Do I need a visa to travel to India?

Yes, you probably do need a visa, as most foreign travellers to India require one. The good news is that it is possible to apply for a tourist eVisa online a minimum of four days in advance of the date of your arrival.

Once your eVisa has been granted, an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) will be sent to you by email. Carry a copy of your ETA when you travel to India. You will need to present this document at immigration when you arrive. An eVisa endorsement will be stamped into your passport.

Tourist eVisas are usually valid for 30 days, 1 year or 5 years from the date of first arrival in India. You can apply online for your eVisa at the official Government of India web page.

Points to note:

• Check that citizens from your country are eligible to apply for an eVisa.

• Apply for your eVisa well in advance - once granted your ETA allows you a window of 120 days to enter India.

• When you arrive at immigration in India, remember to fill out the foreigner immigration form (forms will be provided where you queue for immigration). You will need to present this to the immigration officer along with your ETA.

Do I need a motorbike license? Do I need an international driving permit (IDP)?

Yes, you need both a full motorbike license and an IDP to legally drive a motorbike in India.  Without a motorbike license, it is unlikely that you will be covered by your travel insurance (personal travel insurance is mandatory for all our tours - see further detail on travel insurance in this FAQs section).  A driving license also proves to us you can ride a bike! 

The IDP is pretty easy to obtain and does not cost much.  It is essentially an authorised translation of your motorbike license and allows you to drive in countries where your home country motorbike licence alone is not sufficient. In the UK you can apply for the IDP at most main Post Offices. 

As part of the process to book a tour with us, we will ask you to email us copies of both your motorbike license and IDP.

Do I need personal travel insurance?

Yes, it is very important to have full cover personal travel insurance.  There’s always risk in driving a motorbike and it’s good to know that if you do get into trouble, you have comprehensive travel insurance that will help you get out of it quickly.  Please check the following on your travel insurance policy: 

• Your policy covers you to drive a motorbike in India.

• Your policy covers off-road motorbike driving (if the tour states that there are off-road sections in the itinerary).

• Your policy has a high level of medical evacuation and repatriation expense cover - this should be in excess £3,000,000 or equivalent (helicopter evacuation and private aircraft charter to fly home can be very costly).

As part of the process to book a tour with us, we will ask you to email us a copy of your travel insurance details, including your travel insurance policy number and travel insurance 24 hour emergency assistance telephone number.  In an emergency our team will work closely with your travel insurance emergency assistance team to provide medical evacuation as quickly as possible.

Do I need to apply for an Inner Line Permit for Sikkim (ILP)?

Yes, all foreigners have to apply for an ILP to enter Sikkim, but we take care of this. The ILP application does require two passport photographs for each individual. Therefore, in your pre-tour planning checklist, we will ask you to bring along four passport size photographs of yourself (always good to have a couple spare). Your guide will ask for these at the start of your tour.

What medical support is there?

Your tour guide will have qualified on the UK based Far From Help Wilderness Medical training course and carries an extensive medical kit, as well as a GPS tracker and satellite messaging device. The satellite messenger has a direct SOS link to GEOS, internationally recognised as a leader in global travel safety, and 24/7/365 monitoring and emergency response coordination.

What happens in an emergency?

Your guide will assess the circumstances and best course of action. They will have the medical pack with them and will administer any necessary first aid. Your guide will then contact GEOS / our office / the support vehicle using the satellite messenger. Our office can see your location from the GPS tracker and will have your personal travel insurance details. We will coordinate with the emergency services and your insurance company to provide swift evacuation.

Can my family and friends see my location on the tour?

Yes, we will send you a map-link that shows the position of the GPS tracker carried on the tour. You can send this map-link to whoever would like to follow your adventures.

What can I do to avoid altitude sickness?

It is unlikely that you will feel the effects of altitude sickness, as the highest point that we reach on this tour is Pelling at 7,200 ft / 2,150 m. Nevertheless, there are a few steps that you can take in order to minimise the effect of altitude sickness due to reduced levels of oxygen at altitude:

• Stay hydrated - drink plenty of water regularly (bottled water is supplied throughout the tour) and avoid caffeine and alcohol that act as dehydrants.

• Acclimatise slowly - we don’t fly straight into Pelling, but take 3 days to get there, so you will have awhile to get used to the altitude.


