OK, so this is going to be a long read.
But then, it is probably the only one you need to plan your travel to Roing, Anini and Walong. So, tighten up your seatbelts and enjoy the ride.
If you are on Instagram, there’s no way you haven’t bumped into Arunachal Pradesh till now. Yes, the Land of the Rising Sun in India has been one of the most trending destinations last year. While most tourists throng the mainstream Tawang Valley and Ziro, the idyllic eastern part is still waiting to be discovered. The rugged terrain, adorned with lush green forests, emerald rivers, magical waterfalls and snow-capped peaks, is a treasure trove of unspoiled natural beauty. And believe you me, it’s not an exaggeration.
East Arunachal was on my bucket list for a long time, especially the enchanting Dong Valley, which witnesses India’s first sunrise. Unfortunately, being the easternmost state, it takes a lot of time to prepare, both physically and mentally. But once you get there, it’s all worth it. Nature greets you in her most pristine form, and you experience travelling back to millions of years, when the earth was still nascent.
Arunachal Pradesh is huge, and it takes a lot of time to travel from one destination to another. There are different circuits you can explore, depending on what you want to explore. We visited 3 major destinations on our 12-day trip – Roing (District HQ of Lower Dibang Valley), Anini (Gateway to the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary) and Walong (Gateway to Dong Valley). I have created a step-by-step guide to minimise travel hassles and help you plan the perfect itinerary. Depending on your leaves, you can mix and match this itinerary, and you can definitely do it on your own.
What You Need To Know Before Travelling
1. In Line Permit (ILP)
The Inner Line Permit (ILP) is an official travel document issued by the Government of India for citizens wishing to visit specific protected areas in India, such as Arunachal Pradesh, for a limited time. It is required for anyone who is not a native of the state. This permit helps to strike a balance between development and the preservation of local customs and the environment in such sensitive regions.
You can apply for ILP in 2 ways: Physical & eILP. Though the physical ILP is cheaper (Rs. 100), getting it is quite cumbersome. The counter is often crowded, and you don’t want any last moment hiccups. More so, if you have limited leaves and are not conversant with the region. I would recommend getting an eILP, it’s much easier and hassle-free.
Steps to get an eILP:
a) Log on to https://eilp.arunachal.gov.in/
b) Click on Tourist eILP on top left, and then select Apply ILP
c) Register with your mobile number
d) Fill in your personal details, group members, duration of visit, and districts you’re visiting.
e) Pay Tourist eILP fee (Rs. 500)
f) You are done!
Documents required: 1 set for each district you are visiting
a) Coloured Passport Size Photograph
b) B/W Printout (Driving License or Passport or Voter ID Card or Aadhar Card)
c) Printouts of your eILP
You need to show these documents at the Police Check Post, right next to Roing entry gate. They will take a record of the number of people visiting, vehicle number etc. It takes hardly 5-10 minutes.
Keep all your documents handy at the checkpoints.
2. Money
Most hotels/resorts accept online transfer, and UPI transactions is also quite common. However, I would advise, carrying some cash for emergencies and transactions at local tea shops and small-scale eateries. ATMs are available at all major towns, so getting money is not a problem.
3. Connectivity
The nearest town to enter East Arunachal is Dibrugarh. You can either fly down or catch a train to reach Dibrugarh. You can also take a train to Tinsukia and get your transport from there.
4. Transport
This is probably the most important part, as you are going to spend most of your time in a car on your Arunachal road trip! It will be a long, everyday road trip. Local transport is infrequent and unreliable. So it’s better to negotiate and hire a vehicle from Dibrugarh itself for a round trip. We booked our cab with Mr. Manab Borah (Pegion Cabs: +919101135593). His professionalism and punctuality are commendable, and his driving is also relaxed. It was his first visit to East Arunachal, so he was equally excited.
