Tawang, India: travel guide
A high Himalayan monastery town near the Tibetan border
Remote Himalayan monastery town at 3,048m — home to India's largest monastery, glacial lakes, and a pristine high-altitude landscape near the Tibetan border.
About Tawang
Tawang is a mountain town in western Arunachal Pradesh, set at around 3,000 metres close to the Tibetan border. It is dominated by the Tawang Monastery, a large Buddhist complex overlooking the valley, and reached by long, scenic mountain roads.
The drive takes in the Sela Pass, and around town you can visit the monastery, the war memorial, Nuranang Falls and the glacial Madhuri Lake. Bumla Pass lies further out. Prayer flags, pine forest and snow peaks shape the landscape, and winters bring real cold and sometimes snow.
Travel to Tawang is slow but memorable, and it suits patient travellers who value landscape and monastic culture. Spring and autumn offer the clearest views, while high passes can be affected by snow in winter, so plan flexibly.
- Country
- India
- Currency
- INR
- Time zone
- Asia/Kolkata
Last updated
Top places to visit in Tawang
Tawang Monastery
monastery · 4.7 rating · about 1.5 h · free entry
India's largest Buddhist monastery (Galden Namgey Lhatse), a 400-year-old Gelugpa gompa perched at 3,000 m with a giant gilded Buddha and a museum of treasures.
Sela Pass
Viewpoint · 4.7 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
A breathtaking high-altitude mountain pass at ~4,170 m on the road to Tawang, often snow-clad, with the serene Sela Lake beside it.
Madhuri Lake (Shonga-tser)
Nature · 4.6 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
A stunning high-altitude lake amid dead tree trunks and snow peaks ~40 km from town (made famous by a Bollywood film), reached with a permit.
Tawang War Memorial
Heritage · 4.5 rating · about 1 h · entry ₹20
A 40-ft stupa-shaped memorial honouring soldiers of the 1962 Indo-China war, with a museum and an evening sound-and-light show over the valley.
Nuranang (Jang) Falls
Waterfall · 4.5 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate
A spectacular ~100-m waterfall near Jang on the Tawang road, plunging through forest — one of Arunachal's most photogenic cascades.
Bumla Pass
Viewpoint · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
A high Indo-China border pass at ~4,600 m near Tawang, accessible to Indian nationals with a special permit — a stark, historic frontier viewpoint.
Jaswant Garh War Memorial
Heritage · 4.5 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate
A poignant memorial on the Sela road to rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, a 1962-war hero, with a tea-and-snack stop run by the army.
PTSO Lake (Penga Teng Tso)
Nature · 4.5 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
A pristine glacial lake ~20 km from town near the Bumla road, ringed by alpine slopes that freeze in winter — a tranquil, otherworldly stop.
Urgelling Monastery
monastery · 4.4 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate
The serene small monastery ~5 km away that is the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama, a peaceful and historically significant shrine.
Gyangong Ani Gompa
monastery · 4.4 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate
A hilltop Buddhist nunnery above Tawang with panoramic valley and monastery views, a quiet spiritual spot founded in the 16th century.
Things to do
- Tawang Monastery Visit Cultural · 1.5 h · from INR 300 per person
- Sela Pass & Nuranang Falls Drive Nature · 5 h · from INR 3,000 per person
- Bumla Pass & High Lakes Tour Nature · 6 h · from INR 5,000 per person
- Tawang War Memorial & Town Walk Cultural · 2 h · from INR 500 per person
Day trips and tours
- Bumla Pass & Lakes Expedition 9 h · from INR 5,000
- Tawang Town & Monastery Tour 5 h · from INR 1,000
- Sela Pass & Nuranang Falls Day 9 h · from INR 3,000
Where to stay in Tawang
- Main Town about INR 2,000 per night
Mountain town with guesthouses and monastery
Hotels
- Dolma Khangsar Homestay 2-star · INR 1,800 to INR 3,500 per night
- Tawang Heritage Homestay 2-star · INR 1,500 to INR 3,000 per night
- Hotel Tawang Heights 3-star · INR 3,500 to INR 6,500 per night
- Hotel Gakyi Khang Zhang 3-star · INR 3,000 to INR 5,500 per night
- Hotel Tawang Inn 3-star · INR 2,500 to INR 4,500 per night
- Hotel Mon Paradise 3-star · INR 2,800 to INR 5,000 per night
Where to eat
- Dragon Restaurant Tibetan, Monpa, Chinese · about INR 300 per person
- Orange Restaurant Tibetan, North Indian, Chinese · about INR 300 per person
- Tawang Kitchen Monpa, Tibetan · about INR 280 per person
- Cafe Tawang Cafe, Tibetan, Continental · about INR 200 per person
- Monastery View Cafe Tibetan, Cafe, Snacks · about INR 180 per person
- Nefa Restaurant Tibetan, Chinese, North Indian · about INR 250 per person
- Hotel Tawang Inn Restaurant North Indian, Tibetan, Chinese · about INR 400 per person
- Yarlung Restaurant Tibetan, Bhutanese · about INR 280 per person
Getting to Tawang
Nearest airport: Bumthang (BUT), about 111 km away in a straight line. The road or rail journey is longer.
Getting around
- Shared Taxi
- Taxi
- Walking
More in India
Frequently asked questions about Tawang
- What are the top-rated places to visit in Tawang?
- The highest-rated places in our Tawang guide are Tawang Monastery, Sela Pass, Madhuri Lake (Shonga-tser), Tawang War Memorial, Nuranang (Jang) Falls.
- Where should I stay in Tawang?
- Our guide covers these areas to stay in Tawang: Main Town.
- How do I get around Tawang?
- Ways to get around Tawang covered in our guide: Shared taxi, Taxi, Walking.