At the recently concluded 2025 India Today Tourism Awards, the picturesque Mechuka Valley in the northeastern border state of Arunachal Pradesh was crowned as "the best mountain destination" in India. Having worked in Arunachal Pradesh last year, I was not at all surprised by the news. Arunachal — spread across the hills and valleys of the eastern Himalayas — has been long overlooked by tourists, Indians and foreigners alike, because of its remote and inaccessible topography. With improving connectivity in recent years, however, the state is slowly and surely claiming its much-deserved place on India's tourism map. From its snow-capped mountains to its pristine river valleys, bio-diverse forests, sanctuaries, and National Parks, as well as a rich cultural heritage, there's no reason not have Arunachal Pradesh at the top of your travel wishlist.
First things first:
Tourists need to apply for an Inner Line Permit (ILP) to visit Arunachal Pradesh. Tourist ILPs are valid for upto 14 days and cost 500 Indian Rupees for Indian Nationals. Apply for eILP here. Foreign Nationals need a Protected Area Permit (PAP), and these can be applied for through the Ministry of Home Affairs or registered tour operators.
How to get there:
The best way to reach Arunachal Pradesh is by flying to the Guwahati or Tezpur airports in Assam and travelling by bus/car to Arunachal Pradesh or taking a train to Guwahati and travelling by bus/car to Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh has limited direct rail connectivity. But nearby Assam railheads are well-connected. Learn more here.
Where to stay:
All major towns and tourist spots have homestays, hotels, and hostels for every budget. Some tribal families also run experiential homestays where you can experience their traditional ways of life.
The best time to visit Arunachal Pradesh:
The best time to visit Arunachal Pradesh depends on the experience you’re looking for. However, the ideal months for most travellers are October to April when the weather is pleasant and favourable for sightseeing, trekking, and cultural experiences.
Spring-Summer (March–June) is ideal for sightseeing, trekking, and wildlife safari. Temperatures hover between a pleasant 15℃ to 30℃, and snow starts melting in high-altitude passes like Sela and Bumla. Ziro Valley, Tawang, Mechuka, and the Namdapha National Park are particularly pleasant this time of the year.
Autumn (September–November) is ideal for travel, landscape, and wildlife photographers looking to make breathtaking photographs. Mountains turn lush green after monsoons, offering beautiful landscapes; and trekking trails in Mechuka and Dirang are usually at their best in Autumn. The iconic Ziro Music Festival takes place in September every year.
Winter (December–February) is ideal for snow lovers and those interested in visiting the Tawang monastery to experience the Torgya and Losar (Tibetan New Year) festivals. However, Arunachal winters can be extremely harsh with sub-zero temperatures, so pack accordingly.
Monsoon (July-August) is best avoided due to heavy rainfall, landslides, roadblocks, and flash floods.
With all that out of the way, here's the Homegrown guide to Arunachal Pradesh:
Arunachal Pradesh is divided into 12 distinct tourism circuits, each offering unique landscapes, cultures, and experiences. These circuits help travellers explore different parts of the state, and I will recommend you focus on only one or two of these circuits during a one-week trip. There's a lot to experience in Arunachal Pradesh, and slow, mindful travel is the way to go. The major tourism circuits in Arunachal Pradesh are:
1. Tawang-Dirang-Bomdila-Shergaon: This circuit covers Monyul, or the 'Land of The Mon People'. Best for travellers interested in ancient monasteries, snow-capped mountains, and spiritual retreats.
2. Ziro-Itanagar-Aalo-Basar: This circuit covers the heart of Arunachal Pradesh. Best for travellers interested in Apatani tribal culture, scenic valleys, and music festivals.
3. Mechuka: The Valley Beyond the Hills, Mechuka was recently crowned the best mountain destination in 2025 India at the India Today Tourism Awards. Best for adventurers, trekkers, and tourists interested in ancient monasteries.
