[edunata]

This is my first Travelogue in TeamBhp. I found driving 3500 km is much easier, than, to write 3500-word Travelogue. .
So, as suggested by veteran Bhpians, it is more pics, less writing. My son helped me lot in this writing.

This May I could finally tick my longtime dream of driving to Arunachal Pradesh off, of my bucket list. Despite being eventful and excruciating in terms of managing, planning, convincing my family, it was a great experience. As the name suggests, it was a humongous task convincing myself and then my family, that, a small hatch can go up to Tawang from Kolkata. The convincing part demanded so much time and effort that the planning took the backseat. However, during the very small window of time that I could dedicate to the planning part, I received a lot of help and support from Gunin and Abhi_1512.
After a lot of effort, we finally embarked upon the journey…

Day-0/1
Our journey started on the night of 14th April, Saturday. Starting from our South Kolkata home at 8:30pm and taking a quick reroute to pick my son up from his tuition, it took us about an hour to reach the National Highway. Sticking to the current norm, we availed the Old Delhi road, then STKK road to reach Krisnanagar. We stopped at a Reliance petrol pump near Kalna to have our dinner which consisted of home cooked food that we were carrying. The road is in shambles at Krishnanagar but the road condition improved henceforth. After crossing the Malda Bypass, we stopped for a tea break and to rest, only to find a metal piece jutting out from the front left tyre. On taking it out the sound of air leaking and the hope of getting any rest disappearing was loud and clear. Fortunately, there was an open repairing shop with the 'proprietor' in deep sleep. He had to be shaken out of his slumber and reluctance until my punctured tyre was fixed.
Google map was showing the Bengal to Bengal route from Botolbari, but we ignored Google aunty (the annoying voice leading us constantly towards the wrong directions is nothing short of that neighborhood aunty with career suggestions and hence the nickname) and proceeded towards Dalkhola bypass. One flank of it is open, but the approach road is still under construction. We had to undertake some off-roading stunts to reach the tarred road. The real challenge however was when this road (NH 12) met NH 27. The junction had potholes wider than several roads we traversed later on in our trip. After negotiating our way out of this horrible junction, we stopped at Dalkhola BP to refuel our car as well as ourselves.


Then we took the Fulbari-Gajoldoba-Odlabari-Chalsa route to finally reach Jaldapara.


After 18 hours of journeying through not-so-favourable road conditions we were all extremely tired. We bathed, had lunch and crashed to bed.

Day - 2
Next morning, we drove through picturesque NH 317. We even saw some peacocks in the jungle.


Now we crossed the border and entered Assam. Assam greeted us with umpteen number of petrol pumps (the price of fuel is about 10 Rs cheaper here, than in WB).
Till Assam border the roads were okay, but after entering Assam the road condition detoriated a bit. In Assam police stopped us thrice and asked many wired questions about our source and destination, even my occupation. Never faced anything before, while travelling one state to another within India. After sometime the road condition improved, but noticed a strange thing in Assam NH. At very frequent interval, there are many many low rumble strips. Not a problem for big cars, but very annoying for small cars. At some places I have found the rumple strips are about one KM apart. Strangely all along the NH the speed limit is a mere 30 kmph. What is the utility of making good roads and keep the speed limit at 30 kmph (although it seems no one is bothered about the speed limit).

Our initial plan was to stay at Bhairabkunda and enter Arunachal Pradesh through the Balemu check post but the only resort nearby was full. So we made a detour to Tezpur and planned to enter Arunachal through the Bhalukpong entry. On the way to Tezpur we encountered torrential rain and horrifying sights of flood. The scenes of overflowing rivers, flooded homes, people standing outside their homes with essentials, inaccessibly flooded streets made us terribly anxious about how the rest of our trip would pan out in these conditions.


navigating through flooded routes and roadblocks we called it a day at hotel Angel, near Tezpur Airport.

