How many days to visit Assam and Arunachal

beesakopie · Dec 25th, 2007, 23:30

Mac,

I don't travel on a foreign passport - so no I've don't have practical experience on this. I will just comment on the logic behind this entire affair. I do know that permits are required. Group travel is necessary. Travel routes need to be respected. My info was - Indian Mission Abroad or Home Ministry once in India. The underlying factor being a travel agent minding you.

A Mission abroad has easier access to info about you. Hence can take a quicker "decision" whether to let you in to a sensitive area or not. Once in India, everything goes through the Home Ministry who "decides" whether to let you in. This much said, I don't believe that anyone is going to be stopped for "tourism". (Unless you are an undercover CIA agent and they've found out...!!!

)

If the government representations can't be bothered to respond, and the information is unclear, I don't think there is much else that one can do other than contacting a travel agency to sort out things for you. After all, a travel agency means that they are doing a paid service to get the permit! And hence much more reliable !!! (And, perhaps, a little more flexible)

On the face of it, Arunachal and Mizoram are the most peaceful states...so I would imagine that authorisation should not be refused outright. They will "really" make you sweat over the other two - Nagaland and Manipur, because there is a very valid cause of concern on safety issues.

PS: The Lonely Planet Guide fellows were not authorised to go to certain states in the NorthEast. (Checkout the guidebook) - Because the govt. representations weren't responding ? Or because they refused to go through a travel agent? Or because they weren't allowed to go "off the beaten track" . Worth figuring out!

Hope the above helps.

GauhatiBoy · Dec 25th, 2007, 23:57

If you like quiet, wander into a tea garden some time for a picnic lunch or something. It was one of my favorite things to do once in a while in Assam, all the green and shade, so quiet but for the birds. Now don't tell me THAT's changed too since '79 :^)

beesakopie · Dec 26th, 2007, 00:16

A little Off Topic but it does give you an idea of what to do when you are there:

The Tea industry is "getting along" but very different from what it used to be...They are however giving a BIG boost to tea tourism. Today you can rent out a managers bungalow for a couple of days!!! The best known project (in Assam) is:

http://oldassam.com/wildmahseer/default.html

Tata Tea has another site in Jaldapara (Dooars Area) in West Bengal. Its called the Dam Dim Getaway (they don't have a web presence)

Cheers.

theyyamdancer · Sep 6th, 2008, 14:49

Reviving this thread, we (myself and my husband) are planning a trip for next spring (around March 2009) to Arunachal Pradesh, in the company of an Indian friend from Bangalore (who used to live in AP when it was the North East Frontier). So the question I have is - are foreigners and Indians allowed to visit the same areas in AP? We would be planning on Guwahati, Bomdila, Tawang, and as far northwards as allowed in the direction of 'little Tibet', for about 2 weeks, maybe 3.

Dec 25th, 2007, 23:30	#16
beesakopie Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Wallis and Futuna (Republique Francaise) Posts: 82	Accessibility of AP to foreign travellers Mac, I don't travel on a foreign passport - so no I've don't have practical experience on this. I will just comment on the logic behind this entire affair. I do know that permits are required. Group travel is necessary. Travel routes need to be respected. My info was - Indian Mission Abroad or Home Ministry once in India. The underlying factor being a travel agent minding you. A Mission abroad has easier access to info about you. Hence can take a quicker "decision" whether to let you in to a sensitive area or not. Once in India, everything goes through the Home Ministry who "decides" whether to let you in. This much said, I don't believe that anyone is going to be stopped for "tourism". (Unless you are an undercover CIA agent and they've found out...!!! ) If the government representations can't be bothered to respond, and the information is unclear, I don't think there is much else that one can do other than contacting a travel agency to sort out things for you. After all, a travel agency means that they are doing a paid service to get the permit! And hence much more reliable !!! (And, perhaps, a little more flexible) On the face of it, Arunachal and Mizoram are the most peaceful states...so I would imagine that authorisation should not be refused outright. They will "really" make you sweat over the other two - Nagaland and Manipur, because there is a very valid cause of concern on safety issues. PS: The Lonely Planet Guide fellows were not authorised to go to certain states in the NorthEast. (Checkout the guidebook) - Because the govt. representations weren't responding ? Or because they refused to go through a travel agent? Or because they weren't allowed to go "off the beaten track" . Worth figuring out! Hope the above helps. Last edited by beesakopie : Dec 26th, 2007 at 01:41.

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Dec 25th, 2007, 23:57	#17
GauhatiBoy Not sure where I'm from Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Oregon USA Posts: 281	If you like quiet, wander into a tea garden some time for a picnic lunch or something. It was one of my favorite things to do once in a while in Assam, all the green and shade, so quiet but for the birds. Now don't tell me THAT's changed too since '79 :^)

Dec 26th, 2007, 00:16	#18
beesakopie Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Wallis and Futuna (Republique Francaise) Posts: 82	A little Off Topic but it does give you an idea of what to do when you are there: The Tea industry is "getting along" but very different from what it used to be...They are however giving a BIG boost to tea tourism. Today you can rent out a managers bungalow for a couple of days!!! The best known project (in Assam) is: http://oldassam.com/wildmahseer/default.html Tata Tea has another site in Jaldapara (Dooars Area) in West Bengal. Its called the Dam Dim Getaway (they don't have a web presence) Cheers.

Sep 6th, 2008, 14:49	#19
theyyamdancer Maha Guru Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Crete Posts: 1,787	Reviving this thread, we (myself and my husband) are planning a trip for next spring (around March 2009) to Arunachal Pradesh, in the company of an Indian friend from Bangalore (who used to live in AP when it was the North East Frontier). So the question I have is - are foreigners and Indians allowed to visit the same areas in AP? We would be planning on Guwahati, Bomdila, Tawang, and as far northwards as allowed in the direction of 'little Tibet', for about 2 weeks, maybe 3.

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