Bumla Pass: quick facts
| Altitude | 4,633 m |
|---|---|
| Best time to visit | May to October |
| Distance | 37 km from Tawang |
| Driving time | 2.5 h each way on a rough track |
| Typical weather | -15°C to 8°C, snow possible any month |
| Type of stop | Landmark |
| Nearby places | Sangetsar Lake, P Tso, Tawang |
Altitudes and timings are indicative; mountain road conditions and access can change with weather and local advisories.
History
Bumla is one of the official Border Personnel Meeting points between the Indian and Chinese armies. The 14th Dalai Lama crossed near here in 1959 on his way to Tawang, and the pass carries the Stone of Peace marking joint ceremonial meetings.
Culture
Soldiers host visitors with tea at the border post. Photography is restricted at specific points — always ask, always comply.
Photography tips
Flat light dominates. Shoot detail: prayer flags against snow, the boundary cairns, the faces of the escorting jawans (with permission).
Local travel tips
Foreign nationals are not permitted to visit Bumla Pass. Indian nationals need an original photo ID; we assist with the Inner Line Permit and the additional Army clearance formality for travellers booked with us.
How to reach
Visited in an authorised local vehicle from Tawang, subject to permit formalities and Army clearance issued in Tawang town; access depends on weather, security and road conditions and cannot be guaranteed in advance. The track climbs past Y-Junction and PTSo.
Plan the trip
Tawang itineraries that include Bumla Pass
The standard itineraries below allocate a day for a permit-controlled Bumla excursion from Tawang in an authorised local vehicle. The visit requires local permissions and depends on weather, security and road conditions; foreign nationals are not permitted.
The calculator is a planning tool, not a booking form — it gives an indicative budget by group size, nights and hotel category before you ask us for a quote.
Bumla Pass and related route photographs
Photographs of this route, with the source credited beneath each frame.
Bum La Pass on the Indo-China border, 37 km north of Tawang and reachable only with an Army-countersigned permit.Bum La Pass, Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh · Photo: Itrajib / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 The BRO welcome board at Bumla, 15,200 ft — the last stop on the permit-controlled road from Tawang.Bumla Pass, Indo-China border · Photo: Living Roots Tours & Adventure Sangetsar Tso, better known as Madhuri Lake — the drowned fir trunks date from the 1950 Assam–Tibet earthquake.Sangetsar Tso, Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh · Photo: Rohit Sharma / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 Gontse Gaden Rabgye Ling at Bomdila, built in 1965 by the twelfth Tsona Gontse Rinpoche.Bomdila, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh · Photo: Rohit Sharma / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Location map
Nearby attractions
Keep planning
Where to go next on this site
Tawang packages
- Tawang tour packageMain planning page — routes, permits, inclusions
- 5 nights / 6 days Tawang packageThe compact Guwahati–Tawang run
- 6 nights / 7 days Tawang packageBest balance of pace and weather margin
- Luxury Tawang toursPremium stays and private vehicles
- Tawang group toursSmall-group journeys arranged when a suitable group is confirmed
- Tawang fixed departuresContact us for the next confirmed small-group departure
Travel guides
- Bumla Pass guide
- Best time to visit Tawang in winter
- Tawang snowfall month by month
- Guwahati to Tawang road trip
- Tawang permits, ILP and travel basics
- Best time to visit Tawang
- Tawang weather by month
- Tawang packing list
- Tawang trip budget guide
- Inner Line Permit: how to apply
- Bumla Pass permit process
- Tawang with family and kids
- Tawang honeymoon guide
- Tawang photography guide
- Tawang food guide
- Monpa culture guide
- Tawang festivals and Torgya
- Dirang travel guide
- Bomdila travel guide
- Tawang FAQs
- Luxury Tawang travel guide
Planning the whole trip rather than one stop? Start with our Tawang tour package page — it covers routes, permits, seasons, stays and how a Tawang trip is quoted.
