Encircled by lush pine forests, the tranquil village of Mechuka’s situated in a beautiful and scenic locale in Arunachal Pradesh. Home to the majestic Mechuka Valley known as Menchuka, Mechuka is placed in the West Siang District near the Indo-China border and is nature’s paradise to adventure and nature enthusiasts. Located at an altitude of 6000 ft above the sea’s level, the Mechuka Valley’s abundant with natural beauty and the River Siyom here adds to its dream-like landscape. Here’s a list of tourist places to visit in and around Mechuka.

A popular tourist attraction in Mechuka is a 400-year old Buddhist Cloister called Samten Yongcha located atop a hill in Mechuka’s western region and holds numerous ancient figurines that were discovered here. Built-in honor of Buddhism’s Mahayana Sect, the monastery is known not only for its religious significance but also for its historic background. The area’s brimming with people of a local tribe called Adi, which has been inhabiting the place for ages in villages of Pauk, Gapo, Hiri, Lipsui, Padusa, Rapum, Purying, Charung, Rego and more. The area’s also known for the discovery of the giant flying squirrel called the Mechuka Giant Flying Squirrel. A trek up will lead you to gorgeous views of the Eastern Himalayas. You’d also find some captivating murals and artworks of Buddhist Teacher Guru Padmasambhava and ominous series of masks adorning the walls along with a lustrous Golden Buddha watching over.

On your way down from Yorlung and from across the Gurudwara, there’s a sacred cave that’s dedicated to Guru Nanak and is known to have impressions of his turban within a huge rock. As per popular folklore, owing to an unspoken conflict between the people of the village and the Sikh soldiers from the Indian Army, there exists a doubt if the impression is of Guru Nanak’s turban or Guru Rinpoche’s time meditating in the cave. This 400-year old cave was known to have been inhabited by Guru Nanak on his way to Tibet, where he practiced meditation. One spot is where the Gurudwara’s located and the other is called the Taposthan. There’s a very narrow gap in the mountain that opens into a charming forest by the riverside. It is believed that if you’ve sinned, you will fail at passing through the crevice. The tiny adjacent pools of water by the river are known as holy water bodies which ascertain one’s fate and house a blend of white, black and grey stones that are known to envisage one’s luck, where white denotes happiness & prosperity, grey connotes a struggling period while black foretells dark times and bad luck.

As you hike towards the Yarlung Army Camp, there’s a small Hanuman Temple, another bewildering sacred presence in the Buddhist hamlet, across from which, atop a higher rugged mountain cliff, you’d find a naturally carved image of Lord Hanuman’s face.

Situated roughly 5km from the town of Mechuka is the Dorjeeling Village after crossing the River Yargepchu. A beautiful and picturesque hamlet with tiny wooden houses and a small hermitage, it may not be a tourist attraction as such, but has a variety of scenic landscapes to keep you enchanted for long. You’d also see a number of hanging bridges made of wood, and held by steel wires, used by the villagers to cross the river for daily errands.

Gompa’s popular for its views and on a rare occasion you may end up seeing an IAF plane as well! There’s an Advance Landing Ground close by, an airstrip and you can see the aircraft taking a U-turn around the Gompa before landing. You can also visit the Yarlung Camp at 7900ft and meet the brave hearts who have been protecting the country’s boundaries for long. The camp gate is the final point where Civilians are allowed to enter without permission.

A beautiful cloister in Mechuka, the Dzogchen Samtan Choeling Monastery gives way to a leisurely stroll during early morning or late evenings with gorgeous views of the town of Mechuka and the picturesque landscapes of the valley. Visiting here is a must.

Neighboring the Mechuka Valley is a small and scenic landscape with tiny hamlets called Along. Situated by the banks of Rivers Sipu and Yomgo, Along is a popular tourist spot for adventure enthusiasts and has people from all parts of the country and even across the globe visiting her to explore and enjoy adventure activities like hiking, treks, river rafting, etc. Along is also renowned for its bamboo crafts and handlooms made by the local tribes from the adjoining villages.

Located 25km from Along in the Kamaki Village is a crossbreeding center that provides a unique experience to travelers, where you can expect to see cross-breeds of Jersey Cows and Gayal (cross-bred Mithun). You can explore milking the cows, feeding them, and learn about cattle chores.

Located in Along, the Kamaki Hydropower Dam is encompassed by numerous flora owing to it being a water reserve. Here you’d be able to experience the workings of a dam, the plant as well as witness numerous bird species flying in and around the dam.

Built-in honor of Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa, the Ashram is one of the most frequent tourist attractions in Arunachal Pradesh. It is a knowledge hub on his life, information on Maa Sharda and Swami Vivekananda. In addition to the ashram, you can visit the temples, the Math complex, Swamiji’s room, the museum and old shrine.

A beautiful hamlet, the Darka Village is a significant tourist spot for locals and visitors alike, especially during the Mopin Festival. The village has three water bodies gushing through it, giving way to a scenic and natural beauty. A picturesque village, Darka is one of the largest villages in the West Siang District and adorned with lush greenery, flanked by a thick forest and inhabited by the Galo Tribe, renowned for their agricultural festival.