directly from owner The ASTC bus station (AT Rd) has frequent services to Sivasagar ( 35 to 45, 1 hours), Tezpur ( 120 t

The ASTC bus station (AT Rd) has frequent services to Sivasagar ( 35 to 45, 1 hours), directly from owner Tezpur directly from owner ( 120 to 140, four hours) and Guwahati directly from owner ( 260, eight hours, eight buses 6am to noon; buses pass Kaziranga en route).

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. directly from owner Permits are mandatory directly from owner for Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Manipur, and entry without one is a serious matter. Indian citizens just need an inner line permit, directly from owner issued 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 directly from owner Group Size Permit applications need a four-person minimum group. Exceptions are Nagaland, for a legally married couple with marriage certifi cate; and Arunachal directly from owner Pradesh for a minimum of two people. In reality directly from owner 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 directly from owner 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 directly from owner photocopies of your permit to hand in at each checkpoint, police station and hotel. Where to Apply Applications made independently through the Ministry directly from owner of Home Aff airs (%011-23385748; directly from owner Jaisalmer House, 26 Man Singh Rd, Delhi; hinquiries 9-11am Mon-Fri) or the appropriate State House in Delhi can take weeks and will normally end in frustration. Kolkata s Foreigners Registration directly from owner Offi ce (FRO; %22837034; 237 AJC Bose Rd; h11am-5pm Mon-Fri) directly from owner can issue permits but it seems to want to exclude Tawang from Arunachal, restrict access to Nagaland 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.

Arudupa Spur Cafe MULTICUISINE $$ (Arudupa Hotel; mains 120-160; hMon-Sat) Part of the Arudupa Hotel, this is one of Kohima s most happening restaurants and is always busy with young middle-class Nagas relaxing on the sofas and tucking into a menu that spans the globe. There s a cool soundtrack playing in the background and lots of heaters for cold winter nights.