Day - 3
Next morning welcomed us with an unwelcome cloudy weather. We darted towards Bhalukpong as early as possible but little did we know that the weather that day wasn't going to be the only thing unwelcome. The Bhalukpong entry was closed due to some landslides unsurprisingly caused by the heavy rains. As a result, we had to come back to the Balemu entry after a 3-hour drive. The road was good all the way, but from before the entry point it worsened. Initially we followed the good road and ended up in front of the Bhutan entry gate. On realising the mistake, we followed the dirt road towards the Balemu entry point. After entering our details and showing the ILP at the check post we got to the main road and proceeded towards Dirang. The road surface was excellent in Arunachal.


Passing through Kalaktang gate, Tenzingaon, Shergaon. We took a break near Rupa. It was a beautiful spot overlooking Tenga river and a military golf course.






After crossing the narrow and broken roads of Rupa we entered NH 13. Near Bomdila, Google aunty led us inside Bomdila city, instead of the Bomdila bypass. Our plan was to reach Dirang at about 2pm and visit some nearby places, but it became dark when we entered Dirang. Google aunty misguided us again later on and took us to some dirt road. We then called the owner of our homestay and he guided us to our destination Wangdi Homestay. It's a huge building with several rooms and good staff, but unfortunately they could only provide us with one day's accommodation, as it was full the next day. We asked the owner to try and arrange something. Had a nice dinner and retired for the day.

Day – 4
The morning started beautifully! Clear skies, picturesque views from the hotel's terrace, and a mouthwatering breakfast of Aloo Paratha.


View from our Hotel


We checked out from the homestay, and started driving towards Sangti Valley.

On the way to Sangti Valley

What a beautiful place! Later, someone told me it is called Switzerland of the East. Maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but the place is indeed spellbinding. Picturesque green valley beside a scintillating flowing river, surrounded by lush green hills.











After spending some time there, we returned to Dirang and started towards Mandala top. The road is good, up to about halfway mark, after that it 'not so good'. It gradually goes up to 10,000ft (Dirang is about 5,000ft). It is a beautiful and very peaceful place. 108 Buddhist stupas constructed on top of the mountain in a circular manner makes it one of the most enchanting sites in Dirang. An almost deserted road took us to the top. It is extremely cold and windy, but the view is spectacular and worth every shiver and every chattering tooth. The walk through the well maintained structures bearing testimony to the immense respect and gratitude was wonderfully calming. More so as the only sounding reaching your ears was of the innumerous bright colourful Buddhist flags fluttering in the mellow sunlight seeping in occasionally through the clouds.








Manda la is basically a pass, like Se La but it is very less frequented, evident as we were the only tourists there. There is a Mandala Café where we had Maggi and tea. Moreover, it had a staying option as well.
Later we returned to Dirang and checked in at a new homestay, 'Potala'. Not up to the mark, but manageable for a single night's stay.

[edunata]

Day – 5

Today we will be going to Tawang, passing through Se la (pass) so we had to start early.

Before that we had a quick photo session at Dirang.



Roads towards Tawang were good, but a little bit deteriorated near Se La. All along it was foggy weather. Gradually the green hills gave way to a rugged terrain, with less vegetation.
The height of Se La is about 13,700 ft. I am not sure but it felt like our small car was losing power at this height due to lack of oxygen. But it reached Se La





As expected, we had tea and Maggi at a café there before going on to explore a small but beautiful Sela Lake. It's nestled among tall rugged hills with visibly distant and intermittent touches of snow, and with roads rising along its edges, seemingly into the unknown as the clouds descend upon them to shroud them in the mystery of where they lead.
The place was very cold and windy, and made for a memorable view. After the customary photo session, we started towards Tawang.

After a few kilometers the road went from good to worst. A lane doubling work is going on along a 15-20 km stretch near Jang. The road was slushy. Thanks to the recent rains, it became very dangerous. My front tyres were swaying sometimes. As the road narrowed to become a single lane, providing oncoming cars the space to pass was very difficult in the slushy road. Reached Tawang at about 1pm.


