The capital of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar is located at the Papum Pare district of the state. Nestled between two hills Itanagar is a beautiful small town. The landscape of the town is eye-catching. Itanagar is a combination of natural beauty, archaeological sites of historical value and socio-cultural significance, Buddhist temples and wildlife destination. It is the main administrative hub of the state. Itanagar is also famous for handicraft and artifacts. Itanagar is well connected with the other important places in the state of Arunachal Pradesh and other important places of the northeast as a whole.
Itanagar's journey starts from Guwahati. Itanagar is well connected by road from Guwahati. It is about 350 km from Guwahati and takes around 7 to 8 hours to reach at Itanagar from Guwahati. We provide dedicated cab service for the entire North-east tours included Itanagar.
Itanagar is the starting destination of a really interesting tour circuit. It is about 9 days tour program. The tour program includes 6 destinations viz – Itanagar, Ziro, Daporijo, Analog, Pasighat, and the tour will end at Dibrugarh. This is a complete 9 days trip in the eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh. This is a very popular tour plan amongst domestic and international tourists.
Itanagar is the state capital of Arunachal Pradesh and well connected with all the major places in the northeast.
Guwahati to Itanagar is 350 km (7 to 8 hours approximately)
Tezpur to Itanagar is 160 km (4 hours approximately).
Jorhat to Itanagar is 150 km (5 hours approximately)
Shillong to Itanagar is 390 km (10 hours approximately)
Note: There is no airport or rail station in Itanagar itself, The Lilabari airport in Assam is the nearest and 67 km from Itanagar. North Lakhimpur is the nearest railhead and 60 km from the Itanagar town.
The best time to visit Itanagar is between October to April month. The weather of this capital city of Arunachal Pradesh remains very pleasant during these months. Also, the travelers will enjoy it a lot if they visit during the rainy season. June to September is the monsoon season in Itanagar.
Ita Fort:
One of the most important destinations in the town, the Ita fort is a place of historical and architectural value. Itanagar is named after Ita fort. Built-in the 14th or 15th century the fort is built with over 80 lakh bricks. Brick in most part of India is called “Ita”, whereas the word “Nagar” literally means town, the Itanagar is “a town made of Bricks”. The structure of the Ita fort is unique, imposing and beautiful. The fort has three gates. It is believed to have been built by Ramachandra, the king of Mayapur of Jitari dynasty. The fort offers a majestic view of the surrounding valleys.
Buddhist Temple:
The beautifully built yellow roofed Buddhist temple is located on top of a hill. The architectural beauty of the temple is awe-inspiring with its major Tibetan influence in the structure. The temple houses a Buddha idol. The temple is surrounded by a beautiful garden and the view of the surrounding mountains from the temple is astonishing. Please note that the temple is open from 5 am to 5 pm in the evening.
Ganga Lake:
Another attraction here in Itanagar is this large lake. It is a majestic natural lake and an ideal place for nature lovers. Locally known as Geykar Sinyik which means confined water. This is a beautiful lake in the midst of towering Himalayas and offers a spectacular view. It is surrounded by dense forests. Tourists can go for boating in the lake as well. The place has become a popular picnic spot as well. The distance from the main town is just 6 km.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Museum:
This is a famous museum in the state. It houses a wide collection of Household articles, weapons, textiles, religious objects, tribal art and instruments, handicraft items depicting the tribal culture and their lifestyle and the socio-cultural heritage of the people of Arunachal.
Indira Gandhi Park:
It is the green hub of the city. An ideal place for relaxation and to interact with nature.
Craft center and Emporium:
They have unique items like bamboo and cane products, wall paintings and hangings, local artifacts, wood carvings, traditional costumes, etc.
Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary:
This used to be a nice habitat for a good number of Tigers, Sambars, elephants, different species of deer, panthers, etc. However, over the years, Hunting, poaching, human habitation, de-forestation, etc has affected the Sanctuary and there has been a major decline in the wildlife in the forest.
The Polo Park:
It is a wonderful botanical garden. It is situated in Naharlagun. There is a small zoo inside. Also, the industrial department of the state runs a handicraft center here.
Itanagar has pleasant weather. The summer is warm but not very hot compared to the Indian plains. Also most of the time a mild breeze blows through Itanagar which helps you to keep yourself fresh. The average temperature in the summer months of April and May is around 24-26 degrees centigrade. Winter is very cold. In the month of December and January, the temperature often goes down to 3-4 degrees c.
The journey started more than a decade ago when a financial consultant, a social activist and a biology researcher came together to start a business in tourism that none of them knew about. But travel is something they loved and enjoyed, and so they decided to change the paradigms in their own way. And they remarked “travel is more than a profession, it’s a passion”. Read More [+]
