Arunachal's rare high-altitude trek reaches India-Tibet-Myanmar tri-junction

Twenty trekkers have completed a seldom-accessible expedition to Jachep Tso in eastern Arunachal Pradesh, reaching a remote camp at 4,200 metres that sits precisely where India, Tibet and Myanmar meet.

The 100-kilometre route, which opens exclusively during the annual Walong Day commemorations, brought together eight civilians and twelve Army personnel for what ranks among the most challenging long-distance treks in the eastern Himalayas.

The twelve-day journey traced the course of the Dichu river from 1,400 metres to 3,700 metres, taking participants through a dramatic succession of ecological zones—from subtropical forest floors carpeted with terrestrial orchids and mushrooms to alpine snowfields beneath peaks visible throughout the route.

Starting from Kaho, the group moved through Sheru and Malinja before stopping at a natural hot spring at 3,300 metres—a geological curiosity at such an elevation. The final approach to Jachep Camp required navigating marshy high-altitude valleys dotted with rhododendron shrubs and extended snow-covered sections where cold winds swept across exposed ground.

Terrain varied constantly. Trekkers crossed wooden ladders and bridges, picked their way along rocky riverbanks, passed through pine groves and forests of maple and birch, and negotiated fresh landslides, bamboo thickets and muddy stretches showing autumn colours.

The expedition recorded more than twenty bird species and found pug marks from high-altitude mammals. Nightscapes shifted from full moon brightness at the trek's start to new moon darkness that revealed the Milky Way in skies untouched by light pollution.

Beyond the physical challenge, participants spent considerable time with Army personnel who hosted and guided the group through areas where soldiers face daily logistical and environmental hardships. That interaction deepened throughout the journey, offering civilians rare insight into life at remote mountain postings near the Line of Actual Control.

The trek's exclusivity—open only during Walong Day events—adds to its appeal for those seeking routes beyond standard Himalayan circuits.