There are many other taxi operators in Dibrugarh whom you can contact to get quotes. Go with the one who offers you the best deal. Most operators give you the option to choose either between ‘Everyday Driver Allowance’ (which is pretty steep) or pay for stay and food at the places you are staying. Most hotels/resorts offer free accommodation for drivers, but they are pretty basic. It’s better to talk to your property and confirm it before you arrive. Also, if you are travelling in a group, go for ‘Everyday Driver Allowance’ to avoid everyday hassles.
Some other tour operators you may contact:
Jasdeep Singh (Sippu): +919435032204, +917002276912
Anurag Tours & Travels: +918133020493, +919845158907
Janvi Tour And Travels: +9108638725925
Next Travels Car Rental Service: +917942677973 (Mr. Moinul Sheikh)
5. Alcohol
Alcohol is cheaper in Arunachal Pradesh, and almost all brands are available. So keep your bags light and pick your poison when you are at Roing.
6. Day Time
Interestingly, the sun rises two hours earlier in Arunachal Pradesh than it does in Gujarat in the west. It’s already bright at 6 am, and by the time the clock hits 4.30 in the evening, it’s dark. So, plan your day accordingly, as you would not want to navigate through forests and hilly terrain once the sunlight is gone.
Alright, now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get to the ITINERARY!!!
The Perfect DIY East Arunachal Vacation Itinerary
Day 0: Dibrugarh
Reach Dibrugarh and check into your hotel. We preferred our stay near the Brahmaputra river, as we didn’t want to miss out on the amazing sunset. There is a 2.5km long promenade where you can take a casual stroll in the evening.
We stayed at ‘Homestay by the Tea Garden’ in Seujpur, run by Mr. Nishiraj A Baruah. The place is medium-budget but offers amazing views of the lush green tea gardens and has fancy colour-themed rooms. The behaviour of the staff and the food are equally great.
Check out the photos here, Homestay By The Tea Garden
Day 1: Roing
Distance (Dibrugarh to Roing): 160km
Travel Time: Approximately 5 hours
Route: Dibrugarh – Tinsukia – Doom Dooma – Talap – Bhupen Hazarika Setu – Shantipur – Roing
Though the travelling time between Dibrugarh and Roing is around 3-3.5 hours (depending on where you are staying), there are a lot of scenic places en route where you would love to stop for pictures or refreshment. So calculate your travel time accordingly. The road condition is great, so you can completely immerse yourself in the rural beauty of Assam, embellished with tea gardens and betel nut trees. The route passes through the famous 9 km-long Bhupen Hazarika Setu (Dhola-Sadiya Bridge) on the Lohit River, the longest bridge in India that’s built over water.
After you cross the Shantipur check post, you have officially entered the Lower Dibang Valley. The landscape changes, and you will find mountains peeping out at the horizon, from behind lush green forests.
Roing is a pretty big town, the official headquarters of the Lower Dibang Valley district, and the gateway to other far-flung areas like Hunli, Anini and Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary up to the China border. However, the place is sparsely crowded, which is definitely a welcome sight.
We stayed at the Mishmi Hill Camp, a serene eco-lodge built on a rural campsite, amidst lush green forests and rolling hills. There are three cottages that stand on the ridge of Deopani River, and in the backdrop are the mountains of the Mishmi Hills and the majestic view of Mayudia peaks. The idyllic tribal-styled cottages are traditional Mishmi houses that stand on stilts and, are made of wood, bamboo, and thatch. The rooms are clean, comfortable, and furnished with handmade bamboo mats, and come with attached western-style toilets. The food is amazing and the staff is warm and friendly. Do let them know about the number of people arriving beforehand to help them manage food better. If you wish to have local fish or pork, they will be more than happy to prepare, at a nominal extra charge.
For photos click here
For booking, call +91 98628 56981 or email pulujb@gmail.com
Since you will reach Mishmi Hill Camp by lunch, you can walk around to explore Deopani Bridge and Nehru Van Udyan, before dozing off to the sounds of crickets and the gurgling waters of the Deopani River.
