Bumla Pass in may to october — India's border post at 4,633 m, open to civilians with a permit — Bumla Pass at 4,633 m. India's border post at 4,633 m, open to civilians with a permit

Bumla Pass: quick facts

Key travel facts for Bumla Pass: altitude, best time to visit, distance and driving time.
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

Bumla is run as a permit-controlled day excursion from Tawang in an authorised local vehicle, so it only works inside a wider itinerary with at least three nights in Tawang. Access can never be guaranteed in advance, and foreign nationals are not permitted.

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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: 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

Sangetsar LakeP TsoTawang

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

Related destinations

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.