IN THE FAR NORTHEAST OF INDIA LIES SMALL AND BEAUTIFUL HILL STATE. THE NORTHEASTERN SIDE OF INDIA IS ONE OF THE FEW STATES WHICH ARE TO BE EXPLORED FULLY YET. ARUNACHAL SEEMS MYSTERY TO MANY BUT IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES ON THIS EARTH WHERE YOU COULD VISIT RIGHT NOW. THE BEAUTY IS SUCH TEMPTING THAT YOU WANT TO VISIT HERE EVERY TIME YOU CAN BUT STILL AFTER THAT THIS PLACE IS NOT ON MANY TOURIST’S LIST.
THE TALL WHITE MOUNTAINS, BEAUTIFUL VALLEYS, CLEARWATER STREAMS, AND LOVELY PEOPLE IS WHAT I WOULD DEFINE ARUNACHAL IN A SENTENCE. NOT ONLY IT IS EVERGREEN HERE BUT ALSO IT REMAINS LESS CROWDED AS THOSE OF OTHER HILL STATIONS. THIS PLACE HAS EXTREME OPPORTUNITIES IN TERMS OF TOURISM, ADVENTURE SPORTS, AND TREKKING OFCOURSE. SO LET’S TRAVEL AND EXPLORE THIS BEAUTY.

HOW TO REACH ARUNACHAL PRADESH?

REACHING ARUNACHAL CAN ONLY HAPPEN ONCE YOU HAVE GOT YOUR PERMIT WHICH I HAVE EXPLAINED BELOW. IF YOU HAVE PERMIT THAN REACHING ARUNACHAL IS NOT HARD. THERE ARE ALL MODES OF TRANSPORT AVAILABLE TO REACH ARUNACHAL.

BY AIR

THE NEAREST AIRPORT IS LILABARI TEZPUR AIRPORT WHICH IS AROUND 70 KM FROM ITANAGAR. LILABARI TEZPUR AIRPORT IS IN ASSAM WHICH IS CONNECTED TO AIRPORTS OF GUWAHATI AND KOLKATA. YOU CAN CATCH FLIGHTS FROM DELHI, MUMBAI, AND OTHER BIG CITIES TO THESE AIRPORTS AND THEN CAN REACH LILABARI TEZPUR AIRPORT.

BY ROAD

THE STATE IS ALSO VERY WELL CONNECTED VIA ROAD. NATIONAL HIGHWAY 52, NATIONAL HIGHWAY 15 AND NATIONAL HIGHWAY 415 ARE THE ROADS BY WHICH YOU CAN ENTER ARUNACHAL PRADESH. PUBLIC TRANSPORT BUSES OF ARUNACHAL ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE AT BIG CITIES LIKE GUWAHATI, TEZPUR, SHILLONG, AND DIMAPUR.

IF YOU WANT TO EXPLORE THE REAL BEAUTY OF ARUNACHAL WE WOULD ADVISE YOU TO GO BY ROAD. THE BEAUTY IN LONG RIDES IS SUCHA THAT IT MAKES YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH ARUNACHAL MORE.

BY TRAIN

ARUNACHAL PRADESH IS CONNECTED VIA RAIL FROM HARMUTI TRAIN STATION WHICH IS IN ASSAM. THE RAILWAY STATION OF HARMUTI IS AROUND 43 KM FROM THE CAPITAL STATE OF ARUNACHAL, ITANAGAR. YOU CAN TAKE TAXI’S, BUSES AND SHARED CABS FROM HERE ONWARDS TO START YOUR JOURNEY.

HOW TO GET PERMIT OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH?

WELL, WHEN REACHING ARUNACHAL IS SORTED OUT SO NOW LET’S FOCUS ON HOW TO GET YOUR PERMIT. BEING A BORDER STATE AND STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT TO INDIA ARUNACHAL REQUIRES PERMIT FOR PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE OF THE STATE.