Point to remember:
Since this is a forest area, avoid walking on grass, especially if it’s wet, after dark, or you might get leeches on your feet. Wear full-sleeved shirts, full pants and shoes to stay safe. Don’t worry, if you ever see a leech stuck to your skin, drop some salt on it, and it will detach and fall off.
Day 2: Anini
Distance (Roing to Anini): 225km
Travel Time: Approximately 10 hours
Route: Mayodia Pass – Old Hotel 65km – Hunli – Aliney – Arzoo – Etalin – Anini
This is going to be a long day, but the best part is, the journey is itself the destination on your Arunachal road trip! Start early (preferably by 5.30 am), so you can reach Anini before evening. Ask your hotel to pack you sandwiches/parathas, etc., and carry fruits, water bottles for the road, as you might not find a single soul throughout the journey 🙂 🙂
The first tourist spot that you will hit is Mayodia Pass. At 60km from Roing, this 2655 m (8711 ft) high pass drapes herself in snow during the winters.
You can take a stopover at Old Hotel 65, which you will arrive at in 20 minutes from Mayodia Pass. You will be served steaming Maggi, Momos, Parathas and tea, along with a big platter of smiles.
As you drive ahead, you will pass through Hunli (a small town with an even smaller local market, beautiful views and some nature trails), Amelin, Ichindo, Arzoo, Etalin and Ayeso. These are all small villages with 1-2 roadside shops, but we found them all closed. What we found instead were a couple of old men in traditional Mishmi attire, Mithun families and ample viewpoints to soak in nature’s pristine beauty.
Google map lists a few shops near 173 km point, but we didn’t find any (or maybe they were closed). If you feel hungry, your packed lunch and dry food will come in handy here.
Anini, the HQ of the Dibang Valley district, is a perfect picture postcard town. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, misty pine forests, rolling meadows and emerald waters of the Dri river, it’s definitely a hidden paradise waiting to be discovered. There are some amazing cafés, bakeries and souvenir shops in and around the main market, and a pharmacy within a stone’s throw.
Anini also has some amazing stay options, each promising great views, tasty food and cordial staff. We stayed at Anini Hut Homestay, which is located at a height, thus offering awesome panoramic views of the valley. The place hosts cosy and comfortable cottages, a private bathroom with a geyser, and an exclusive gazebo for guests to have lunch, dinner, tea or drinks in the evening. The menu has everything from butter toasts, parathas, poori sabzi to daal, seasonal vegetables and chicken. Feel free to ask them if you want to try some Idu Mishmi delicacies. They also host a bonfire on request.
For more photos, click here.
Contact:
Anini Hut Homestay: Lama (+9160338 70061)
Some other good options in Anini:
Mishmi Takin Homestay: Timai Miyu (+919402974284) | miwutimai@gmail.com
Kongo Homestay: +91 9863743501 / +91 9402000402
Day 3: Day Trip To Mipi (Mathun Valley)
Distance (Anini to Mipi): 40km
Travel Time: Approximately 2 hours
Route: Emuly – Mipi 1 – Mipi 2
This is the day when you can just relax and explore the beauty of Arunachal at a leisurely pace. We had planned to drive up to Mipi, but frankly, the entire 40km stretch served as a platter for us to enjoy. Mipi, a tiny village with some 10 houses, is the last civil settlement, boasting an Army camp, and Indo-Tibetan Police camps, along with a helipad. Throughout the journey, you will have the Mathun River keeping you company.
Pause and relish nature’s unsullied beauty as much as you can. En route, you can stopover at Emuly grasslands (around 25km from Anini), where you can just roll amidst the copper brown grasslands, looking up at the azure blue sky. By the way, it is also the starting point of the famed ‘Seven Lakes Trek’ of Arunachal.
