Do you know which state of India receives the first rays of the sun? Do you know the Indian state where you require special permit to visit? Can you answer the largest state of seven sisters in North east region? Before you need to google these answers, the answer is Arunachal Pradesh.

Arunachal Pradesh, also popularly known as the Orchid state of India is answer to all the above questions. The Sanskrit meaning of word Arunachal means “The land of Dawn-Lit mountains”. This state shares international border with China, Bhutan and Myanmar.

Though tourism in north eastern region is on the rise, but Arunachal Pradesh is the place yet to be discovered by tourists. There are so many tourist places in this statewhich will mesmerize you with its beauty. Not only this, there are various things to do in Arunachal Pradesh from trekking, rafting to wild life exploration and music festivals. So, let’s explore what this jewel has to offer to tourists.

Places to visit

The state is gifted with its picturesque landscapes containing lush green mountains, deciduous forests, rivers and orchids which is nothing less than a bliss. However, we list here top 5 tourist places in Arunachal Pradesh to visit this season

• Tawang- One of the most visited tourist places in Arunachal Pradesh, this city is located 10000 feet above sea level. Surrounded by lakes, the city offers a beautiful view of nature with an essence of spirituality. The place is also famous as it is the birth place of Dalai Lama.
  • Visit to Sela pass- One can view the snow-clad river
  • Nuranang Waterfalls
  • Madhuri lake
  • River rafting at Kameng river

• Itanagar -This capital city of Arunachal Pradesh. Visiting to Arunachal Pradesh and missing Itanagar is not advisable. The city has lot of attractions to offer like
  • Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Namdapha National Park (Spot red panda- rare species)
  • Polopark – Botanical garden
  • Ita fort

• Ziro – Popularly known as Apatani Plateau, this place is been declared as a world heritage site. The place is famous for its serenity and hills. Some of the points to visit are
  • Meghna Cave temple
  • Bamboo Grove
  • Dolo Mando (for Trekking and adventure enthusiasts)
  • Dilopolyang Maniipolyang (For nature lovers)

• Bhalukpong-. One of the best tourist places in Arunachal Pradesh to offer hiking, trekking and river rafting. The breathtaking views of this place is Kameng river running through the forests making it attractive. Places to visit are
  • Kaziranga National Park
  • River rafting on Kameng river
  • Bhalukpong Fort

• Bomdila – If you love to view the snow-clad Himalayan mountains, then Bomdila is the place to visit. The place is also famous for apple orchards.

Things to Do in Arunachal Pradesh

We list out for you the things to be done which should be must in your list during your visit.

1. Visit the Namdapha National park to spot the Red Panda. This park is also the third largest national park in India
2. Ziro Music Festival- This festival is one of its kind. One such thing is that the festival never repeats a band and no artist can perform here twice.
3. Tawang Monastery – Being the second largest monastery in the world, visiting this place is itself an experience. Huge doors of 925 feet long and 10-20 feet high, various edifices and an 8m tall statue of Buddha will make you realise the beauty of this structure.
4. Solung festival – The festival is famous for serving the freshly brewed rice beer. This festival is must visit to witness the different culture of tribes
5. Trek to Gorichen Peak – situated at 22500 feet above sea level, this trek is ideal for nature lovers and a challenge to adventure trekkers.
6. Nuranag waterfalls
7. Trek to Talle valley

How to Reach in Arunachal Pradesh

By Air – Arunachal pradesh can be reached by air by two options. One airport is Guwahati and another at North Lakhimpur Lilabari Airport . Lilabari Airport receives 4 flights per week from Guwahati and Kolkata

By Train

Harmuti train station (Assam) is most popular railway station. However Naharlagun station is the nearest station to Itanagar. From there you can visit to Itanagar and other cities of the state.

By Road

The state is well connected by roads and inter-state bus services are available from towns of Arunachal Pradesh to other cities. National Highway 52, NH 15 and NH 415 connect to Arunachal Pradesh.

The best way to reach Arunachal Pradesh as per my opinion is to catch a train till Guwahati and catch another train to Naharlagun.

Best time to Visit

Located at high altitude, Arunachal Pradesh has a cool climate throughout the year. It is an ideal summer vacation for families and group so visiting from April to June would be great. It has many tourist hill stations like Tawang, Ziro, etc and staying in Arunachal Pradesh comes under budget. July to September is not advisable to visit in Arunachal Pradesh as it receives very heavy rainfall during this period. If you really want to enjoy winter season then this state visit is must. From October to March the climate of the region is around 8 degree to 14 degrees. This time is also great for tour because many festivals and traditional cultural events are celebrated this time . Being part of these events is one of the memorable experience.

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