NORTH-EAST INDIA – THE PARADISE

It was in early November when my friend Vipin invited me to attend his wedding at Azamgarh which was on 16^th Feb. 2020. Since I did not want to miss his wedding, I had decided well in advance to attend it.

My initial plans were for a couple of days and to fly in and out from Varanasi. But, it was nearly a year since I had been on a long tour. My last one was the amazing tour of Nepal in December 2018. Time had come for me to revitalize my mental well being, which I always get from traveling. So, I decided to avail a few more days of leave and visit the less explored North East of India. Two of my friends who were also invited decided to tag along. We obtained the Inner Line Permit (ILP) through online from the Arunachal State Govt. which was very hassle-free.

We attended my friend’s wedding and spent a couple of days exploring Varanasi. Later, we arrived at Guwahati at 06.30 pm on 18^th Feb. Although, it was still evening the early sunset times of the North Eastern states meant that it was very dark. The unexpected rain and one of the best tea I ever had welcomed us to the city. We checked in to the hotel and dozed off.

Day – 1 - Drive from Guwahati to Bomdilla (270 kms) (19th Feb. 2020):  

Since we decided to drive ourselves to Tawang, we picked our car (Verna) early in the morning from the Zoomcar pickup point near the airport. There are two major routes from Guwahati to Tawang. The one less traveled via Kalaktang which goes along the Bhutan border and the other one via Tezpur which is preferred by most of the commercial carriers. We took the route along the Bhutan border as the local taxi owner told us that it is the better of the two.

Half way into our journey, the roads began to twist and turns. Not like the one we see on the western ghats but, more steeper and angular bends. Since, I was behind the wheel, I thoroughly enjoyed the drive. It was non-stop twists and turns over 150 kms. We reached Bomdilla at 7 pm. Bomdilla is a small village and a halt for people heading to Tawang. It is one of the last places where you will get fuel for certain before Tawang. It was 2 degrees outside. We walked for a couple of miles exploring the village. Most of the village shuts down at 8 in the evening and only a few shops remain open till 9. We had local cuisine for dinner and went to bed. As the night started to fall, the temperature went below zero. As we had opted for wooden cottages, we did not have a heater in the room. That night with temperatures below zero and without a heater, any of us barely slept.

Day – 2 - Drive from Bomdilla to Tawang (180 kms) (20th Feb. 2020): 

Since none of us had a proper sleep last night, we started a bit late in the morning. We ensured that our car is fuelled up and headed towards Tawang. The twist and turns of the roads continued. Roads looked like somebody has laid down Maggi noodles in the mountains. You can check for route between Bomdilla and Tawang on Google maps and zoom in to see for yourself. This road passes through Sela pass which is situated at 13,000 feet above sea level and is one of the most dangerous roads in India to drive. It will test the mettle of any driver.

As we approached our ascent to Sela pass, things turned rough pretty quickly. A thick fog covered the road ahead of us and we could only see few meters ahead. With cliffs so deep on the side that no would even come to know if we went sideways, we proceeded cautiously. My friends acted as navigators of rally race telling me about the turns ahead, looking at the map. Once, we reached Sela Pass, the roads became clear. It was -3 degrees Celsius below zero when reached there and we saw snow alongside the roads for the first time. The entire Sela lake was completely frozen. We relaxed at the place and had Maggi soup in the army-run canteen. Took some pics and headed towards Tawang. The twist and turns continued and continued and continued and continued till we reached Tawang at 7.30 in the evening. We booked a hotel locally after ensuring that there is a heater in the room. We finished our dinner and sat down for while chatted about the day and plans for the next day. Since, none of us had any sleep last night, all of us fell asleep pretty quickly.

Day – 3 – Local sightseeing at Tawang (21st Feb. 2020):

We began our sightseeing by visiting the ancient Monastery located amidst picturesque surroundings. It has been recognized as the second-largest monastery in the world. It is over 400 years old. It lies amidst Himalayan ranges and offers a breathtaking view of the Tawang-Chu valley. We, then visited the local market and walked around the streets of Tawang talking to the localities about their life in the valley. Later, we visited the Tawang war memorial which is dedicated to all the martyrs of the Sino-India War of 1962. It is surrounded by the beautiful peaks of Himalayas and overlooks scenic Tawang valley. We ended our day at the great statue of Buddha on top the of hill watching Sun go behind the Himalayas at 5 pm. The city shuts down at 7 pm.

