Khonsa
DirectionKhonsa, a tiny hill station in a valley surrounded by the Himalyas, is the headquarters of Tirap district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. It was created during the British period and was one of the five earliest districts of the state. Khonsa borders Myanmar in the east and Assam in the south. Surrounded by panoramic views of thick forests fringed by hills, Khonsa is a paradise to the visitors eye. This town in Tirap valley is surrounded by the majestic Himalayan ranges. The streams, deep gorges, dense forests and snow-clad hills add to the spectacular beauty of the place. The forests around Khonsa host wild beings from Tigers, Leopards, Jackals, Wild boars, Bears, Barking deer, Red Panda, Musk Deer, Mithun and numerous species of Rodents. One can find White gibbon monkeys swinging from branch to branch at Khonsa. A perfect place for all those who love adventure, Khonsa offers an exhilarating treks through dense forests. Blessed with numerous rare species of orchids, during April, the forests treat everyone’s eyes with these rare and exotic blossoms. The culture of the land is colorful too. A spectacular attribute of this place lies in the ethnicity of tribals and their festivals, fairs and flawless artworks which are created with intense dedication. These tribes makes jewellery from beads and there are headgears, elephant tusks and several other artifacts which mark its uniqueness.
How to Reach:
By Air
There is no direct train service to Tirap. The nearest railway stations are at Dibrugarh (120 km), Tinsukia (110 km) or Naharkatia (70 km) in Assam . From these places, daily bus/taxi service is available to the district headquarter, Khonsa. It takes approximately 3 hours each from Dibrugarh and Tinsukia and approximately 2 hours from Naharkatia to reach Khonsa. There is a daily Rajdhani Express and Brahamputra Express from New Delhi to Dibrugarh / Tinsukia via Guwahati. The train bookings may be done online at the site www.irctc.co.in.
By Train
Both Govt. and private deluxe bus services are available between Guwahati and Dibrugarh/Tinsukia. Night service is also available. Then from Dibrugarh or Tinsukia onwards, buses of Arunachal Pradesh State Transport Service (APSTS) to Khonsa have a daily service. Many private taxis / buses also ply on this route. Khonsa has recently been connected to State capital Itanagar by a daily direct bus service of APSTS.
By Road
Dibrugarh is connected to Guwahati by air through 2 daily flights. It also has a direct daily flight to New Delhi (Jetlite – www.jetlite.com). From Dibrugarh onwards, taxi or bus service is available. Dibrugarh is also connected to State Capital Itanagar by a daily helicopter (except Sundays) service (operated by Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh). Once a week, the helicopter also lands at Khonsa helipad from Dibrugarh. The time-table is however subject to change and exact prevailing timings may be ascertained from helipad at Itanagar (Ph No. 0360-2243262).