Letstravail
Travel planning content.
Buddhist
monastery
3,048 m
Peak season
Tawang Monastery
Gelugpa Tibetan Buddhism
Location
Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh
Darshan
7:00 AM – 7:00 PM (approx)
Best time
April, May, June
Difficulty
moderate
Est. cost / person
₹18,000
About Tawang Monastery
Tawang Monastery is the largest monastery in India and one of the largest in the Buddhist world, home to hundreds of monks of the Gelugpa school. Founded in the 17th century, it houses an 8 m gilded Buddha statue, ancient thangkas and manuscripts. Perched dramatically in the eastern Himalayas, it is also the birthplace of the sixth Dalai Lama.
Founded in 1680–81 by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso in accordance with the wishes of the fifth Dalai Lama.
Darshan & Aarti
Darshan timings
- · 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM (approx)
- · Morning prayer assembly at dawn
Aarti schedule
- Morning Puja — 6:30 AM (Monks' prayer assembly)
- Evening Puja — 5:00 PM
🚌 How to reach
By Air
Salonibari Airport, Tezpur (Assam, 320 km) / Guwahati (480 km)
Fly to Tezpur or Guwahati, then road to Tawang.
By Rail
Tezpur / Rangapara (Assam)
Then a long mountain drive via Bomdila and Sela Pass.
By Road
Via Sela Pass (4,170 m).
- Guwahati: 480 km · ~13h · via Tezpur–Bomdila–Sela Pass
- Bomdila: 180 km · ~6h · via Dirang–Sela Pass
🚁 By Helicopter
Pawan Hans seasonal service; limited seats.
Last mile: Local taxis in Tawang town; monastery is 2 km from the market.
Estimated expense (per person)
| Guwahati–Tawang road transport | ₹8,000 |
| Stay (3 nights) | ₹7,000 |
| Permits, meals & sightseeing | ₹3,000 |
| Total | ₹18,000 |
Multi-day trip. Add buffer for weather delays at Sela Pass.
Gallery
📍 Nearby attractions
Sela Pass
High-altitude pass at 4,170 m
Tawang War Memorial
1962 war memorial