DAY 1

Arrive in Dibrugarh

Upon arrival at Dibrugarh Airport, you will be met by your driver and transferred to town for an overnight stay in a comfortable hotel. The remainder of the day will be free for you to explore Dibrugarh at your own leisure. Known for its riverside location and surrounding tea plantations, you might choose to stroll around the lively market area or perhaps enjoy a meal at one of the town’s good restaurants.

Overnight in Dibrugarh.

DAY 2

Drive from Dibrugarh to Pasighat

We set off from Dibrugarh and drive across the mighty Brahmaputra River via the newly built Bogibeel Bridge. At 4.94km, it is the longest road-rail bridge in India. We then continue through the beautiful Assamese countryside before crossing into Arunachal Pradesh and heading upwards into the mountains of the Eastern Himalayas.

We spend the night in a simple, local hotel.

6 hours’ driving.

DAY 3

Drive from Pasighat to Jengging

Today we drive to Jengging (820m). Although the road is in poor condition in places, the presence of the breathtaking valleys of the Siang River makes the journey worthwhile. En route, we visit an authentic Adi tribal village and have the opportunity to walk across traditional bamboo suspension bridges.

We spend the night in a simple, local hotel or government guesthouse.

7 hours’ driving.

DAY 4

Drive from Jengging to Tuting

We continue our journey through a pristine and increasingly remote landscape to reach Tuting (592m), the last motorable town on our journey as we get ever closer to India’s border with southern Tibet.

We spend the night in a simple, local hotel or government guesthouse.

9 hours’ driving.

DAY 5

Trek Day 1: walk from Tuting to Kuging

Today we begin our trek. After breakfast, we set off on foot for Kuging village (849m), crossing the Siang River via a suspension bridge before continuing through a succession of simple Adi tribal villages. The trail winds around terraced fields and follows the Yangsang Chu River before eventually climbing to Kuging itself.

Kuging is the last village we will encounter for the next ten days, marking the beginning of our journey into one of the most remote corners of the Eastern Himalayas.

We sleep in tents near the village.

5 hours’ walking.

DAY 6

Trek Day 2: walk from Kuging to Mabi

After breakfast, we begin our ascent towards Mabi (2196m). As we gain altitude, the vegetation gradually changes from tropical and semi-tropical forest towards the alpine environment of the high mountains. The climb is moderate, passing through beautiful forests of rhododendrons and pine, although care should be taken to avoid leeches.

On clear days, we may catch our first views of the icy peaks of Namcha Barwa, regarded locally as the “left breast” of the almighty Goddess Dorje Pagmo.

We sleep in tents.

6 hours’ walking.

DAY 7

Trek Day 3: walk from Mabi to Lama Tukut

Today’s trek is relatively short as we make our way from Mabi to Lama Tukut. The trail includes several uphill sections along ridges, passing through forests and rhododendrons while offering breathtaking views across the remote Eastern Himalayas and towards southern Tibet.

We sleep in tents.

DAY 8

Rest day at Lama Tukut

Today we take our first rest day, allowing time to relax and recover in the peaceful surroundings of Lama Tukut. This is an opportunity to enjoy the mountain scenery and prepare ourselves for the more demanding stages of the trek ahead.

DAY 9

Trek Day 4: walk from Lama Tukut to Kanebenga

Today we trek to our camping spot at Kanebenga (3290m). The trail follows ridges for much of the way, passing through pine forests with rhododendrons growing abundantly along the route.

Eventually, the landscape changes as the terrain becomes increasingly barren and rocky, with the trail undulating up and down across the high mountain landscape. The surrounding views across the Himalayas are breathtaking and, once again, we may see villages on the other side of the border in southern Tibet.

We sleep in tents.

5 hours’ walking.

DAY 10

Trek Day 5: walk from Kanebenga to Pao Lipik

Today we trek onwards to Pao Lipik (3645m), leaving the alpine forests behind and entering a barren landscape punctuated by beautiful high-altitude lakes. The route includes both uphill and downhill sections and, although moderate in terms of terrain, can be challenging because of the increasing altitude.

On clear days, we will once again have the opportunity to see the magnificent peak of Namcha Barwa.

We sleep in tents.

6 hours’ walking.

DAY 11

Rest day at Pao Lipik

Today we take our second rest day, providing an opportunity to rest and acclimatise to the increasing altitude before continuing towards the sacred lakes of Danakosha.

DAY 12

Trek Day 6: walk from Pao Lipik to Danakosha

Today we reach Danakosha (4000m), the sacred lake at the heart of this extraordinary landscape. At its centre lies Tseta Island, so-called because of its resemblance to a heart.

The trek takes us along a barren ridge covered with rhododendron scrub before a steep climb onto a higher ridge. The effort is rewarded with magnificent views of the holy Titapori Mountain. The landscape here is said to take the form of a fully opened lotus.

Each year, Buddhist pilgrims make the arduous journey to these high, isolated ranges to pray at the “heart” lake. According to Buddhist Pemako texts, merely seeing this sacred place opens a pilgrim’s consciousness to unlimited knowledge and purifies their karma.

We sleep in tents at a beautiful camping spot.

5 hours’ walking.

