Tawang and beyond - Soma's Camps

Situated at about 10,000 feet above sea level in the Himalayas, Tawang is a major center of Tibetan Buddhism and the birthplace of the sixth Dalai Lama. Famous for housing India’s largest Buddhist monastery Tawang Monastery, which actually is also second largest in the world, Tawang also has this hidden gem called Zemithang. It is a remote border valley situated near the Indo-China and Indo-Bhutan borders. Zemithang is historically famous as the place where the 14th Dalai Lama entered India in 1959 after leaving Tibet. Zemithang retains its traditional Monpa stone-and-wood architecture. Many multi-storied houses are fitted with a specialized wooden carving placed on roofs or walls specifically designed to ward off the evil eye and negative spirits. Zemithang is home to the indigenous Monpa inhabitants, known as Pangchenpas (in the local dialect, Pangchen literally translates to “people who have taken a vow not to commit the ten major sins” as outlined in Buddha’s teachings), Gorsam Chorten ( a massive 93-foot-tall Buddhist stupa built between the 12th and 14th centuries) , the Holy Tree known as Khinzemane or Grong-Kukpa ( the walking stick of Dalali Lama that grew into a huge tree), endangered, migratory Black-Necked-Cranes and the pristine Nyamjang Chu River.

In this 9 day trip, we are going to cover a bit more than the usual Tawang route. We are going to the Fruit Bowl of Arunachal Pradesh, Sangti Valley as well. The landscape is filled with lush orchards yielding kiwis, oranges, apples, berries and apricots. Home to the long-billed-plover and the migratory Black-Necked-Crane the valley has the fast-flowing hill river, the Sangti River, meandering through the green meadows and pine forests before joining the Dirang Chu.

Our travel times may look longer because we have tried to keep the travel time as real as possible. You need breaks during the journey, for meals, tea/coffee or maybe a photo. We have counted those minutes in and have tried to give you an honest road journey time.

For more details check out the itinerary given below.

Just so that you know, If it is a group of 4+1, you will be travelling in an Innova or similar vehicle and the tour price is Rs. 47,000/-

And if you want us to curate the tour for you, without a tour facilitator from Soma’s Camps, the price of the tour is Rs. 42,500/-

And yes, we can customise this tour if you want it customised.

ITINERARY

Day 1:

We pick you up from Guwahati airport at 9 am
Drive to Bhalukpong. The region has historically been governed by the indigenous Aka (Hrusso) tribe.
Lunch stop on the way.
Stop at Kameng river view point. The river originates from a high-altitude glacial lake below the snow-capped Gori Chen mountain at an elevation of 6,300 meters (20,669 feet) near the India-Tibet border in Arunachal Pradesh. Then flows for approximately 264 kilometers before merging with the mighty Brahmaputra River.
Dinner and overnight stay in Bhalukpong
Travel time : 7 hours approx with breaks and sight seeings in between

Day 2 :

Post breakfast start from Bhalukpong at 8 am.
Drive towards Sangti Valley
Visit Orchid Research centre at Tippi. This research center houses over 2,600 cultivated orchids representing around 80 different species.
Tea stop at Durga Mandir.
Cross Nechiphu tunnel. Bulit by BRO, the tunnel was specifically designed to bypass the extreme, recurring foggy conditions around the Nechiphu Pass that historically caused severe visibility hazards and major accidents for decades. It features a state-of-the-art electro-mechanical setup, including an auto-illumination system, firefighting devices, and real-time monitoring via SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition).
Lunch, on route.
Dinner and overnight stay in Sangti Valley.
Travel time : Approx 8-9 hours with lunch break and sightseeing.

Day 3 :

After breakfast, we start from Sangti valley at 8 am.
Visit Mandala top. Situated at about 10,000 feet above sea level in the Himalayas, the main attraction is the sacred circular arrangement of 108 Buddhist stupas (also known as manes or chortens). Each of the 108 stupas is inscribed with the sacred and protective mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum," which is associated with Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion. Because of the high altitude, the weather is very cold and windy.
Visit Dirang monastery. It sits at an elevation of roughly 4,910 feet offering sweeping, panoramic views of the lush Dirang Valley and the Dirang Chu River below.
Acclimitaztion stop at Baisakhi.
Vist Sela lake, pass. Sitting at an elevation of 13,700 feet above sea level, the pass connects the remote Buddhist town of Tawang to West Kameng and the rest of India along National Highway 13.
Visit Jung waterfall. Also called Nuranang Falls it is named after Nura, a local Monpa tribal girl. She bravely helped Indian soldier Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat (a Maha Vir Chakra awardee) during the 1962 Sino-Indian War before being captured by Chinese forces. The falls are fed by the Nuranang River, which originates from the northern slopes of the Sela Pass. After the 100-meter drop, the water plunges into the Tawang River.
Dinner and overnight stay at Tawang.
Travel time : between 8 to 9 hours including sightseeing and lunch stop, tea breaks etc.

