Bhalukpong Travel Information

Bhalukpong is the most critical entry point of Western Arunachal Pradesh. If you plan to travel to the Tawang - Bomdila circuit, you must travel through Bhalukpong.

How to reach

The small town on the Arunachal - Assam border is situated 56 km from Tezpur (Assam). The Salonibari Airport of Tezpur is also the nearest. The nearest railhead is at Rangapara, although most tourists prefer to deboard at Guwahati and then drive to Bhalukpong.

From Guwahati, you may travel either through NH 52 which travels through the Northern side of Brahmaputra or by NH 37 through the Southern side of Brahmaputra. Both roads will lead you to Tezpur in about four hours. From Tezpur, Bhalukpong takes about an hour and a half to reach.

About the town

Part of the small town is within the state of Assam. There is a check post where you will have to show your inner line permit before entering Arunachal. The Assam side of Bhalukpong has a large number of shops lined up to the border. This is where most tourists buy their general consumables such as bottled water etc as the cost goes up and availability continually reduces as you go higher up within Arunachal.

The border area is mostly dusty, a little crowded and full of shops and small hotels. As one goes up a couple of kilometres, the scenery changes dramatically. You will find the river Jia Bhorali on your right. The same river is known as Kameng in Arunachal. Bhalukpong itself falls within the West Kameng district.

What to See

Tipi Orchidarium -is situated 5 km ahead of Bhalukpong on the banks of the Kameng River. The place has one of the largest collections of rare orchids in India. The best time to visit this centre is between April and May when one can see the exotic orchid collection in full bloom. The Orchidarium houses over 2600 cultivated orchids from 80 different species.

Pakhui / Pakke - Bhalukpong is surrounded by the evergreen forests of the Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary. Since 2002 the Wildlife Sanctuary has been changed into a Tiger Reserve and its name is Pakke Tiger Reserve, although the old name remains popular. The Tiger Reserve can be reached by crossing the Kameng River from Bhalukpong. Drive to Pakke is through the Assam side. Local communities have come together to develop some tourist amenities including homestays.

Fishing - There is an excellent scope of fishing mahseer in the Jia Bhoroli River near Bhalukpong. The wide valley, sparkling river, and pure ambience - all add up to your experience of peace here.

Visit Nameri National Park near Bhalukpong town. You can drive for half an hour (about 20 km) to reach some of the tented accommodations within the National Park. If you are interested in staying within the forest and do not mind compromising a little on the front of material comfort, we can also organize your stay in this forest accommodation. River Jia Bharali is in the vicinity and rafting on the river is a common tourist activity here. Even a day visit inside the forest is worth a dekko as the forest is rich in biodiversity and its population of a large variety of wildlife such as Leopard, Bison, Sambar, dhole (the Asiatic wild dog), Hog Deer, Muntjac, Wild Boar, Sloth Bear, Himalayan Black Bear, Capped Langur, Indian Giant Squirrel etc. Nameri is a birder's paradise with over 300 species of birds - including the white-winged wood duck, four distinct species of the Hornbill, Blue-bearded Bee-eaters, Babblers, Plovers etc.

Where to Stay

There are a few small budget hotels in Bhalukpong where service is basic to non-existent

Distance from Bhalukpong

to Guwahati - 250 km
to Tezpur - 56 km
to Bomdila - 100 km
to Tawang - 282 km
to Dirang - 143 km