Once you are back to Anini, you can take a leisurely stroll to the main market area for souvenirs and bakery stuff. If you are interested in skygazing, the heaven is up for grabs, literally.
Day 4: Day Trip To Chigu/Brunei (Dri Valley)
Distance (Anini To Chigu/Brunei): 50km
Travel Time: Approximately 3 hours
Route: Alinye – Acheso – Matu Waterfalls – Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary – Chigu Resort – Brunei
The Dri Valley, also known as the Land of Waterfalls, is perhaps the reason you had planned your trip to Arunachal. Wrapped with misty pine forests and milk-white waterfalls, Dri Valley is home to the spectacular Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary. We had taken a brief pitstop at a place where the road crosses the Dri river, and had enjoyed bathing in her untamed, chilled waters. It was bright and sunny, so we dried off in no time. But the memory is something that will linger on forever.
There is an ITBP checkpost at Acheso, where you need to share the details of the travellers visiting the area. From there, drive straight up to the famous Chigu Resort, undoubtedly, the hotspot for travel influencers. Park your vehicle there and head out towards Mawu Aando Waterfalls. Start walking ahead on the main road from Chigu resort, and you will see a small culvert. Turn right, and you will find bamboo stairs leading up to the waterfall. I would recommend not missing this 10-15-minute hike, as you will time-travel to the prehistoric era as soon as you take the first few steps.
If you still have time, drive up to the border outpost at Bruni. On your way back, you can stop at Dree-Afra Campsite (after Acheso check post, on your right), for some hot tea and maggi. But do keep a time check, as you would want to return to Anini by 4.30-5 pm.
Day 5: Anini To Roing/Tezu
Distance (Anini to Roing): 221km
Travel Time: Approximately 9 hours
Route: Etalin – Arzoo – Hunli – Mayodia Pass
Start early, as usual 🙂 If you have enough time on hand, you can drive straight up to Tezu. It’s around 282km (8hours) from Anini, and 61km (60 min) from Roing, but the road is mostly downhill, and after Roing, it is in the plains. You can grab your lunch again at Old Hotel, 65 km, on your way back. This time, try their thali and pork momos.
We chose to stay again at Mishmi Hill Camp, as we wanted to try their local catch (fish) and Idu pork curry. Plus, we had a great experience at Mishmi Hill, so we didn’t want to take the risk.
If you plan otherwise, here are a few options in Tezu you can explore for an overnight stay.
Hotels:
Circuit House: 03804222423 / 9402230555
Oshin Hotel: 03804222776 / Manager: 9402476627.
Shivam Hotel: 03804224610 / Manager: 8256974014.
Taboka Hotel: 8974655222 / 8974755777
Saru Hotel: 8974428995
Alamso Hotel: 8415869944
Homestays:
Lakhim Homestay, Telluliang, Tezu (+918787401920) | Facebook
Amik Homestay, Telluliang, Tezu (+919436049002) | Email: tezu44lohit@yahoo.com
Day 6: Roing/Tezu To Walong
Distance (Roing To Walong): 255km
Travel Time: Approximately 10 hours
Route: Bhishmaknagar – Tezu – Dus Nallah Bridge – Hawa Camp – Tidding – Hayuliang – Walong
Our next destination was Walong, meaning The Place of Bamboo Groves in the Mishmi language (Wa: Bamboo, Long: Place). It’s the easternmost town of India, mainly known for the Battle of Walong that took place on the Namti plains during the Sino-Indian War in 1962. But besides that, it is the gateway to the famous dawn-lit Dong Valley, and India’s first villages at Kaho & Kibithu near the China border.
On the way, you will pass through Bhishmaknagar, the oldest archaeological site in Arunachal Pradesh, dating back to the 12th century AD. The ruins are generally ascribed to the rule of the Sutiyas, a Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group, who ruled over the region of Sadiya from the 11th – 16th Century CE.
