Cross the
Sela Pass
The 13,700ft gate to Tawang.
- Altitude
- About 13,700ft
- Lake
- Sela Lake (sacred)
- Access
- Weather-dependent, not date-fixed
- Winter kit
- Snow chains/ropes advised officially
Sela Pass is the gate to Tawang at about 13,700ft: prayer-flagged Sela Lake at the summit, snow walls late into spring, and weather that decides everything. Official Tawang guidance treats access as weather- and road-condition dependent, and advises private vehicles in winter to carry snow chains or nylon ropes.
Do not plan a hard same-day continuation after crossing: the altitude takes a bite.
Quick answers
Sela Pass at a glance
Does Sela Pass close?
Access is weather-dependent: snowfall can close it temporarily in any month; check road status the morning you cross.
Is Sela safe?
With an experienced mountain driver and a flexible plan, yes; the risks are weather and altitude, not danger of the road itself.
Practicals
Permits & season
ILP required for Indian nationals; PAP for most foreign nationals. Arranged ahead of travel; we handle it for booked travellers.
March to June and September to November are the clean windows; high passes close or turn risky in winter and peak monsoon.
When to go
Plan around these months
Nearby
Close enough to combine
Things to do
What you're here for
Sela Lake
The frozen lake and flags at the top.
Jaswant Garh
The 1962 war memorial below the pass.
Journal
Read before you go
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More guides in the journal (15 total).
Explore Sela Pass
Facts checked against the official Arunachal Pradesh tourism portal · Last verified 2026-09-26