Located in the North East Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Tibet in North, Bhutan in South-West and Sela Range in the East, Tawang counts amongst the most highly sensitive zones of India always under the close surveillance of the Indian Army. Torn between national and political boundaries, the town has its very own interesting story; once the part of Tibet province in China, it was captured by the British Army during their colonial rule in India to establish their hold over the North East region. When the British left in 1947, though Tawang came under the Indian Territory, it was always eyed upon by the Chinese. In 1962, the Chinese troops invaded the region to reclaim their controls but, lost in hands of brave Indian soldiers. Till date, the territory remains a matter of dispute and China continues to claim it as their land. Not to explicitly mention, a visit to Tawang requires an inner line permit for the Indian nationals and a protected area permit for the foreign tourists. These permits can be well arranged from the office of the Deputy Resident Commissioner of Arunachal Pradesh.
In case, one is travelling on a package tour from Tour My India, arrangement of these permits is our responsibility and we leave no stones unturned in making your holidays here the best ever experience. While certainly, the restricted entry and heavy deputation of Army personnel, make Tawang a destination off the radars of casual travellers and holiday makers, it still marks its prominent presence on an ardent travellers’ map of must visit travel places across India. The place is also an abode for innumerable Buddhist pilgrims; the ancient ‘Tawang Monastery’ which sits in the town for more than 400 years, is considered to be the biggest outside Lhasa (part of Tibet) and makes as one of the prime Tibetan Buddhist Centres for Buddhists across the world. In case one is up for some historical exploration during their holidays, Tawang is a place that has its own share of intriguing past and which is sure to leave every history buff with some insightful experience.
The town’s overwhelming scenic beauty peppered with snow-crowned Himalayan peaks, entrancing alpine lakes and captivating waterfalls, truly make it an idyllic hideout for those passionate nature lovers and adventure seekers who are always in lookout for destinations less explored and roads less travelled. The little hamlet is a spirituality seekers’ abode too; the presence of one of the biggest and ancient Buddhist monasteries makes it a great pilgrimage destination for all the Tibetan Buddhists across the world who frequent here in great numbers all through the year.
In case one is up for sightseeing in Tawang, the town has lots of impressive tourism places and attractions that never fail to captivate the visitors’ hearts; the ‘Jaswantgarh War Memorial’ is one of them and makes for a must visit site to stop by and pay tribute to the brave Sepoy of Indian Army, Jaswant Singh who gave every bit of his life protecting his Mother Land all alone from clutches of Chinese invaders. For those looking forward to some adventure in Tawang, must plan a visit to the mystical ‘Bum LaPass’. Perched at an elevation of 16,500 ft. above sea level and located in close proximity to the Indo-Chinese Border, the pass is of great strategic importance and makes for one of the best places to visit when holidaying here. However, be informed that acclimatization before making a trip to Bum La is of utmost importance and one needs to have a special Indian Army permit which is only given to the Indian nationals. There are a plenty of other interesting sites too, a brief of which is given in this travel guide’s subsequent sections.
Just in case one is planning a holiday trip to Tawang and needs assistance on how to reach the city, take note of the fact that there can be no better way than to reach here by air; the nearest airport is located at Tezpur in the state of Assam that is well connected through flights from major Indian cities of Guwahati and Kolkata. From the airport, one has an option to either board the government bus or hire a private or a shared taxi all the way up to Tawang. The total journey is almost 12 hours long and is pretty arduous and back-breaking owing to bad road conditions which are sometimes further worsened by unexpected rains and landslides. However, the scenic vistas all along the trip compensate for all the strain one has to endure.
For those seeking more travel information on Tawang, must go through our under-listed sections which briefly hint on best things to do, popular tourist attractions to visit and ideal hotels to stay. In case one is interested in a holiday package or a sightseeing tour, just call or email our tour and travel representatives and they will rightly assist you in jotting down the best itinerary for your holidays in this serene little town.