INDIAN CITIZENS REQUIRE AN INNER LINE PERMIT(ILP) AND FOREIGN NATIONALS REQUIRE A PROTECTED AREAS PERMIT(PAP). THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT OF ARUNACHAL HAS IDENTIFIED 12 CIRCUITS FOR TOURISM IN STATE AND FOR ALL THESE A PERMIT IS MANDATORY.

ARUNACHAL PERMIT FOR INDIANS

ALL INDIAN NATIONALS REQUIRE INNER LINE PERMIT. YOU CAN ONLY ENTER THE STATE AFTER YOU PERMIT HAS BEEN APPROVED. INDIAN NATIONALS CAN EITHER OBTAIN IT ONLINE OR OFFLINE.
YOU CAN APPLY FOR ILP WHICH COSTS AROUND 100 RUPEES WHILE THERE IS OPTION FOR INSTANT ILP ONLINE IS AROUND 400 RUPEES.

IF YOU ARE APPLYING OFFLINE YOU CAN APPLY AT MAJOR CITIES OF ASSAM. ALSO, YOU CAN APPLY AT DELHI, MUMBAI, SHILLONG, AND OTHER BIG CITIES.

ARUNACHAL PERMIT FOR FOREIGNERS

FOREIGN VISITORS NEED PAP TO VISIT THE STATE. FOR FOREIGN VISITORS THE ONLY MODE AVAILABLE IS OFFLINE. THE COST OF THE FEE IS AROUND $50. COPY OF YOUR PASSPORT, COPY OF INDIAN VISA, FLIGHT TICKETS WILL BE SOME NECESSARY DOCUMENTS WHICH YOU WILL HAVE TO SUBMIT. WHEN PERMIT GRANTED IT WILL BE OF 30 DAYS WHICH CANNOT BE EXTENDED. YOU SHOULD APPLY FOR PAP ATLEAST A WEEK BEFORE GOING TO ARUNACHAL.
NOTE: NATIONALS FROM PAKISTAN AND CHINA CANNOT OBTAIN PAP TO VISIT ARUNACHAL.

TOP TOURIST PLACES IN ARUNACHAL?

WELL OVER THOUSAND DESTINATIONS ARE THERE IN ARUNACHAL TO EXPLORE. THIS PLACE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SO BEAUTIFUL YET OVERLOOKED BY MANY AVID TRAVELLERS. BEAUTY OF THIS PLACE IS SUCH YOU WANT TO EXPLORE THIS PLACE MORE, YOU WANT TO SEARCH MORE BUT TIME DOES NOT PERMIT THAT. WHILE FEW OF MANY GOOD PLACES ARE MENTIONED BELOW.

BOMDILA

BOMDILA IS BLESSED WITH GREAT HIMALAYAN VIEWS AND LUSH GREEN AREA ALL AROUND. THIS PLACE IS FULL OF DIFFERENT CULTURES AND RELIGION.
HINDUS AND BUDDHIST ARE LIVING HAPPILY HERE FROM MANY DECADES AND YOU CAN FIND LOT OF TEMPLES BOTH OF HINDUS AND BUDDHIST HERE.

FAMOUS THING ABOUT BODILA IS ITS APPLE ORCHARDS AND EAGLE NEST WILDLIFE SANCTUARY.
BOMDILA MONASTERY IS ANOTHER FAMOUS PLACE TO VISIT HERE IN BOMDILA. IF YOU ARE A TREKKING ENTHUSIAST LIKE US SO THIS PLACE DO OFFER SOME BEAUTIFUL TREKKING EXPERIENCES TOO.

TAWANG

THE BEAUTIFUL VALLEYS SURROUND YOU WITH A ESSENCE OF SPIRITUALITY. NOT ONLY THIS PLACE IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF 6TH DALAI LAMA, TSANGYANG GYATSO BUT TAWANG IS ALSO FAMOUS FOR ITS WORLD FAMOUS MONASTERIES.
TAWANG IS A PLACE WHICH WILL FLATTER YOU WITH NATURAL BEAUTY ALL AROUND. TAWANG IS PACKAGE OF STEEP HILLS WITH GREAT HIMALAYAS AROUND.

