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Himalaya HivesKashmir to Arunachal
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Which permits do I need

Hive by hive: Inner Line Permits, Protected Area Permits, park and conservation fees and entry rules, as we understand them in 2026. Choose your nationality to see the lines that apply to you.

Indian citizens need an Inner Line Permit for Arunachal and some border valleys, and pay fees for parts of Ladakh. Foreign nationals need Protected Area Permits for many border areas, a visa for Nepal and a licensed operator for Bhutan. Rules change often: check current status before you travel.

Showing every rule

KashmirDal Lake houseboats

None for the main valley; registration for Gurez; Amarnath needs Shrine Board registration

Indian citizens need no permit for Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Doodhpathri or Yusmarg. For Gurez, Indians register with photo ID (Aadhaar is easiest) at army and police checkposts along the road; foreign nationals have needed prior permission from the Deputy Commissioner in Bandipora. The Amarnath Yatra requires advance registration with the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board and a compulsory health certificate. Dachigam National Park needs a permit from the Wildlife Department in Srinagar. Rules change; check current status before you travel.

CountryIndia
Main gatewaysSrinagar airport; Srinagar railway station (from Katra); NH44 from Jammu
Highest roadZoji La, about 3,528 m, on the Ladakh border

LadakhGompas above the high desert

Indians pay an online environment fee; foreigners need a Protected Area Permit

Indian citizens no longer need a separate Inner Line Permit. Instead they pay an Environment and Development Fee online (about ₹400 environment fee, ₹20 a day wildlife fee and an optional Red Cross contribution) and carry the printed receipt to Nubra, Turtuk, Pangong, Tso Moriri and Hanle. Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit for these areas, applied for through a registered Leh travel agency with passport copies. Leh town, Hemis, Alchi, Lamayuru, Kargil and Zanskar need no permit. Carry photo ID and several photocopies for checkposts. Rules and fees change; check current status before you travel.

CountryIndia
Main gatewaysLeh airport; road from Srinagar via Zoji La or Manali via Atal Tunnel
Highest roadKhardung La 5,359 m on the Nubra road; Umling La near Hanle is higher

HimachalCedar villages and old castles

None for Indian travellers; Rohtang vehicle permit; GHNP trek permits

Indian travellers need no permit anywhere in this hive. Private vehicles going up to Rohtang Pass from Manali need an online permit from the district administration, with a daily cap on numbers; it is usually closed in winter. Treks into the core zone of the Great Himalayan National Park need a permit from the park office, normally arranged with a registered guide. Foreign nationals can visit Kalpa and Sangla freely but need an Inner Line Permit to continue towards Spiti beyond Jangi. Check current status before you travel.

CountryIndia
Main gatewaysShimla, Bhuntar (Kullu), Gaggal (Dharamshala), Kalka, Chandigarh
Highest roadRohtang Pass, 3,978 m (vehicle permit; check current status)

Spiti & LahaulKey Gompa above the river

None for Indians; foreigners need a Protected Area Permit for the Kinnaur–Spiti border belt

Indian citizens do not need any permit for Spiti or Lahaul. Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit for the stretch near the Tibet border between Kinnaur and Spiti, which includes Nako and the road to Sumdo; it is issued at offices such as the SDM in Kaza or Reckong Peo and in Shimla, usually for groups arranged through an agent. Rohtang Pass needs a vehicle permit, but the Atal Tunnel route does not. Rules change, so check current status before you travel.

CountryIndia
Main gatewaysManali via Atal Tunnel; Shimla via Kinnaur (NH-5, NH-505)
Highest roadKunzum La, about 4,590 m; Komic village road about 4,587 m

GarhwalThe four Char Dham shrines

Free Char Dham registration; Gangotri NP and Valley of Flowers entry permits

Indian and foreign pilgrims must register for the Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib on the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board's registration portal or app before travelling; counters in Rishikesh and Haridwar handle walk-ins. Registration is free and is checked on the road. Valley of Flowers and Gangotri National Park (Gaumukh) need forest entry permits, and Gaumukh has a daily cap. Nelang valley beyond Harsil is an inner-line area with its own permit. Rules change every season; check current status before you travel.

CountryIndia
Main gatewaysRishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun (Jolly Grant airport)
Highest roadMana village road above Badrinath, ≈ 3,200 m

KumaonNaini lake at dawn

None for most of Kumaon; Inner Line Permit for upper Johar (Milam) and the Vyans valley

Most of Kumaon needs no permit for Indian or foreign visitors. Inner Line rules apply near the Tibet border: the upper Johar valley beyond Munsiyari towards Milam, and the Darma and Vyans valleys towards Adi Kailash and Om Parvat. Indian nationals apply for an Inner Line Permit through the SDM office (Munsiyari or Dharchula) with ID and a medical certificate where asked; foreign nationals face tighter limits. Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary charges an entry fee at its gate. Check current status before you travel, as border rules change.

