Complete Shergaon Travel Guide

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Imagine flipping through a fairytale and the story jumping to life (Jumanji style but less violent). Lazy brooks running amidst glistening pebbles, across fruiting trees in a sleepy town – That’s Shergaon (local name – Seinthuk) for you – quaint, breathtaking, and underrated.

Towards the tail end of my trip to Arunachal, while returning to Guwahati from Dirang, we decided to break for a night in the lovely village of Shergaon. I had never even heard this name before (but in my defense, I hadn’t known much about Arunachal in the first place).

I have never been good with planning and research and hence it was a good thing my trip itinerary was tackled by HolidayScout.

Sadly, our plans to spend the night in Shergaon got canceled due to a single covid case in the small sleepy town. The entire town consists of just 3000 residents so this pretty much shut it down for tourists. I wasn’t so disheartened by this news at that point since I didn’t know what to expect (but in my head it was still a better bet than spending a night in Guwahati).

As soon as we saw the sign that said, “Welcome to Shergaon”, with lovely scenery on either side of the road, we already had a fair idea of what we were going to be missing.

Still, we had an entire day to spend in Shergaon and enjoyed it to the fullest. A couple of nights could’ve easily been spent, enjoying the slow pace of Arunachali village life but then, there always needs to be a reason to come back.

What to Expect While Visiting Shergaon, Arunachal

Going in with zero expectations pushed this destination to one of my favorites in Arunachal Pradesh. It is offbeat, unique, and very close to nature – just what this outdoorsy girl loves. So, without further ado, here are some photos and places to compel you to visit Shergaon –

Zengbu Gompa

Lighting a candle at the Zengbu Gompa was different from every other monastery visit in Arunachal for me. I am not sure if it was the jitters of leaving this beautiful state that overwhelmed me, the fact that this was the last monastery I would visit (for a while perhaps), or the fact that Zengbu Gompa was simply adorable!

Knowing me, it was perhaps the last one.

As soon as we parked our Duster at the Gompa and rubbed our sleepy eyes from the long winding drive from Dirang; we were instantly refreshed. We squealed with joy at the sight of this pretty monastery (the ladies only of course)!

Instantly I asked Priyanka (of DesiGirlTraveller fame) to take a few photos of me in front of the monastery.

It seemed abandoned at first but then we found a caretaker in a house nearby. We asked her to open the door of Zengbu Gompa so we could take a look inside and light a candle. From the inside it was even better – the sudden calm which flows through your veins when you enter a sacred place was intensified here. Since it was small, colorful, adorable and amidst nature, it was an instant winner for me!

Definitely a must-stop on your trip to Shergaon!

Choskorong Waterfall

Next stop, Sange of Holiday Scout told me, was a waterfall. Okay by now, I was wide awake, holding my camera in ready position and looking excitedly out the window. The tiredness of the last 8 days across Arunachal could wait till I was in Guwahati (or back to Delhi), but Shergaon deserved to be explored with complete enthusiasm.

We were told there will be a mini trek to the Choskorong waterfall (which is one of the top Shergaon attractions) and as soon as we were on this rugged path, Priyanka and I started taking photos and videos in full happy spirits. It felt like we were exploring the highlight of Arunachal, at the very end.

How strange to feel this way after visiting top attractions of Arunachal like Tawang! Even I was amazed we were so peppy about the thought of hiking to a waterfall – but it was what it was! Shergaon made us all happy – I would say this town and Dirang were my happy spots in Arunachal when the tourist traps clearly failed to lure me in.

We crossed what seemed like a few abandoned cottages and a stream constantly running to our left (apparently leading up to the fall).

Soon we arrived at apple orchids and wait for it – Persimmon trees! They were soooo pretty, we had to stop and just stare in awe for several minutes.

During this trip, I tried the Persimmon fruit for the first time and instantly loved it. Now, I also got to see the trees and the leaf colors were absolutely stunning. For the millionth time, I requested Sange to remind me to buy some for my friends and family to try back home. By the way, if we fast forward this story a few days, they all loved it too!

The path started becoming narrower and trickier after the first ten mins of frolicking around the woods. I actually had to watch every step and hold on to nearby branches for support in several spots.

But soon enough we were rewarded by the sound of gushing water and lo behold – we were finally at Choskorong waterfall.

We found a good vantage point to take pictures and catch our breath before heading back up the same path and making way to our faithful Duster.

Camping in Shergaon

Camping is surely one of the best ways to enjoy Shergaon! HolidayScount can arrange amazing camping opportunities in plains or pretty valleys of this village. They have partnered with locals everywhere to ensure tourism in NE benefits the grass root levels.

Camping is a really good way to ensure you are amidst nature and can enjoy evening bonfires, meet other fellow travelers and just walk around this chalet-style village at your own leisurely pace.

If you are in Shergaon, I would highly recommend camping for at least 1-2 nights to get a good flavor of the place. We visited in first week of Nov and the weather was excellent for camping – so try to get there in warmer months to avoid cold/ rains.

Sherdukpen people

Even though we didn’t meet any local Sherdukpen people, this tribe is surely worth a mention here. They are primarily found in Shergaon so even their name is derived from Sher (from the village of Shergaon) and Tukpen (old name of the village of Rupa). They live in mountains and co-exist well with neighboring tribes of Monpas and Brokpas.

Pro Tips – If you visit Shergaon during a festival you can see them all dressed up in their local tribal attire and that can be feast for sore eyes. I also heard there is a Shergaon Rhododendron festival that takes place in Spring around mid-March when the flowers are in full bloom.

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Shergaon Map

Guwahati to Shergaon distance is over 6.5 hours and when we were traveling back, it took us at least 7.5 hours. So I would recommend to just factor in a stop on your way back to or from Bomdila or Dirang (it’s a 1.5 to 2.5 hour travel time respectively from each of those stops).

Where to Stay in Shergaon

If you search for Shergaon hotels, you will probably be disappointed. Small villages in Arunachal often have amazing homestays and that’s the BEST way to explore North East. That way you mingle with locals, enjoy local cuisines and culture, all this while encouraging employment and entrepreneurship in a developing state. So ensure you book one of the many small homestays with HolidayScout or simply camp in nature.

Shergaon Travel Vlog

Here’s an excellent recount of our visit to Shergaon by Priyanka – Check it out and see if you can spot yours truly as well? 🙂

I didn’t even realize there were so many fun things to do in Shergaon until I spent the day there. And now, all I am craving is to go back and get my fill of a weekend in Shergaon because this town deserves at least that (if not more)!

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Jo has been putting pen to paper from an early age when she started her "Dear Diary" and letters to her pen friends across the globe.
This alongside regular visits to Indian jungles in search of the Royal Bengal Tiger, fueled her zest for adventure, nature and wildlife.
Now she is a renowned travel blogger, outreach expert and has worked with over 500 travel brands in the last 15 years.