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This is the capital of the state and includes many scenic and enthralling tourist attractions of Arunachal Pradesh. Itanagar tells the story of the Ita Fort built in the fourteenth century by King Ramchandra of Mayapur. Mallini Than is another unique site that goes back to the 10th and 12th century. Remnants of the old palace and other such monuments boast of the glorious past of the city to the visitors from all around. Situated at an altitude of 350 m above the sea level, Itanagar the capital of Arunachal Pradesh, is also known as ‘the Land of the Dawn lit Mountains’. There is prominent influence of Tibetan culture in Itanagar , Arunachal Pradesh, quite visible in the clothes and costumes of its inhabitants.

Itanagar has become home to people of diverse cultures, coming from all over the country (India). This feature of Itanagar has given it the name - "Mini India". Itanagar today is divided into two parts, each 10 km apart from each other, with the older one named Naharlagun.

Journey to Itanagar

Airport : The closest airport is Lilabari airport in Assam, 57 km from Nahariagun and 67 km from Itanagar.

Rail Head : No railway enters Arunachal Pradesh. Nearest Railway station is Harrmoty in Assam, which is 23 km from Naharlagun and 33 km from ltanagar. The station is served by Arunachal Express.

Road Transport - Itanagar is well-connected by daily bus service from Guwahati and the other cities of Assam. Arunachal State Transport buses are plying throughout Arunahcal, Assam and Meghalaya. Private transport operators also run Deluxe Coaches on many routes.

Local Transport - A very small number of un-metered Taxis are available. Tourist/Deluxe buses are available on rent from the Director, Tourism, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, Nahariagun. A few other transport agencies in town rent out tourist cars and coaches. Cycle rickshaws are the very common local transportation in Naharlagun.

Staying in Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) :
The best place regarding the accommodation in the state is Itanagar, ranging from luxurious ones to mid-range reasonable budget hotels. Itanagar has Circuit House, Field Hostel, Hotel Donyi Polo Ashok, Hotel Itafort, Hotel Bomdila, Hotel Arunachal, Hotel Subansiri, Hotel Simang, Hotel Chandni, Blue Pine Hotel etc. for it visitors from around the world.

Sightseeing in Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh

Ita Fort :
Ita Fort is located at the heart of the capital city in Papum Pare district. It is a historic fort of an irregular shape built mainly with bricks, and dating back to the 14th -15th centuries . The entire brickwork done on the fort comprises of 16,200 cubic meter length. There are also three gates on three sides viz; Eastern, Western and Southern, which are said to be built by Ahom rulers. The name Itanagar is believed to be derived from the name of this fort.

The Buddhist Temple :
This is a new and beautiful yellow - roofed shrine. It rises from well-rnaintained grounds behind a stupo tree planted by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. The grounds of the temple offer a spectacular view of the Itanagar Town.

Ganga Lake (Gyaker Sinyi) :
The 6 km drive to the lake from the capital Itanagar takes the tourists through some superbly rustic jungles with bamboo groves, orchid masses on tall trees, etc. Stopping at the foot of a hill, one has to take a flight of steps uphill. At the top of the ridge one can  easily look down on a tranquil green forest lake which one has to cross in a row-boat. Today, it has become a beautiful spot for outings, boating and picnics.

Polo Park :
A spectacular little botanical garden at the top of a ridge overlooks the Itanagar town. One should notice the cane thickets, it looks a bit like a palm with spines on its stems, but grows as a bush. There is a small zoo, worth a visit.

Jawaharlal Nehru State Museum :
 Jawaharlal Nehru State Museum gives a brief picture of Arunachal Pradesh and one can see woodcarvings, musical instruments, textiles, handicrafts and archeological findings, while a workshop in the Handicrafts Centre specializes in traditional cane manufacture. It also houses a library section.

Some Important Destinations near Itanagar :
North Lakhimpur (60 km), Tezpur and Guwahati, all in Assam are easily accessible by road. Tezpur and Lilabari (71 km ) is accessible by air. Guwahati is about 394 km from Itanagar. Itanagar is also connected by direct bus services from the following places - Shillong (481km), Tezpur (216km), Dibrugarh (375km), Tinisukia (415 km), Jorhat (245km), Nagaon (275km), Namsai (495km). Itanagar is well linked with other major towns in the region such as Agartala, Aizawl, Kohima and Imphal.