Come Curious
Leave Changed

This trip is co-designed with Rinchen, who grew up at Jhamtse Gatsal and worked in Delhi's travel industry before returning. Rinchen and the school handle everything on the ground: bookings, permits, transport, and accommodation. I've spent a month in Arunachal Pradesh, and the itinerary is built around my time in Jhamtse Gatsal and the places we will be visiting. I'll be there with the group as a co-host.

We keep our groups small, with a maximum of 6 guests. Whether you're travelling solo or with a friend, partner or family member, you'll be part of a small group of thoughtful, curious people drawn to the same kind of experience. Keeping the group small also helps preserve the intimacy of the journey and minimise our impact on the local communities.

Fly into Guwahati (GAU). From Singapore, Druk Air flies to Guwahati as the first stop on its Paro-bound service, currently three times a week (around 4h 40m). Guwahati is also well-connected to major Indian cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, and more. We'll arrange your comfortable transfer from the airport to Jhamtse Gatsal, with full travel instructions provided once you book.

Foreign nationals need an Indian visa and a Protected Area Permit (PAP) for Arunachal Pradesh. Indian nationals need an Inner Line Permit (ILP). We handle all permit logistics once you have your visa. Apply for your Indian visa at least 4 weeks before travel, as PAP processing may take up to 2 weeks.

Arunachal Pradesh shares sensitive international borders with China, Bhutan, and Myanmar, and the permit system helps manage security in these strategic areas. It also protects indigenous tribal communities and fragile ecosystems from unregulated tourism.

Payment goes directly to Jhamtse Gatsal, who cover the journey's running costs. Any surplus goes toward supporting the community further. If you'd like to know the price, feel free to reach out and we'd be happy to walk you through it.

A mix of heritage homestays, boutique hotel, and four nights at Jhamtse Gatsal itself. Each stay has its own character, no two stays look the same.

Jhamtse Gatsal

Tea Estate Stay

Sangti Valley Homestay

Tawang Homestay

Homestay

At the school, choose between hand-built earthen cottages for local building tradition, or newer one-bedroom rooms with a modern, boutique feel.

Homestays are simpler and more modest, with basic but clean rooms. You're a guest in a family home. It's a trade of polish for authenticity.

All rooms are ensuite with hot water, though occasional power issues in this remote region can interrupt supply.

We've thoughtfully designed the itinerary to give your body time to adjust, rather than taking you straight from the lowlands to high altitude. We start near sea level, move to Dirang at 1,500m, then cross Sela Pass at 4,170m on Day 3 with only a brief stop, before descending to around 2,000m for four nights. Tawang at 3,000m is only visited later, on Day 7. Most people adjust well with this gradual approach.

We travel in MPVs (Toyota Innovas or equivalent) throughout, with regular stops to stretch and take in the scenery. Main roads are generally paved and in good condition, though they get bumpier closer to smaller towns and remote areas. Some drives run 5-6 hours on winding mountain roads. This is a genuinely remote region, and road time is a real part of each day.

If you're prone to motion sickness, bring whatever medication or remedies you normally use and ask to sit towards the front of the vehicle.

Late October brings crisp, post-monsoon weather with clearer skies and excellent mountain views. Daytime temperatures run around 15–20°C in Shergaon and Dirang, cooler in Lumla, and 8–12°C in Tawang. Sela Pass can drop to freezing or below, and Tawang nights approach 0°C by month's end.

Days are short — sunrise around 5:30am, sunset around 4:45pm — and mountain terrain can make it feel darker earlier. We plan drives and walks with daylight in mind.

Pack in layers as a starting point: warm fleece or down jacket, waterproof/windproof outer layer, walking shoes, warm socks, sun protection, sunglasses, hat or beanie. We'll send a full packing list once you book.

You'll experience traditional Monpa cuisine: thukpa (noodle soup), handmade momos, wild greens, buckwheat flatbreads, chhurpi (traditional cheese), butter tea, plus Himalayan staples like dal, rice, curries, and local meats. Meals vary from day to day and are made with fresh local ingredients.

Vegetarian diets can be accommodated. If you have food allergies or other dietary requirements, please let us know in advance so we can plan accordingly.

Wifi — The Jhamtse Gatsal compound has reliable wifi in key areas, including your accommodation. Hotels typically offer wifi, but homestays usually don't — and where they do, it may be weaker and intermittent.

Mobile coverage — You can get high-speed data in major towns like Tawang and Dirang. However, in more rural and remote stretches, it can sometimes be slow and patchy, or have no connectivity at all. International SIMs may not always work so we recommend picking up an Indian SIM in Guwahati for reliable coverage. If you do lose signal on the mountain roads, consider it a feature: genuine disconnection.

Jhamtse Gatsal is an English-medium school, so you'll be able to communicate there without difficulty, though fluency varies by age group. Beyond the school, Hindi is the common language across the wider region, with local tribal languages (eg. Monpa in Tawang) spoken day to day. You'll hear Tibetan chanted during prayers and monastery visits.

Yes, you're welcome to add a few days after the trip.

Staying longer at Jhamtse Gatsal is simplest: just let us know when you book. Exploring further afield in the region is also possible, but some areas remain restricted for foreign nationals and it's permit-dependent, so it needs to be arranged in advance rather than decided on the ground. Get in touch before booking and we'll tell you what's realistic for your dates.