• Remember to breathe deeply and regularly - this will help to oxygenate your system and reduce the effects of altitude. Your guide will remind you to do this.

• If you do feel dizziness or a headache coming on, notify your guide / medic. They carry ibuprofen and paracetamol - these can work wonders - and can take further action as necessary to reduce discomfort.


On tours above 10,000 ft / 3,000 m:

• Your guide / medic will monitor your condition and stats closely, and if required, can administer supplementary oxygen carried in the medical pack.


• Diamox and other altitude sickness prevention medication is widely available. If you wish to take these, do your research and consult your doctor beforehand. Please notify your tour guide / medic, if you decide to take these medicines. Diamox is carried in the medical pack.

What immunisations do I need for travel in India?

It is a good idea to be up to date with routine vaccination courses and boosters. In the UK these vaccinations include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and diphtheria-tetanus-polio vaccine. Many riders also take vaccines for hepatitis A, tetanus and typhoid. Further information on immunisations recommended for travel in India can be found at the UK National Travel Health Network website Travel Health Pro. Please also consult your doctor.

What protective kit should I wear?

The Himalayan Foothills tour is all on road, so we recommended riding in adventure / touring protective jacket and trousers with CE rated armour in all the normal places (shoulders, elbow, back, hips and knees). We don’t provide full protective kit, so it is important to bring your own. We can provide strap-on elbow and knee protectors for a small additional charge, but it is best to ride in your own kit.

Depending on what time of year you are travelling temperatures can range from +30ᵒC on the plain before the hills to less than 5ᵒC on the high ridges. Therefore, it is important that your riding gear can vent well (to keep cool), and provide sufficient warmth when required (perhaps in combination with a good base and mid layer). If your motorbike gear doesn’t keep out the wet, bring a waterproofs - if it does rain you’ll be pleased you bought them.

We recommend that you bring your own full face helmet, however we can provide helmets if required. You will also need good leather gloves and a neck tube or scarf for when conditions become cold or dusty.

Which airport do I fly into for the Himalayan Foothills tour?

For our Himalayan Foothills tour most clients book flights to Kolkata (CCU) and then transfer to the domestic departure terminal (located in the same building just above international arrivals) for the hour flight to Bagdogra (IXB). We will arrange your internal flights (Kolkata - Bagdogra).

Alternatively, some connections through New Delhi (DEL) to Bagdogra might be more convenient (depending on where you are coming from). Please talk to us about which international flights you intend to take before you make your bookings.

If you arrive in Kolkata or New Delhi early, we can recommend hotels to stay in and places to visit.

How do I carry my luggage on the tour?

Our motorbike tours are supported by a follow-up vehicle and mechanic. The vehicle carries all your luggage, motorcycle spares, an extensive medical kit, drinking water and refreshments. This means that you only have to carry a small day pack if you wish.

If the group consists of five or fewer client riders, then pack light in soft luggage as we carry our kit with us strapped to the back of our motorbikes - it works well, we’ve done this many times. Your guide carries the medical kit and spares. In both scenarios, further medical and mechanical support is available en route, as well as from our base location near Bagdogra airport.

What’s the luggage allowance on internal flights to Bagdogra airport?

On internal flights the checked luggage allowance is one bag with a weight limit of 15 kg, however this can be upgraded at a cost of approximately £30 per 10 kg. The cabin luggage allowance is one small bag with a weight limit of 7 kg. Helmets can be carried in addition to your cabin bag.

Alternatively, there are left luggage facilities at Kolkata and New Delhi. Talk to us before you book your flights to discuss the best luggage options.

Do we have a motorbike tour guide?

Yes, every tour is lead by a guide who knows the route and terrain intimately, is a qualified medic, a dab hand at fixing the occasional minor mechanical problem, and whose job it is to ensure you have a fantastic and enjoyable trip.

Do we have a mechanic with us?

Yes, as mentioned above, an experienced mechanic follows in a support vehicle that accompanies each tour (with 6 client riders or more). Further support is available en route and from our base location.

How large is the group?

We prefer to keep our motorcycle tours smaller, to 8-10 riders, however, if you are a group of friends or motorbike club and wish to arrange an exclusive tour please talk to us.

What do I do about food and water?

