Hi I am Sonam Tenzin from Tawang the “Land of Lamas”, a magnificent sparsely populated hill station in Arunachal Pradesh. My grandfather Lobsang Tenzin always had a bundle of interesting stories to tell, most of which were about hunting, camping and collection of herbs in a beautiful area which he named as “Land of Four Lakes” located somewhere close to the Indian-Bhutan border. The passion with which my grandfather narrated his adventure stories and described the mountainous trails and the natural beauty of that area, encouraged me to visit the virgin region or paradise. Accordingly, alongwith my friends I planned the much awaited trek to the so called Land of Four Lakes, somewhere in the vicinity of Jerjang Tso lake which is the source of the Namka Chu River. The water channel the readers would recall was once a famous battleground between the Indian and Chinese Army in 1962. As the journey began, we decided to stay at Nelya village for the first day, so we hired a cab and commenced our journey to Nelya from Tawang via Lumla. The road enroute was a visual treat as we witnessed the rolling hills, salubrious ambience and the alluring waterfalls. Scenic beauty along the banks of Nyamjang Chu could not have been better. We also visited the renowned Gorsam Stupa enroute. This beautiful ancient Stupa is a source of positive energy where one can feel the richness of Buddhist culture & ethnicity. Moreover, the pristine beauty & awe-inspiring location of Padma Sambhawa Statue at Lumpo forced us to halt and enjoy the alluring beauty and splendor. We reached Nelya by the evening and spent the night at a home stay in the warm and comforting environs of the locals. Next day sunlight was bright amidst light cold breeze. It was a beautiful morning and we commenced our trek. My childhood memories of the stories were flashing before my eyes which made me to trek with more energy and excitement. We were mesmerized by the beautiful wild trail of Dhaula Area enroute which further lead us to Jerjang Tso lake and believe me we were stunned on seeing the picturesque location. It is said that “A thing of beauty is a joy forever” and I can say with conviction that my grandfather was absolutely right when he described the lakes in the stories he had narrated to me in my childhood. As it was getting late and cold in the evening, we pitched our tents at the lake side and collected few woods to light a fire both to warm ourselves and cook our meals. For the dinner, even a quick- fix meal like maggie was relished amidst the serene environment. Next morning, the virgin area of the beautiful lake, enriched mountain ranges and pure Himalayan streams surrounded us; we were truly in paradise!. The area proved to be beyond our expectations and ideally a heaven for nature lovers. After having a cup of tea and biscuits as breakfast, hunt for other three lakes began. One by one we visited all the four lakes and what a sense of achievement it was. On our way back, we again spent some time at the first lake Jerjang Tso just to have a final look at the paradise on earth. On our way to Dhaula, I looked at the deep blue sky and thanked my grandfather for his stories and guidance for this trip to the remote areas along the India-Bhutan Border. We gazed over the horizon, walked through clouds & witnessed the majestic beauty of the Himalayas & crystal clear Himalayan lakes. Finally, by afternoon we commenced our return journey to Lumpo from where we hired a cab for Tawang. For the time spent at Land of Four Lakes, I felt like my body, mind and soul has integrated as one entity which re-energised the spiritual thoughts within me. Truly, this one was one of the most adventurous trips we as friends have ever made in our life time exploring mystic nature of Himalayas. I would recommend all adventurous and spiritual people to experience this mix of Himalayan nature & Spiritualism once in their life time.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton