All foreigners visiting Manipur are required to obtain special Restricted Area Permits (RAPs), which are valid for entry to Keibul Lamjao National Park as well. Permits valid for a period of ten days are issued to groups of four or more people travelling together on a tour arranged by a recognised travel agent. Entry permits are issued by Indian missions abroad; by the Ministry of Home Affairs; FRROs; and the State Government of Manipur.

Indians visiting Manipur are required to obtain an Inner Line Permit, also available from the offices listed above. Like the RAPs, these too are valid for visits to Keibul Lamjao.

The closest major town is Manipur's capital Imphal, about 50 km from Keibul Lamjao. Imphal has good air connections to major cities in India, through its airport, which is served by Indian Airlines. The nearest railhead is at Dimapur, about 230 km away in Assam and linked to Imphal by road. A motorable road connects Imphal to Keibul Lamjao, and although public transport between the two places is infrequent and undependable, vehicles can be hired in Imphal to do the trip to Keibul Lamjao. Alternatively, opt for one of the day tours conducted by Manipur Tourism to Loktak and Keibul Lamjao. The best way to see Keibul Lamjao is by boat- and that too in the early morning or in the evening, when the lake's at its loveliest. The sangai, which live in small herds, lie low through most of the day and come out to feed either around dawn or at dusk, which makes a circuit at this time even more satisfying for wildlife-watchers. Local boatmen acting as guides can be engaged to take you around the lake. Within the park are observation towers which offer a good view of sangai habitat, and for the more adventurous, a guided walk through the park is possible. Look out for the somewhat shaky floating phum, though- a wrong step and you could end up in rather a lot of water!

Best time to visit
The winter and spring- approximately October to February- is the best time to visit Keibul Lamjao. Visits are possible up to May too, although it may be a trifle too hot for some people, and the lake shrinks by almost a third because of evaporation in the summer heat. Beyond May, heavy monsoon showers hit Loktak, making visits here extremely difficult.