CountryIndia
Main gatewaysKathgodam railway station, Haldwani bus stand, Pantnagar Airport
Highest roadBorder roads to Adi Kailash and Lipulekh pass 4,000 m (permit areas)

NepalThree royal cities, one valley

None for Indians in cities; trek permits in parks; RAP for Upper Mustang

Indian citizens need no visa; carry a valid passport or Election Commission voter ID (Aadhaar and PAN are not accepted for adults). Other nationalities get a visa on arrival (USD 30/50/125 for 15/30/90 days in 2026). Treks need park permits: Annapurna Conservation Area (NPR 1,000 SAARC, NPR 3,000 others), Sagarmatha National Park (NPR 1,500 SAARC, NPR 3,000 others) plus the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu municipality fee. Since April 2023 foreign trekkers in most parks must hire a licensed guide. Upper Mustang needs a restricted-area permit. Check current status before you travel.

CountryNepal
Main gatewaysKathmandu airport; Sunauli–Bhairahawa and Raxaul–Birgunj by road
Highest roadJeep road to Muktinath (≈ 3,760 m) and on through Upper Mustang

Darjeeling & KalimpongToy train and first-flush tea

None for Indians; Singalila and Neora Valley park entry fees apply

Indian citizens need no permits for Darjeeling, Kurseong, Mirik, Kalimpong, Lava or Rishyap. Foreign nationals also need no special permit for these hills, but carry your passport. On the Sandakphu trek, Singalila National Park charges a daily entry fee and requires a registered guide; the trail touches Nepal at Tumling and Kalipokhri, which Indian and Nepali citizens cross freely, and foreigners should carry passport and visa for checkposts. Neora Valley National Park needs an entry permit from the forest office at Lava and closes in the monsoon. Fees and rules change, so check current status before you travel.

CountryIndia
Main gatewaysNew Jalpaiguri (NJP) station, Bagdogra Airport (IXB), Siliguri
Highest roadSandakphu, 3,636 m, by Land Rover from Manebhanjan

SikkimKangchenjunga at dawn

Restricted Area Permit for foreigners; Protected Area Permits for North Sikkim, Tsomgo/Nathu La and Zuluk; check current status before you travel

Foreign nationals need a Restricted Area Permit to enter Sikkim, issued free at the Rangpo and Melli check posts, at Bagdogra Airport, by Sikkim Tourism offices and online. Protected Area Permits are needed for Tsomgo Lake and the Nathu La, North Sikkim (Lachung, Yumthang, Lachen, Gurudongmar) and the Zuluk Silk Route; registered travel agents apply for them with your ID and photos. Nathu La, Gurudongmar and Zuluk have been open to Indian nationals only. Treks into Khangchendzonga National Park from Yuksom need park and trekking permits. Rules and open days change often; check current status before you travel.

CountryIndia
Main gatewaysBagdogra Airport, New Jalpaiguri railway station, Siliguri; Pakyong Airport (limited flights)
Highest roadGurudongmar Lake road, about 5,100 m (permit area)

BhutanTiger's Nest above Paro

Entry permit plus SDF; licensed guide required beyond the first checkpoint

As we understand the rules: Indian nationals need a valid Indian passport or voter ID (EPIC) and get a free entry permit at Phuentsholing or Paro, or online in advance; Aadhaar is not accepted. They pay an SDF of ₹1,200 per night. Most other nationalities need a visa arranged through a licensed Bhutanese operator and pay USD 100 per night SDF. Children 6–12 pay half; under-6s are exempt. A licensed guide must accompany tourists beyond the first checkpoint, and districts beyond Paro and Thimphu must be on your permit. Check current status before you travel.

CountryBhutan
Main gatewaysParo airport; Phuentsholing by road from Siliguri
Highest roadChele La, 3,988 m, between Paro and Haa

ArunachalTawang Monastery at prayer

Inner Line Permit for Indians; Protected Area Permit for foreign nationals

Indian citizens from outside the state need an Inner Line Permit (ILP). As we understand it, the tourist e-ILP is applied for online on the Arunachal Pradesh government's e-ILP portal, costs a few hundred rupees depending on length of stay, and covers the districts you list, so name every district you will enter. Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit (PAP), usually arranged through a registered tour operator; rules on minimum group size and fees have changed in recent years. Some border points such as Bum La need extra local permission. Check current status before you travel.

CountryIndia
Main gatewaysGuwahati, Tezpur, Itanagar (Donyi Polo Airport), Dibrugarh
Highest roadSela Pass, about 4,170 m, on the Tawang road

Before any border valley

What to carry

  • Original photo ID and several photocopies. Indian citizens: passport or voter ID is accepted in more places than Aadhaar, and is required for Nepal and Bhutan.
  • Foreign nationals: passport with a valid Indian visa, and copies of both, for every checkpost.
  • Printed permits and fee receipts. Phone signal is patchy at checkposts and officers often want paper.
  • The list of districts or areas on your permit. Going beyond them can mean being turned back.

Check current status before you travel

Permit rules in the Himalaya change with security, season and new online systems, sometimes within a year. These notes reflect our understanding in 2026 and are not legal advice. When you book with us, a planner applies where a registered agent can, and sends the current rules with your quote.

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