Mayodia Pass, Roing

Climb 56 kilometres of hairpin bends out of Roing and the forest slowly turns white — until you're standing on a snow-draped ridge at nearly 8,700 feet, with almost no one else around.

Mayodia Pass Roing sits at roughly 2,655 metres in the Lower Dibang Valley, reached by a winding, forested ghat road that ranks among the finest drives in the Eastern Himalayas. Come December, snow settles thick across the pass, peaking through January and February and turning the ridgelines into quiet, glittering white — a rare chance to feel real snowfall in Northeast India without trekking to the high Himalaya. This is Idu Mishmi country, and the drive up passes tribal villages where handwoven shawls, warm smiles and hot Mishmi meals await. Beyond the birdsong of the Mishmi Hills, Mayodia Pass Arunachal Pradesh opens the way onward to Hunli, Anini and the wild Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary.

Best time to visit: November to March for snow, with the heaviest falls in January and February; March to June brings clear skies and superb birdwatching.

Traveller tip: Travel in a vehicle equipped for snow and slush, start early from Roing to clear the pass in daylight, and carry warm layers — thermals, gloves and a hat — as temperatures drop sharply near the top. An Inner Line Permit is mandatory for Arunachal Pradesh.

For official travel information, see the Official Arunachal Tourism portal.

Mayodia Pass, Roing, Arunachal Pradesh can be easily covered in BreakBag Holidays' customised Offbeat Arunachal Pradesh tour packages, paired with Roing, Sally Lake and the Idu Mishmi villages of the Dibang Valley.