Before you go

Travel info & permits

North East India has its own entry rules, altitude realities, and connectivity quirks. Everything you need to know - before your bags are packed.

Permit checker

Select your destination and nationality to see exactly what paperwork you need.

Where are you going?

Nationality

When to go

North East India runs on three seasons - here's the sweet spot for each region.

Best
Good
Limited

Sikkim & Darjeeling

Assam - Kaziranga

Meghalaya

Arunachal - Tawang

Nagaland

Manipur - Loktak

Sikkim & Darjeeling: Spring rhododendrons and clear autumn Kanchenjunga views. NH10 is landslide-prone Jun–Sep.
Assam - Kaziranga: Park open ~Oct–Apr; closed for the Brahmaputra floods May–Sep. Best rhino safaris Nov–Apr.
Meghalaya: Waterfalls and root bridges peak post-monsoon (Oct–Nov). Cherrapunji is wettest Jun–Aug.
Arunachal - Tawang: Sela Pass (13,700 ft) is often snow-blocked Jan–Feb. Spring and autumn are the windows.
Nagaland: Pleasant most of the year; Dzukou Valley lilies bloom Jun–Aug. Hornbill peaks in early Dec.
Manipur - Loktak: Loktak Lake is clearest in winter; Sangai Festival lands in late November.

Time it right

Festival calendar

Some of the year's best reasons to visit. Tap any festival to open the destination guide and start planning around the dates.

February·varies

Losar

Tawang, Arunachal

Tibetan-Buddhist New Year - butter lamps, masked cham dances and prayer at India's largest monastery.

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mid-April

Rongali Bihu

Assam

Assamese New Year - husori dancers, bamboo flutes and feasts spill across every village and town.

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late September

Ziro Festival of Music

Ziro Valley, Arunachal

India's finest outdoor indie-music festival, staged among the Apatani rice paddies.

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Oct–Nov

Wangala - 100 Drums

Garo Hills, Meghalaya

The Garo post-harvest thanksgiving - a hundred drums beating as one to the sun-god Misi Saljong.

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21–30 Nov

Sangai Festival

Imphal, Manipur

Manipur's flagship culture-and-tourism festival, named for the dancing brow-antlered deer of Loktak.

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November

Cherry Blossom Festival

Shillong, Meghalaya

Himalayan cherry trees turn Shillong pink - paired with live music and night markets.

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1–10 Dec

Hornbill Festival

Kohima, Nagaland

The “Festival of Festivals” - every Naga tribe gathers at Kisama. Book 8+ weeks ahead; Kohima fills fast.

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Altitude & acclimatisation

Sela Pass (Arunachal) sits at 13,700 ft. North Sikkim routes cross 14,000 ft. Both are stunning - and both demand respect.

Acclimatisation nights are built in. Dirang (before Sela) and Lachen (before Gurudongmar) are overnights in every relevant Siliguri Holidays itinerary - not add-ons.
Hydrate constantly. At altitude, your body loses water faster. Aim for 3–4 litres a day from the moment you land.
Avoid alcohol for the first 48 hours.It dehydrates you and blunts your body's response to thin air.
Tell your trip captain early. Headache, nausea, or unusual fatigue are signals, not signs of weakness. Your captain carries altitude medication and will adjust the plan if needed.

Connectivity & cash

Signal and ATMs are reliable in gateway cities. Plan ahead beyond them.

Jio and Airtel cover the most ground. BSNL is the fallback in some border zones. Beyond the main towns - Tawang, Ziro, Mokokchung, Lachung - expect patchy or no signal.
Download offline maps before you leave. Google Maps and Maps.me both work offline. Save your entire route the night before departure while on Wi-Fi.
Last reliable ATMs are in gateway towns. Withdraw enough cash in Guwahati, Shillong, Gangtok, or Itanagar. Villages and smaller hill stations run on cash - UPI and cards are rarely accepted.

Ready to plan your trip?

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Packing your bags…