Things to Know Before Planning a Trip to Sikkim

Two different permit regimes meet on a trip to Sikkim, and which passport you hold decides which one applies. Foreign nationals need a permit to enter the state at all and Indian citizens need none, and Nathu La and Gurudongmar are closed to foreign nationals entirely. Every visitor over five now pays a fifty rupee entry fee as well, collected at check-in.

That inversion is worth stating plainly because most travel writing has it the other way round. Sikkim became India's twenty-second state on 16 May 1975, after a referendum ended the Chogyal monarchy, and it still runs an entry system of its own. The guide to preparing for travelling in India opens the general case, and this adds what the border adds.

The best months for clear mountain views

October to early December is the clearest window of the year, with March to May a close second. The monsoon between them lands hard on this corner of the Himalaya.

October to early December. The clearest mountain views, after the rain has washed the air.
March to May. Orchids bloom across the state in these months, and the hills are at their best.
June to September. The monsoon. Landslides close roads here more often than almost anywhere else in India.
Winter. Cold and clear at lower altitudes. Nathu La closes in winter and reopens in May.
North Sikkim. The high valleys and lakes are the first to shut and the last to open.
One month, if you want one. Late October into November.

Do you need permits for Sikkim?

Indian citizens need no permit to enter Sikkim. Foreign nationals do. That is the opposite of how most Indian destinations work, and it catches people out in both directions.

Indian citizens, for standard entry. None. Gangtok, Pelling, Ravangla and Namchi need nothing at all.
Indian citizens, for border and protected areas. A separate Protected Area Permit, which covers North Sikkim, Tsomgo and Nathu La.
Foreign nationals, to enter at all. An Inner Line Permit, and it is free.
Where to get it. The Rangpo or Melli border check posts, the Sikkim Tourism Centre in Siliguri, Sikkim House in Delhi, the Kolkata office, a Foreigners Regional Registration Office, or alongside the Indian visa.
What it needs. Passport, a photocopy, the Indian visa and passport photographs.
How long it lasts. Two weeks, extendable by two more at the Foreigners Registration Office in Gangtok or at police stations in Mangan, Gyalshing or Namchi.
Foreign nationals in protected areas. Groups of at least two, travelling with a registered operator who applies for the permit.

The name is the confusing part. The four northeastern states use Inner Line Permit for a document that binds Indian citizens. Sikkim uses the same words for the document that binds foreign nationals, and the document Indians need here is a Protected Area Permit instead.

Which places in Sikkim are closed to foreign nationals?

Two of the best, and that is unusual enough to plan around if your group holds more than one kind of passport.

Nathu La. Open to Indian tourists only. Foreign nationals cannot visit.
Gurudongmar Lake. Requires a Protected Area Permit, and foreign nationals cannot visit.
Nathu La, for Indians. Permission is needed a day in advance, and the pass is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
What this means for a mixed group. Build the itinerary around what everybody can see, or split for a day and say so in advance.
Where everyone can go. Gangtok, Pelling, Ravangla, Namchi, Yuksom, Lachen, Lachung and Yumthang.
Why the rule exists. These sit on or near the border, which is the same reason the permits exist at all.

What the fifty rupee tourist fee pays for

Fifty rupees per person, under the Sikkim Registration of Tourist Trade Rules, 2025, charged since March 2025. There is nothing to arrange in advance.

Who collects it. Registered hotels, homestays and guesthouses, at check-in or booking, through the ATITHI Guest Information System.
How long it covers. A stay of up to 30 days. Re-entering after 30 days means paying again.
Who is exempt. Children under five, Sikkim residents, and government employees on official duty.
Where it goes. The Tourism Sustainability Development Fund.
What it funds. Tourism infrastructure, road connectivity, cleanliness, sanitation and conservation work.
What you will see. A line on the accommodation bill, and no counter to queue at.

How to get to Sikkim

By air or rail to the plains below, then by road up. The state has one airport of its own and it is not the busy one.