IT IS ALSO FAMOUS FOR ITS DIFFERENT PASSES LIKE SELA PASS AND BUM LA PASS WHICH THE MEETING POINT OF INDIA AND CHINA. YOU CAN REACH TAWANG BY SUMO’S(SHARED TAXI’S IN WHICH 10 PEOPLE CAN SIT) WHICH RUN FROM DIFFERENT CITIES LIKE TEZPUR AND BOMDILA.

ITANAGAR

DID SOMEONE SAID HIMALAYAS AND RIVERS EARLIER. SO HERE COMES ITANAGAR TO BLOW YOU AWAY WITH ITS BEAUTIFUL BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER AND TOWERING HIMALAYAS ON NORTHERN END.
WHILE THIS PLACE IS RECENT IN TERMS OF TOURIST INFLUX BUT THE GOOD POINT IS THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF CULTURE AND HERITAGE REMAINS PRESENT HERE.
FROM ITA-FORT TO GOMPA MONASTERY THIS PLACE IS WELL FULL OLD MONUMENTS AND CULTURE. WHILE OUR STAY IN ITANAGAR WAS PRETTY SHORT AS WE HEADED FOR MORE RAW PLACES OF ARUNACHAL RATHER THAN THE CAPITAL CITY.

ZIRO VALLEY

WELCOME TO ZIRO VALLEY, WHICH HAS BEEN CREATING A LOT OF BUZZ FOR ITS ZIRO MUSIC FESTIVAL. WITHOUT MUSIC TOO THIS PLACE SEEMS MAGICAL. IT IS HOME TO THE APTANI TRIBE WHICH UNSECO HAS LISTED IN CULTURAL HERITAGE LIST. THE BEAUTIFUL LUSH GREEN RICE FIELDS AND PINE HILLS ARE TWO OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF ZIRO.

WHILE OTHER AREAS OF ARUNACHAL REMAINS LESS EXPLORED BUT ZIRO SEEMS TO BE GEETING LOT OF APPRECAITION FROM FELLOW TOURIST’S. THIS PLACE IS QUITE FAMOUS AS OPPOSITE TO OTHERS.

DAPORIJO

WHILE GOING TOWARDS ALONG DAPATRIJO CAN BE YOUR STOP. THE TOWN OF DAPORRIJO IS BETWEEN 2 RIVERS AND A BEAUTIFUL VALLEY. THE DISTINCTIVE PADDY FIELDS AND BAMBOO TREES ARE VISIBLE ALL AROUND DAPORIJO.
DAPARIJO IS A DIVERSE TOWN AT THE BANKS OF RIVER SUBANSIRI WHICH IS A TRIBUTARY OF BRAHMPUTRA RIVER.

AS OTHER ARUNACHAL PLACES HERE ALSO LOT OF TRIBES RESIDE. TAGIN, HILMIRI, AND GALO ARE SOME OF THE FAMOUS TRIBES OF DAPORIJO.

AALO

ALSO KNOWN AS ALONG AALO IS LIKE YOUR HUB FOR MANY SMALL VILLAGES AROUND. IT IS A SMALL TOWN SITUATED AT THE SANGAM OF TWO RIVERS SIPU AND YOMGO. WHILE GOING TOWARDS MECHUKA AALO WILL BE YOUR BEAUTIFUL STOP. WHILE THE ROADS IN WHOLE ARUNACHAL ARE BUMPY ONES BUT THE ONE IN AALO ARE ON SOME OTHER LEVEL.

BEAUTIFUL FIELDS AND VALLEYS ALL AROUND WITH PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT IS WHAT MAKWS AALO STANDS OUT. SIPU AND YOMGO RIVERS ARE ALSO HOME TO SOME ADVENTURE SPORTS. ACTIVITIES LIKE RIVER RAFTING AND SHORT TREKKING ARE QUITE FAMOUS IN AALO.

