Itanagar

Famous for:
Itanagar is a beautiful capital city of Arunachal Pradesh with evergreen forest and the mighty Himalayan ranges.


Video: Informative documentary about Itanagar 

Background:
Arunachal Pradesh, known as 'the Land of the Dawn lit Mountains', is an ancient region where Sage Vyas is believed to have meditated. Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh, is an old city, which was known in ancient times as Mayapur. The Jiti Dynasty, which ruled over this region in the 11th century, had made Mayapur their capital city. The modern day Itanagar is built in the vicinity of the old city of Mayapur.


Video: Short film about the beautiful Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary 

What to see:
Buddhist Temple 
Location: On a hillock in Itanagar. 
The newly built Buddhist shrine is a beautiful yellow roofed temple standing on top of a small hillock. It is surrounded by well-maintained gardens and there is even a tree planted by the Dalai Lama.

Ganga Sekhi lake / Gayker Sinyi
Location: 6 km from Itanagar, amidst dense forest.
The Ganga Sekhi Lake is a small lake and a beautiful picnic spot with bamboo bridge and boating facility. It is surrounded by forest with bamboo groves, orchids and thick vegetation.

Jawaharlal Nehru Museum 
Location: Near the Secretariat, Itanagar
The museum houses good collection of art, instruments, woodcarvings, head wares etc of different tribes It also has good information about archaeological findings in the region.

Polo Park
Location: In Naharlagun, 10 km from Itanagar
The Polo Park has a botanical garden and a small zoo. It is over a small ridge overlooking the town.

Itanagar Sanctuary
Location: 7 km from Itanagar near Naharlagun
Established in 1978, Itanagar Sanctuary covers 140 sq. km of land and has a small population of tiger, elephants, barking deer, leopard and good variety of plants and orchids

Ita Fort
Location: In Itanagar
The magnificent Ita Fort, is believed to have been built by King Ramachandra in the 14th - 15th century. It is an irregular shaped fort made mostly of bricks (ita). It is estimated that almost 80 lakh bricks and over 46,000 man days were required to built the fort.


Video: Ganga Sekji Lake, Itanagar 

Sites nearby:
Orchidarium 
Location: At Tipi near Bhalukpong (the Assam-Arunachal border)
Asia's third largest Orchidsrium, it has a collection of over 7,500 orchids. New Hybrid varieties of orchids are also developed here.

Ziro 
Location: 150 km from Itanagar 
Ziro is in an extremely picturesque valley of Apatani Plateau. It is at an altitude of 1475 m is surrounded by pine-covered mountains.

Rupa
Location: 18 km from Itanagar on the banks of the Tenga river
Rupa is a beautiful hill town an ideal picnic spot.

Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary 
Location: In the East Kemeng district
Spread over 271 sq km, Elephants, Tigers, Leopards, red panda and Sambar are found in this sanctuary


Video: Tribal houses made of Bamboo at Itanagar 

Reaching there:
Air:
Itanagar does not have an airport. Lilabari (67 km) and Tezpur in Assam are the nearest domestic Airports. There is also a helicopter service between Itanagar and Guwahati thrice a week.

Rail:
Itanagar does not have a railway station. Harmutty (33 km) and North Lakhimpur are the nearest railhead.

Road:
NH 52 (Baihata - Charali - Tezpur - Bander Dewa - North Lakhimpur - Pasighat - Tezu - Sitapani Junction with NH - 37 Near Saikhoaghat) is the National Highway passing near Itanagar and NH 52A (Bandar Dewa - Itanagar - Gohpur) is the National Highway passing through Itanagar.
Itanagar is well connected with buses from Guwahati, North Lakhimpur and Tezpur. Good network of roads connect it to other major towns in the region like Agartala, Aizawl, Kohima, Imphal, and Shillong. 


Video: Hilly drive towards Itanager 

Permits:
Indian Tourist:
Any domestic tourist coming to Arunachal Pradesh has to obtain an Inner Line Permit. The inner line permit can be obtained from any of the following places:
Residence Commissioner,
Government of Arunachal Pradesh, New Delhi
Arunachal Bhawan, Kautilya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi
Phone No. 011-23013915/23013956/23913786
Deputy Residence Commissioner,
Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Kolkata
CE - 109 , Sector- 1, Salt Lake City, Kolkata
Phone No. 033-23341243/23589865
Deputy Residence Commissioner,
Government of Arunachal Pradesh
Guwahati, R.G Baruah Road , Guwahati- 781021
Phone No. 0361-562859

Foreign Tourists:
Foreign Tourists intending to visit Arunachal Pradesh require Restricted Area Permit (RAP). This permit can be obtained from all Indian Missions aboard, All Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs) at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chief Immigration Officer, Chennai, Home Ministry, Govt. of India and Home Commissioner, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar can also issue a permit for a period of 10 days for a group consisting of four or more persons.
Foreign Tourists visiting Arunachal Pradesh will have to pay US $ 50 (the amount may change) per head to Government of Arunachal Pradesh and application for RAP should be applied through local approved Tour Operator.



Video: Tribal girls dancing to celebrate the New year

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