Tawang Packing List

A thermal base layer, a fleece or light down mid-layer and a windproof shell handles every situation on this route, from a warm Dirang afternoon to a wind-blasted twenty minutes at Bumla. A single heavy overcoat does not, because you will be taking it on and off eight times a day.

For a March, April, October or November trip: two base layers, one fleece, one light down, one shell. For December to February: add a heavier down jacket, thermal leggings and a second pair of gloves.

Waterproof shoes with grip matter more than boots. Snow at Sela is compacted and slick, and monastery courtyards are wet flagstone. Carry two pairs of wool socks per three days. Gloves should be waterproof if you are travelling in snow — knitted gloves soak through in ten minutes at a snow point.

A wool cap that covers the ears and a buff or scarf for the wind at Bumla are non-negotiable in winter and useful in every other season. Sunglasses are essential year-round: snow glare at 4,000 m is severe even under cloud.

Carry the original photo ID you used for your Inner Line Permit, at least four passport-size photographs, and photocopies of everything. Border checkposts on the Bumla and Zemithang roads want physical copies, not a phone screen. Foreign nationals must carry the Protected Area Permit and passport at all times.

Bring your regular prescriptions in sufficient quantity — pharmacies in Tawang stock basics only. A basic first-aid kit (antiseptic, blister plasters and any medication your own doctor has prescribed) is sensible on any hill route.

High-altitude travel may not suit every traveller. Allow time to acclimatise and consult a qualified medical professional if you have an existing health condition, and tell us about any cardiac or respiratory condition before booking, not on the morning of the border run.

Airtel and Jio work in Tawang town, Dirang and Bomdila; coverage is patchy to absent on the passes and in Zemithang and Mago. BSNL still has the widest rural reach. Power cuts are routine in winter, so a power bank is a genuine necessity rather than a convenience.

ATMs exist in Tawang, Dirang and Bomdila but run dry during holidays and heavy snow. Carry enough cash for three days of incidentals. UPI works in the towns and fails everywhere else.

Skip the heavy trekking boots unless you are actually trekking, skip the tripod if you are on a six-day circuit that will not give you the time to use it, and skip bottled water — carry a reusable bottle and refill at hotels. Plastic waste is a visible problem at Sangetsar and PTSo and there is no collection service at either.