At Tawang Google aunty again let us down. GMaps took us down a wrong route that led to a narrow, muddy blind lane. After reversing, we called the owner of our hotel, who thankfully guided us to the correct location. Our stay at Hotel Mon Kyim Jong was good. Our room was a large and nice one.
We checked into the hotel and went to the main market area to have lunch. After lunch I talked to a travel agent and arranged for the trip to Bumla Pass and Sangester Lake. Prior information was that the road to Bum La is very bad and we have to arrange for some permits. So, to avoid those, we arranged for a hired car for the Bum La trip. After submitting the ILP and identity proof to the Travel agent, we had a leisurely walk around the main market area and did some shopping.
Tawang is a nice city situated at an altitude of about 10,000 ft. Presently several construction jobs are ongoing around the city, making it a mess. Mud and slush is very common at the main market area. Frequent power cut is a very common thing here.

Day – 6

A very cloudy day. After having breakfast, I got a call from the travel agent regarding the car which arrived 30 minutes later. The road was very good till Bum La, but after a Y junction the road towards Sangester Lake deteriorates somewhat. Actually BRO is paving the road with interlocking bricks and the work is in progress.



On reaching the spot, we were informed that the lake was initially a grazing ground, but an earthquake converted it to a lake in 1971. It wasn't as deserted as most of our other spots, and despite most people's complaints regarding the cloudy and foggy weather, I personally loved the experience. After passing through a well-kept lawn and a cafe, you'll have to cross a river through a rather dangerous bridge that is devoid of any side rails or support and cannot accommodate two people walking side-by-side. On the other side of the river you shall find yourself facing a lake surrounded by deep forest. In my opinion the weather truly added an eerie yet serene feeling. There are several dead tree trunks throughout the lake, and the mud on the bank where gentle waves crash onto seems perfectly dry until you step on it and your shoe sole is completely surrounded by water. Little jumps across small trickling streams and walks over mud and dilapidated stone bridges lead you into a deep and unfrequented forest. The ancient trees with creepers and wildflowers of every kind growing all over them seemed to reach into the sky but stopped as the clouds disrupted their vision akin to ours. The sound of drizzle on leaves, and the smell of Rhododendrons of every colour make for a surreal experience.
The "unfavourable" weather, the constant drizzle, the colourful flowers against the dark gloomy forest with clouds descending upon the path right beside a calm lake with dead tree trunks and a horizon lost among the clouds looked absolutely ready for Kubrick and Nicholson to visit. It was indeed a very memorable visit.




We then had tea from the cafeteria (which is actually run by the army) and started for Bum La.

We have found some ice on the roadside yet to be melt.



Bum La is situated on the LAC with China occupied Tibet, at an altitude of 15,200 ft. The Chinese post was so close; we could actually see the white uniform clad PLA personnel. The place naturally instills a feeling of patriotism and unbridled pride, seeing the Indian Army personnel braving such freezing cold, lack of adequate amenities, and lack of proper contact with their families, in order to protect our motherland. Photography is prohibited in the most part of the area.

Here photography is permitted.

The short walk to the LAC guided by an army man who informed us everything we needed to know about the LAC, we returned to have some momo and tea at the army run cafeteria.
On our way back stopped at Panga Teng Tso lake




Then we started on our way back, and on requesting our driver took us to the Tawang Monastery against some extra pay. It is the second largest Monastery in Asia (as written on the walls).



We then returned to Tawang city and roamed around for some time, paid the Buddha sthal a visit and sat for some time near the prayer wheels. It has a giant Buddha statue and several smaller statues and pictures depicting Gautam Buddha's life. The rain however did not allow us to stay much longer.

Day – 7

The last day at Arunachal was highlighted thankfully by clear weather which however, did not last long.

