Assam: Majuli -> Kimin – a new PAP-Thriller

27. + 28. November 2025

 

 

For Arunachal Pradesh you also need a PAP permit. This has been the case for many, many years – and it’s actually much easier than the new Nagaland PAP. The agency normally fills out the applications on its own, and voilà, the permits arrive. This year, however, something seemed to have changed. The initial application wasn’t approved; some documents were supposedly not of good enough quality, and the agency had to make improvements. Since the documents had been sent by the travelers themselves to Diamir, who then forwarded them, we initially had no access to them (we’re talking about passport and visa). I looked at the rejected documents and couldn’t really see any difference compared to the ones that were approved. So I felt a bit helpless about how we were supposed to produce “better” documents now. But overall, Azo’s side was more like: oh, no problem. Unfortunately, our cooperation at the beginning was characterized by the fact that he was basically never reachable and left me alone with the group and with no information. On travel day 2 he asked me to collect the missing documents and ensure better results. How? That was my problem…

 

I had no idea how I was supposed to manage it. I sat at the reception desk looking for any kind of better light source to photograph the passports and so on. The receptionist noticed my problem – and became my savior! He also has an iPhone and was able to show me the “Scan a Document” function. It’s a bit cumbersome, but we succeeded! I had perfect scans! If he hadn’t helped me, I wouldn’t have known how we could have submitted the applications successfully. Azo had withdrawn and was nowhere to be found. I sent him the great scans.

 

On the evening of travel day 3, he asked the group for signatures and photos for the PAP application. And on the evening of travel day 4, he admitted (also in front of the group) that the PAPs had not arrived. On travel day 5 we were supposed to cross the border. Without a PAP there was no chance. And even “informal arrangements” wouldn’t have worked, because you have to show this PAP in the hotels. But he was still hopeful that it might arrive during our drive to the border on travel day 5. So off we went.

 

We had to cross the river at a different spot using a different ferry, and that was quite an experience! This time it was a very small ferry with very little space – and it was a whole show watching the two ferry guys shuffle all the motorbikes around and maneuver the cars over the planks. They ended up packed together in the tightest space, and we were amazed that nothing fell into the water. We had to wait for one ferry, so we had plenty of time to watch everything.

 

 

 

 

While we were watching, we saw at a small stall how the rice beer is prepared for drinking – and we got to taste a sip.

 

 

The crossing was short and beautiful.

 

 

But this opportunity won’t exist much longer; a very long bridge is being built here, which will be completed in a few years.

 

 

 

 

And then we reached the border. Without the PAP. But the working day wasn’t over yet, so we waited. In practice, Azo sends all the documents to an agency in Arunachal, which then goes personally to the application office and submits everything there. They know the staff well, and it normally works. However, in our case the signature from the top boss was still missing. They apparently didn’t know him well – and we had to be patient. So we first had lunch with a view of the border.

 

 

Since the working day wasn’t over yet, we still had time. The border officer was friendly and allowed us to walk just past the border to the football field. A football tournament was taking place there. They were happy to have foreign spectators, and we were happy to experience something far from regular tourism.

 

 

 

 

 

Then closing time approached, and it became clear that the people on site wouldn’t be able to track down the big boss and get his signature. I called Diamir to find out what my responsibilities were now, received good support – and Azo looked for accommodation in Assam, which we then drove to.

 

The group was not happy. The alternative accommodation, however, was great. In a town without tourism it was still fairly new, and the manager, the waiter, and the cook were outstanding in their efforts to take care of us. That eased things a little. But still: what now? We held a big discussion round. We tried to figure out every connection and every possible way to secure the boss’s signature early the next day. And which plan B we would follow. And at the end of this meeting came the relieving message: no plan B needed, we would get the signature in the morning!

 

My mistake in all of this was that I should have recognized the seriousness of the situation earlier and pushed for excellent documents in time. But because of the constantly reassuring statements like “no problem, no problem,” I wasn’t really aware of the urgency. And I was also preoccupied with the question of how I was supposed to lead a travel group practically without a local guide (who had completely withdrawn) in an area I had never been to, didn’t really know well, and couldn’t communicate with the people. And all the while I was “constantly” with the group, trying somehow to keep myself afloat. I wasn’t used to this in India. And the entire trip was still ahead of me. My first real Diamir tour leading! I was stressed…

 

We stuffed ourselves with food. In the end, we had only lost a little time.

 

I don’t want to make it too suspenseful here, nor go into too many details – so here’s a brief summary:

• the PAPs came in time and we could enter the next morning
• parts of Diamir-office gave good support
• I was really lucky with the group. They were mostly experienced travelers who made an effort to deal well with the circumstances
• Azo got more involved, but never in the way I would have wished

In principle, it was actually quite “Indian” – there’s a problem, but somehow it gets resolved anyway. In the end, we had actually only “lost” half a day and were still able to visit plenty of villages.

 

I was now looking forward to getting to know Arunachal Pradesh a little. We passed by that horse statue again, which I was able to photograph this time – I had missed it the day before.

 

 

Isn’t it great that even in such difficult circumstances you still come across such wonderful people like the receptionist and the hotel staff?

 

And what about the Nagaland PAP? By now, Azo had found a method to apply for all of them on his own. And the Chief Minister was actively in Delhi trying to secure a special permit for the Hornbill Festival. As expected, Delhi was being difficult, but no one was hopeless. Just to anticipate that part as well:

• we got our confirmed PAPs
• We didn’t need them, because the special exemption was granted. No PAP was required during Hornbill.

I can already promise one thing: that’s it for the topic of PAP in this blog! But more challenges were still lurking.