About Tawang
Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, located in the north-eastern part of India bordering with Tibet in the north and Bhutan in the southwest is praised by all as the unexplored beauty of the North-East with majestic mountain peaks, lakes, forests, waterfalls. It is one of the most beautiful places in India ornamented with its rich cultures and traditions.
It is also the home to Tawang Monastery, the second largest Buddhist monastery in the world which is founded by the great 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century. It is also the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama and has been the birthplace of many great masters over the centuries.
With an area of 2000 square kilometers and a population of around sixty thousand, it is one of the smallest districts in Arunachal Pradesh. The majority of the people are followers of Tibetan Buddhism and are very dedicated, religious and hard working. The local spoken dialect is Monpa, a dialect emerging from Bhoti language, which resembles Central Tibetan dialect and is also spoken in many other parts of Himalayan regions.
Tawang is blessed with a number of monasteries, nunneries, stupas which gives it a very religious appearance, while at the same time there have been tremendous developments in the infrastructure lately. In today’s globalized world the Tawang people, like many small traditional communities around the world, are facing challenges in preserving their distinctive identity and at the same time integrating into a global community.
How to reach Tawang
Best time to visit Tawang
Tawang experiences summer from the month of March and lasts till June. The temperature remains comfortable between 5°C to 21°C and is apt to experience the beauty of the place.
July and September are the months of monsoon and Tawang experiences moderate rainfall during this season. November to February is the winter season in Tawang. The climate is extremely cool and the temperature ranges from – 11°C – 12°C. The best season to visit Tawang is the summers season and onset of monsoon season. The temperature remains comfortable and is apt for sightseeing. The best months to visit are March, April, May, June, September, and October.
How to reach Tawang by Air:
The nearest International Airport from Tawang is Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati, roughly 480 Kms from Tawang. It is well connected with the major other cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and many other.
Guwahati to Tawang by helicopter:
Helicopter Service is operational from Guwahati Airport to Tawang on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. However due to the limited number of seats (on an average 10 – 12 only). The Helicopter journey to Tawang over Bhutan takes around 55 minutes.
Guwahati to Tawang by road:
Tawang is 480 km from Guwahati city in Assam. A journey in car will take around 12 hours to reach Tawang passing through various small towns and villages. The highest peak to cross is Sela pass at an altitude of 4170 mtr from sea level.
Permits to enter Arunachal Pradesh:
Inner Line Permit (ILP):
For Indian national other than native of Arunachal Pradesh, Inner Line Permit (ILP) is required for entering any part of Arunachal Pradesh.
Protected Area Permit for India
The Foreigner (protected area) Act requires foreigner to obtain a Protect Area Permit (PAP) to visit certain area in India. This requirement is in addition to getting an Indian visa. Detail information is available at his site: http://arunpol.gov.in/ilp.html