Sikkim Permit

indiaguide

FOREIGN NATIONALS
Being a strategically located state, in addition to their visas, foreigners need to obtain a special Inner Line Permit (ILP) to visit Sikkim. An ILP will be issued free of cost by Indian Embassies and Missions abroad and Sikkim Tourism Offices in Delhi, Kolkata, Siliguri and Rangpo ( entry point to Sikkim).
Photocopies of passport and visa details and two (2) passport size photographs are needed in order to avail of an ILP.
The ILP is valid for an initial period of 15 days but you can get two further extensions of 15 days each from the Foreigners Registration Office at Gangtok and the Superintendents of Police of North, South and West Districts.
Should you inadvertently land up at Rangpo without the relevant ILP, approach the Tourism Officer stationed at Rangpo to issue you a permit with a two-day validity to allow you to enter Sikkim. This permit can be revalidated for the full 15 days upon arrival in Gangtok.
The ILP permits one to visit Gangtok, all District Headquarters- Geyzing, Namchi and Mangan, Sub-Divisional Headquarters - Soreng, Ravangla and Pakyong, Rumtek, Pemayangtse, Phodong, Khecheopalri Lake and Tashiding.
Areas like Tso-mgo Lake, Chungthang and Yumthang Valley in North Sikkim and the trekking areas in west Sikkim are accessible only to foreigners who form groups of two or more persons. The Department of Tourism issues Protected Area Permit (PAP) for these areas which local Registered Travel Agents can arrange for you in Sikkim.

FOREIGNERS REGISTRATION OFFICEKazi Road,Gangtok Phone: 223041

republicofcharas

ok...so i have a:

1. 6 month
2. 1 year
3. 10 year visa

as i apply to the consulate i ask for a sikh 'visa' and incl all the proper nonsense. im granted the visa. how/when do i need go/utilize the visa? is it date controlled? is it essentially a 'pass/permission slip'?

thanks

ps: orchids in sikkim?

Rob_The_Pom

You can get the permit on the West Bengal/Sikkim border or in Darjeeling - which is what I did. It's little bit of a hassle in Darjeeling - you have to go to one end of the town and back again to get a stamp from Foreigner's Registration but it doesn't rely on the mood of border control. It's absolutely no problem and is certainly nothing to panic about. They will give you a 15 day 'pass'.
I'm fairly sure that I didn't have to hand over any passport photos either - but I can't guarantee this.
Don't worry about applying at the consulate - you really don't need to. You may end up in a beauracratic mess at the consulate.

You bear in mind that once you leave Sikkim you are not allowed to return for another 6 months.

__________________
There is no God but Dawkins and Hitchens is his prophet.

vistet

For me , it appeared totally un-bureaucratic : there was a question on the visa form whether I needed any restricted area permits , I said yes , Sikkim please , received the visa the same day.
I´ve noticed thou`that the question doesn`t appear on the online visa form.

Rob_The_Pom

That's fair enough.
I'm under the impression that some consulates get a bit funny if you put certain destinations on your visa app - I came across someone who'd had problems because they put Dehra Dun on their app! Can't for the life of me think why.

IainC

Don't apply for a Sikkim permit at the High Commision in your own country. I did this in London, I was politely questioned and then picked up my passport 4 days later. On subsequent visits I got my permit in Darjeeling. You have to go to the Magistrates office then to the Foreigners Registration Office and then back to the Magistrates office. You get a stamp in your passport, like a visa, and then your passport gets entry and exit stamps at the border. The permit is for 15 days but you can get an extension for another 15 days in Gangtok. No photos are needed. You can only go to the North with an agancy or on a trek, both are expensive.

AdamBGMF

do people have to be in a group of 4 or more to get a trekking permit?

vistet

When I was there (two years ago) the four person rule applied to Yumthang and Tsongo.

Kiki

I've heard this many times, but in fact, it's happily not true. You cannot get another permit in Darjeeling, but if you simply go to Sikkim, you can easily get a 15 day permit at the border. BUT only at Rimpoo, as far as I know. This is not a problem, since that is the point of entry for most people anyway. If you try to enter at another point, say Jorethang, chances are you will not get a permit at the border.

