Brahmaputra drive journey

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Our convoy of 7 (JLR Defenders) +2 (Lead & Sweep) cars 


After our 2021 Cougar Motors Land Rover Defender trip to the Himalayas (Zanskar Himalayan Journey) we planned another in India's North-East: their “Brahmaputra Journey”. Mr Shyam Bhat, a Cougar regular, strongly recommended it.


All 2026 trips were booked, so we left a message with Ms Sapna Gupta of Cougar Motor sport (https://www.cougarmotorsport.in/defender-journeys/): "we'd join if dropouts occurred and dates suited". Luck struck—a spot opened, dates worked, and we booked on seven days' notice. Off to the land of the Seven Sisters via Guwahati, routing through Delhi due to flight issues.


The route (Guwahati to Tawang and back)

Day 1: Guwahati Relaxation

We arrived at Taj Vivanta exhausted from red-eye flights. With Bihu festival underway, we savoured an Assamese thali lunch, slipped into a food coma, then met our diverse group—fellow travellers from North India - Chandigarh, Panipat, Delhi, West - Mumbai, Pune, and South- Coimbatore. Ambady Anil  from the Zanskar organising team who lead this trip, briefed us; we bonded instantly with the cutting of cake and wishing fellow traveller (CMD) a happy birthday.


Assamese Vegetarian Thali spread.

Briefing & introduction session by Anil Ambady

Day 2: To Kaziranga National Park.



An easy-paced highway drive ended on bumpy single-lane roads. We synced vehicles and styles, got used to the vehicle, checked into Borgos Resort, lunched, rested, then hit an evening safari.

We spotted one-horned rhinos, hornbills, elephant herds, water buffalo, Bengal monitor lizards, hog deer, sambar, and birds like darters, cormorants, pelicans, open-billed storks, barbets, and drongos. No tigers, but wildlife abounded amid endemic silk cotton trees. Post-safari, we shared a light Assamese thali dinner.

All set to go. Rainbow of coloured JLR Defender cars (Ours was Blue)

Sights at Khaziranga with its Hero - The Rhinoceros


Day 3: Kaziranga to Dirang




Our drive from plains to hills with Border Roads Organisation (BRO)-maintained twisters and hairpins. The final stretch tested vehicles on semi-off-road paths (rivalled by Bengaluru roads). Stops included a riverside picnic lunch and an unscheduled break for controlled rock-blasting. Dirang's hotel was a delightful surprise.




Day 4: Dirang to Tawang



Gaining altitude through Zela (Sela) Pass (with snow and peaks), we detoured off-road to majestic Nuranang (Jang) Falls. We stayed at Timilo Boutique, a Monpa-run gem with regional curios, then visited Tawang Monastery.



Tawang Monastery 

Perched in Arunachal's Himalayas, Tawang Monastery (Gaden Namgyal Lhatse) is India's largest and the world's second after Tibet's Potala Palace. Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso founded it in 1680–81 on the fifth Dalai Lama's orders; legend says his horse chose the site ("Ta-wang": horse-chosen). It houses 450–500 monks, ancient texts, and oversees 17 gompas.


A gilded Sakyamuni Buddha dominates the hall amid thangkas and Bhutanese architecture. It welcomed the 14th Dalai Lama fleeing Chinese-occupied Tibet in 1959.



Day 5: Tawang to Bumla Pass



This was pilgrimage, not tourism—to honour armed forces braving harsh conditions for our peace. In 1962's Sino-Indian War over Aksai Chin and NEFA (now Arunachal), China overran Indian posts; at 15,200-ft Bumla, Subedar Joginder Singh's Sikh Regiment platoon fought heroically. He earned a posthumous Param Vir Chakra (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bum_La_Pass)

Post-war, it reopened for trade (2006) and Border Personnel Meeting (BPMs). 

We visited the memorial, learning of Major Bob Khathing's 1951 bloodless integration of Tawang(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralengnao_Khathing) under the leadership of Sri. Jai Ramdas Daulatram (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jairamdas_Daulatram). Evening: campfire chats ended the day.


PC: Mrs. & Mr. Panjwani

Day 6: Tawang to Durrung Tea Estate



Mountain terrain to Nameri Tiger Reserve plains. We stopped at Jaswant Garh (https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/arunachal-pradesh/tawang/jaswant-garh-war-memorial#:~:text=The%20Jaswant%20Garh%20War%20Memorial%20is%20located,led%20to%20the%20establishment%20of%20the%20memorial.) honouring Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, who delayed Chinese forces for 72 hours with help from two local girls named Jurung and Sela (honoured by naming a pass and water falls).




Dense fog made it a nerve-wracking "Come to Jesus" drive of about 25 kms. Thanks for the tip from Ambady, we had our eyes glued to the marking white line on the left edge of the road and to the barely visible blinking hazard lights of the car in the front.


Driving through a thick fog
Courtesy: Mr. Gautam Dembla

Rain welcomed us to postcard-perfect Gurung Tea Estate - Postcard Resorts (https://www.postcardresorts.com/ ) Exhausted yet accomplished, we dined lightly and crashed in luxury.


Day 7: Rest and Recuperation


A leisurely 5:30 am start (late for me), tea-garden walk, hearty breakfast, a factory tour, and tea-tasting session. After that an authentic Assamese thali lunch, I got ready for a therapeutic massage. They had a freelancing physiotherapist (Mr. Rajat Dutta) who did a splendid job in attacking all my knotted tight muscles and did a deep tissue massage. 

We ended the day with a short local cultural program and light barbecue dinner.




Day 8 - Durrung - Guwahati



This was our final day of drive to conclude our memorable “Landrover Defender journey”. We had covered 1200 kms and about 30-35 hours of driving through varied terrains of Assam plains, Kaziranga forest, hills and mountains of Arunachal Pradesh and drove to an altitude of 15200 ft. above MSL.



A Journey with pleasant memories.


This is a journey that’s etched in our mind and in the process we got to know a good set of fun loving people. I named the groups as “ The Shaukeen gang, Bom-Pune gang, Coimbatore gang” (No malicious intentions - this was done more for our ease and I am confident that all these fellow travellers will pardon me for this). Special mention was a bonding that we developed with the Guptas from Chandigarh (Mrs. Rekha Gupta and Mr. Pradeep Gupta) and we got new bhai and bhaabi ji. This was worth the journey befitting a final destination like the Bumla pass and getting to know some nice people along the way.


Mrs. & Mr. Pradeep Gupta - An inspirational source - Our Humsafar.


“ मुसाफ़िर, न मंज़िलों को, न तुम रहगुज़र को देखो,  

अजब सफ़र है इस दुनिया, कि बस अच्छे हम‑सफ़र को देखो।”


Hey Traveller, don’t care for the destination nor do for the path that you take.

For this unique journey of life, look for some nice fellow traveller.


As we bid Goodbye to Durrung Tea Estate and started our final drive back to Guwahati.


Comments

  1. Anonymous23 April 2026 at 11:45

    So well written Mohan. Accurately Capturing the spirit of the journey!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Shabnam23 April 2026 at 14:16

    Loved reliving the absolutely exhilarating 8 days twisting around the deep mountain ranges of Arunachal with the very responsive and safe Defender, meeting interesting folks who became friendly companions through this trip. Your blog has captured it very well. Thanks Mohan!
    Here's hoping for many more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NSM23 April 2026 at 15:03

      Thanks Shabnam. Thanks for the photo too.

      Delete
  3. Sridhar S23 April 2026 at 17:34

    Great mohan.
    You must have enjoyed the real beauty of North eastern states.

    ReplyDelete

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