Eaglenest – Tragopanda Trek

Tucked into the folds of Arunachal Pradesh’s mist-wrapped mountains, Eagle Nest Sanctuary is a realm where silence speaks, and every footstep reveals a deeper layer of life. Here, the forest doesn’t just shelter—it sings. And the trail to Tragopanda Lake is perhaps its most haunting melody.

This gentle yet soul-stirring trek begins near Lama Camp and winds its way through the Bugun Community Forest—a living testament to what happens when people become the protectors of the wild. This is not a forest fenced off from human life. It is one that breathes through it. Managed entirely by the indigenous Bugun tribe, the community forest is India’s first tribal-led community reserve. It’s the cradle of conservation success stories, like the discovery of the Bugun Liocichla—a brilliantly feathered bird found nowhere else on Earth, named and safeguarded through a unique partnership between scientists and the Bugun people.

As you begin your walk, rhododendrons line the trail like quiet sentinels. The air carries a chill that feels alive. You pass through canopies that filter light into soft green gold, while the calls of laughing thrushes and the haunting notes of the Ward’s Trogon accompany you deeper into the forest. The path is not difficult, but it commands presence. You begin to notice the small things—lichen-covered branches, a sudden hush in the trees, or a delicate wingbeat. This is also the habitat of the elusive Bhutan Glory butterfly, a species so rare and seasonal that spotting one feels like stepping into myth.

The destination is Tragopanda Lake, a small, sacred pool of water tucked at 2650 metres. Named after two shy forest dwellers—the Temminck’s Tragopan and the Red Panda—the lake sits still and silent, like a mirror held up to the sky. Here, you’re not just a visitor. You’re a witness to a place that has remained untouched not by chance, but by choice. The choice of a community that values its forest as much as its future.

Every element of the journey—every birdcall, every rustle, every pause—is infused with the Bugun tribe’s knowledge and care. Their role as forest stewards is not performative; it is ancestral and active. These forests flourish not in spite of human presence but because of it. When you return from the lake, there’s an invitation to visit a nearby Bugun village, where traditional meals and heartfelt stories further dissolve the lines between conservation and community.

This is not your average day trek. It is a layered experience—part nature walk, part cultural immersion, and entirely a reflection of how the wild survives when people choose to walk with, not over, it.

To walk to Tragopanda Lake is to walk into a philosophy—one where biodiversity is not just admired but lived with, and where every step forwards is also a step back into wisdom that’s quietly endured for centuries.

Inclusions

• Guided trek to Tragopanda Lake
• Transport between Tenga and Lama Camp
• Tea break at Lama Camp
• Services of an experienced local naturalist

Exclusions

• Meals (except tea)
• Personal gear or trekking poles
• Transport to / from Tenga

Things to carry

• Trekking shoes and walking stick (optional)
• Warm clothing layers
• Reusable water bottle & light snacks
• Camera or notebook for documentation