The whole of Sikkim is a restricted area, so the rules are stricter than most states.
- Indian travellers do not need a permit just to enter Sikkim, but several famous spots (Tsomgo Lake, Nathula, Gurudongmar, North Sikkim) need a separate area permit, which WayToIndia arranges for you. - Foreign travellers need a Restricted Area Permit even to enter Sikkim. It is free and easy to get at the border or airport. But several places are open only to Indians and closed to foreigners.
Entering Sikkim
- Indian travellers: no entry permit is needed. You can travel in freely with a normal identity.
- Foreign travellers: you need a Restricted Area Permit to enter, because all of Sikkim is a restricted area. It is free, and you get it on the strength of your Indian visa. You can get it at the entry points such as Rangpo and Melli, at Bagdogra airport or Siliguri, or from a Sikkim tourism office or an Indian mission abroad. It is usually valid for about 30 days and can be extended.
For Indian travellers
- Free entry into Sikkim with a normal government identity.
- For the restricted spots below, you need a Protected Area Permit. This is simple, and WayToIndia arranges it for you, or it is issued at the check point with your identity and photos.
For foreign travellers (read this carefully)
- You need the Restricted Area Permit to enter Sikkim (free, as above).
- For the inner spots, you need a Protected Area Permit, and you must travel in a group of at least two, through the government registered channel, with a certified guide. You cannot arrange these on your own, and WayToIndia arranges them for you.
- Several places are not open to foreigners at all. Nathula Pass is for Indians only. Gurudongmar Lake is for Indians only. The Zuluk and old Silk Route is not open to foreigners. Tsomgo Lake is open to foreigners with the permits, but without Baba Mandir or Nathula. North Sikkim spots like Yumthang, Lachen, and Lachung are open to foreigners only as a group of two or more with the arrangements above.
Which areas need a separate permit
These spots need a Protected Area Permit on top of normal entry: Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir, Nathula Pass, Gurudongmar Lake, the North Sikkim valleys of Lachen, Lachung, Yumthang and Zero Point, the Zuluk and Nathang Silk Route, and the Lepcha reserve of Dzongu. You click the spot on the map and the page tells you the exact current rule for an Indian and for a foreigner.
How to get it, step by step
- Foreign entry permit: collect the free Restricted Area Permit at the border, the airport, or a tourism office, on the strength of your Indian visa. Carry several passport photos and copies of your passport and visa.
- Area permits for the inner spots: WayToIndia arranges these for you through the registered channel, applying with your identity, photos, and itinerary. For most North Sikkim trips, the permit is tied to a confirmed itinerary and a Sikkim registered vehicle, so a do it yourself application is not really possible.
- Carry printouts and your original identity, because they are checked at each point.
What it costs
- Foreign entry permit (Restricted Area Permit): free.
- Area permits (Protected Area Permit) for the inner spots: a small government charge plus the vehicle and guide cost, shown at the time of booking. [Exact charges vary by spot. Confirm at booking. Last checked 13 September 2026.]
Documents you need
- Indian travellers: a government photo identity and a couple of passport photos for the area permits.
- Foreign travellers: your passport, your Indian visa, copies of both, and several passport photos.
- Carry printouts of every permit, plus your original identity.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Foreign travellers planning Nathula, Gurudongmar, or the Silk Route, which are not open to them.
- Foreign travellers trying to arrange the inner permits alone. They must be in a group of two or more, and WayToIndia arranges them for you.
- Thinking one permit covers everything. Entry and each inner spot are separate.
- Carrying only a phone copy. Carry printouts for the check points.
- Leaving North Sikkim permits to the last minute, when they depend on a confirmed itinerary.
Questions people ask
Do Indians need a permit for Sikkim?
Not to enter. You need an area permit for the restricted spots like Tsomgo, Nathula, Gurudongmar, and North Sikkim, which WayToIndia arranges for you.
Do foreigners need a permit to enter Sikkim?
Yes, a free Restricted Area Permit, on the strength of your Indian visa.
Can foreigners visit Nathula or Gurudongmar?
No. Nathula and Gurudongmar are for Indian nationals only.
Can a foreigner arrange the North Sikkim permit alone?
No. Foreigners must travel in a group of two or more with a guide, and WayToIndia arranges this for you.
Is the foreigner entry permit free?
Yes, it is free.