Day – 4 – Visit to Bum La Pass and Madhuri lake (22nd Feb. 2020):

Bum La pass is one of the most off beaten paths in Tawang. A special permit is required to be obtained from the Army base in Tawang for visiting this place. This historic pass is the border (Line of Actual Control) between India and China. It is a wonderful place to test your spirit adventure. The place is covered in snow throughout the year and is situated at 15,000 feet above sea level.

Since we knew that our road would be covered in snow, we hired a local SUV along with a driver who knew the routes very well. As we began climbing the Himalayas, the snow started to fall along the route. As we climbed the higher altitude, the breathtaking view with pouring snowfall and the peaks of Himalayas made me pinch myself to just to make sure what I am seeing is real. The journey was truly breathtaking. As we reached the Bum La pass, the snowfall became more intense and the temperature dropped to - 8 degrees Celsius below zero. We were welcomed at the army camp at the border and offered hot water for drinking. A soldier then took us to the border line by walk and explained to us how routine things are carried out across the border. A sudden rush of winds forced us back to the camp. We thanked our soldiers for their service and hospitality and left for Madhuri lake. Along the way, the snowfall became more intense and we had to put chains to our wheels before we could move any further.

Shongs-Tser lake famously known as Madhuri Lake, is known for panoramic views of the landscape with wonderful scenic beauty. The place is surrounded by serene hills and mountains and has a tranquil ambiance. The lake was almost frozen with the temperature still below zero degrees Celsius. The only army run canteen at this place offers food. We spent a lot of time at this place just sitting and soaking in the beauty of nature. While returning to the hotel, we stopped by the P.T. Tso lake which was completely frozen.

Before heading back to Tawang, we encountered more snowfall along the way. So much so that we felt we may not be able to make it back and have to take shelter in one of the army camps along the way. But, thankfully the skilled local driver ensured that we reached the hotel safely. We ended our day with what was the most memorable moment of our tour.

Day – 5 – Return from Tawang to Guwahati (450 kms) (23rd Feb. 2020): 

As we had experienced thick fog in our travel through Sela pass earlier, we started our return journey at 6 am. We had planned that if we cross the Sela pass before 12 pm, we could escape the thick fog that usually falls later in the day.

As we approached the ascend to Sela pass at 8 am, I noticed a lot of snow alongside the road and a long line of army convoy trucks parked on the side chaining the wheels. This indicated that the road ahead is covered in snow. With such steep climb, cliffs with fall of thousands of feet below and road covered in 3-4 inches of snow, this was the scariest drive of my life. I drove with utmost caution. At the temperature of -4 degrees Celsius below zero, my hands behind the wheel were sweating. Finally, after 6 hours of drive we reached Bomdila and my friend took over the wheels. We drove through the beautiful routes of Arunachal Pradesh before reaching Guwahati at 10 pm. It was 14 hours of non-stop drive. We celebrated our drive with some delicious pizzas in Guwahati before we ended our day.

Day – 6 – Bike ride to Shillong and back (200 kms) (24th Feb. 2020):

To put a cherry on top of our wonderful tour, we hired Royal Enfield Himalayan bikes for each of us and began our ride to Shillong. We had a delicious brunch at Sardarji’s Dhaba on the route. The smooth tarmac and curvy bends and lush green route enhanced our ride. We visited the Umiam Lake and the holy Cathedral Catholic Church in Shillong. We explored a few local streets and headed back to Guwahati.

Day – 7 – End of the Journey (25th Feb.2020):

We boarded the flight at Guwahati airport with lots of memories and to be honest with a bit of emotion as well. It was an incredible tour from the holy city of Varanasi to the top of the Himalayas in Tawang and to lush green covered Shillong. A tour that is one of the most memorable of my life. What made the tour even sweeter was the incredible journey. The unbelievable roads and the drive and finally the bike ride are unforgettable. I cherished every moment of the tour. It gave me an experience that changed my approach to life.  It really stretched my mind. I will surely be going back to North East Paradise.  

You can view some of the video clips of my journey at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn-HssqC17A&list=PLSw_pbKOjFe2tTjVGTD0YUaglq9izp96d

Till next time. Ciao.