Day 4 :

Post breakfast we start from homestay at 10 am.
Visit Buddha statue. The statue stands at nearly 30 feet tall and is crafted from glistening gilded bronze. Positioned strategically on a hill, it offers visitors uninterrupted, sweeping views of the Tawang Chu valley, rushing rivers, and surrounding snow-capped Himalayan peaks.
Visit Tawang war memorial and museum. Book tickets for light and sound show.
Visit Tawang monastery. Perched at an altitude of about 10,000 feet in Tawang, it is the largest Buddhist monastery in India and the second-largest in the world. The name "Tawang" is said to come from Ta-wang, meaning "chosen by the horse." Founder Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso let his horse roam freely to find the ideal site, and built the monastery where the animal stopped. The sacred library stores priceless, gold-inscribed historic scriptures, including major collections like the Kangyur and Tengyur.
Light and Sound show in the evening.
Dinner and overnight stay in Tawang.

Day 5 :

Post breakfast we leave for Bumla Pass and Madhuri lake. The pass sits at roughly 15,200 feet on the Indo-China border. Oxygen levels are low and visitors can experience breathlessness here. To protect local livelihoods and handle the treacherous, snow-covered terrain, it is mandatory for tourists to travel in vehicles registered in Arunachal Pradesh. The drive from Tawang town (37 km away) passes pristine high-altitude lakes, including the Shungatser Lake famously known as the Madhuri Lake. The lake is a unique result of natural destruction. It was formed in the mid-20th century (often attributed to the major 1950 earthquake) when land movements and falling boulders blocked a valley stream, causing water to accumulate. One of the lake's most hauntingly beautiful and unusual features is the collection of weathered, dead tree trunks sticking straight out of the water, leftover from the forest that existed before the valley flooded.
Lunch on route
Dinner and overnight stay at homestay at Tawang.
Travel time : 8-9 hours approx with stops and sight-seeing.

Day 6 :

Post breakfast leave for Zemithang at 8 am.
Drive to Zemithang via Lumla .
Stop at Tara Devi statue.
Drop at homestay in Zemithang.
Visit river Nyamjang Chu.
Travel time : 6 hours approx including stops and sightseeings en route.
Dinner and overnight stay at Zemithang.

Day 7 :

Breakfast at Zemithang.
Explore Khinzemane ( Holy tree). On March 31, 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama crossed the border from Tibet into India through this remote region to escape persecution. Local tradition and Monpa community beliefs state that he pressed his wooden walking stick (or staff) into a stone or the earth at Grong Kukpa near Khinzemane. Over the decades, this stick took root and grew into a tall, fruit-bearing tree known locally as the Gurusheng tree.
Visit Gorsam Chorten
Drive towards Tawang..
Lunch, on route.
Dinner and overnight stay in Tawang.
Travel time : 9 hours approx including breaks and sightseeing.

Day 8 :

After breakfast, we drive to Shergao via Sela tunnel.
Visit Jaswantgarh war memorial.
Lunch on route
Dinner and overnight stay in Shergaon. Shergaon was named one of the Best Tourism Villages of India in the silver category by the Ministry of Tourism in 2023. The village is primarily inhabited by the indigenous Sherdukpen tribe. The community uniquely practices a blend of Buddhism and traditional animism. The village houses a prominent government trout fish hatchery alongside the crystal-clear Duflo-Kho stream that flows through the valley and also has the largest apple orchards in Arunachal Pradesh.
Travel time : 8 hours approx including stops and breaks.

Day 9 :

Breakfast in Shergaon homestay.
Drive to Guwahati airport.
Reach Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport within 5 pm.

THINGS TO TAKE

Please make sure that your clothes fit into your main luggage . You can take one main luggage and one additional small bag/backpack. The transports on this trail do not have carriers on top. So one main luggage and one small bag per person will be accepted.

