Being one of the historic trekking routes taken by some British officials named Lt. Col. F M Bailey and Capt. H T Morshed. They observed the place having Indo-Tibet border. The starting point of this trek includes few distant woodlands of the Himalayan Ranges. The picturesque landscape will fascinate you to revisit that place repeatedly.The trek was initially an ancient trade route that connected Burma, India and Tibet. In 1962 the Chinese army used this route to strike deep into Arunachal Pradesh. At 4550 meters Tse la Pass is the highest point of this trek. You will be crossing high mountain passes, glacial rivers, crystal clear lakes, villages of the Monpa Tribe, and will stay at locations that will awe you.
Partially aligned along the ancient trade route, the trek links together a series of interlocking valleys, connected through six passes. The ‘Bailey Trail’ as it is known now, crosses through some pristine remote forests of the Eastern Himalayas, where pine, oak and rhododendrons grow aplenty. Throughout the trek, you will be overwhelmed by the presence of breathtaking landscapes passing through see quaint Monpa villages.
In ancient days crossing over the Himalayan watershed from Tibet over the Tukung – la pass the traders traveled along a different route. Descending down the head waters of the Tawang Chhu River, they crossed the Sela ridge along a yak trail, with their caravans of wool, skins, precious stones and yak butter to reach the barter markets in Assam.
Here they exchanged their loads for salt, tea, cloth, and other commodities. This route was first explored by British surveyors lead by F.M. Bailey in 1913 – and came to be called ‘The Bailey Trail’. In 1962 the Chinese army used this route to strike deep into Arunachal Pradesh.
Highlights:
• Tour tribal Monpa Villages
• Panoramic views of Eastern Himalayan
• Trek through Sela Pass at 4,550 meters
• Trek through beautiful pine and rhododendron forests in Eastern Himalayas
• Visit the 2nd Oldest Buddhist Monastery at Tawang.
Duration: 8-12 days
Grade: Moderate
Max Altitude: 4900m
Starts from: Lagaam, near Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh
Trek Route
Lagaam – Thungri – Changla – Poshing La – Pangi La – Nyang – Potok – Tse La – Laap – Lurthim – Mago – Thimbu (Hydel)
Ends at: Thimbu Hydel, near Jung, Arunachal Pradesh
Best Season: September – Early November / Late February – April
BY AIR
The nearest International Airport is Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati. It is connected with the major cities like Delhi, Imphal, Kolkata, Agartala, Aizawl, Dibrugarh, Lilabari, Silchar, Dimapur, Jorhat and Mumbai.
BY TRAIN
The nearest railway station is Naharlagun/Itanagar. There are daily trains running from Itanagar to Guwahati and Rajdhani express which runs twice a week.
BY ROAD
You can book a cab or travel by public transport from Guwahati.
Things to keep in mind before traveling
- Every tourist visiting Arunachal Pradesh needs to obtain an Inner Line Permit and a Protected Area Permit which can be collected from Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati or Tezpur airports.
- The weather in the north-east is pretty unpredictable, so be prepared to have delays due to the bad weather.
- Roads that lead to Tawang, especially from Bomdila onwards, aren’t in the best shape.
- Locals are friendly and helpful. Be patient as not everyone will know fluent Hindi or English.
- Most cell phone networks don’t work well, so inform your family or friends about your whereabouts whenever possible.
- Don’t forget to carry some ready to cook food packets or instant noodles if you’re strictly a vegetarian.
- Carry extra batteries, power banks and most importantly warm clothing.
- Keep at least a couple of extra days in hand in case of any problems like landslides and bad weather on your way.
Mid-September To April Is The Best Time To Take This Trek
Day 1: Drive from Guwahati Airport/Railway station to Bhalukpong
Post arrival at Guwahati Airport, move to Bhalukpung situated on the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Evening is free for leisure. Overnight at Bhalukpong in Hotel.
Day 2: Bhalukpong to Dirang, 1500 meters MSL (6 Hours drive)
Post breakfast, move to Diranga via Bomdila. Dirang is situated at an altitude of 1500 meters MSL.
Remaining is free for you. Overnight stay in Hotel.
Day 3: Dirang to Chander, 2530 meters MSL and then start trek
We start early and drive to the Monpa village of Namshu at 2090 meters. Visit ancient Buddhist Monastery and start trekking through forest, 4 hours steep climb to Chander Village and camp overnight.
Day 4: Chander to Thungri, 3100 meters MSL, 5 to 6 hours trek
We climb up for about 5 hours through forests and yak pastures with superb views of snow clad peaks and the surrounding valleys. Camp overnight at Thungri.
Day 5: Thungri to Changla Pass, 3650 meters MSL, around 6 hours trek
A hard day’s trek with about 6 hours steep climb through coniferous forest with breathtaking views. We will camp just below Changla.
Day 6: Changla Pass to Potak, 4200 meters MSL, around 7 Hours trek
Start climbing early crossing Changla Pass (3650 meters) and then a steep climb of about 2 hours to Pshing La Pass (3950 meters) with breathtaking views. From the passs we descend through forest of juniper and rhododendrons and cross a glacial stream before continuing our climb of another 4 hours to the high alpine pastures of Potak ( 4200 metrs) to camp at a beautiful spot near stream.
Day 7: Potak to Lorthum via Sela Pass, 4550 meters, 6 Hours trek
We climb steadily for about 3 hours to reach Sela Pass (4550 mtrs), the highest point in this trek with superb views of Gorichen and Kangto peaks. Visit to alpine lake near the pass and then descend for about 2 hours into the valley and camp at Lorthum.
Day 8: Lorthum to Mago, 3500 meters MSL, 6 Hours trek
6 hours trek along the river valley through coniferous forests, crossing yak huts along the way to reach tributary of Tawang-chu river and the camp overnight near Mago village.
Day 9: Mago to Thimbu, 3200 meters, 5 Hours trek
4 hours trek along the Tawang-chu river and a steep climb to Thimbu village ( 3200 mtrs). Camp overnight at Thimbu.
Day 10: Thimbu to Tawang via Jung, 3726 meters, 5 hours trek
6 hours trek through forests, crossing the Tawang-chu river and its tributaries several times over log and suspension bridges to reach highway. Drive to Tawang and overnight stay at hotel.
Day 11: Tawang sightseeing
Whole day sightseeing in Tawang. Visit the famous Tawang Monastery located at the top of a hill and overlooking the entire landscape. The monastery is the second oldest in Tibetan Buddhism and is a center for enlightened studies. Evening can be spent exploring the market area fo Tawang and indulging in a little souvenir shopping. Overnight at hotel.
Day 12: Tawang to Bomdila (6 Hours drive)
Start early morning to Bomdila. Situated at an altitude of 1497 meters, Bomdila is a picturesque town in the foothills of Himalayas and the capital of the West Kameng District. If lucky, one can see the brilliant landscape and snow-clad Gorichen ranges of the Himalaya on a clear day.
Evening check in hotel in Bomdila. Overnight in Hotel.
Day 13: Bomdila to Guwahati (8 Hours drive)
Start morning and back to Guwahati. It requires the whole day journey. By evening reach Guwahati and check in hotel. Overnight in Guwahati.
Day 14: Drop at Guwahati Airport
This day as per flight schedule, move to Guwahati Airport to catch the flight for onward journey