By air. Bagdogra, near Siliguri, is the main airport. Pakyong, Sikkim's own airport, became operational in October 2018.
By rail. New Jalpaiguri, the nearest major railhead.
By road from there. Shared jeeps and taxis to Gangtok, Pelling and Namchi, entering the state at Rangpo or Melli.
North Sikkim. Lachen and Lachung are reached from Gangtok, usually on an operator-arranged run because of the permits.
Within the state. Shared jeeps are the normal way between towns and cheaper than anything booked ahead.
Night driving. Avoid it. These are landslide-prone mountain roads with long drops.

Altitude on the North Sikkim routes

Gangtok asks nothing of you. The high lakes do, and the jump is made in a single run.

Gangtok. Low enough to ignore, and where most itineraries start.
Gurudongmar Lake. 5,150 metres, which is higher than any shrine on the Char Dham circuit.
The park's range. Khangchendzonga National Park runs from 1,829 metres to over 8,550 metres.
Kangchenjunga. 8,586 metres, the third highest peak on Earth, on the border with Nepal.
The pattern that causes trouble. Gangtok to Lachen to Gurudongmar gains a great deal of height quickly, and most itineraries do it in two days.
What helps. A night at Lachen before the lake run, water, and a slow morning rather than a pre-dawn dash.
Your own doctor first, if you have a heart, blood pressure, asthma or diabetes history. Sikkim publishes no medical rule of the kind Uttarakhand enforces.

How long a trip to Sikkim needs

Six to eight days covers the state properly. Shorter than that and the north drops off the itinerary.

Three days. Gangtok, Tsomgo and Rumtek, which is the short version.
Five to six days. Add West Sikkim at Pelling and Yuksom, and Ravangla on the way.
Eight days. The above plus North Sikkim, with the permits arranged in advance.
Two days for North Sikkim alone. Lachen, Lachung, Yumthang and Gurudongmar.
Ten days. The whole state without rushing, which few people allow for.
A rest day is worth building in anywhere above 3,000 metres.

A trip planned without checking the passports in the group is the one that fails here, because the permit rules are not the same for everybody travelling together. Our six day cultural journey through Darjeeling and Sikkim runs the monasteries and the tea hills rather than the high lake run. Customised tours is where the permits, the season and the group get settled together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Indian citizens need a permit for Sikkim?

Not for standard entry, and not for Gangtok, Pelling, Ravangla or Namchi. A separate Protected Area Permit is needed for specific border and protected areas, which covers North Sikkim, Tsomgo and Nathu La. Foreign nationals need an Inner Line Permit to enter the state at all.

Can foreigners visit Nathu La and Gurudongmar?

No. Both are closed to foreign nationals. Nathu La is open to Indian tourists only, who need permission a day in advance, and the pass is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Gurudongmar Lake requires a Protected Area Permit and foreign nationals cannot visit it.

Is there a tourist entry fee for Sikkim?

Yes. Fifty rupees per person under the Sikkim Registration of Tourist Trade Rules, 2025, applying since March 2025. Registered hotels, homestays and guesthouses collect it at check-in through the ATITHI Guest Information System, and it covers a stay of up to 30 days.

Who is exempt from the Sikkim entry fee?

Children under five, Sikkim residents, and government employees travelling on official duty. Everyone else pays fifty rupees, once per stay of up to 30 days. Returning after 30 days means paying again.

What is the best time to visit Sikkim?

October to early December for the clearest mountain views, or March to May for the orchid bloom and the hills at their best. Avoid June to September, when the monsoon brings landslides. Nathu La closes in winter and reopens in May.

How high is Gurudongmar Lake?

5,150 metres, which is higher than any of the four Char Dham shrines in Uttarakhand. It sits in North Sikkim, in Mangan district, and is reached from Lachen. Foreign nationals cannot visit it and Indian citizens need a Protected Area Permit.

How many days do you need in Sikkim?

Six to eight days covers the state at a reasonable pace. Three days does Gangtok, Tsomgo and Rumtek. Five to six adds West Sikkim at Pelling and Yuksom. Add two more for North Sikkim, with the permits arranged in advance.

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