Dirang

The Dirang village is an overnight tourist stopover in the western part of Arunachal Pradesh. It is located halfway between Jorhat, in Assam, and Tawang and lies on the banks of the pristine River Kameng. The paradise enjoys pleasant weather as it is not at a very high altitude. A hamlet that encompasses the best of everything unique to this region, from landscape to culture to food, it offers an opportunity to get acquainted with all things of Arunachal Pradesh. One of the oldest monasteries here, the Khastung Gompa, is an uphill trek from the village.

Downhill from the village, accessible through a foot bridge decorated with Himalayan flags, is the gushing Dirang river. Here, sheep can be seen grazing and sometimes visitors will even find themselves invited to local homes for tea in this village known for its warm hospitality. The village has a market where local handicrafts, which make for perfect souvenirs, are sold. The Dirang Dzong Fort, built according to Bhutanese stone architectural design grammar, is located on top of the hill and is accessible through a long flight of rock cut, stone studded steps. The design of this fort was made using some ingenious techniques to protect its residents from the biting cold. Another interesting attraction near the village is a hot water spring, which is considered to be sacred by the native population.

Where to Stay
The small town has a number of hotel accommodations available. Hotel Pemaling is one of the oldest budget hotels in the area. The hotel is located a couple of kilometers away from the town. There is also Awoo resort which is more luxurious and also located away from the town. Hotel Samdup Khang is another hotel in the same neighborhood outside Dirang. Closer to town there are several budget hotels such as Hotel Sangeyla, Green Valley Lodge and Hotel Snow Lion. Most hotels here are quite basic and tourists preference here is also not much for the high-end accommodation as most visitors here reach in the afternoon and next morning they continue there onward journey. Our team will select the right accommodation according to present status and your requirement once you contact us for tour assistance.

Places Around
Dirang is located about midway between Tezpur and Tawang. The distance from different places is given below.
to Tawang - 138 km
to Bomdila - 43 km
to Bhalukpong - 144 km
to Tezpur - 200 km

Tourist Activity
The view of the valley is mesmerizing in itself. There is a bridge over the river Kameng and on the other side you can see beautiful paddy land. The Dirang market can also be a good place to spend an evening to buy local artifacts. Though there are several attractions that can occupy you for a half day tour, most tourists hardly find any time to enjoy the local place as this has ended up being a one-night destination only. If you have some free time, we recommend you visit the places around as given below.

Dirang Dzong
The area is close to Bhutan and the Bhutanese influence is perceptible in the local Dzong or fort. The Dirang Dzong is about 150 years old. Some of the stone houses around the dzong are said to be about 500 years old. The entry is through a stone staircase. You can get an excellent view of the surrounding area from here.

Hot Water Spring
About a kilometer ahead of the town on the way to Tawang you will find the stairs to this hot spring. You have to follow the stairs for about 500 meters to reach the Hot Spring which is considered to be a holy place. The hot spring is rich in sulfur content and is known to have great medicinal properties. There is a facility to have a bath in the hot spring which can have a magical effect on a journey tired body.

Yak Research Centre
The National Research Centre on Yak is located above the main town. The center also has a yak farm at Nyukmandung about 31 km from Dirang. The center conducts research on genetic resources, problems associated with production. It also undertakes research on improvement of yak and its products through selection and breeding with exotic frozen semen. The research center can be visited with permission by tourists.