Arunachal Moto Tour

Day 1 – Reach Guwahati  / Bike Check

Day 2 – Guwahati to Kaziranga. (200 kms)

Day 3 – Kaziranga safari to Nameri National Park (100 kms)

Day 4 – Nameri to Sangti Valley (168 kms)

Day 5 – Sangti Valley to Sela Pass to Tawang (140 kms)

Day 6 – Tawang monastery to Bumla Pass to Madhuri lake to Taktsang monastery to Zemithang (95 kms)

Day 7 – Zemithang to Lumla to Chakzam Bridge to Jung (120 kms)

Day 8 – Jung to Shergaon (180 kms)

Day 9 – Shergaon to Guwahati (220 kms)

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1 – Reach Guwahati / Bike Check

The group arrives in Guwahati, a vibrant riverside gateway city that serves as the perfect launchpad for the journey into Arunachal Pradesh. As riders check into their hotel, the day is kept intentionally light to balance the long flights and transit fatigue. In the evening, riders go on a short test ride within the city, giving riders a feel of the machines and a chance to check brakes, fine-tune mirrors, handlebar alignment. In the evening, a brief introduction is shared—setting expectations for permits, terrain shifts, temperature variations, food experiences, and local customs.

Day 2 – Guwahati to Kaziranga (200 km)

Riders roll out early from Guwahati as the roads gradually leave behind the city bustle and open into long smooth stretches of Assam’s countryside. The ride toward Kaziranga is scenic yet comfortable, allowing the group to settle into rhythm without exhaustion. The closer the riders get to Kaziranga, the air feels different—wilder, greener, carrying a sense of the national park ahead. The ride is paced to reach the lodge by late afternoon, keeping enough time for rest and a gentle exploration walk. Kaziranga, a UNESCO heritage grassland park, is known for its one-horned rhinos, swamp deer, wild buffalo, and rich birdlife, and the anticipation builds among the riders as they spend a relaxed evening hearing sounds of the forest beyond the resort. Dinner is early, and the night is spent preparing for the safari experience awaiting at dawn.

Day 3 – Kaziranga Safari to Nameri National Park (100 km)

The day begins before sunrise as the group enters the Central or Western range of Kaziranga for an elephant or jeep safari. After the safari, riders return for brunch, pack up, and mount their bikes again for a shorter but greener ride toward Nameri. The 100-km ride feels like a gradual transition—from open grassland wilderness to dense river-forest terrain. The lodge near the Jia-Bhoroli river sets the mood for the evening. Nameri is quieter, lesser-visited, known for forest trails, birdwatching, and river rafting on the crystal-clear, swift currents. 

Day 4 – Nameri to Sangti Valley (168 km)

The ride from Nameri to Sangti Valley brings the group closer to the Himalayas, with each hour adding more curves, elevation, and drama to the road. The route moves through riverside bends, forested pockets, and gradually into the open valley bowl of Sangti. Sangti is a stunning yet understated gem—wide river meadows, grazing yaks and sheep, forest cabins, and a feeling of complete isolation despite being motorable. Riders reach their homestay or eco-lodge by early evening. The rest of the day is spent slowly exploring the valley, crossing rustic wooden bridges on foot, sipping local butter tea or black tea with mountain honey.

Day 5 – Sangti Valley to Sela Pass to Tawang (140 km)

Riders start early as the climb toward Sela Pass begins, one of the most breathtaking high-altitude passes in the Northeast Himalayas. The road twists upward with pine forests, sudden fog curtains, waterfalls dropping beside asphalt, and temperature dipping sharply as altitude increases. At 13,700 ft, Sela Pass appears like a frozen world—snow, prayer flags dancing violently in the wind, and Sela Lake reflecting a turquoise-silver shine. Riders pause for photographs and a quick hot snack at the pass-top café before descending into the grand bowl of Tawang. The ride into Tawang feels cinematic—massive mountains, hairpin bends, and scattered Buddhist settlements that signal entry into Monpa cultural land. The group reaches their stay by evening as the monastery bells echo faintly in the distance.

Day 6 – Tawang → Bumla Pass → Madhuri Lake → Taktsang Gompa → Zemithang (95 km)

This is the most intense, story-worthy riding day. Riders leave Tawang town and climb toward Bumla Pass on the India-China border, where permits and army verification happen before entry. The frontier road is raw, cold, intimidating, and thrilling. At 15,200 ft, Bumla greets riders with icy winds, military outposts, and a dramatic sense of achievement. From there, riders descend toward the famous Madhuri Lake, a high-altitude gem created by an earthquake and framed by snow walls and glass-still water. After a break, the route continues toward the spiritual Taktsang Gompa, also called the Tiger’s Nest of Arunachal, clinging dramatically to a cliffside. The final stretch rides into Zemithang, a hidden river valley village close to the Bhutan border. Despite being only 95 km of riding, the day feels massive because of altitude shifts, emotions, and landscape impact.

Day 7 – Zemithang to Lumla to Chakzam Bridge to Jung (120 km)

Riders begin the morning by exploring the peaceful riverside of Zemithang before starting toward Lumla. The road now becomes a cultural ride as Monpa villages, traditional homes, grazing grounds, and local school yards flash past the visors. The ride halts at the historic Chakzam Bridge, a 15th-century iron-chain suspension bridge built by Tibetan saint Thangtong Gyalpo. The bridge sways over roaring water and becomes a moment of historical awe before the ride continues to Jung. Jung is known for its dramatic waterfalls and the calm presence of the countryside around it. The group checks into a cozy lodge, enjoying the soft transition from frontier wilderness to gentle valley life.

Day 8 – Jung to Shergaon (180 km)

The ride toward Shergaon becomes one of the prettiest and least commercial riding days. Shergaon is a serene Bugun tribal village in West Kameng, surrounded by orchards, bamboo homes, mist-dipped forests. The road winds through Rupa and Bomdila regions, but instead of stopping at the main towns, the group rides deeper into the quieter side roads toward Shergaon. Riders reach the village by afternoon, check into homestays, and spend the evening enjoying local rice wine, traditional Bugun food, and stories around a fireplace. The night feels warm despite the winter chill outside.

Day 9 – Shergaon to Guwahati (220 km)

The final ride back to Guwahati is the longest low-altitude riding stretch of the tour. Riders leave the mountains behind and descend into Assam again, where the road opens wide and fast. There is nostalgia in the air, but also celebration—because the mountains delivered everything promised. The group stops for a last local lunch together before the final 3-hour highway cruise into Guwahati. The ride ends by evening as bikes are returned, memories sealed, and the adventure quietly transforms into stories riders will carry home for years.