There are two ways to get to Tawang, and both are demanding. The first is a 12-hour drive from Guwahati over the Sela Pass at 4,170 metres — a knife-edge of ice and fog even in summer. The second is an 8-hour helicopter flight that Indian Air Force pilots describe as the hardest in the country. Tawang is a town of 11,000 people at 3,048 metres, closer to Lhasa than to New Delhi, and it holds the second-largest Buddhist monastery in the world — only Lhasa's Potala Palace is larger.
A 400-year-old monastery on contested ground
The monastery was founded in 1680 by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso on instructions from the 5th Dalai Lama. Its full name — Galden Namgey Lhatse — means 'celestial paradise in a clear night'. Built on a natural saddle overlooking a deep valley, the monastery houses 450 Gelugpa monks today and the 18-foot-tall gilded statue of Lord Buddha in its main prayer hall. A 700-year-old library holds 850 Buddhist texts. The annual Torgya festival in late January features masked cham dances that repel evil spirits from the coming year.
Tawang's most famous son is the 6th Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, born in 1683 in the nearby village of Urgyeling. He was discovered as the reincarnation at age 14, taken to Lhasa, and deposed 15 years later — both for writing love poetry and for resisting the Qing Chinese ambassador. He died young under mysterious circumstances in 1706. His birthplace is a pilgrimage site. Four hundred years later, the 14th Dalai Lama fled Tibet along almost this same route in 1959 — he entered India at the Khenzemane pass just 37 km north of Tawang and spent his first night at the monastery.
The road to Tawang: breaking the journey
- Guwahati (0 km) — night 1. Fly in; rent a Sumo with driver.
- Bhalukpong (225 km) — no night here; cross the state border and keep driving.
- Dirang (360 km) — night 2. Sleepy village at 1,560 m, good for acclimatisation. Visit Dirang Dzong.
- Tawang (500 km) — night 3–4. Cross Sela Pass at 4,170 m; stop at Sela Lake and Jaswantgarh War Memorial.
- Bumla Pass (540 km, day trip) — Indo-China border at 4,600 m. Permit required from Tawang — 48-hour advance notice.
The Buddhist Himalayan route
Tawang is the eastern anchor of India's Tibetan Buddhist heartland. West across the country is the Ladakhi gompa circuit covered in our Himalayan monasteries post. South is the related kingdom-tradition of Sikkim — same Gelugpa and Kagyu schools, different political trajectory. For the origin of the whole tradition, visit Bodh Gaya in Bihar. Within Arunachal Pradesh itself, combine Tawang with the lowland wildlife of Kaziranga in Assam (12 hours away). See all Arunachal Pradesh destinations or browse Pilgrimage sites.
“In Tawang, the mountains still believe in their gods.”
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YatraJunction Editorial
Our editors are travellers, historians and food lovers who have collectively visited every state of India. Every guide is fact-checked, field-tested and updated with love.
Learn about usFrequently asked questions
- Do I need a permit for Tawang?
- Yes. Indians need an Inner Line Permit (ILP) for Arunachal Pradesh — apply online or at any state gate (₹100, 30 minutes). Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit (PAP) — apply through an authorised tour operator, minimum 4 people.
- When is Sela Pass open?
- Usually open year-round, but can close for 2–3 days at a time during heavy snowfall (January–February). Check with the Border Roads Organisation helpline before travel. The road is single-lane with military convoys taking priority.
- How cold does Tawang get?
- December–February: -5 to 5 °C at night; sub-zero at Sela Pass. Hotels have wood stoves but not central heating. Pack layers, down jacket, gloves, and lip balm. Summer (May–August) is 10–22 °C and rain-soaked.
