Arunachal Pradesh, also famed as The Land of Rising Sun is one of the most fascinating tourist destinations for its unique features. Arunachal has many splendid tourist places, aroused from the tropically profuse valleys of the Brahmaputra river and horizon to the Eastern Himalaya’s isolated grandeur.
Strung out alongside the flourishing valleys, swift and crystal rivers, misty mountain peaks, and sheer wild sanctuaries, it allures a picturesque adventure.
When you do the itinerary, make sure you ticked all the best places and things to do in Arunachal Pradesh in proper order. It will save a lot of time as well as reduce the expenses.
Knowing the right route to reach in the most suitable season beforehand will be an additional advantage of your trip as well.
Best Places to Visit in Arunachal Pradesh
Now, before you plan out your trip to the easternmost state of the country, it’s okay to be concerned about the way of communication with the locals. You will be glad to know that Arunachal is the only Northeastern state where most locals are comfortable in Hindi; also, is one of the two states in India where English is the only official language.
Whether you are traveling solo or in a squad, comfortable communication makes traveling a lot easier.
Now, picking up the best tourist places in Arunachal to hunt, we have handpicked the below spots among many.
- Bhalukpong Monastery
- Nameri National Park
- Nuranang Waterfall
- Tawang Monastery
- Madhuri Lake
- Bum La Pass Indo-China Border
- Ziro Vallley (Ziro Music Festival)
Itinerary: Where When & How to Reach
The most convenient route for your Arunachal Trip Itinerary is the Tawang circuit. It may take approximately 7 days to cover most of the tourist places in Arunachal Pradesh.
While you visit most of the mentioned tourist destinations, here are the things to do in Arunachal Pradesh.
Day 1: From Guwahati to Nameri via Tezpur
From Guwahati, hire a car for the rest of the trip. The first destination to hunt is Nameri National Park. It’s around 3 hours ride from Guwahati. You may either choose to stay the night at Nameri Eco Camp or in Tezpur. Although, Tezpur will cost you a little cheaper for the night hold, Nameri on the other hand is more exciting.
The forest resort dwells in the lap of lush nature. Here you may comfort yourself in eco-friendly tents as well as cottage accommodations.
Day 2: Sightseeing and River Rafting in Nameri
They also organize Nameri River rafting alongside night camping. The Nameri National Park is also known for beautiful wild animals as such leopards, tigers, elephants, wild pigs, guars, etc.; and it’s a bird-watching paradise.
Day 3: Moving from Nameri to Bhalukpong
It takes only a 30-minute drive to reach Bhalukpong from Nameri. Bhalukpong is widely acclaimed for its archeological remains of Mahabharata fame Bana and his grandfather King Bhaluka. Its natural beauty at a height of 213 meters is accompanied by other hot spots like Orchid Centre, Hot Spring Bath, etc.
Only 5 km away from Bhalukpong, Tippi is Asia’s largest orchidarium with over 7000 various orchids. The Nyethidow festival which is held in March is also a great option to keep on your bucket list. Staying the night in Bhalukpong will provide you enough rest for you need to drive early the next morning to Dirang.
Day 4: Bhalukpong to Dirang
Distancing approximately 138 km, reaching Dirang from Bhalukpong takes up to 4.30 hours. In Dirang, the most exciting places to visit are the National Yak Research and Breeding Centre, Sangti Valley, Apple and Kiwi Orchards, Nuranang Waterfall, Paradise Lake, Jaswant Garh, you name it.
During the winter, Siberian black-necked storks visit the Sangti Valley. You will need an entire day additionally to visit most of these places in Dirang.
Day 5: Sightseeing in Dirang
Starting from Se La Pass, which is a 45 km drive from Dirang, is the World’s biggest motorable pass. While driving through the Se La Pass, witness the serene crystal-clear natural water of Paradise Lake. Just 12 km from the Se La Pass, there comes Nuranang where you can enjoy Trout fishing in its chilly water.
83 km away, Jaswant Garh War Memorial is also a must-visit. The place is built in memory of the brave soldier Veer Jaswant Singh who single-handedly held off Chinese soldiers for 72 hours long during the Sino-India War in 1962.
Day 6: Moving Dirang to Tawang
Once you are done in Dirang, take the wheel towards Tawang which is a 4 hr 19 min drive. Again, you are suggested to move early in the morning. In Tawang, the War Memorial: Built in memory of martyrs in the 1962 Sino-India war has names of more than 2400 martyred soldiers.
Tawang Monastery is another must-visit place in Arunachal Pradesh. It is the second largest Buddhist monastery in the entire Asia continent after Lhasa and is believed to be as old as over 400 years. In the Monastery, there stands an 8-meter-high statue of Buddha. This place is also full of priceless religious books, manuscripts, and thankas.
Day 7: Complete Sightseeing of Tawang
It’s impossible to hunt the entire tourist spots of Tawang on the day you reach there. Move out the next day to Bum La Pass which is 37 km away from Tawang. It’s situated above 16,500 ft above ocean level at the Indo-China border. This is the place where you witness snowfall throughout the entire year. It is said that the Dalai Lama used this pass to enter India from Tibet.
Sangetsar (Madhuri Lake) and P Tso Lake are some of the most popular holiday destinations while you are in Arunachal Pradesh. Surrounded by scenic natural beauty, these lakes are known for musk deer and snow pigeons.
Apart from all these hot destinations, Ziro is situated a little farther away and usually held during the Winter (September- December). The state’s biggest music festival was canceled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
If your itinerary includes the event, make sure of proper query beforehand and plan accordingly.
Best Time to Visit in Arunachal Pradesh
April and October are suggested to be the best months to visit Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh is located at a high altitude; its weather remains pleasant throughout the year. Although it will be wise to avoid visiting during Summer and Monsoon.
Average Weather Conditions Throughout the Year:
- March to June – Summer (Hot)
- July to September – Monsoon (Rainfall)
- October to February – Winter (Chill and Snowy)
Backpacking
Arunachal Pradesh is vast with difficult terrain, especially the road conditions are not so good. However, the largest among the seven sister states of Northeast India is worth a visit once in your lifetime. Despite having the lowest population density in the country, the government is making an effort to maintain its appeal to travel enthusiasts.
