Hi,
We are trying to find out some info about travelling with your own vehicle in the north east states in India. What we have read in the guidebook is not promising, says you need a group of people, a guide, etc, and that it takes a long time to get approval.
Anyone been? Have some recent info about the process and if the rules have changed?
We aren't that optimistic but are thinking about it.

Thanks!

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From Italy heading East by Vespa September 2012

Highly worthwhile and understandably desirable.

The "northeast" is a place of great intrigue for Indians and that's saying something in a country with more astonishing places that few know about than perhaps the rest of the world combined !

I had resident status in India for 6 years and was not able to drive there at the wheel of my own vehicle. However, it was, eventually, possible to do so with my driver at the wheel. I had fantastic connections.

The paperwork processing is long and the best expectation of it's completion date is . . . never.

The area is sensitive for the Indian govt (which behaves in a very parental fashion to it's own people and even more so to foreign visitors). The region just south of Bangalore contains a fantastic "jungle lodge" that was off-limits for nearly 20 years to foreigners while a local "bandit" held sway in the area.

The northeast's proximity to China and Burma make entry there by foreigners challenging.

Good luck.

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Orange, it's the new black.

There are some very active and friendly bikers and their clubs in that area. Arrange regular trips and get togethers. I have seen their pics and find them fascinating.

Can give you their contacts if you think it can help.

cheers

Hi Omie,
It would be nice to receive the contacts you have,

Thanks!

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From Italy heading East by Vespa September 2012

We just rode Darjeeling, Sikkim, Meghalaya and Assam over to Kaziranga NP. Only permit we needed was for Sikkim and it was free & relatively easy to get at the checkpoint in Rangpo. I think Mizoram is no permit, Nagaland you may need one. No groups or guides required that we encountered. Sikkim & Meghalaya (cherrapunji) were just wonderful. Kaziranga in Assam was very cool. (But the roads going across get pretty terrible & cratered)

There is an enfield rally in Assam in mid January.

I hope you got the contacts I sent you as PM. I have already talked to Warjri about you.

Omar

We have just sent him a message thanks again

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From Italy heading East by Vespa September 2012

I was very intrigued about a certain type of soldiers we saw patrolling N. Delhi’s subway during the Commonwealth Games: petite women wearing khaki soldier gear portraying mongoloid (aka “Chinese”) features with (beautiful) chiselled faces. Despite their tiny size, emphasized by the clearly too long assault rifles they carried, they looked very fierce soldiers, always standing and alert, making a great contrast when compared to the Indian regular (male) soldiers, that looked extremely bored always sitting and playing with their cell phones. We asked these women for directions 2/3 times and their serious faces always turned into very friendly smiles and gave all the information kindly. I finally asked where they came from: Nagaland.

I had never heard about these (pretty isolated) regions, but since then I read about them and feel great curiosity/interest.

Wish you the best luck in your trip, I hope you’ll get there to see them by yourself.

Happy travels,

Esteban

PS: This post doesn’t help you much with info, since I know nothing; it’s just to encourage you to discover them; I’d be happy to get there, maybe one day. Btw, I found a picture on line of the Naga women soldiers during the Game... I paste it.
PS2: Don't miss Nepal if you can, I recenly read here that the 3 month "out-of-the-country" visa rule has been turned down (confirm it). Nepal is beautiful.

Moderator's note: I'm going to move the previous two posts into their own thread.

Edit to add: on the other hand, if both posts disappear completely you'll know who to blame.... Hmmmm.

Mark