Permits
Which papers you need, hill by hill
Permit rules change, and they differ for Indian and foreign travellers. This is how we understand them today: check current status before you travel.
Darjeeling
No permits are needed for the Darjeeling hills for Indian or foreign visitors. Chatakpur and Tiger Hill lie in or beside the Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary, where small entry and vehicle fees apply and Chatakpur homestays collect the forest department's entry fee on your behalf. If you continue to Sikkim, foreign nationals need an Inner Line Permit, issued at the border checkposts or online; Singalila National Park, for Sandakphu, requires a licensed guide. Check current status before you travel.
Kurseong & Mirik
No special permit is needed for Indian or foreign travellers beyond normal ID. Carry a photo ID (and a passport and visa if you are not Indian) for hotel check-in.
Kalimpong
No permits are needed for Kalimpong, Lava, Lolegaon or the Pedong villages, for Indian or foreign visitors. Neora Valley National Park needs an entry permit from the forest department, usually issued at the range office in Lava, plus fees for a vehicle and a compulsory local guide; it closes from mid-June to mid-September. Foreign nationals going on to Sikkim, including the Reshi crossing from Pedong to Rhenock, need a Sikkim Restricted Area Permit. Check current status before you travel.
Singalila
Singalila National Park needs an entry ticket and a licensed local guide for every group, whether you walk or ride a Land Rover. Both are arranged at the guide and park offices at Maneybhanjan; fees are indicative at about ₹100–200 per Indian adult, more for foreigners, plus a camera fee. The trail crosses into Nepal at Tumling, Jaubari and Kalipokhri, and SSB and Nepal police may check papers: Indians carry a passport or voter ID, foreigners carry a passport with a valid Indian visa. The park usually closes mid-June to mid-September. Check current status before you travel.
Gangtok
Indian citizens need no permit to enter Sikkim or Gangtok, but do need permits for Tsomgo Lake and Nathu La, arranged a day ahead through a registered Gangtok tour operator with photo ID and passport photos, and for the Silk Route (Zuluk, Gnathang, Kupup), issued at Rongli. Nathu La is open to Indian nationals only, on set days of the week, usually not Mondays or Tuesdays. Foreigners need a Restricted Area Permit for Sikkim, free at Rangpo or online, and may visit Tsomgo on a Protected Area Permit through a registered agent, usually in groups of two or more; the Silk Route rules for them change often. Check current status before you travel.
North Sikkim
Indian nationals need a North Sikkim permit for Lachung, Yumthang, Zero Point, Lachen, Thangu, Chopta and Gurudongmar. Registered tour operators in Gangtok apply for it; give them a photo ID copy and two photographs a day ahead. Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit, travel in groups of two or more through a registered agent, and have usually been allowed to Lachung and Yumthang but not to Zero Point or Gurudongmar. Dzongu needs a separate permit for all non-locals, usually issued at Mangan. Rules change: check current status before you travel.
West & South Sikkim
Indian citizens need no permit for Pelling, Yuksom, Ravangla, Namchi and the villages of this land; carry photo ID for checkposts. Foreign nationals need a Sikkim Restricted Area Permit, which can be applied for online and is checked at entry points such as Rangpo and Melli. Treks to Dzongri and Goecha La need a Khangchendzonga National Park permit issued at Yuksom, police registration and a licensed guide; foreign trekkers must go through a registered agency. Sanctuaries such as Barsey charge entry fees. Rules and fees change: check current status before you travel.
Dooars
Indian citizens need no special permit for the Dooars. Every national park and sanctuary charges entry, vehicle, guide and camera fees, and safaris must be booked through the West Bengal forest department, online or at counters in Lataguri, Madarihat and Rajabhatkhawa; carry the ID used to book. Foreign nationals pay higher fees and should carry passports, especially near the Bhutan border at Jhalong, Bindu, Totopara and Buxa. There are no border crossings for travellers in the parks; entry to Bhutan is via Phuentsholing opposite Jaigaon, with Bhutan's own documents and fees. Rules change: check current status before you travel.
We arrange the permits that a registered agent can apply for and send current guidance with every quote.