mon chalet co PERMIT PAINS Permits Permits for this region are a pain, being too bureaucratically involved for man

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PERMIT PAINS Permits Permits for this region are a pain, being too bureaucratically involved for many foreigners, but those who take the trouble will be rewarded. Permits are mandatory for Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram mon chalet co and Manipur, and entry without one is a serious matter. Indian citizens just need an inner line permit, issued mon chalet co with little fuss in Guwahati or Kolkata (see p 469 ). The rest of this box applies to foreigners who ll require a Restricted Area Permit (RAP). Minimum Group Size Permit applications need a four-person minimum group. Exceptions mon chalet co are Nagaland, mon chalet co for a legally married couple with marriage certifi cate; and Arunachal mon chalet co Pradesh for a minimum of two people. In reality though, it s now possible for single travellers to get permits to all the states, but only if you use a tour company (and even then you need a lot of patience). In Nagaland and Manipur, authorities may refuse you entry if some people listed on your permit are missing ; Mizoram doesn t seem bothered and Arunachal Pradesh is now much more relaxed. Validity & Registration Permits are valid for 10 days from a specified starting date, but Arunachal allows 30 days. You might be able to extend your permit, but only in state capitals at the Secretariat, Home Department. Be aware that permits only allow you to visit specified districts between specified dates, so plan carefully as changing routes might be problematic. Be sure to make multiple photocopies of your permit to hand in at each checkpoint, police station and hotel. Where to Apply Applications made independently through the Ministry of Home Aff airs (%011-23385748; Jaisalmer House, 26 Man Singh Rd, Delhi; hinquiries 9-11am mon chalet co Mon-Fri) or the appropriate State House in Delhi can take weeks and will normally end in frustration. Kolkata mon chalet co s Foreigners Registration Offi ce (FRO; %22837034; 237 AJC Bose Rd; h11am-5pm Mon-Fri) can issue permits but it seems to want to exclude mon chalet co Tawang from Arunachal, restrict access to Nagaland mon chalet co and not allow you into Mizoram. The easiest and most reliable way to get permits is through a reputable travel agency; see the Information section for each state.

Tripura is culturally and politically fascinating, and the state s handful of royal palaces and temples draw a growing flow of domestic tourists. For the moment though foreign tourists remain very rare indeed. There s a large Bangladeshi refugee population in Tripura mon chalet co and much of the more accessible western parts of the state look and feel much like its near neighbour.

tural and natural history ephemera. Tribal costumes, royal clothing, historical polo equipment, stuffed carnivores in action and pickled snakes compete with a two-headed calf for the attention of visitors.