Arunachal Pradesh Travel Guide

Arunachal Pradesh also known as the land of Dawnlit mountains is a bit of paradise that nestles in the northeastern corner is also the largest state in the northeastern region. This magical valley is blessed with a pleasant climate, abundant rainfall, high snow-capped mountains, enticing sunrise and sunsets and all else. For mountain lovers and the vertically inclined mountains represent nothing less than the crowning apex of nature's grandeur.

Here dramatic forested gorges rise to skylines of snow-capped glaciated peaks through a landscape that ranges from high-altitude desert to dripping dense forest. Home to some 20 million people, this is no alpine wilderness, but rather a vibrant mosaic of peoples, cultures and communities, crisscrossed by ancient trading and pilgrimage routes that offer their own unique inspiration. Test your mettle against some of the world's most audacious and dangerous roads, or set a more measured pace on a trek.

• Visiting Sela Pass, a high altitude motorable pass at 14,000ft located near Tawang.
• Visiting Pangsupass located at Indo Myanmar border in Changlang district.
• Enjoy the fascinating nature at Namdapha National Park.
• Visit Tipi orchidarium and witness the vast collection of orchids.
• Visit land of Golden Pagoda, Namsai.
• Enjoy breath-taking sceneries and natural beauty at Mechukha Valley.
• Treat yourself a memorable visit to lush green paddy fields at Ziro.
• Take a dip in the holy water of Parasuram Kund.
• Witness the glorious Tawang Festival.
• Enjoy trekking in the Gorichen Peak.
• Visit 400 years old magnificent Tawang monastery.

Sumer season is very pleasant in Arunachal Pradesh due to the breezy wind coming through dense forests and mountains. Summers in Arunachal start from April and lasts till June.

The state experiences monsoon rains between the months of May to September. Winters start in Arunachal from the mid-October and remains till spring knocks in February end.

The ideal time to visit Arunachal Pradesh is between the months of October and March. It is better to avoid visiting Arunachal in monsoon season due to flood in surrounding areas.

One of the first things that strike us about the cuisine of Arunachal Pradesh is its unique and magical tribal flavour. You have to admit that though the food is quite bland in the state, it just melts in your mouth. Rice is the staple dish of the people here. Arunachal's cuisine is just one of the examples of the rich North Eastern culture. Try out the following when you come here next time:

Pasha – This is a soup made from uncooked fish - one of the speciality dishes of Arunachal Pradesh.

Thupka – This is a tasty noodle soup, which is one of the staple dishes in all parts of North East India, including Arunachal Pradesh.

Rice beer – Also known as Apang in the local dialect, Rice Beer is an alcoholic drink made from either rice or millets. The degree to which rice or millets are fermented decides the quality of this rice beer.

Boiled vegetable dish – The most common vegetable used in Arunachal Pradesh is lettuce. This is cooked along with coriander leaves and ginger to give a nice aroma to the dish.

Arunachal Pradesh, one of the jewels of North East India, is indeed a shopper's paradise. With its close vicinity to the neighbouring countries of China and Tibet, the state oozes with a strong Buddhist culture. Handicrafts of the state are some of the best in the world. While you are here, shop for brass Buddha statues, prayer bells, miniature statues of Buddhist and Hindu Gods, crystal ball and various other souvenirs. As weaving is the main occupation of the people here, the state is replete with lots of woollen fabrics of different sizes, colours and patterns. Blankets, sweaters, carpets, shawls etc. are available in plenty here.

As it is located in close proximity to China, this is probably the best place to buy some high-quality Chinese style crockery items at affordable prices. You will be delighted to find a set of porcelain crockery items here on sale all through the year. Beaded jewellery, leather shoes, trekking equipment and other adventure sports equipment are some of the other commonly available things in Arunachal.