What happens is you get out of the jeep at the border, which you have to do anyway, even with a permit--and go to the yellow building with all the guys in uniform. When they see you haven't a permit, they direct you to the big white building just across the street. The person there looks at your passport, requests a photo (I didn't have one and it was no problem), writes down your numbers in a ledger, fills out a 15 day permit and hands it to you. (I suppose you can just go directly to the big white building, now that I think of it!) You take this paper back to the yellow building and they stamp it and your passport and off you go! The whole process takes about 15 minutes.

I know this is possible, because I just did it. I went to Sikkim 3 months ago, and again just 2 weeks ago. So, fear not!

Also, the first time I went I travelled with a friend. The magistrate in Darj put both of our names onto one permit. As she decided to stay another week, she kept the paper and I went on my way. On the way OUT of Sikkim, you must also check in at the border post. They asked about my permit, but when I explained the situation and showed them the entry stamp in my passport, they let me thru without any problem.

Other info about Sikkim:

Tashiding: The Bluebird Hotel was one of the worst hotels I've ever seen in my life, and I've seen some doozies, I assure you. I would recommend the Mt. Siniolchu Hotel. It's much cleaner and lighter. The only reason I didn't stay there is because I would have had to go down a flight or more or stairs to get to the toilet. So, I suffered at the Bluebird instead. Unfortunately, these two places are the only options in Tashiding. The Gompa there is interesting because it is supposed to be some kind of sacred site of Guru Rinpoche, but boring because they just repainted the frescoes inside only 10 years ago. Not half as nice as the gompas around Pelling.

Yuksom: Hotel Demazong is MUCH better than the other hotels mentioned in Lonely Planet. But there are 2 new hotels not mentioned in LP, which would be worth checking out if you go there. The place which marks the coronation site of the first king of Sikkim is VERY cool and highly recommended. Be sure to check out the footprint left in stone. It is inside a small fenced in, square enclosure. You may have to lift up a stone which is covering the footprint, presumably to protect it from erosion. It's amazingly clear. This place is about a 10 minute walk from the center of Yuksom. Dubdi Gompa is about a 45 minute walk (if you are in shape) uphill. It is the oldest gompa in Sikkim and the smaller of the two buildings is particularly interesting for it's depiction of wrathful deities and a beautiful statue of Vajrayogini (?), which has a lovely alive-looking face. BUT BE SURE to get hold of the caretaker before you walk all the way up there! LP states this, and I forgot all about it until I was almost at the gates. Luckily, the caretaker just happened to show up about an hour after I arrived, so I got to see inside the gompas. It is a very well tended place and there are even signs along the path up there leading you to it. Also, beware the leeches. I was completely unprepared for them and suffered 28 suckers on my legs, hands and neck. ICK! If you find yourself without salt (seemingly the best way to get rid of them) pick up a sharp edged stone and flick them off with that. That's what I did, and when I got back to the hotel I took a hot shower with plenty of soap and scrubbing and I've no problems. Want the internet while you are in Yuksom? You won't believe it when you see how small and simple this tiny village is, but there is an internet place! Ask the locals and they will direct you to it. It's about a 3 minute walk from the center. They charge 50rs an hour, where in Darj it's only 30, but they have no competition, so what the hell, why not?

Pelling:The Garuda hotel stinks badly of mold. If you can spare a few extra rupees, head on up to the Mountain View, which is near the "helipad", just go uphill on the same street as the Garuda, which should be on your right. It's clean, spacious, hot showers, TV, and a restaurant which is okay. If you happen to see my groovy travel clock with date and temperature there, please send it back to me!

DO absolutely go up to Sangechoeling Gompa. The walk is just lovely and the gompa itself is magical. Really gorgeous old frescoes and SO peaceful. We spent the entire day there, we liked it so much. It was hard to leave.

Also, it's worth visiting Pemayangste Gompa. Be sure to go upstairs to see the incredible 3-D representation of Sangdopelri (the pureland of Guru Rinpoche) It is simply stunning.

My friends also visited the old capitol/palace, not far from Pemayangste, and said it was also wonderful.

