Nagaland · Festival guide · 6 min
East and Northeast
Northeast India Travel Guide: Permits & Routes
Living root bridges · Permits and planning · Slow valleys
Living root bridges, high-altitude lakes, river valleys, and slow hill roads across some of India's greenest, least-rushed states.
Plan your trip
- Best time
- October to April is generally the most settled season, with clear skies and easier roads. The monsoon is lush but brings landslides, especially in Meghalaya and the hills. Spring adds rhododendrons and festivals in several states.
- How to reach
- Most first routes start by flying into Guwahati, then go on by road to Kaziranga, Shillong and Cherrapunji.
- Getting around
- Shared Sumos or a hired cab. Hill roads are slow, so do not stack long transfers on consecutive days, and build in a buffer day when you cross states.
Permits before routes
Some states require an Inner Line Permit (ILP) for Indian travellers, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur among them, and certain border areas need an additional Protected Area Permit. Check the rule for the exact state and district you are going to, not just the destination name, and confirm it again before you book, because the rules change.
ILPs can often be applied for online or on arrival. Carry printed copies and your ID, keep spare ID copies and passport-size photos if the route is remote, and do not plan a permit pickup and a long transfer on the same tight day. Our Northeast permits and ILP guide puts the checks on one page.
A realistic first route
The Northeast is not one place, so pick one pairing instead of trying to see it all. A grounded first route: land in Guwahati, give Kaziranga a couple of days, then climb to Shillong and Cherrapunji for the root bridges and canyons. A slower alternative is a loop based around Sikkim and the Darjeeling hills.
- Meghalaya: waterfalls, caves and the living root bridges. See the Meghalaya guide, Shillong and the Khasi Hills and the root bridges and waterfalls.
- Assam: the Brahmaputra, tea gardens and Kaziranga’s rhinos.
- Nagaland: the Hornbill Festival runs from 1 to 10 December 2026 at Kisama, about 12 km south of Kohima. Non-local Indian citizens need an ILP.
- Arunachal, Sikkim, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura: each with its own pace, and in several cases its own permit.
For the full plan, read how to plan a first trip to the Northeast.