DAY 13

Complete a kora around the five sacred lakes of Danakosha

Today we undertake a kora (circumambulation) around the five sacred lakes of Danakosha, one small part of a region believed to contain 118 lakes in total. According to local Buddhist belief, these sacred lakes have the power to bless those who visit them with tantric powers.

On a clear day, we may also see the very holy mountain of Kundu Dorsempotrang, known as the “All Gathering Palace of Vajrasattva”, a tantric deity symbolising pristine and unobstructed awareness. According to tradition, seeing this mountain can bring instant liberation.

We spend a second night in tents at Danakosha.

DAY 14

Trek Day 7: walk from Danakosha to Wangchen Phukpa

Today we trek to Wangchen Phukpa (4031m), following a demanding route that climbs and descends a succession of ridges. We cross Titapori, a sacred landscape where it is believed that Padmasambhava hid many treasures and scrolls.

Our campsite at Wangchen Phukpa gives an extraordinary feeling of being on top of the world. The surrounding area is rich in exotic wildlife and offers opportunities to see Musk Deer, Ibex, Takin, Mountain Goat and Red Panda, together with numerous species of birds. A tailless rat, locally known as assaray, is also commonly found in the region.

We sleep in tents.

7 hours’ walking.

DAY 15

Rest day at Wangchen Phukpa

Today we take our third rest day, allowing us to rest and enjoy the extraordinary high-altitude surroundings of Wangchen Phukpa.

DAY 16

Trek Day 8: walk from Wangchen Phukpa to Dungchen Droma

Today we trek to Dungchen Droma (3810m). Initially, we cross huge boulders brought down from the mountains by snow before continuing through forests of pine and rhododendron.

The trail then follows a path covered with thick bamboo as we descend towards our camping spot. If the weather is clear, we will once again enjoy magnificent views across the Eastern Himalayas.

We sleep in tents.

3 hours’ walking.

DAY 17

Trek Day 9: walk from Dungchen Droma to Tashi Droma

We make an early start today for a long day’s trek to Tashi Droma (1421m). We begin with a steep descent through forests filled with orchids, bamboo and wild flowers. The vegetation is particularly thick because of the direct sunlight, and care is required when crossing the wet and slippery ground.

Eventually, the trail reaches the Jiang-chu River, which we cross via a traditional cane bridge before arriving at our camping spot. A refreshing swim in the river to soothe our aching limbs comes highly recommended.

We sleep in tents.

8 hours’ walking.

DAY 18

Trek Day 10: walk from Tashi Droma to Tashigang

Today we reach Tashigang village (1149m), the first village we will have seen in ten days. The trail follows the Jiang-chu River and can be slippery underfoot, with a mixture of moderate uphill and downhill sections. Once again, care should be taken against the ever-present leeches.

Our trek ends at Tashigang, a beautiful and quaint little village where around 200 people live in just 16 houses.

We sleep in tents.

4 hours’ walking.

DAY 19

Rest day at Tashigang

Today we take our fourth and final rest day. This is an opportunity to rest after the demanding days on the trail and enjoy the peaceful surroundings of Tashigang.

DAY 20

Trek from Tashigang to Dewakota

We begin the day by visiting the holy site of Dewakota, where we complete a kora around the sacred site. Legends say that Dewakota Mountain is where Padmasambhava hid many treasures and scrolls, and that enlightened persons hold the key to finding them.

The route begins with a steep descent through huge boulders before crossing a traditional cane bridge. We then climb a series of steps to reach Dewakota Temple. After completing our kora, we continue hiking towards the village of Mankota, where we spend the night in tents.

DAY 21

Trek from Dewakota to Payengdam

Today we trek to Payengdam (1224m), a spectacular hilltop village offering excellent views across the surrounding mountains. The route is gradual, with only moderate ascents.

Alongside the monastery, an impressive community centre has been established here for Tibetan refugees, adding another fascinating cultural dimension to this remote settlement.

We sleep in tents.

5 hours’ walking.

DAY 22

Trek from Payengdam to Tuting

Today we complete our trek back to Tuting (592m), descending along the banks of the Yangsang River. The route is steep in places as we pass through tropical forest, eventually rejoining the trail that we followed on our first day of trekking.

At this point, we will have completed one kora of the remote sanctuaries of the Bayul. We continue to Tuting, where we spend the night in a simple local hotel or government guesthouse.

DAY 23

Drive from Tuting to Jengging

Today we begin our return journey, driving from Tuting to Jengging (820m). The route takes us back through the spectacular valleys of the Siang region.

We spend the night in a simple, local hotel or government guesthouse.

7 hours’ driving.

DAY 24

Drive from Jengging to Pasighat

Today we continue our return journey, driving from Jengging back to Pasighat through the beautiful landscapes of Arunachal Pradesh.

We spend the night in a simple local hotel or guesthouse.

7 to 8 hours’ driving.

DAY 25

Drive from Pasighat to Dibrugarh

We drive from Pasighat towards Dibrugarh, once again crossing the mighty Brahmaputra River via the Bogibeel Bridge. On arrival in Dibrugarh, we check into a local hotel with standard amenities for our final night.

DAY 26

Transfer to Dibrugarh Airport

Finally, we transfer to Dibrugarh Airport in good time for our return flight home, bringing our extraordinary journey through the remote Eastern Himalayas to an end.