Khonsa

A tiny hill station in a valley surrounded by the Himalyas, Khonsa ,is the headquarters of Tirap district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. Created during the British Raj, Khonsa borders Myanmar in the east and Assam in the south.

It is a military area marked by Assam Rifeles and CRPF battalions and small outpost set up by the Koi-hai (militants) can be seen here. Surrounded by panoramic views of thick forests fringed by hills, Khonsa is a back to nature destination. 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.

Sight seeings in and around Khonsa

Khonsa Museum
One can find traditional tribal artifacts, bamboo and cane work and colorful hand looms from different areas of Arunachal Pradesh. Beginning from the good old days to the present days; all are there to provide an insight to the culture of Khonsa.

Kheti and Lajo Village
Inhabited by the Nocte and Wanchoo tribes, these two silent village make an awesome combination with their old age traditions and culture. One can find dormitories decorated with human skulls collected in the past by the people of this village during headhunting days.

Namdapha National Park
Situated 166 km from Khonsa, it is the only park in the world that has four of the great cats inhabiting - snow leopard, tiger, leopard and the clouded leopard. It is located in the Changlang District of Arunachal Pradesh on the India Burmese border a few km from the entry point, Miau. It was designated as a National Park in 1983 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act. The same year, it was also declared as tiger reserve under Project Tiger. With a total area of 1985 sq kms, this is the largest national park in the north-east and one of the larger protected areas in the country. In fact, this was among the earliest national parks established in the seven states of north-east India. Covered with a mix of Assam valley Tropical Rain forest and North Indian Tropical Moist Deciduous forest, it's inhabitants of the park include elephant, Himalayan Black bear, Slow loris, Red Panda, etc. Entry Fee Indians : Rs.10, Foreigners Rs. 100/-.

Miao
Situated 154 km from Khonsa, it is the headquarters of Changlang district and gateway to Namdapha National Park. Homeland of Tibetan refugees. It was a Tibetan refugee settlement area and thus amply reflects the Tibetan culture there. Miao is also an ideal spot for hiking, angling and trekking.