4. Anini-Mayodia-Roing: The Valley of Lakes. Best for travellers interested in snow-capped mountains, offbeat wildlife and landscape exploration, Idu-Mishmi tribal culture, and scenic lakes.
5. Namsai-Wallong-Dong: The Sunrise Kingdom. Best for travellers interested in Tibetan-Buddhist culture, history, sunrise viewpoints, and offbeat travel to a pristine lake deep inside rainforests reachable only after hours of hiking.
6. Namdapha: The Last Wilderness. Best for wildlife, rainforests, and birdwatching enthusiasts.
7. Pangsau Pass: Along the Stillwell Road. Best for those with a keen interest in history, WWII sites and memorials, and the Indo-Myanmar Border.
8. Pasighat-Yingkiong-Tuting: Towards Pemako — the Promised Land. Best for those interested in adventure, river rafting, remote tribal culture, and the sacred Pemako mountain — a mythical refuge for Tibetan Buddhists prophesied by the 8th-century tantric Buddhist master Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche.
Tawang is the spiritual centre of Monyul, or 'the land of the Mon people'. The Mon people or Monpa are the largest tribe of Tibetan-Buddhists in India. The 400-year-old Tawang Monastery — the largest monastery in India and the second largest in the world — is an important centre of the Tibetan-Buddhist faith and culture in India. The Tawang-Dirang-Bomdila-Shergaon circuit consists of Tawang and West Kameng districts. The massive Tawang Monastery, the Dirang Dzong, the Thembang Dzong ('Dzong' means fort in the Mon language), Tipi Orchidarium and Sessa Orchid Sanctuary, the Mandala top, the Eagle’s Nest Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Chugh and Sangti Valleys are some of the main tourist attractions on this circuit. The ancient Zengbu Gompa and the Choskorong waterfall in Shergaon are worth visiting too.
In recent years, a women's self-help group based in the Chugh Valley has opened an experiential restaurant called Damu's Heritage Dine which has generated a lot of buzz for its curated tasting menu serving authentic Monpa cuisine.
Ziro is a plain valley in central Arunachal Pradesh inhabited by the Apatani and Nyishi tribes. Tribal villages, cemeteries, Shamans, the Talley Valley and Lal Ane treks, and the Ziro Festival are the main attractions on the Ziro-Itanagar-Aalo-Basar circuit.
Mechuka Valley, nestled in the remote Shi-Yomi district of Arunachal Pradesh, is known for its pristine beauty and cultural richness. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains and cut in half by the crystal-clear Siyom River, Mechuka offers breathtaking landscapes, ancient monasteries like the 400-year-old Samten Yongcha Gompa, and unique tribal living experiences with the Memba community. Adventure-seekers can enjoy trekking, riverside camping, and crossing traditional hanging bridges. The 2 to 3-day trek to the high-altitude Pasang Tsonam Tso lake is particularly popular. Learn more about all the things you can do in Mechuka here.
The Namsai-Wallong-Dong circuit covers the eastern-most parts of Arunachal Prades — and by extension, India — and includes the small town of Dong in the Anjaw district which receives the first sunlight in India.
The Namdapha Circuit revolves around the Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve, one of India’s largest protected areas and a biodiversity hotspot. Located in the far eastern corner of Arunachal Pradesh, near the Myanmar border, this circuit is perfect for wildlife lovers, adventurers, and seekers of raw, untouched nature. It also offers a glimpse into the rich tribal cultures of the Tangsa, Tutsa, Singpho, and Lisu communities.
Beyond the circuits and major attractions listed here, Arunachal Pradesh has a lot more to offer. As remote as it is beautiful, this north-eastern border state may very well be one of the last, largely uncharted territories of India.
To learn more about the people and culture of Arunachal Pradesh and plan your trip, read Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent's 'Land of the Dawn-Lit Mountains', and Jitaditya Narzary's 'Immersive Arunachal: A Traveller's Handbook'.
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