Gangtok:I didn't stay at a hotel there, but at my Teacher's monastery, called Guru Lhakang, which is IN the city, so I cannot recommend anything on that level. But, if you are Buddhist, you should definitely visit Drodrupchen Rinpoche, who is a very powerful master living in a gompa not at all far from the center of Gangtok. I think it's called Chorten Gompa because it has a huge stupa inside the grounds. Sorry, I cannot be more specific, I was guided by one of the monks. If you want to know the name, send me a PM and I will try to get it to you. His Khandro (consort/spiritual wife) is also very incredible and you should visit her, too. She used to be the Khandro of HH Dilgo Khyenste Rinpoche and is a master in her own right. It was so great to sit in the room with her and see people coming and showing her obeiscence as she handed out orders left and right!

At the Palace Gompa, up a hill (take a taxi to it) is home to the Khandro of Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro. She is very old, but her eyes are bright and shining, and she is also considered a great master. Neither of these great women speaks any English, so if you want to talk to them, better brush up on your Tibetan (!) or try to get a translator to come with you.

Rumtek: We stayed at a terrific place called Sungay, which is the first place you come to after entering the big gate just across the street from the taxi stand. Big, clean rooms with a lovely view and a veranda to sit on and gaze. (The other side of the hall has cheaper rooms with no view.) The people who run this place are very nice, and they even have their own kitchen, so you can have a pretty good breakfast on the veranda. Sipping your tea and looking at the hills. The prices are reasonable--around 200rs for the view-side and less for the other side. We took rooms on the non-view side and when rooms opened up on the view-side, we simply migrated.

If you want to splurge (60 rs, big deal) on some REALLY good food, head on down to the restaurant in the Shambala Resort, just around the corner. You pass it on your way into town. You can see it from the veranda of Sungay, a big, white building. They served some of the best Indian food I have ever eaten!

The new Rumtek monastery is okay. The earlier you go, the better, since you will miss the hordes of Indian tourists. Be sure to search out the Golden Stupa, which houses the remains of the 16th Karmapa. Powerful. You have to go OUT of the monastery courtyard, (thru a hidden doorway to the right, just next to the gompa itself) go behind the gompa , and up some stairs. I think there's a yellow arch with the word Nalanda written on it, but can't be sure.

The old Rumtek monastery, a very-pleasant walk of about a kilometer away, is more interesting and has a more peaceful energy to it. Walks in this area are extremely pleasant. Nothing dramatic, but really very,very nice.
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Well, friends, this is about all I can remember. Sikkim is simply a wonderful place to visit. Very green, tons of waterfalls, nice people, fresh air, flowers.... relaxing and gorgeous. Enjoy your trip!

Padma

I spent 2 months in Sikkim earlier this year and it is possible to get 60 days out of them with the one permit. The initial 15 day permit can be renewed another three times. I stayed in one place and so the same people did it each time and although they look at you strangely each time you come back, there is no problem. The only difficulty was once instance when none of us had a calandar and we were both trying to work out the dates for the extension in our head.

Its lovelly place, wonderful people and a nice, cool, peaceful escape from the plains when it gets too hot.

I know lots of people get put off by the permits for Sikkim and having to hoic it out every time you move from one district to the next is a pain but its no great trouble and well worth a visit.

tcheuki

Hello

After reading and enjoying these posts , it's not yet totally clear for me ... Is it allowed to cross the border many times with your Sikkim permit??
I explain my self as I want to go to sikkim with a 15 days permit then renew my permit and go to Mirik where I have some appointments during ten days , then go back to Sikkim and possibly renew for the third and last time.
May I do that?

jan99

Kiki - I'm off to Sikkim in just over a week so thanks for all the info. I did intend to stay at The Garuda but it looks like I'll head for the Mountain View instead. Re Rumtek - would you recommend that I stay the night there so i can avoid all the crowds in the morning? I've got a couple of days with no real plans so I could easily do that.

All advice welcome

thanks

Jan

Kiki

Why not? If you've got the time, Sungay is such a nice place to stay and the monastery is a very short walk from there.

CANADON

The first post in this thread confuses me.It seems to indicate that if you enter Sikkim at Rangpo without a permit(which it looks like I'll do) you get a two day permit which you have to take to Gangtok to get revalidated for the full 15 day pass.I wasn't necessarily going to go straight there.Is this true or is it out of date information(post was from 2003)?

Lugubert

Last November, it was probably / at least 15 days issued in Rangpo. The last of us left Sikkim after some 12 days. We returned in another configuration than when entering, which meant that I had only a photocopy of the permit including two of us, the original having travelled on another route. Having made the copy was probably fortunate, because it was retained. No souvenir there, but no problems either.