The road goes uphill after you cross the Duss Nallah Bridge, with lots of twists and turns, till you reach Tidding (Reminded us of Tadoom, Netflix). Throughout the way, you will get ample viewpoints that offer grand vistas of the Lohit River.
We stopped at Dalai Eco Restro at Hayuliang for lunch. The food was good, but the service was immensely slow. We squandered almost 3 hours there, just for a couple of plates of chowmein and fried rice. I would recommend going for ‘Line Hotels’ (Hotels on main roads), as the service is fast and you get decent food. You will find such hotels near the main market area in Hayuliang.
Accommodation in Walong is limited. We tried booking the IB PWD Guest House – Shri K. Tasing (879-843-5648) – but couldn’t get through to him.
Instead, we booked our stay at Nomkholong homestay. It’s located right at the entrance of the town, and has been recently refurbished (2024). The rooms are spacious and clean, and have attached bathrooms. Meal prices are a bit on the higher side, as it is difficult for them to arrange food at such a remote location. However, you will get poori-sabzi, bread butter, rice, daal, chicken, etc., along with delicious cookies, cakes, pastries and pies from their own bakery.
Nomkholong Homestay: +918986503866 / +91936635379 / +91961210429
There are other stay options you will find on the internet, but it’s hard to rely on the phone numbers and the pictures. Anyways, I am listing down a few here, which I compiled from the Anjaw Govt. website, Google and Facebook pages.
1. Anu Nimai Homestay: +919402939596 / +919436449693 | Facebook
2. Meyor Homestay, Namti: +91 9402201367
Earlier, we had planned to visit Dong Valley on Day 6 itself, but dropped the plan, as we were too tired to wake up at 2 am in the night to catch the sunrise. We later realised it was the best decision we had made on that trip.
However, we spoke to the manager and he helped us with the details, and arranged a local guide to accompany us. Guide charges are Rs. 500/person (Rates in 2024)
Day 7: Walong To Kaho/Kibithu
Distance (Walong To Kaho): 35km
Travel Time: 1.5-2 hours
Point to Remember: Do check the road closure timing before you head out
The first villages of India on the eastern frontier are not well mapped, so don’t follow Google Maps blindly.
However, it’s one straight road (not literally) from Walong, with clear direction boards put up by the Border Roads Organisation, so there is hardly a chance that you will get lost.
As an answer to China’s model villages close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India is boosting its infrastructure big time in these remote border villages. Work is already underway in developing homestays, camping sites, zip-lines and trekking routes in Kaho, Kibithoo and Meshai. You will find military trucks, excavators and mammoth earthmovers busy digging up the future.
Some portion of the route could be blocked for construction at a specific time of the day. Try to get information from your hotel staff or taxi drivers to plan your journey accordingly. If bad luck befalls you, you might get stuck for 3-4 hours because of a road closure.
Now let’s get to the good part. Once we went past the construction sites, the landscape changed completely. We could see the mountains on the China side growing larger in view, as we steered through the easternmost road of India. As we drove along the rushing and roaring Lohit River, we could find a few metal bridges that were recently constructed. But there is a ‘traditional one’, engineered with lots of wooden planks tied together with steel threads, still hanging precariously. If you want to test your nerves, climb up and cross to the other side, with the bridge swinging to the rough winds and the emerald waters raging down below. By the way, this bridge is the shortcut for locals to reach Kibithoo from Kaho.
Kaho is a small village, snoozing in the lap of a small valley, surrounded by gigantic mountains all around. It’s home to a couple of Mishmi homestays, a monastery, a coffee shop and a flight of stairs that take you to an Indian army checkpost (or the Chinese viewpoint). We met two jawans there, who were kind enough to show us the border and the different peaks on both sides. They even told us about the regular Indo-China peace meetings that happen at Kaho and let us take a sneak peek at the Chinese side with their binoculars.
