Formed by a flash flood after an earthquake in the year 1950, Madhuri Lake is originally known as Shonga-tser Lake, which is one of the most popular lakes in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. The lake was renamed so after the shooting of Bollywood movie Koyla, starring Madhuri Dixit, the beautiful actress. The lake has been surrounded by wonderfully lush valleys, and snow-capped mountains. A leisure walk is the best way to explore the picturesque surroundings of the lake.
Being home to the Himalayas, Arunachal Pradesh is home to many beautiful lakes but none as beautiful and enrapturing as the Madhuri Lake also known as Sangetsar Lake. One of the remotest lakes of the country and perhaps of the world as well, Sangetsar or Madhuri Lake is a breathtaking combination of rocky mountains and an ever-present lake whose beauty is beyond spellbinding. The lake was made popular due to its appearance in the Bollywood movie Koyla and is also known as Madhuri Lake named after the lead actress in the movie.
The Madhuri Lake located at an altitude of 12,000 ft above sea level just 30 km north-east of Tawang, is a sight to behold, tucked between huge mountains in the heart of the Himalayas with many upright tree trunks standing in its belly as if guarding the lake. It holds a very special place in the hearts of Buddhists of both India and nearby Tibet who come here every year to pray. Madhuri Lake is a bounty of nature which amazes you, dazzles you and rejuvenates your soul.
Best Time To Visit Madhuri Lake
The best months to visit Madhuri lake or the Sangetsar Lake are October, November, March, April and May as the cold at this time subsides a little to allow normal tourist activities. The weather still remains pretty cold and will require you to wear as much warm clothing as possible. The lake also looks pristine and beautiful at this time as it is not frozen.
How to Reach:
By Air
1. By Helicopter:The Arunachal Pradesh Helicopter Service is operational from Guwahati Airport and presently the Helicopter services operate from Tawang to Guwahati and back on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. However due to the limited number of seats (on an average 10 – 12 only ) it is advisable that the tickets are pre-booked by calling the Counter at the Guwahati airportor the Aviation officer at Tawang and thereafter paying the ticket charges at the Counter as till now online booking of tickets has not been started by the State Government. The Helicopter journey to Tawang over Bhutan takes around 55 minutes and local transport at Tawang can be arranged by the concerned Hotel / Tour Operator.
By Road
By Road:The 543 Kms. long Guwahati-Tawang road journey is quite long and takes around14-16 hours. The long duration of the journey makes it necessary to have a break in the form of night halt en-route. The suggested road travel plans are described below: Passengers arriving at Guwahati on or before 12 P.M. and preferring to travel on the same day. Option 1: Drive to Tezpur:Tourists may drive down to Tezpurwhich is around 198 Kms from Guwahati. The expected duration of the road journey to Tezpurfrom Guwahati Airport is around 3 and a half hours. Tezpur, being a major Army hub has a wide variety of good quality hotels and restaurants for the tourists. Option 2: Drive toBhalukpong:Tourists may alternatively drive further down to Bhalukpong which is located approximately 260 Kms. from Guwahati with a travelling time of around 4 ½ hours. Compared to tezpur the stay and dining options at Bhalukpong are limited though the next day journey to Tawang is reduced by approximately 1 to 1 ½ hours. However, it is advisable to reach Bhalukpong in the evening before nightfall due to security advisory of the Government. Tourists / visitors arriving Guwahati before 12 P.M. or starting their journey from Guwahati in the morning: Option 1 : Drive to Bomdila:The tourists / visitors can opt to drive down to Bomdila( 390Kms), which is approximately an 8 hours drive from Guwahati. It has a good number of Tourist accommodation of the Govt. alongwith Private Hotels. Midway one can have refreshment / Lunch at either Tezpur or Bhalukpong. The next day’s journey to Tawang (188 Kms) takes approximately 5 ½ to 6 hours. The visitors may have a light break at either Baisakhi Brigade (2 and a half hours away) or JaswantGarh( 3 and a half hours away). Option 2 : Drive to Dirang: The tourists / visitors can alternatively decide to take a night halt at Dirang (Approx. 430 Kms.) which is approximately a Nine hour drive from Guwahati. It has a few good hotels for stay. Midway the tourists can have refreshment / short break at either Tezpur or Bhalukpong. The next day journey to Tawang (Approx. 144 Kms) is around 4 to 5 hours long. The visitors may take a short break / refreshment at either the Baisakhi Brigade ( one and a half hours away) or Jang ( 3 and a half hours away). With the gradual improvement in the road conditions enroute, it is expected that the abovementioned travel times would also gradually reduce.
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