractions

This cute town is famous for its Hot water springs, Dirang Fort, Apple and Kiwi orchards, National Yak Research and Breeding Center at Nigmadung, Sheep Breeding Farm and Sangti Valley where Siberian black necked storks visit during winters.

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Day 10 – Dirang – Itanagar – 313 kms, Travel time – 9 hours

After an early breakfast we start our journey back towards Itanagar. By the time we reach, it would be late evening and time for our dinner before retiring for the night. Our booking this time again is in ‘Namaste SC Continental’ for 2 nights.

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Itanagar

Halfway between Dirang and Itanagar is the ‘Nameri National Park & Forest Reserve‘ where we would love to spend a few hours even though it would delay our arrival at Itanagar. The park is a habitat for a host of animals including the elephant, tiger, leopard, hog deer, sambar, dhole (the asiatic wild dog), gaur, clouded leopard, leopard cat, barking deer, wild boar, sloth bear, marbled cat, Himalayan black bear, capped langur and Indian giant squirrel.

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Nameri is also a birdwatcher’s paradise with over 300 species. The white winged wood duck, great pied hornbill, wreathed hornbill, rufous-necked hornbill, black stork, ibisbill, blue-bearded bee-eaters, plovers, babblers and many other birds make Nameri their home. If you wish to spend some more time in this beautiful National Park, you could check out the complete details here regarding activities and accommodation at Eco Camp, Nameri,

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Day 11 for us would be complete relaxation at our hotel in Itanagar, casual walks, a visit to the city center, some souvenir shopping and trying out some Arunachal specialty cuisine.

However if you wish you could explore these 2 other options- A visit to ‘Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary’ located 10 kms away from the center of town. Or visit the town of Ziro on a day trip. It is located 115 kms from Itanagar and is famous for its pine-clad gentle hills, quaint villages, its rice fields, 5,000-year-old Meghna Cave Temple & the annual open air music event ‘Ziro Festival of Music’ held for 4 days in the month of September. Ziro is home to the Apatani tribe where the women still follow the tradition of having their nose plugged.

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Arunachal has so much more on offer..

Arunachal is the biggest among all Northeast states and is home to dozens of distinct ethnic groups, most of which are in some ways related to the people of Tibet and the hill region of western Myanmar. The topography of the region is characterized mainly by an undulating hilly terrain but a number of rivers also flow through the state. Dibang, Kamla, Kameng, Kamplang, Lohit, Noa-Dihing, Siyum, Subansiri, Siang and Tirap are some of the major rivers here.

Also there are many more beautiful small towns like Aalo, Pasighat, Roing, Bhalukpong and more in addition to the ones we are visiting this time. The state has 12 tourist circuits spread across 83,500 sq. km. We would certainly look to be back again to explore more of this extremely picturesque state of India.

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The scenic beauty of the snow clad silver mountain peaks, lush green meadows with thousands of species of flora and fauna and the abundant scope for angling, boating, rafting, trekking and hiking makes it a wonderful destination for travelers and adventure seekers. Gorichen Base Camp Trek, Mechuka Trek, Ziro Trek, Bailey Trail & Talley Valley Trek are some of the most popular trek routes. For complete information on trek routes, click here.

Time to head back..

Day 11 – Itanagar to Guwahati – 330 kms, Travel time – 8 hours

After an early breakfast at the hotel we start our journey for Guwahati to spend the night there before returning to Kolkata the next day. Our booking is in ‘The Guwahati Address By Centre Point’, a hotel I wish to try out having stayed in their property in Shillong earlier a couple of times.

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In case you haven’t explored Guwahati before, you could stay back for a day to visit the top attractions there. Here is a guide on how you could spend your time in Guwahati – The Gateway to Magical Northeast India.

Festivals of Arunachal

The culture of Arunachal Pradesh is truly varied since the state has 26 major tribes including sub-tribes. Every tribe has their own unique set of traditions, customs and cultural lifestyle dominated by colorful festivals.

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Since agriculture is the mainstay here, people generally celebrate festivals as a mark of thanksgiving to the Almighty for giving them a good harvest. These festivals also showcase the artistic skills of the various tribes. Some of the most popular festivals of Arunachal among tourists are the Siang River Festival, Pangsau Pass Winter Festival, Nyokum Festival & Ziro Festival of Music. Ziro district is very popular for festivities and hosts the ‘Ziro Festival of Music’.

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Arunachal Cuisine

In Arunachal food differs from tribe to tribe. Rice though is the staple food along with side dishes, pickle & chutneys. As you move toward the eastern side of Arunachal, people are dependent on bamboo and other leafy vegetables which are strictly boiled. Meat is the main delicacy and Arunachalis love their meat be it Chicken, Mutton, Pork and Beef. Fried food is not very popular as people like to eat either boiled or smoked food. I would love to have an ‘Arunachal Non Veg Thali’ and of course their authentic varieties of steamed Momos.

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Crafts & Creations

Arunachal Pradesh is gifted with traditional craftsmen skills that have been passed on from generations to generations. Local men are skilled in weaving, carpet making, wood carving, painting, pottery, ornament making, cane and bamboo work, smithy work, basketry and many others. The women are expert in making handicrafts and handlooms.

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Budget Travel to Arunachal

If you are a budget traveler, you could still have a great holiday in Arunachal if you make use of the following options-

Train travel – A convenient option to reach Itanagar would be North Lakhimpur which is 60 kms from Itanagar. Trains from North Lakhimpur connect to Guwahati which is well connected to most major parts of the country.

Road Transport – Itanagar is well connected to most neighboring regions of Arunachal Pradesh. Daily overnight buses from Guwahati ply to Itanagar. ‘Arunachal Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation’ buses also connect Itanagar to Tawang, Ziro, Bomdila, Pasighat, Dibrugarh, Tezpur and many other destinations of Northeast.

Home-stay – You could save a lot on accommodation by opting for the home-stay option which many travelers prefer, as you get a great feel of local culture and homemade food. Click here for home-stay options at various locations, recommended by Arunachal Tourism.

Plan your travel

October to February are the best months to visit Arunachal Pradesh. For further help in planning your travel, you could connect with Arunachal Tourism here. For hiring a Taxi for your trip ‘Savaari Car Rentals’ seems a good option, at least by the look of their website. I found them on the internet and would connect with them for my trip. You too could do the same or find a better option from the internet.

Travel Requirements

To travel to Arunachal Pradesh, ILP (Inner line Permit) is required for all domestic tourists. Click here to apply online or for complete information on options available to obtain the same. International Tourists require a PAP (Protected Area Permit). Click here for all details. Also the PAP can be obtained through local approved tour operators only. Click here for the list of all approved tour operators.

Arunachal. One of the ‘Seven Sister States of Northeast India’. If you have missed reading out on the other six sisters, you could check them out here – Assam; Manipur; Mizoram; Meghalaya; Nagaland; Tripura

Arunachal Pradesh. One of the most beautiful destinations of the subcontinent. Can’t wait to be finally there this October.

Come let’s holiday in Arunachal. PIN it to plan your trip and for your friends!

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