Sela Pass

Sela crosses the Tawang range at about 4,170 metres on the only road route into Tawang, and it is unusual for a pass of that height in having a lake sitting almost at the top: Sela lake, or Paradise lake, which freezes over in winter and reflects the surrounding bare slopes in summer. Snow closes or delays the pass for parts of the year, cutting Tawang off, and a tunnel beneath it was opened in 2024 to give all-weather access. Prayer flags and a memorial gate mark the summit, and the descent on either side is long, with Jaswantgarh war memorial below on the Tezpur side.

What you actually see

• The summit lake - water almost at the top of the pass, frozen in winter.
• The prayer flags and gate - the marked crossing point at 4,170 metres.
• The bare high slopes - treeless ground above the tree line.
• The Sela tunnel - the all-weather route opened beneath the pass in 2024.

When to go

April to October, when the pass is reliably open; snow closes it in winter, though the tunnel has changed that. Weather at the top turns quickly and visibility can drop to nothing.

Honest expectations

An Inner Line Permit is required and foreign nationals face extra conditions. Altitude at 4,170 metres affects visitors, and lingering is discouraged. The road up is rough and slow.

Nearby

Tawang lies north; Dirang is south.