View from our Hotel Balcony

The day's plan initially was to stay at Shergaon (as suggested by Gunin), but some alarming news stories regarding the Assam floods, we decided to give it a pass and enter Assam. We were not sure about the road conditions of Assam and therefore started early at about 9 am.
Today is our last day at Arunachal. Today the weather seemed to be clear, but after some time clouds all around.
Passing the dreaded stretch of Jang, Dirang, bypassing Bomdila (Bomdila bypass), we reached Rupa at around 3 pm.


The fog was our constant companion along the way. After having some momo at Rupa, we continued our journey. On reaching Shergaon, we felt that we were missing such a beautiful place and even gave it a second thought, but the Assam flood condition was looming around our mind. So, we moved ahead and at around 7 pm we reached Bhairabkunda, where we stayed at a very beautiful and spacious Dhwnsri Resort.

Day – 8

Nice day. Roamed around the resort in the morning. Very nice location, with Bhutan and Arunachal hills in the background, it is actullay located in Assam.



After breakfast, we started our journey. Surprisingly, we faced no flood related problem anywhere in our way. The only problem we faced was when Google aunty once again led us to a very narrow and broken road somewhere between Gerua and Barama. Except that, stretch our journey was smooth. We had our lunch in a small eatery with surprisingly good food. We reached Jaldapara quite early, at around 4 pm and went for a small walk nearby.

Day – 9

Drove from Jaldapara to Murti Riverside. The drive was very scenic, through a dense forest area. The drive was very calming as we drove under the canopies. The heat outside was seldom felt by us as the little sunlight that glimmered through the leaves seemed beautiful from the comfort of an air-conditioned car. We had breakfast at Murti Tourist Lodge and spent some time at Murti Riverside.


At the Murti riverside however, it was a boiling sensation and we hopped back to the car after a quick photo session. Again it was a very scenic route through the Gorumara-Lataguri-Gajoldoba route. Reached Raigunj at around 3 in the evening and after lunch, we planned to visit the Kulik Bird Sanctuary, which was unfortunately closed.

Day – 10

A comparatively uneventful day. We drove to Krishnanagar, had lunch at the amazing Mother’s Hut restaurant. The food, pricing, ambience, service was all great. We continued our return journey then. The only obstruction on our way back was facing a big jam on the old Delhi road. Finally, at around 10pm, home sweet home, bringing a very memorable trip filled with cherish able experiences to India's own land of the rising sun to an end.

Our WogonR drove flawlessly throughout. In plains I got mileage about 20kmpl (tankful to tankful method). In the hills it came down to 15-16kmpl.

[Eddy]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing.

[Mile_Breaker]

Wonderful trip and pbotos edunata ! As soon as you started the trip, news of Assam flood started coming in the news. I was thinking that you may come across some hard rain or road block etc. Glad that you had a safe trip. Wagon R is such a wonderful car and specially in the hills with its tall boy stance and short nose it is easy to handle. By the way why did you hire a car for Bum La, is private vehicle not allowed in Bum La ?

[ron82x3]

Such a wonderful travelogue Atanu da. Arunachal is indeed in my bucket-list.
I remember that breakfast meet of ours, when you were discussing about doing the trip in your WagonR. Glad that you did it without and without any major hiccups.

Arunachal is such a beautiful place that this post needed more photos
Thoroughly enjoyed the travelogue

[edunata]

By the way why did you hire a car for Bum La, is private vehicle not allowed in Bum La ?

Whatever information I had before my trip was, 'the road to Bum La was in very bad condition'. And a permit is required for the trip. Last year I had a fiasco regarding this permit for North Sikkim. So, this time I took no chance. Booked a hired car.

But the ground reality is completely different. Road to Bum La is very good. Your Hexa can easily go there. The road to Sangester Lake is under construction right now. Hope this road also will be fine in some time.

