Tezpur to Tawang through the Sela tunnel: my spring plan for the 450

Spiti owns my summers, so I have been drawing up the other end of the map for the 450. Tezpur, then Bhalukpong for the permit check, a night at Dirang, and up into Tawang through the Sela tunnel instead of the old hairpins over the pass.

That tunnel is the reason this trip finally makes sense on two wheels. Reading up on it, it sits roughly 400 m below the pass and gives Tawang all weather access, so the snow gamble at the top mostly goes away. I would still pick late March to May or a clean October window over deep winter, because wet and cold West Kameng is a different animal.

Inner Line Permit is a tourist eILP online before you leave, from eilp.arunachal.gov.in. Carry printouts, the checkposts want paper.

On the bike I would be fussy about three things only. Fresh rear tyre, because the 450 chews them when loaded. Chain slack and lube, since you get long damp stretches with zero shade. And soft panniers packed light and low, with the rear preload wound up one step for the climb.

Anyone here ridden Bomdila to Tawang since the tunnel opened? I want to know what the surface is like now before I block dates.