Trip tool 03
Permits, place by place
Rules change, sometimes mid-season. We apply for the permits a registered agent can arrange and confirm the rest when we quote. Check current status before you travel.
East Sikkim
Indian nationals do not need a permit for Gangtok, Rumtek or Aritar. They need permits arranged through a registered travel agent for Tsomgo Lake and Nathu La (Nathu La permits a day ahead, and the pass is usually closed to tourists on Mondays and Tuesdays), and a Protected Area Permit for Zuluk and the Silk Route, issued at Rongli. Foreign nationals need the Sikkim Inner Line Permit, formally a Restricted Area Permit, to enter Sikkim; it is free and issued at Rangpo, Bagdogra airport, Sikkim House in Delhi and the Sikkim Tourism office in Siliguri. Foreigners can visit Tsomgo Lake on a day trip with a Protected Area Permit in a group of two or more, but cannot go to Nathu La or Zuluk. Rules and fees are indicative. Check current status before you travel.
North Sikkim
Indian citizens need a permit for Lachung, Yumthang, Zero Point, Lachen and Gurudongmar, applied for by a registered Sikkim tour operator with your photo ID and photographs; you travel in a registered vehicle with that operator. Foreign nationals need the Sikkim Inner Line Permit to enter the state plus a Protected Area Permit for North Sikkim, in a group of two or more through a registered agent, and may go only as far as Lachung, Yumthang and Lachen. Gurudongmar and Zero Point are closed to foreigners. Dzongu needs a separate permit, usually arranged through your homestay. Check current status before you travel.
West and South Sikkim
Indian citizens need no permit to visit Pelling, Yuksom, Ravangla, Namchi or Rinchenpong; carry photo ID for hotels. Foreign nationals need the Sikkim Inner Line Permit (ILP), issued free at the Melli and Rangpo checkposts, in Siliguri and online, with passport and visa. Treks into Khangchendzonga National Park, such as Dzongri and Goecha La from Yuksom, need park entry permits and a registered guide for everyone; foreigners must also go through a registered Sikkim agency, usually in a group of two or more. Rules and fees change. Check current status before you travel.
Darjeeling
Indians and foreigners need no permit to visit Darjeeling, Kurseong, Mirik or Tiger Hill. For Sandakphu, everyone pays the Singalila National Park entry fee at Manebhanjan and carries photo ID, and trekkers must hire a licensed guide. The trail crosses into Nepal in places, where ID is checked. Foreigners continuing to Sikkim need an Inner Line Permit, available in Siliguri or at Rangpo. Fees and rules change. Check current status before you travel.
Kalimpong
No permit is needed to visit Kalimpong district, for Indians or foreigners. Neora Valley National Park needs an entry permit and a local guide, arranged at the forest office in Lava, and it closes from about mid-June to mid-September. If you continue into Sikkim, foreigners need an Inner Line Permit, issued at Rangpo or Melli and online. Check current status before you travel.
Dooars
No special permit is needed for Indians or foreign nationals to visit the Dooars. You pay entry fees, vehicle fees and guide charges for each national park safari, and you must carry photo ID (Aadhaar, voter ID or passport). Foreigners pay higher entry fees. If you continue to Bhutan through Jaigaon and Phuentsholing, Indians need a passport or voter ID and foreigners need a Bhutan visa arranged in advance. Park rules, fees and safari quotas change from season to season. Check current status before you travel.
Bhutan
Indian nationals do not need a visa. They need a valid passport (six months' validity) or an original voter ID card; minors without either can use a birth certificate with a parent. An entry permit, issued online in advance or at the Phuentsholing immigration office or Paro airport, covers Paro and Thimphu. Travel to Punakha, Phobjikha, Haa and other districts needs a route permit, issued by the immigration office in Thimphu or applied for online. Indians pay a Sustainable Development Fee of ₹1,200 per person per night, with children aged 6–12 at half rate and under-6s free. Other nationalities need a visa and pay USD 100 per night. All tourists must stay in certified hotels, and a licensed guide is required outside Thimphu and Paro. Check current status before you travel.