Sikkim permits explained simply, for Indians and foreigners

Why Sikkim has permits at all

Sikkim shares borders with China, Nepal and Bhutan, and much of the high country in the north and east sits close to the line of actual control with Tibet. That is why the state, the army and the central government control who goes where. The system can look confusing from outside, with acronyms and different rules for different passports, but in practice it is simple once you sort it into two questions: who are you, and where are you going.

We get asked about permits more than anything else, so here is the plain version, as the rules stood when we last checked. They have changed before and will change again. Treat this as a map, and confirm the details with your operator or Sikkim Tourism, and check current status before you travel.

One more thing worth knowing at the start: permits are not a money-making scheme for operators. The permit itself costs little or nothing; what you pay for is the registered vehicle, the driver who knows the checkposts and the paperwork done on your behalf. Prices for the same Tsomgo seat or North Sikkim tour vary between desks, so ask two or three before you book.

The short answer for Indian citizens

If you hold an Indian passport, Aadhaar or voter ID, you do not need any permit to enter Sikkim. Gangtok, Rumtek, Pelling, Yuksom, Ravangla, Namchi and most of the south and west are open. Carry a government photo ID anyway, because hotels must record it and police at the Rangpo and Melli checkposts sometimes ask.

You do need a permit for the protected areas: Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir, Nathu La, the Old Silk Route through Zuluk, Nathang and Kupup, and North Sikkim, meaning Lachung, Yumthang, Lachen and Gurudongmar. You cannot simply drive there in your own car or a random taxi. Permits are issued through registered tour operators and the taxis registered for those routes, who submit your details to the authorities. In nearly every case the operator handles the paperwork as part of the tour price.

• Two or more passport-size photos per person.
• Photocopies of a government photo ID, plus the original to show at checkposts.
• For children, a school ID or birth certificate copy.
• Your details at least a day before travel, and earlier for Nathu La and North Sikkim in peak season.

placeGangtok

Foreigners: the RAP, also called the ILP

Foreign nationals need a Restricted Area Permit to enter Sikkim at all. Many travellers and agents call it the Inner Line Permit or ILP, which is the older name, and you will hear both. It is free. You can apply online for an e-RAP, or get it at the Rangpo and Melli checkposts on the way in, through Sikkim Tourism offices, or through Indian missions abroad when applying for your visa. You need your passport, a valid Indian visa and passport photos. It is usually issued for 30 days.

Overseas Citizens of India are generally treated as foreigners for this purpose and need the permit too. Bhutanese citizens do not. The RAP covers Gangtok, the west and the south, but not the protected areas, which need a separate Protected Area Permit. Keep several photocopies of your passport, visa and RAP with you, because hotels, homestays and checkposts in the hills ask for them.

guideWest Sikkim permits and practical tips for 2025–26

Protected areas, place by place

This is where the two systems split. For foreigners, a Protected Area Permit, or PAP, is issued through a registered Sikkim travel agency, usually only for groups of two or more travelling together with the agency. Some places are open to foreigners with a PAP, and some are not open to them at all. The table sums up the position as we understand it; check current status before you travel, as it has changed several times.

placeYumthang ValleyplaceYumesamdong (Zero Point)placeGurudongmar LakeplaceDzongu

Tsomgo Lake and Nathu La from Gangtok

Tsomgo, also spelled Changu, sits at about 3,750 m some 38 km from Gangtok, and is the most popular day trip in the state. Shared taxis and tour desks around MG Marg and the taxi stands sell seats for Tsomgo and Baba Mandir for about ₹800–1,200, which includes the permit; you hand over your photos and ID copy the day before and collect your seat in the morning.

Nathu La, the pass on the Tibet border at about 4,310 m, is open only to Indian nationals and only on certain days of the week. In recent years it has been closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and closures for snow, military reasons or road work are common, especially from December to March. The permit must be applied for in advance, usually at least a day ahead, through a registered operator, and a Nathu La trip is priced on top of Tsomgo. Children below a certain age have sometimes not been allowed at the pass because of altitude; ask your operator.

guideGangtok on a Budget: What Things Really CostjourneyGangtok and Tsomgo Lake on a shoestring

The Silk Route and North Sikkim

The Old Silk Route in East Sikkim winds up from Rongli through Lingtam, Zuluk, Nathang and Kupup on the old mule road towards Jelep La and Tibet. Indians get a permit at Rongli, normally arranged by the homestay or the car operator who will drive you; they need your ID and photos a day or two before. The route has generally been closed to foreign nationals.

North Sikkim permits, for Lachung, Yumthang, Lachen and Gurudongmar, are issued in Gangtok through registered operators, almost always as part of a package with car, driver, rooms and meals. Shared group tours of two or three days are the budget option, roughly ₹6,000–8,000 per person for a three-day Lachen and Lachung circuit in 2025–26. Since the October 2023 Teesta flood, roads beyond Chungthang have closed for long periods, and permits are simply not issued when the district administration shuts a route. Check current status before you travel.

placeZulukplaceLachungplaceLachenjourneyGurudongmar and Yumthang on a shared tour

Common mistakes we see

Most permit problems come from small things. People forget photos, carry only a digital ID, or try to book Nathu La on a Tuesday. Foreign travellers arrive at Rangpo assuming they can sort the RAP at the checkpost on a day when that counter is not running, or plan to travel alone to Tsomgo, which needs a group. Avoid these and the system works smoothly.

Treks are a separate matter. Goecha La and Dzongri in West Sikkim need a Khangchendzonga National Park entry permit from the forest office at Yuksom and a licensed guide, and foreigners also need a trekking permit through a registered agency. On the West Bengal side, the Sandakphu trek and the Darjeeling hills need no special permit for anyone, Indian or foreign, beyond the national park entry and the compulsory guide at Maneybhanjan. Foreigners walking the Singalila Ridge should still carry their passport, because the trail crosses briefly into Nepal at a few points.

• Carry six or more passport photos per person and several ID photocopies.
• Hand in permit documents the afternoon before, not the morning of travel.
• Do not book a private car from Siliguri for Tsomgo or North Sikkim; only registered vehicles get permits.
• Foreigners travelling solo should join a group through an agency for PAP areas.
• Keep a spare day; a closed road means no permit, however early you applied.