Permits for Tawang, Ziro & North Sikkim (ILP, PAP) | Guide for Travel Agents

The short answer

Arunachal Pradesh (Tawang, Ziro, Dirang, Bomdila): Indian guests need an Inner Line Permit (ILP). Foreign guests need a Protected Area Permit (PAP) through an approved tour operator.
Bumla Pass: a separate local permit in Tawang (DC office and Indian Army), for Indian guests only. It depends on weather and clearance.
Sikkim: Indian guests need no permit for Gangtok, Pelling or Namchi, but do need one for Tsomgo Lake, Nathula, Zuluk and North Sikkim (Lachung, Yumthang, Lachen, Gurudongmar). Foreign guests need a Sikkim entry permit plus a PAP for protected areas, and cannot visit Nathula or Gurudongmar.
You don't apply yourself. Send us the guests' ID copies and photos with the booking; we arrange every permit on the route.

Arunachal Pradesh: Tawang, Ziro, Dirang, Bomdila

Every part of Arunachal Pradesh needs a permit for anyone who is not a native of the state.

Indian guests: Inner Line Permit (ILP). Issued online through the state e-ILP portal, or at Arunachal House counters in Guwahati, Tezpur, Kolkata and Delhi. Arunachal Tourism says the tourist e-ILP covers a stay of up to 14 days. Children under 14 do not need their own e-ILP but must travel with an adult.
NRI, OCI and PIO card holders cannot take an ILP and need a Protected Area Permit, like foreign guests.
Foreign guests: Protected Area Permit (PAP). Applied for only through an approved tour operator. Arunachal Tourism lists a royalty of USD 30 per head.
Where it is checked: on the Tawang route the ILP is checked at Bhalukpong. Keep a printed copy with the driver and one on the guest's phone.
Ziro needs the same ILP or PAP as Tawang. If a guest does Tawang and Ziro in one trip, we put both on the permit.

Bumla Pass and Madhuri (Sangetsar) Lake

Bumla Pass (on the India–China border) and Madhuri Lake need an extra clearance from the DC office in Tawang and the Indian Army, taken in Tawang a day ahead.
It is for Indian guests only, and it is confirmed the evening before. Heavy snow or army movement can cancel it at short notice, so we never sell Bumla as guaranteed.
Guests going to Bumla should have a spare day in Tawang in case the first attempt is called off.

Sikkim: Gangtok, Tsomgo, Nathula, Zuluk and North Sikkim

Place	Indian guests	Foreign guests
Gangtok, Pelling, Namchi, Ravangla	No permit	Sikkim entry permit
Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir	Permit (we arrange)	Entry permit + PAP, group of 2 or more
Nathula Pass	Permit (we arrange)	Not allowed
Zuluk / Silk Route	Permit (we arrange)	Check with us before selling
Lachung and Yumthang	Permit (we arrange)	Entry permit + PAP, group of 2 or more
Lachen and Gurudongmar Lake	Permit (we arrange)	Gurudongmar not allowed

Foreign guests' Sikkim entry permit is issued at the Rangpo and Melli check posts, the Sikkim Tourism office in Siliguri, and Sikkim offices in Delhi and Kolkata. It can be extended in Gangtok.
North Sikkim and protected areas are applied for by a registered Sikkim tour operator. Solo applications are not accepted.
Documents for Sikkim permits: Aadhaar and PAN are not accepted. Guests should carry a passport, Voter ID or driving licence (originals), plus passport-size photos.
Nathula is not open every day of the week, and high passes can close in snow. We plan Nathula on an open day and keep Tsomgo as the fallback.

What to send us, and when

A clear copy of each guest's ID: passport, Voter ID or driving licence. Foreign guests: passport and Indian visa.
Two passport-size photos per guest (a clear phone photo on a white background works for online permits).
Full names exactly as on the ID, age, and the travel dates.
Send them with the booking, and at least 7 days before arrival for Arunachal and foreign-guest permits. Sikkim permits for Indian guests are done locally, but late documents can cost a sightseeing day.

Questions travel partners ask

Do Indian tourists need a permit for Tawang?

Yes. Every Indian guest who is not from Arunachal Pradesh needs an Inner Line Permit (ILP). We arrange it from the guest's ID copy.

Can foreigners visit Tawang?

Yes, with a Protected Area Permit (PAP) applied through an approved tour operator. Arunachal Tourism lists a royalty of USD 30 per head. Bumla Pass is not open to foreign guests.

Is a permit needed for Ziro?

Yes. Ziro is in Arunachal Pradesh, so Indian guests need an ILP and foreign guests need a PAP.

Can foreigners visit Nathula or Gurudongmar Lake?

No. Both are for Indian guests only. Foreign guests can visit Tsomgo Lake and Lachung–Yumthang with a PAP, in a group of two or more, through a registered operator.

Is Aadhaar accepted for Sikkim permits?

No. For Sikkim permits guests should carry a passport, Voter ID or driving licence.

Can Bumla Pass be guaranteed?

No. It needs army clearance and depends on weather; it is confirmed the evening before. Keep a buffer day in Tawang.

Permits for Tawang, Ziro and North Sikkim: a guide for travel partners

Arunachal Pradesh: Tawang, Ziro, Dirang, Bomdila

Bumla Pass and Madhuri (Sangetsar) Lake

Sikkim: Gangtok, Tsomgo, Nathula, Zuluk and North Sikkim

What to send us, and when

Questions travel partners ask

Have guests for these places?