Most of Uttarakhand needs no permit for Indian citizens — but five things do paperwork: the Char Dham registration, Corbett permits, the Valley of Flowers entry ticket, the Gaumukh trek cap, and (for foreign nationals) a handful of access rules including Chakrata’s cantonment restriction.
The five
- Char Dham registration — mandatory and free for every pilgrim, on the Tourist Care Uttarakhand portal; covers Hemkund Sahib too.
- Jim Corbett permits — zone + shift + vehicle booked on the official portal; Dhikala sells out months ahead (zones).
- Valley of Flowers entry — about ₹150 for Indians, ₹600 for foreign nationals, valid three days, bought at the Govindghat checkpost (trek guide).
- Gaumukh trek permits — daily caps via the forest department, arranged in advance (Gangotri guide).
- Chakrata access — restricted cantonment: foreign nationals generally cannot enter (notes).
What needs NO permit
All hill stations (Mussoorie, Nainital, Almora, Ranikhet, Kausani, Mukteshwar, Lansdowne, Binsar stays, Dhanaulti, Kanatal), Auli, Rishikesh activities, and standard treks like Kedarkantha (operators handle forest formalities). Carry government photo ID everywhere regardless.