MECHUKA

MECHUKA OR MENCHUKA IS A SMALL TOWN IN THE MECHUKA VALLEY. MENCHUKA IS ALREADY FAMOUS AMONG TOURIST COMMUNITY FOR ITS SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF SNOW CAPPED PEAKS AND GREEN VALLEYS.

MECHUKA IS ALSO FAMOUS AS LOT OF TRIBES ARE ACCOMMODATED HERE. AS OF ARUNACHAL THIS PLACE IS ALSO VERY DIVERSE. AVID FOLLOWERS OF CHRISTIANITY, DONYI-POLOISM, AND BUDDHISM ARE HERE IN MECHUKA. MENCHUKA HAS ALSO A LOT OF HISTORICAL VALUE. THE MAIN ATTRACTION OF THE TOWN IS 400 YEAR OLD SAMTEN YONGCHA BUDDHIST MONASTERY IN MECHUKA WHICH IS VISITED BY THOUSANDS EVERY YEAR.

ROING

NOW OUR STAY IN ARUNACHAL GETS MORE ADVENTURES. RONG IS BEAUTIFUL PLACE BLESSED WITH SNOW CAPPED MOUNTAINS, GUSHING RIVERS, VARIOUS WATERFALLS, AND MANY ALLURING LAKES.

HEAVEN SEEMS TO KIND ON ROING AS THIS PLACE HAS EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL ON ITS SIDE. ROING HAS LOT OF STUNNING GORGES AND LAKES.

ONE OF THE MAIN ATTRACTION IN ROING IS MEHAO WILDLIFE SANCTUARY AND NEHRU VAN UDYAN. NOT ONLY ROING IS FAMOUS FOR WILDLIFE BHASHMAKNAGAR FORT IS ANOTHER VERY FAMOUS PLACE IN ROING.

TRAVEL ITINERARY FOR ARUNACHAL?

DAY 1

REACH TEZPUR, ASSAM.
YOU HAVE TO TAKE AS SUMO FOR BOMIDLA FROM TEZPUR.
YOU HAVE TO COME EARLY AT AROUND 5:30 AS IT IS A 8 HOUR LONG JOURNEY.

DAY 2

VISIT PLACES IN BOMIDLA LIKE
– EAGLE’S NEST WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
– APPLE ORCHARDS

DAY 3

REACH TAWANG FROM BOMDILA WHICH IS AROUND 8 HOURS OF JOURNEY IN SUMO AND 12 HOURS IN THE BUS.

DAY 4

VISIT PLACES IN TAWANG
– TAWANG MONASTERY
– MADHURI LAKE
– SELA PASS
– BUM LA PASS

DAY 5

REACH ITANAGAR FROM BOMDILA WHICH IS 9 HOUR RIDE FROM BOMDILA. SUMO STARTS EARLY IN THE MORNING SO BETTER TO REACH EARLY. THIS WILL BE YOUR TODAY’S STAY AND TOMORROW WILL GO TO ZIRO VALLEY.

DAY 6

REACH ZIRO VALLEY WHICH IS 4 HOURS FROM ITANAGAR. SUMO RIDES STARTS EARLY IN THE MORNING.

VISIT PLACES IN ZIRO LIKE
– TAKE A TREK IN THE VALLEY
– VISIT SURROUNDING VILLAGES WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE.

DAY 7

VISIT DAPORIJO WHICH IS 7 HOURS FROM ZIRO VALLEY.

DAY 8

VISIT PLACES LIKE
– MEGHNA TEMPLE
– VISIT SUBANSIRI RIVER
– IF POSSIBLE GO FOR A RAFTING ADVENTURE.

DAY 9

REACH AALO WHICH IS 7 HOURS FROM DAPORIJO AND SUMO GO ON ALTERNATE DAYS TUESDAY, THURSDAY LIKE THIS.

DAY 10

VISIT PLACES IN AALO
– HANGING BRIDGE
-RIVER RAFTING IN ALONG
– RAMAKRISHNA ASHRAM

DAY 11

VISIT MECHUKA WHICH IS 8 HOURS RIDE FROM AALO.