[pd1108]

Wonderful travelogue and lovely pictures. Thanks for sharing. BTW, these small cars are never a pushover. They are surprisingly versatile. One of the most popular vehicles in Manali, Spiti, and Ladakh is the tiny Alto. They even have the versatility to cross the river crossings in Lahaul and Spiti, when larger vehicles because of their weight get stuck

[ABHI_1512]

Great read of the places which I have been part of since childhood. Every Arunachal Pradesh log brings the inner child in me, elated as it is and nostalgic in so many ways. Superbly drafted travelogue with all the subtleties thrown in. I suppose you could have driven to Bumla in your WagonR since road conditions have improved very much. The road after the PTSO lake was in the making for the last five to six years. I know now that road to Bumla is completely paved now and Shungetsar is slowly getting there too.

How’s the condition of the Sela Pass ? I suppose the Sela Tunnel will open up soon and will provide all weather connectivity to the region. Thanks for sharing the log Atanu Da, glad I could be of some help to you and yes, you should write more often.

Regards.

[SJM1214]

Wonderful travelogue and lovely pictures.
Arunachal and the rest of the six sisters are in my "to Do" list for a very long time.

[edunata]

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

How’s the condition of the Sela Pass ?

Thank you very much for your encouragement.

The road to se La is very good now. Before and after 2-3 kms, of the pass paved by interlocking tiles. I have faced no problem while driving through it, except the dense fog and some power loss in the engine due to less oxygen.

I have asked many people about the progress of Se La tunnel, but no one seems to have proper information. The most dependable info I have got that, the tunnel boring is complete. The final touches and the connecting roads are being made.

[Neversaygbye]

Originally Posted by edunata

Our WogonR drove flawlessly throughout. In plains I got mileage about 20kmpl (tankful to tankful method). In the hills it came down to 15-16kmpl.

Finally got around to reading this TL (I had bookmarked it to read in my spare time) and the feeling I got was that I was reading an adventure novel. You and your co-travellers really have courage, I must say. There were countless occasions that would have made lesser mortals turn back. However, I'm glad that everything turned out fine and all of you made it back safely in the end. Arunachal Pradesh is pretty unexplored as far as destinations go, and your TL gives a great perspective of the state. One of these days, I might get inspired to do this trip as well, now that I know that it can be done in a small hatchback. Thanks a lot for sharing this TL and see you soon in one of our meets!

[javageek]

Heartiest congratulations edunata on your memorable trip. While reading the highlighted threads I saw the heading - Kolkata Arunachal -small hatchback. I had some inkling that it just might be on a WagonR or could be more powerful sisters -Swift / Ritz / Baleno, and the picture of car in your travelogue put a smile on face.
Having accepted the fact that the build quality is nothing to talk about, my 2011 WagonR has never failed my even once on my cross country trips including multiple - Pune -Patna - Pune, Pune-Bangalore-Pune and more recently Pune -Patna - Nepal - Patna - Ranchi -Raipur -Nagpur -Pune trips. Its a true workhorse and does not bat an eyelid even under most strenuous conditions of road ( or actually absence of road ) or long duration drives.

Having seen your mesmerizing travelogue pictures, I am now inspired to drive the Wagon R all the way from Pune to AP and back.
While I do have a 2018 Tiago in my garage when it comes to choosing one for long drive, I take the Wagon R for its sheer reliability and predictability.

Thanks once again for sharing the travelogue.

[Travelmania]

Thanks Edunata for sharing a detailed travel story. I always try to go through Arunachal Pradesh Travelogues as it is still unchecked from my travel diary. The place is a photographer's paradise. Your car must get a Pat for good performance. I hope to write a story about this place in future. .

[DKM]

This is a wonderful travelogue. Read it once, would like to read it again.

[haisaikat]

Many thanks Atanu da for sharing this wonderful travelogue. Arunachal is on our future list too and hope we would visit some day. While the monsoon season gave you some bad weather and roads yet the foggy and cloudy ambience contributed in creating a magical backdrop as evident in many of your photos. Your kid being grown up, one of the advantage is bypassing Lunch over maggy is not much of a problem . Of all the places you visited I think Sangestar Lake is most beautiful.

Keep travelling and sharing such beautiful journeys.