Hornbill Festival Nagaland | UFO Adventure Travel
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Difficulty

Easy - Moderate

Max. Altitude

2452m/3048m

Duration

7 Days

Best Time

Dec

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You can download our complete tour details and guide for NAGALAND HORNBILL FESTIVAL . Also, you can schedule a callback from UFO Adventure Travel.

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Tour description

Nagaland is one of the easternmost states of India bordering Myanmar to its east. The state is inhabited by 16 different tribes and sub-tribes, each being unique and distinct in its language, culture, food and customs. Agriculture is still the predominant occupation in this Christian state where English is widely used. The origin of Naga people and tribes is not clear and there are various theories about migration from China, Mongolia and Burma in this regard. During this holiday to Nagaland, we discover the culture of the region with the Nagaland Hornbill Festival experience near Kohima. Organized by the local government, the Nagaland Hornbill festival brings together the different tribes and provides the perfect opportunity to a visitor to see the Naga culture in its pomp with food, dance, songs and customs of the region. There are also music concerts by well-known bands who are invited to play at the Hornbill festival in the evenings. After experiencing the Nagaland Hornbill festival, we leave for the stunning Dzukou valley trek. Rich in flora and fauna, the lush rolling hills provide an amazing site to camp in the night. We end the holiday by visiting some local villages. A truly breathtaking holiday!

Please carry your passport/authorized government identity proof with you. We can also plan a climb to Mt. Japfu (3826m), the second highest peak in Nagaland during your holiday.


Virtual tour of
NAGALAND HORNBILL FESTIVAL

Is this Holiday for you ?

Are you up for a holiday where you discover and experience famous Nagaland hornbill festival covering whole new region and its culture?? If you are, then this holiday will be on top of the list. The Nagaland Hornbill Festival will leave you amazed with the dances, songs and food of the local tribes. The stunning views of the rolling hills of Dzukou valley Nagaland are a sight to behold. The rich primeval beauty of this state will astound you and leave you asking for more!

Capture the splendor of Nagaland and the local tribal culture

Experience the Hornbill Festival

Trek to the stunning Dzukou Valley





  • 7 Days, 6 night camping
  • 6 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners
  • max group size: 10
  • Nagaland has largely monsoon climate concentrated between May and October. Therefore we usually advise to visit Nagaland from October to March. In December, the maximum temperature rising to 14°C and falling down to 4°C. Therefore, it is advisable to carry a pair of warm clothes with gloves and wollens.

Start Date End Date Code Adult Price Status  
05-12-2022 11-12-2022 NGH-1222 560 Available

  • Local guide
  • Airport transfers as described
  • All land transport involved in the itinerary
  • All accommodation as described
  • Meals as per the Meal Plan
  • All permits and entrance fees in the itinerary
  • All costs are applicable for single occupancy
  • Tents and sleeping bags for camp night
  • Travel insurance
  • Visa
  • Tips
  • Some meals as per the Meal Plan
  • Airport transfers other than those described
  • Miscellaneous expenses - drinks and souvenirs etc.
  • Personal gear & equipment
  • Flights and airfare
  • Meals will be a mix of local and comfort food. Breakfasts will consist of bread, cheese, honey, jams, fruit, tea and Nescafe along with eggs, paranthas, etc. We have deliberately not included lunches and dinners during the first few days so that you pick and choose what you want at the Nagaland Hornbill Festival. Each tribe will be serving its own favourite and popular dishes. No better opportunity to get a fill of the spices of the 'Wild East'. A warning : Naga food is famous for its hot cuisine and fiery dishes. Any dish which has 'Raja Mirchi' should be approached with caution! Dinner during camping will be a soup followed by lentils, vegetable curry and meat as available. As we want to keep plastic use to a minimum we will try and use plastic bottles as less possible. Hot lunches will be provided as and when we can.Vegetarians can be catered for.
  • A single group transfer will be arranged from Dimapur Airport to the hotel in Kohima. This transfer will meet the arrival of the flights in the afternoon at 1530hrs. At the end of the nagaland hornbill festival trip there will be a single group transfer from the group hotel to Dimapur Airport at 8 am. This transfer will be after breakfast on Day 6 of the nagaland hornbill festival trip itinerary. A representative of our local agent will assist with the transfers between the airport and the group hotel. If the arrival transfer does not work with your flight, you will need to make your own transfer arrangements at Dimapur Airport. Should you require an airport transfer, these can be arranged by the hotel reception staff or alternatively please contact the UFO office.
  • During this nagaland hornbill festival experience the group will spend 4 nights in Kohima and 1 night camping.. All accommodation is allocated on a twin sharing basis. If you are travelling by yourself you will be paired up with another single client of the same sex. All accommodations used by UFO adhere to hygiene and comfort norms. For Hotel prices and single supplement costs please contact UFO office.
  • Day will start with a hot cup of tea served to you at around 8.00 am. At around 8.30 a.m. breakfast will be under way and by 10.00 we should be ready for the day. The first day will be spent attending the Nagaland Hornbill Festival and witness the cultural juggernaut of Nagaland. There are plenty of food stalls serving food from different tribes. We have not included lunch during the Hornbill festival as each and every person would want to try different dishes. Please see the meal plan and trip itinerary for more details.