Take whatever clothes you are comfortable in.
Heavy duty jackets
Rainproof
Undergarments - 1 for each day of travelling
Sun cap or Biker Scarf for protection from sun- 1.
Sturdy sneakers. No heels or open toed sandals please.
Lightweight Slipper/Sandals/kitos - 1 pair. For using at the stays
Sunscreen lotion, lip balm, toothbrush, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, toilet roll, cold cream, soap paper strips, small quick dry towel.
Aadhaar card
Hard copy of ILP

Miscellaneous:

Camera (optional).
Personal medicine kit. Our tour operator carries a fully equipped first-aid kit.
Dry fruits, energy bars.
ORS sachet: 2/3

FYI

Batch strength: 4 and 8
No. of days : 8 nights 9 days
Minimum age of participant : 8 years
Maximum age of participant : 65 years
Networks available on the trail : Airtel , BSNL and Jio.
Temperature during day is around 15 to 20 degree celsius and at night can dip to 10 to 4 degrees.

FAQ

What will be your pick up time from Guwahati airport ? 9 am.
What time will you drop me/us at Guwahati at the end of the journey?
Within 5 pm.
What will the temperatures be like ?

15 degree to 20 degree celsius in Tawang during daytime and between 4 to 10 degrees during night. at Bumla Pass the temperature may drop to 0 degree celsius.
What kind of food will be provided on the trip?

Both vegetarian food and non vegetarian food will be served during the program. Local food will be served too.
What kind of accommodation are available? Accommodations are on double sharing basis in cozy and cute homestays and standard hotels. Washrooms are western with geysers.
What are the cellular network connectivity for this trip ? Generally Airtel, BSNL and Jio.
What is the minimum and maximum age limit? The minimum age limit of children, if accompanied by parents is 8 years, without parents is 18years.
Which is the nearest railway station?

Both Guwahati and Kamakhya.
Which is the nearest airport for this program ?

The main airport in Guwahati is the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Cancellation policy:

Cancellations will be subject to cancellation charges.
Cancellations will have to be intimated to Soma's Camps by email only. Email address is somascamps@gmail.com
Please understand when we say 'trip fee', we mean the full amount not partial payment.
30% of the total tour fee is not refundable on cancellation at any point of time. If you fail to pay your tour fees( in case of part payments) within the scheduled date and ignore repeated intimations, your registration maybe cancelled and the booking amount forfeited.
Tours have to be booked at least 50 days prior to the date of journey.
Cancellation between 50 to 31 days prior to departure : 70% of the tour fee will be refunded.
Cancellations made between 30 to 22 days prior to the program date, 50% of the tour fee will be refunded
Cancellation between 21 and 11 days prior to departure : 30% of the tour fee will be refunded.
Cancellations made from 10 days to the day of departure or no showing up : no refund.
Cancellation by Soma's Camps in the unforeseen eventualities of riots, political or industrial unrest like Railway operators strike, Airlines strike, it may be necessary to cancel the tour in the best interests of our clients. In such an eventuality our clients will be informed as soon as possible. The trek fee paid by the clients will be refunded in full OR we will provide you with an alternate set of program dates.
Cancellation by Soma's Camps in the unforeseen eventualities of pandemic, epidemic, any other long term natural or biological disaster or man made disasters like war and others, it may be necessary to cancel the tour in the best interests of our clients. In such an eventuality our clients will be informed as soon as possible. 70 % of the trek fee paid by the clients will be refunded.

Other Terms & Conditions

Payment: Payment for the trek can be done online through online payment options or net banking / NEFT/ Gpay/UPI/ account payee cheques.
Non-liability: Soma's Camps is not responsible for any loss/damage of your gears/equipment or other belongings on the tour. Please do not request Soma's Camps instructors/ tour caretakers to retrieve/collect your lost/misplaced item, if any.
Regarding proper disposal of non bio-degradable waste:At Soma's Camps, we to prefer to leave nothing other than footprints behind. Kindly help us to maintain that by taking care of your non bio-degradable wastes.
Emergency during the trip: If for any reason you have to leave the trip midway, Soma's Camps can make arrangements for your return to the nearest rail head/airport. In such a case pay the trip facilitator the amount of the transport before you start for the railhead/airport.
Program may get modified/cancelled in case of inclement weather.
Cost escalation during the trip, due to change in itinerary owing to natural reasons or unforeseen conditions like Landslides , Road Blockage, Bad Weather, Social or Political Unrest, Strikes, sudden shut down of any govt office etc, will have to be borne by the participant.
Soma's Camps do not owns the stays along the route. Maintenance of the stays are solely with the owners.
Please note that the minimum batch strength is 4. If we fall short of the requisite number, the trip will be called off and your trip fees will be refunded in full without any cancellation charge deducted. However, if you still want to go ahead with the trip, it will be our pleasure to conduct it for you. In such a case your trip fees will be a little higher and the amount will be disclosed to you well before the journey.

₹ 41,200/- per person