DAY 12

VISIT PLACES IS MECHUKA LIKE
– MECHUKA LAKE
– VISIT SAMTEN YONGTA MONASTERY
– YOU CAN ALSO GO TO CLIMB MENCHUKA MOUNTAIN.

DAY 13

REACH ROING WHICH IS 9 HOURS RIDE FROM MECHUKA.

DAY 14

VISIT PLACES IN ROING LIKE:
-MEHAO WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
– NEHRU VAN UDAYAN
– MEHAO LAKE

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT ARUNACHAL PRADESH?

WHILE BEST TIME TO VISIT ARUNACHAL IS COMPLETELY DEPENDS ON WHAT TIME OF THE YEAR YOU ARE VISITING. BUT IF YOU DON’T WANT HOT CLIMATE TO BE A BARRIER WHILE EXPLORING SUCH BEAUTIFUL PLACE SO ITS BETTER TO GO IN MONTHS LATE MARCH TO MAY. ANOTHER GOOD TIME FRAME WHEN CLIMATE IS LOVELY IS FROM OCTOBER TO NOVEMBER.

IF YOU ARE A SNOW LOVER SO YOU SHOULD BETTER BE VISITING IN THE MONTHS OF NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY, AND FEBRUARY. BUT AT THAT TIME ARUNACHAL IS VERY COLD SO BETTER TO TAKE LOT OF CLOTHING WITH YOU. YOU CAN SEE BELOW GIVEN GRAPH AND START PLANNING.

SNOW FALL IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE VISITING

ABOUT TRANSPORTATION
GENERALLY, TRANSPORTATION IS PROBLEM IN ARUNACHAL. FOR MOST PLACES YOU WILL HAVE TO CATCH SUMO’S EARLY IN THE MORNING. IT IS BETTER TO START YOUR JOURNEY EARLY BECAUSE FOR SOME PLACES ONLY 1 VEHICLE IS AVAILABLE.
ALSO, BE CAREFUL ABOUT FARE AND ASK LOCALS FOR AVERAGE PRICING BECAUSE SOMETIME THESE DRIVERS MAY OVERCHARGE YOU.

SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS AND LODGING
BEING A HILLY STATE, THE MARKET CLOSES EARLY. WHILE FOR LODGING I WOULD SUGGEST TO GO FOR GOVERNMENT LODGES WHICH ARE AVAILABLE IN MOST OF THE PLACES. IF YOU ARE GOING IN THE PEAK SEASON SO BETTER TO BOOK IT EARLY.
NORMAL CLOSING TIME OF THESE RESTAURANTS ARE LIKE 7:30 AND 8 PM.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• BE RESPECTFUL TO THE COMMUNITIES AND TRIBES THERE. ARUNACHAL IS VERY DIVERSE LIKE INDIA WITH LOT OF COMMUNITIES, RELIGIONS, FAITHS, AND TRIBES LIVING HAPPILY THERE FOR CENTURIES.
• ARUNACHAL IS A BORDER STATE AND THE PERMIT ALLOWS YOU TO SOME PARTICULAR PLACES ONLY SO BETTER NOT TO TAKE LAWS ON YOUR HANDS. IT IS ADVISABLE TO CHECK THE RULES AND REGULATIONS SET BY GOVERNMENT SO AS TO BE SURE.
• CONNECTIVITY IS NOT THAT BIG ISSUE THERE. WHILE IN SOME FAR LOCATIONS LIKE MECHUKA YOU WOULD HAVE SOME PROBLEMS BUT OVERALL NO PROBLEM. POPULAR NETWORK CARRIERS IN ARUNACHAL ARE AIRTEL, BSNL, VODAFONE, AND IDEA.
• ONLINE MAPS LIKE GOOGLE MAPS WILL NOT WORK IN BORDER AREAS SO BETTER TO TAKE OFFLINE OPTIONS TOO.
• YOUR ILP ALLOWS YOU TO STAY THERE FOR 15 DAYS WHICH CAN BE EXTENDED.
• PAP IS VALID FOR 30 DAYS AND CANNOT BE EXTENDED

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