How UFO makes NAGALAND HORNBILL FESTIVAL special?

    Small Groups

We are all about small groups and personalized services! Small groups tend to bond together much more than large groups and also help us give personal attention to each client. Also are you not in the mountains to get away from the crowd?

    Inclusive package

Our adventure holidays have a lot of amenities and services included i.e accommodation, transportation, meals, staff et all. Right from picking you up at the airport we do not want you bother you with arranging or spending on anything other than personal expenses or some meals. Let us take care of you for the duration of your holiday!

    Camping equipment

All quality equipment is used for our camping and climbing holidays. Usually a camping setup includes client tents, mess tent, kitchen tent and private group toilet tent. We use 3 person tents on twin occupancy basis and 5 person tent on twin basis on our glamping trips.

    Campsite & Transport

Your transport to and fro Dimapur and all other land transport is included in this package. We also camp near the Hornbill Festival venue which makes it convenient for you to go as you please and not get stuck in traffic in Kohima.

    Meals

We have extensive meal options for our meals. Meals are combination of local and comfort food. Packed lunch usually comes with carbs, juice, fruit and a chocolate. Dinner has atleast 3 -4 options on the table. We understand the importance of food in these frontiers. We follow our mantra of ‘ Adventure by day, Luxury by night’!

More reasons to love the experience

Witness the cultural vibrancy of Nagaland
Make new friends
Travel to the unexplored part of Northeast India
Mix of culture & adventure
Perfect family adventure holiday
Trek in a completely different landscape

ITINERARY FOR THE TREK

DAY 1

LAND AT DIMAPUR. DRIVE TO KOHIMA

We will pick you up from the airport to start the journey for Nagaland hornbill festival at Dimapur and a single group transfer at 3.30 pm will be provided to our camping site near Kohima. The journey will take us at least 2-3 hours. Tea will be served as you check in. Evening is at leisure and you can explore the campsite which will be buzzing with activity due to the hornbill festival.  



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
D

DAY 2

EXPERIENCE NAGALAND HORNBILL FESTIVAL

After breakfast, we leave for Kisama Heritage Village, the venue for the Hornbill Festival, which is 10-12 km from Kohima. The day is usually when the cultural shows take place at the Hornbill Festival. Lunch and snacks can be procured from the various stalls serving some delicious local dishes. After experiencing Nagaland Hornbill Festival in evening, we head back to Kohima for the carnival in the city. After an early dinner, we head to the music concert venue. We call it a night with the end of the music show and head back to the hotel. 



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BD

DAY 3

EXPLORE KOHIMA & KHONOMA VILLAGE.

We wake up easy and after breakfast, will leave for Kohima market to explore the city. After that our vehicles will take us to Khonoma Village & Dzuleke village (if time allows). Estimated to be around 700 years old and spread across 123 sq.km, the village is known for its terraced farming and agriculture. The village has traditional houses of the Angami Tribe. After strolling and exploring through the village, we head back to our campsite. If you're not tired, we can go to the Hornbill venue to take in the last night of this amazing holiday. Evening is at leisure.  



