Tawang is a Monpa town at about 3,050 m in western Arunachal Pradesh, 37 km from the Bum La border pass. Indians need a tourist eILP and foreigners a PAP. It is roughly 500 km from Guwahati, a two-day drive via Bhalukpong, Bomdila, Dirang and the Sela Tunnel or Sela Pass.
Tawang sits on a ridge at around 3,000 m, looking across the Tawang Chu valley to the monastery that gives the town its reason to exist. We have driven up from Guwahati more times than we can count, and the first sight of the gompa's gold roofs after two days on NH-13 still makes the whole car go quiet.
The town itself is small and practical: a market around Nehru Market and Old Market, a string of hotels and homestays along the main road, army establishments on every side and cafes serving thukpa and butter tea. Most visitors use it as a base for three things: the monastery, the drive over Sela, and a permit-controlled day trip to Bum La on the India–China border with a stop at Madhuri Lake.
Plan for altitude. You gain about 2,800 m between Bhalukpong and Sela Pass, and most people feel it on the first night in Tawang. A night in Dirang (about 1,500 m) on the way up makes the next two days far more comfortable.
What makes it worth the trip
Tawang Monastery
Founded in 1680–81, it is the largest Buddhist monastery in India, with an 8 m Buddha in the main assembly hall and a small museum of thangkas and manuscripts.
Bum La and Madhuri Lake
A 37 km army road climbs to the 4,600 m border pass; Madhuri (Sangetsar Tso) Lake sits on a branch of the same route. Both need a permit from Tawang.
Tawang War Memorial
A stupa-style memorial to soldiers of the 1962 war, with the names of the fallen listed on its panels and an evening light-and-sound show when it runs.
Urgelling Monastery
A small, old gompa a few kilometres below town, venerated as the birthplace of the Sixth Dalai Lama.
Pankang Teng Tso (PT Tso)
A high lake about 17 km out on the Bum La road, often frozen from December to March and usually part of the Bum La day.
Trideep Dutta Photography · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Yatrika · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Rohit Sharma · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Things to do
- Arrive at Tawang Monastery for the morning prayers, then walk the lanes of monks' quarters around the main hall
- Apply for the Bum La permit through your hotel or driver the day you arrive, then do Bum La, PT Tso and Madhuri Lake in one long day
- Visit the War Memorial in the late afternoon and stay for the light-and-sound show if it is running
- Walk down to Urgelling Monastery and the Gyangong Ani Gompa nunnery on the slopes around town
- Browse the craft centre for Monpa carpets, wooden masks and handmade paper
- Eat zan, thukpa and momos in the small kitchens around Old Market
- Stop at Nuranang Falls and Jaswantgarh memorial on the drive in or out
- Time your trip for Torgya (January) or Losar (February–March) if you want to see masked dances
Getting there
The usual route is Guwahati to Tezpur (about 180 km), then Bhalukpong, Bomdila and Dirang, and over Sela to Tawang: roughly 500 km and 12 to 14 hours of driving, which we always split with a night at Dirang or Bomdila. From Tezpur it is about 320 km. Since March 2024 the Sela Tunnel keeps the road open through winter, but most tourist cars still go over the old Sela Pass road on the way up when it is clear. Tezpur and Guwahati have the nearest airports. Helicopter transfers from Guwahati are subject to operation; check current status before you travel.
Where to stay
Tawang has mid-range hotels along the main road and around Nehru Market, plus a good number of family-run homestays on the lanes below the monastery. Dondrub Homestay on School Road, New Market, is one long-running option. Rooms are small and heating varies, so ask for electric blankets or a heater from October to March and confirm hot water hours. For monastery mornings, stay in the upper part of town. Book ahead for October–November and for the Tawang Festival dates, when rooms fill quickly.
Local tips
- Carry at least two photocopies of your eILP and photo ID; the Bum La permit application needs them
- Sleep lower at Dirang the night before Tawang and drink plenty of water on the first day up
- ATMs are in the market area but run dry at weekends and on holidays; carry enough cash for the Bum La vehicle and homestays
- Jio, Airtel and BSNL work in town; signal drops on the Bum La road and around Sela
- Local Tawang-registered SUVs are the only vehicles allowed to Bum La, so your Guwahati car will wait in town that day
- Evenings are cold even in May; pack a down jacket, a warm cap and gloves
Rain and weather
Source: modelled climate data
March to May and October to November for clear roads and views; December to February for snow if you can live with road delays.
