Tawang: Celestial Paradise

Moored high up in the mountain ranges of the Himalayas, at 3500 meters aove sea level is Tawang-the beautiful land of Monpas. With sobriquets like: The Hidden Paradise or Land of Dawn-lit mountains; this land evokes images of awesome mountain views, remote hamlets, quaint and sleepy villages, Gompas, tranquil lakes and a lot more. In Tawang, one can have a heavenly tryst with nature at its best and the heady mixture of History, religion and legends.

Tawang situated at a height of over 10,000 feet, is truly a hidden paradise for nature lovers. Mesmerising waterfalls, sprawling lakes spread all over, snow-bound alluring white peaks in faraway mountains, Tawang brings us closer to nature at its finest monasteries and magical gompas.

The door to this paradise is Bomdila at 8000 feet and gradually just move upwards to 14000 feet where the awe-inspiring Sela Pass stands at its majestic glory with tales of love and bravery written all over it. For the extreme nature lovers, it is also a paradise for high-altitude trekkers starting right from Bomdila.

A town is exemplified by the people of the place and here the simple, ever helpful and caring people of the Monpa tribe simply display it at its best. The monks robed in warm red and yellow clothes have a smile which can melt a million hearts, are found all over the place. The freezing ice-cold temperatures round the year keep the town alluring and fresh for the native eyes. Draped in a misty cover for most of the time sunlight can hardly be seen, although this part of the world get the first rays of the sun here.

The Tawang Monastery or the Golden Namgyal Lhatse built in the 17th century, and one of the largest in the world can be spotted from any part of this quaint town. The magnificent grandeur inside and outside the monastery with exquisitely crafted architecture and embroidered paintings (thankas) all over just displays the vibrant creativity of the place and the power of spiritual consciousness.

Home to around 500 Buddhist monks the buzz of the prayers just hovers over the lingering air. The library adjoining it is a huge resource of ancient artifacts, scriptures, manuscripts and other Buddhist relics including the Kangyur manuscripts.

The monastery serves as the connecting point during any kind of ceremonies, festivals and major events in Tawang. Another famous landmark of Tawang is the Urgelling Monastery where the sixth Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso was born. Constructed around 1498 A.D., this house still has a unique charm in its own colourful way.

Tawang being close to the international boundary with China is also known for its war memorials and tales of bravery and courageous soldiers. On the way to Tawang is the Jaswant Garh, a symbol of ultimate bravery and sacrifice named after Jaswant Singh, who fought valiantly for 72 hours single handedly and successfully stalled the Chinese progression during the Sino-Indian war.

And for some memorabilia from this lovely place, Tawang has a small market where beautiful hand weaved traditional carpets, shawls and other wooden and cloth items with unique Buddhist embroidery can be found.

Tawang is surrounded by almost a hundred lakes each with its own unique charm and for the most part are engulfed in Snow and mist perhaps to protect themselves from the zealous prying eyes of human kind. Among a few notable are the PTTSO lake and the Sangetsar Lake (Madhuri lake after the filming of a Bollywood film Koyla here).

Juggling through the serpentine roads with narrow alpine bends of the Himalayas and scenic views, snow-capped pine trees with ice droplets hanging from the pine leaves all through the place, the journey itself is the destination.

For a detailed guide/itinerary, please visit here

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Tiger Hill: Skywatch Friday

Leveling out at 8,500 ft (2,600 m), Tiger Hill in Darjeeling is famous for spectacular sunrise view over the Himalayas. The first rays of the sun shoot ahead and shed light upon the twin peaks of Kangchenjunga painting it pink and then bathing it in a beautiful orange colour. From Tiger Hill, Mount Everest is just visible, peeping out through two other peaks standing by its side.

For more skies around the world, click here

Sikkim: Palace on Paradise

Sikkim has many names. The Lepchas, call it 'Nye-mae-el' or `Paradise'. The Limbus named it 'Su Khim' or `New house' while to the Bhutias it is 'Beymul Demazong' or `The hidden valley of rice'.



Travellers embarking on a journey of Sikkim discover a mystical wonderland of spectacular natural beauty.

The crowning glory of Sikkim is Mt. Kanchendzonga, the third highest mountain in the world.



Even today the mountain god is invoked and prayed to during Pang Lhabsol, a major Sikkimese festival, which also commemorates the blood brotherhood sworn between the Lepchas and the Bhutias at Kabi in the fifteenth century.

It was once a Himalayan monarchy and part of the fabled Silk Route to China.



The mountain sides are dotted with many caves which are considered holy by the people and revered as places of pilgrimage.

With magnificent snow and ice scenery it is often regarded as the undisputed monarch among the peaks of the world. 

But for the Sikkimese, Kanchendzonga is much more than a mountain and is revered as the abode of their guardian deity 'Dzo-nga'.

The sacred mountain can be viewed from every corner of Sikkim and remains an intrinsic part of the consciousness of the people.

Climate varies from tropical to temperate to alpine, bestowing on the land an intense natural heritage.

Lush and thick forests, flush with blooms of exotic flora, hilly expanses embellished by Sikkim's two main rivers, the Teesta and the Rangeet, the picturesque villages, hot springs and waterfalls have a compelling appeal.

The panoramic perfection of the snow-capped Himalayas, the heady scent of flower-bedecked meadows, the vibrant culture and joyous festivals, the infinite variety of its flora and fauna makes it a holiday that is at once fascinating and challenging.
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Lahaul: Ice Treks

Lahaul is marked by a central mass of uniformly high mountains and massive glaciers.  

The two rivers, Chandra and Bhaga which rise on either side of the Baralacha La, flow through the narrow Chandra and Bhaga valleys.

The valley lies at a height of 2745 metres above sea level.

Summer in this valley is cool and pleasant with green grass and alpine flowers. 

There are little monsoon in both these valleys and this enables climbers & trekkers to enjoy a long and unbroken season in perpetual sunshine to explore the wilderness and grandeur of the inner Himalaya.

The rugged awe-inspiring snow clad mountains are standing invitation to the hikers, mountaineers and adventurers.

Lahaul is a land of fascinating Buddhist art and culture.

The entire district is full of natural scenery exorting the tourists and visitors to explore and imbibe its hidden grandeur. 

The customs, myths, beliefs and conventions of the simple unsophisticated people are the unique features of this border highland.

Every village or a hamlet has a prayer flag fluttering over the Buddhist monastery. 

These shrines are the centers of the cultural life of the people that have influenced their religious beliefs for centuries and round which their social life revolves.

The monasteries of Lahaul-Spiti are rich repositories of ancient murals, thankas, wood carving and golden images of Padmasambhava. 

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