Unfortunately, we got stuck because of the road closure on our way back, so we missed visiting Kibithoo. Besides, we had to retire early, and we had to wake up at 2 am for the sunrise trek at Dong Valley.
Day 8: Trek To Dong Valley And Back To Roing
Trek Starting Point: Dong Resort Parking, Tilam
Trek Time: 2-3 hours
What To Carry: Guide, Photo ID, Cash (Guide Charges), Water Bottle, Headlamps/Torch, Snacks
The trek starting point is around 6 km from Nomkholong Homestay and takes about 15 minutes by car. Our guide had asked us to get there by 2.30 am. It was pitch dark, so we switched on our headlamps and started walking. Luckily, the sky was clear and not cloudy like yesterday. After a brief walk on a well-built road, it was mostly stairs that took us to a grassland plateau at the top. We found it an easy to moderate level ascent, but it is quite steep in the middle. Most people halt at the grasslands, from where you get good views of the sunrise. But we got greedy and continued our trek with some youngsters. This part is pretty steep and tricky, and takes another 45-60 minutes. Once at the top, we found ourselves jostling for space with video bloggers, as it is a pretty narrow ridge.
The sunrise was quick, and it was amazing to see the first sunrays fire up the crown of the looming peaks with a golden hue. We spent some time there and then made our way back to the starting point. By the time we reached the grasslands, it was looking like a European picture postcard, rolling greens painted with copper brown ferns and deep blue sky. The view was picturesque and reminded us of the movie The Sound of Music.
Honestly, if you are the daredevil one, go for the top. Otherwise, just relax on the grasslands and wait for the sunrise. You will see the same peaks and the same view from both places.
There is a Hot Spring near the Dong Resort. We didn’t get very good reviews of that from our fellow travellers, so we skipped that. We came back to our hotel and grabbed a quick breakfast with pineapples, boiled sweet potatoes and corn soup (Mishmi Breakfast).
On our way back, we had to take a detour after Hawa Camp, as there was slight confusion. Our initial plan was to take the route via Parshuram Kund and reach Roing through the Alubari Bridge. But it was already dark by the time we crossed Hayuliang, after lunch. Our driver got to know about a shortcut from a fellow taxi driver, and we turned onto an under-construction road, where we had to drive at 15-20kmph speed, till we hit the main highway again.
Anyways, we reached Roing at around 7 pm, and checked into the 4 Season Stay. It is a nice and humble homestay, with a vegetable garden in the backyard. The rooms, food and the behaviour of the staff are good. For birders, there are birding trails at the doorstep of the resort.
Alternately, you can spend the night at Tezu and start the next morning for Dibrugarh.
The Return
I have already talked about the drive from Roing to Dibrugarh at length, earlier, so I will restrict myself from rambling further. We bid farewell to Arunachal, but left a piece of our heart there. On our way back, we picked up some local fruits, chillies and Emperor Lemons (Gondhoraj Lebu) that were available at throw-away prices.
The land of the Dwan-Lit Mountains. The Last Shangri La on Earth. The Land of Khushi Khushi. They call her by a hundred names, yet none can hold her light. A trip to Arunachal Pradesh is definitely a trip to heaven. Pictures and words can never do justice to the supernal beauty of this place. On the flight to Dibrugarh, if you’re lucky, you’ll catch a glimpse of Kanchenjunga (or the Sleeping Buddha) — rising like a dream above the clouds. It feels impossibly close, as if you could reach out and touch it. It’s the kind of moment that lingers far beyond Google Photos or Instagram Reels. I’m not uploading it here, because some sights are meant to be seen, not shown. Let it find you the way it found me: silently, startlingly and soulfully.
Feel free to share your questions if you are planning your Arunachal road trip. I will be happy to help. Also, do share your experience and update me about accommodation, travel, etc., to make this article more constructive.
This is terrific!! Such a detailed piece and yet time just flew by while reading it! Beautiful place. The article and the photos do total justice to it.