One of Assam’s most popular tourist attractions, Lilabari’s a significant centre amidst nature’s glory with a blend of wildlife, water bodies, picnic spots, picturesque sights, lush greenery and adventurous activities to engage and indulge in. With the Namdapha National Park situated on the banks of River Brahmaputra, there are two renowned lakes that are known to be popular picnic spots for tourists and locals alike and an abundance of mountain views, alpine forests, Lilabari’s an adventure enthusiast’s paradise which gives a platform for treks from easy trails to challenging climbs in the Himalayas’ Purvanchal Range. Here’s a snapshot of tourist places to visit in and around Lilabari.

Located on the banks of River Brahmaputra in the Changlang District, the Namdapha National Park is renowned for its rare species of Leopard along with other wildlife animals that include the Himalayan Black Bear, Elephants, Deer, Gaur and more. Spanning over 1985 sq.km. in the Dapha Bum Range, most of the national park’s encompassed with bamboo plantations, over 150 plant varieties and few medicinal herbs, that are in use by the local tribes for treating varied diseases.

Considered one of the largest cloisters in the country, Tawang Monastery is situated in A.P and was built in 1680-81 by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso. For a long time, the monastery’s been associated with Lhasa’s Drepung Monastery, situated at 10,000 ft above the sea level. With the capacity to house about 700 people, the monastery has over 450 monks residing in it currently. The cloister provides young monks to be educated academically in addition to the monastery’s traditional learnings. It has 65 residential structures in its premises, along with a library, and is about 3-storey high. The 400-year-old monastery’s a fountain of ancient heritage, culture and crafts with artifacts and other historic articles of significance.

Perched on top of a hill in Itanagar, about 68km from Lilabari, the Buddhist Temple is a rare find from the usual Buddhist shrines in India. With a stupa set in front of the temple, which is rather unique, this temple has a yellow ceiling shrine and clearly marks a Tibetan Influence. On the inside, you will find portraits of a Buddhist Hermit, in addition to a Buddha Idol. There’s a tree that was planted by the Dalai Lama right at the end of the shrine and you can catch a beautiful view of the entire city from this location as well.

A significant historical attraction, Ita Fort is also called the Fort of Bricks and was built way back in the 14th/15th century by the Chutia Dynasty. The fort was built in an irregular form with bricks, measuring about 16,200 cubic metres in length. It has 3 different entry points. Symbolic of the ancient era at its best, the fort seems to have involved nearly 80 lakh bricks in its construction and is as such enclosed by brick ramparts and natural ridges. There’s about ½ a kilometer long fortification on the eastern side with a single gate and about 1.4km long wall on the western side with 2 gates.

The Quaint Hill Station of Rupa is a popular tourist spot, pristine and located on the banks of the Tenga. Surrounded by beautiful sights, bright blue skies, with crisp mountain breeze and lush greenery the hill is a perfect spot to capture some of the best views available in the region. One of the best ways of soaking in the blissful tranquility of Rupa is to enjoy a morning or evening drive with the sun over the horizon, painting the valley in a melee of colors that gleam through the dense forestry.

The Jawaharlal Nehru State Museum in Itanagar displays AP’s tribal life with a natural exhibit of the state, which is a popular tourist attraction. Established in 1980, the museum houses everything from textiles to wood carvings to musical instruments and handicrafts, in addition to a wide-ranging ethnographic collection, excavated from the West Siang District from Malinithan, Ita Fort and Noksparbat. There’s a workshop also present on its premise that is a platform for producing traditional cane products as well as a shop that sells the handicrafts.

A centre for Buddhist Culture, the Gompa Mandir is located atop a hill right above the Jawaharlal Nehru State Museum and is adorned with a beautiful entrance at the base of the hill, on a road that spirals up the hill. A calm and serene spot, the shrine provides picturesque views of the city from an elevated point and is actually located close to the main road, but seems aloof from the town, owing to this hill. The small yet vibrantly colored gate of the Gompa marks its entrance, the white stupa with golden carvings outside the main shrine looks beautiful against the backdrop of the lush green hills. The hills also offer a 360° view.

The Crafts Centre & Emporium is a culturally rich tourist attraction near Lilabari, renowned for representing the rich cultural heritage with its unique collection of artifacts and historical relics. Brimming with visitors for most parts of the year, the centre is filled with a wide collection of wall paintings that symbolize local folklore, conventional bamboo & cane products, an assortment of local ethnic costumes made of herbal dye yarns and natural vegetables and is a must-visit for shopping for local keepsakes and souvenirs.