Don’t worry, this is all covered in the tour package. We have hearty and delicious breakfasts and dinners where we stay each night, and lunch at a specially chosen restaurant or roadside dhaba (serving very tasty local food). Bottled water is provided throughout and carried in the support vehicle, along with plenty of refreshments and snacks.

What motorbike experience do I need for this tour?

All riders should have held a motorbike license for at least two years in order to attend our tours. Driving on Indian roads is not for the faint hearted. Traffic in urban areas can be intense and road rules are very loosely applied everywhere - you have to expect the unexpected and keep your wits about you. Road surfaces on this tour range from smooth tarmac to broken, rocky, muddy and sandy surfaces, so some off-road driving experience is a good idea. We don’t travel fast as windy hill roads won’t allow it. We generally ride at between 25 - 35 kph. It’s all very good fun, but you do need to be confident and competent handling a motorbike. Please talk to us if you have any questions about the motorbike experience you need for this tour.

Can I ride with a pillion passenger?

Although you will see the occasional local motorbikers two-up on a tour of the hills, we don’t recommend it - we think you will find it uncomfortable for both of you!

How much spending money will I need?

This is a largely inclusive tour, so you won’t need much spending money. All accommodation, food, fuel and permits are included in the tour package. You will only need cash for alcoholic drinks, souvenirs and tips. Souvenirs are not generally expensive and we urge moderation at the bar (as this is a driving trip), therefore £100-£150 spending money should suffice.

Are ATMs / banks available en route to withdraw cash? 

Yes, every 2-3 days we will pass through a local town where ATMs are available to withdraw cash. We have found transaction charges are minimal when using a Revolut card to withdraw ATM cash from either SBI (State Bank of India), Yes Bank or BOB (Bank of Baroda). There are also ATMS at Kolkata, New Delhi and Bagdogra airports.

Will there be mobile phone coverage en route? Will there be access to wifi?

Yes, there is mobile phone coverage, but reception can be sporadic in the hills. Your guide will carry a mobile with a local sim card, and you will be able to use the data hotspot from this phone (for whatsapp and email) when reception is available. Pretty much all of the places where we stay have wifi access, though this can be slow at times.

Can I buy a local Indian sim card?

At the moment, it is not possible to buy a local sim card at either Kolkata or Bagdogra airports, though it is possible at New Delhi airport (a copy of your passport will be requested as a security measure). However, most riders just rely on accommodation wifi and/or the guide’s hotspot.

Will I be able to charge my phone and other electronic devices?

Yes, on this tour you will be able to re-charge your electronic devices each evening, however it is a good idea to carry an additional small battery pack.

Can I bring my drone to India?  

No, currently foreigners are not allowed to fly drones in India. 

Can I bring my own satellite phone / messenger?

No, unless you take the time and go to the expense of registering your sat phone / messenger before you arrive in India. As mentioned above, all our tours carry a satellite messenger in case of emergency. 

*** Please don’t try to smuggle satellite communication devices or drones into India. Both checked and cabin luggage are scanned on arrival, and if found these devices will be confiscated. The owner can face large fines, criminal charges and immediate deportation. ***

What is the accommodation like?

On this tour we are staying in some of the nicest places to stay in the hills. This ranges from local boutique hotels and a delightful tea estate, to a royal lodge, local homestays and heritage residences. All are chosen for their unique character and fabulous views, as well as to give you a wide experience of the region.

Can you cater for specific dietary requirements / food allergies?

If you are vegetarian, then no problem. India is a nation of vegetarians and Indian vegetarian food is wide ranging and delicious. Contrary to popular belief, not all Indian food is fiery hot. It is generally well seasoned (spicy), but does not burn the tongue (unless you ask for extra chilli). Western food options are often (though not always) available.

If you have a food allergy, we will communicate this to the kitchen beforehand, but because some kitchens have limited experience of food intolerances we cannot give cast iron guarantees. If you have a serious food allergy, please talk to us before you book your tour - and on the tour please inform your tour guide / medic.

Can I drink the tap water?

No, do not drink the tap water. Bottle water will be provided throughout the tour. Some hotels and restaurants provide water in carafes / jugs. This is generally filtered water and should be safe to drink. Talk to your guide for advice.

How do I book my place on the tour?

To confirm your place on the tour we require a £500 non-refundable deposit. The balance has to be paid 60 days prior to the start of the tour. Give us a call.