Tawang Monastery Tour
High Himalayas and India's largest monastery
Namsai → Tezpur → Bomdila → Tawang
About this tour
A classic 7-day Himalayan circuit from Guwahati to Tawang at 10,000 ft, crossing the Sela Pass and following the Kameng river valley. You will visit India's largest monastery, the Jaswant Garh war memorial, the frozen Madhuri Lake and the Bum La border road, with comfortable overnight halts at Bhalukpong, Dirang and Bomdila to help you acclimatise.
Tour highlights
Tawang Monastery
The largest monastery in India and second largest in the world, founded in 1680.
Sela Pass at 13,700 ft
Snow-clad pass with the sacred Sela Lake beside the road.
Jaswant Garh Memorial
Moving war memorial to Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat of the 1962 war.
Madhuri Lake
Shonga-tser Lake with its drowned tree trunks and mountain backdrop.
Dirang & Bomdila
Apple orchards, hot springs, monasteries and Monpa village life.
Featured destinations
Bhalukpong
Foothill town on the Kameng river where the mountains begin.
Dirang
Valley of apple orchards, hot water springs and the Dirang Dzong.
Bomdila
Hill town with three monasteries and Himalayan viewpoints.
Sela Pass
High mountain pass and lake, snow-bound for much of the year.
Tawang
Monastery town, Craft Centre, Urgelling and the war memorial.
Bum La / Madhuri Lake
High-altitude day trip towards the border (permit required).
Tour itinerary
Day 1Namsai to BhalukpongNamsai → Bhalukpong · approx. 560 km
Early pick-up from Namsai and a long, scenic drive along the Brahmaputra valley via Tinsukia and Tezpur to Bhalukpong on the Arunachal border. Inner Line Permit check at the gate. Evening by the Kameng river.
Day 2Bhalukpong to DirangBhalukpong → Dirang · approx. 140 km
Climb into the mountains via Tenga valley with stops at Nag Mandir and Bomdila viewpoint. Reach Dirang by evening; visit the hot water spring and the old Dirang Dzong fort.
Day 3Dirang to Tawang via Sela PassDirang → Tawang · approx. 135 km
The most spectacular drive of the trip — Sela Pass (13,700 ft) and Sela Lake, then Jaswant Garh memorial and Nuranang Falls before descending into Tawang town by evening.
Day 4Tawang sightseeing
Full day in Tawang: the 400-year-old Tawang Monastery and its 8 m Buddha, the museum, Craft Centre, Urgelling Monastery (birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama), Ani Gompa nunnery and the Tawang War Memorial at sunset.
Day 5Bum La Pass & Madhuri Lake excursionDay trip approx. 74 km round trip
Permit-based day trip to Bum La Pass on the Indo-China border, PT Tso Lake and Shonga-tser (Madhuri) Lake. Return to Tawang in the afternoon.
Day 6Tawang to BomdilaTawang → Bomdila · approx. 180 km
Retrace the route over Sela Pass with photo stops, arriving in Bomdila by evening. Visit the Bomdila Monastery and the craft centre.
Day 7Bomdila to Namsai — departureBomdila → Namsai · approx. 640 km
Early descent to the plains via Bhalukpong and Tezpur, then the drive back along the Brahmaputra valley to Namsai. Drop at your address (or Dibrugarh airport / station on request).
Why choose this tour
Proper acclimatisation
Graded halts at Bhalukpong, Dirang and Bomdila before the 13,700 ft pass.
Permits arranged
Inner Line Permit plus the special Bum La protected-area permit organised for you.
Mountain-experienced drivers
Drivers who run the Sela Pass road year-round, including in snow.
Hand-picked hotels
Heated rooms with hot water at every halt — essential at Tawang altitude.
Inclusions
Existing package guidance. Contact us to confirm what is included in your chosen itinerary.
- Accommodation in comfortable hotels
- Daily breakfast
- All transfers & sightseeing by SUV
- Driver charges, fuel, parking & tolls
- Basic permits (if applicable)
Exclusions
Contact us to confirm exclusions and any additional costs.
- Entry tickets & monument fees
- Lunch, dinner & personal expenses
- Adventure activities (kayaking, elephant ride, etc.)
- Guide charges
- Anything not mentioned in inclusions