The short answer. Indian citizens do not need a permit for this route: carry an original photo ID. Overseas guests need an Inner Line Permit for the stretch of road near the border between Kinnaur and Spiti. We apply for it for you once your seat is confirmed; you send us scans of your documents about six weeks before departure. It is included in the price.
Why there is a permit at all
Between upper Kinnaur and the entrance to Spiti, the road runs within a few kilometres of India's frontier with Tibet. Foreign nationals may travel it, but only with an Inner Line Permit, issued by the district administration. In practice it covers the section from around Jangi in Kinnaur to Sumdo, where the road enters Spiti — the part of the drive between Reckong Peo and Tabo. There are police checkposts on this stretch, and the permit is checked there.
Indian citizens
No permit is needed. Carry an original photo ID — Aadhaar, passport, driving licence or voter ID — and keep it with you rather than in your bag on the roof, because checkposts may ask everyone in the vehicle for it.
Overseas guests, including OCI card holders
For the permit, Overseas Citizens of India count as foreign nationals, so if you hold an OCI card, follow this part. Once your seat is confirmed we write to you asking for:
- A clear scan of your passport's photo page, with the name exactly as it will be on the permit.
- A scan of your Indian visa (or your OCI card).
- Passport-size photographs — and bring six with you on the trip as well.
We need them about six weeks before departure. We make the application, and the permit is ready before the convoy leaves Shimla. On the road, keep your passport on you: it is checked with the permit at the police posts on the border stretch.
What causes delays
- Late documents. The permit itself is not slow, but it cannot be applied for until we have your scans.
- Names that do not match. The permit must match your passport exactly — middle names included.
- A passport changed after you sent it. If you renew your passport before the trip, send us the new one straight away.
What it costs you
Nothing extra. All Inner Line Permits are arranged for you and included in every expedition price, for summer and winter departures alike — and, if you join in your own vehicle, for everyone travelling in it.
Questions we are asked
Is the permit needed in summer too?
Yes. Our summer circuit uses the same road through Kinnaur as the winter one, so the same stretch and the same permit apply in both seasons.
Do children need one?
Every overseas guest in the convoy needs their own permit, whatever their age. Send us each passport, including the children's.
What happens at a checkpost?
The police note down the details of everyone in the vehicle and check them against the permit and passports. With the paperwork in order it takes a few minutes; the guide will tell you when to have your passport ready.
Can I sort the permit out myself?
You do not need to: arranging the permit is part of the trip. We apply for everyone in the convoy, so the papers for the checkposts are in one place and in order.
Rules change
Permit rules in India's border areas are set by the government and are revised from time to time. We check the current rules before every departure and tell you exactly what to send; what we ask for in that email is what counts. If you have a question about your own nationality or visa, ask us before you book.
The next winter convoy
Six days on the Shimla–Spiti circuit by 4x4, with a local driver-guide, a medic and a mechanic, and every permit and night arranged. Twelve guests at most.