The North East is India's most rewarding frontier — but the routes, permits, and pace are genuinely different from the rest of the country, which is exactly why we run it as its own category.
Permits first. Indian nationals need an Inner Line Permit (ILP) for parts of Sikkim (like Nathula and Tsomgo Lake), and for Arunachal Pradesh. Foreign nationals have their own Protected Area rules. We arrange these for you, but plan for a day of lead time.
On pacing: the single biggest mistake first-timers make is cramming too much. Mountain roads are slow and gloriously scenic — a 120km hop can take five hours. Build in buffer days, especially in North Sikkim where weather closes passes without notice.
Our go-to first-timer loop pairs Gangtok and Tsomgo Lake with a slow descent into Darjeeling's tea country. Meghalaya's living root bridges and Shillong are a wonderful standalone second trip.
Carry layers, cash for remote stretches, and a flexible attitude — the North East pays it all back in views.