Nuranang Falls, also called Jang or Bong Bong Falls, is a 100 m waterfall about 2 km from Jang and roughly 40 km before Tawang on NH-13. The Nuranang Chu flows down from Sela Pass. It is a short detour from the main road. Indians need an eILP, foreigners a PAP. Flow peaks after the monsoon.
After the long descent from Sela, the road reaches Jang, and just beyond the village a side road drops towards a column of white water. Nuranang Chu, fed by the lakes and snow of Sela, pours about 100 m over a cliff in two drops and throws spray across the viewing area even in winter.
A small hydel plant sits near the base and supplies local power. The falls became known outside Arunachal after a song from the 1997 film Koyla was shot here, and drivers on the Tawang road still call it the Koyla falls. The Jang name comes from the village above.
We almost always stop here on the way up to Tawang, when everyone needs to stretch after Sela. Allow 45 minutes: a short walk down, time at the viewpoint, and a tea at one of the stalls by the turn-off.
What makes it worth the trip
100 m drop
One of the taller waterfalls on the Tawang road, falling in two stages into a rocky gorge.
Short detour
The viewpoint is a few hundred metres off NH-13 near Jang, reached by a small road and a short walk.
Snowmelt from Sela
Nuranang Chu rises on the northern slopes of Sela Pass and joins the Tawang river downstream.
Film history
A song from Koyla (1997) was filmed here, among the first Bollywood shoots in Arunachal Pradesh.
Sdasamdabad · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Bablipraveen18 · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Vishnu1991nair · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Things to do
- Walk down to the lower viewpoint and feel the spray
- Photograph the falls in morning light, before cloud comes up the valley
- Pair the stop with Jaswantgarh memorial and Sela Pass on the same drive
- Have tea and Maggi at the stalls near the turn-off
- Look at the small hydel plant near the base that powers the area
- Stop at Jang village for a short break before the final 40 km to Tawang
Getting there
Nuranang Falls is about 2 km from Jang on NH-13, roughly 40 km before Tawang and on the northern side of Sela. From Dirang it is about 95 km and 3.5 to 4 hours including a Sela stop; from Tezpur about 280 km, which most people split with a night at Dirang or Bomdila. A small road turns off the highway near Jang and leads down to the viewpoint, followed by a short walk. From Tawang it makes a good half-day outing, about 1.5 hours each way. Roads between Sela and Jang can be hit by snow and landslides; check current status before you travel.
Where to stay
There are basic guesthouses and homestays in Jang village, but almost everyone stays in Tawang, about 40 km and 1.5 hours away, where there is a wider choice of hotels and homestays. If you are coming up from the plains, sleep at Dirang or Bomdila the night before and visit the falls on the way to Tawang. On the way down, the falls are an easy stop before crossing Sela or entering the Sela Tunnel.
Local tips
- The path and viewpoint are wet and slippery; wear shoes with grip
- Flow is strongest from June to October, but monsoon cloud can hide the falls
- Do not climb on the rocks near the base; the current is strong
- In winter the edges can ice over and the side road may be closed; ask locally
- Mobile signal is patchy here; the nearest ATMs are in Tawang
- Keep the stop to under an hour if you still have Sela ahead of you
Rain and weather
Source: modelled climate data
April to June and September to November, when the flow is strong and the road from Sela is usually clear.