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BD

DAY 4

LEAVE FOR DZUKOU VALLEY VIA VISHWEMA VILLAGE

We should be fully energized today with proper breakfast for our trek to Dzukou Valley.  We will leave our big bags at the campsite, and only take our day bag with the necessary items we need for the night stay at the camp.  We will  then head to the village of Vishwema, 30-40 minutes drive away, and drive up to the trekking point.  The approach to the valley is a bit steep and in dense forest till we reach the Dzukou Point where we get our first glimpse of the bamboo clad hills of Dzukou.   A 3-4 hour trek in the rolling valley of Dzukou will take us to our camp for the night. The walk is stunning and we will stay in the dormitory in the state run guest house in the Valley. This is also a way to support the state government and local employment in the region. Meals will be provided as available in the kitchen of the guest house.  Spending a night under the star filled sky in this landscape is an experience to remember. It will be quite cold at night, so don't forget to pack your warm clothes.



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BLD
  Time
3-4 hours

DAY 5

TREK BACK TO JAKHAMA VILLAGE. DRIVE BACK TO CAMPSITE.

You can get up early morning, and leave for a walk in the valley. A great chance to see crystals frozen on the leaves of the bamboo shoots. After breakfast and taking in the morning views of the Valley, we pack up and head back via different route to Jakhama Village.  We meet up with our vehicles and head back to our campsite to rest.  The evening is at leisure an you can head to the Hornbill festival venue for dinner.  



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BLD
  Time
2-3 hours

DAY 6

EXPERIENCE HORNBILL FESTIVAL/ TREK TO JAPFU PEAK(3048m)

We will head back to the Hornbill festival venue for the day. Don't forget to take the picture you had not clicked or taste a dish that you had missed the previous day.

 

Another option could be to climb Japfu peak. Prior notice of this has to be given for the same. It will take atleast 8 hours to climb the peak up and down is a stressful climb.



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BD

DAY 7

DEPARTURE DAY. LEAVE FOR DIMAPUR.

An early breakfast will be laid out and a fixed departure for Dimapur, a 2-3 hour drive. The transfer will leave at 8 am and we would suggest you take an afternoon flight from Dimapur for your onward journey.  For extended stay in Nagaland or Meghalaya, please contact our UFO office.



  Meals
Breakfast

Why trekkers love us?

Had a wonderful experience with UFO adventures and their team on the most beautiful treks in the country – Great Lakes trek, Kashmir. The team was beyond nice and made sure everybody felt good during the trek. The things that set them apart are their trekking infrastructure, their supporting staff and limited number of people on the trek.

Paresh Chaudhary

UFO organised House of Kapaali's Hiking Retreat to Goecha La Pass in Sikkim this April. Sikkim is beyond spectacular and Aatir and his team helped amplify the experience. Look forward to collaborating again soon and make some more mountain madness!

Suhani Mahajan

This was my second trek/expedition with UFO. Last year we did Stok Kangri and luckily we summitted. I have experienced the best food that anyone can get at such altitude, best guides, tents/ equipment, organisation, management. If you want to see the real beauty of being in mountains then no other company can give you what UFO has in store for you.Thank you for amazing locations to tent and thank you for making me fall in love with mountaineering/trekking. Aces in my book

Dushyant Jhala

Schedule a callback in next 4 hour?

Our representative will get back to you within next 4 working hours and solve all your queries about Goecha la trek

Frequently asked questions

When is the Hornbill Festival?

The festival is usually on every year from December 1-10 December. The dates might change so you should keep yourself updated.

Where is it held?

Most of the festival takes place at Kisama Heritage Village, around 10 kilometers from Kohima (the capital of Nagaland). Performances begin by 9 a.m. each day. You can easily book a taxi to get there, but do ensure that the vehicle has a pass to park at the venue.The Hornbill Rock Concert, which is held in the evenings after sundown, will be happening in Dimapur again this year. Around 20 bands take part and compete. The travel time between Dimapur and Kohima is about 2 hours.

What Happens at the Hornbill Festival?

The Hornbill festival is organized by the state government and is attended by all of Nagaland's major tribes. It features traditional arts,dances, folk songs, and games. All this takes place amid immaculate replicas of tribal huts, complete with wood carvings and hollow log drum instruments, which are beat in haunting symphony at the end of the day. There are plenty of handicraft stalls, food stalls, and heady rice beer to enjoy as well.However, the hottest event (literally!) at the festival is undoubtedly the Naga chilli eating competition!

Where to Stay?

The Hornbill Festival is one of the top tourist draws in Nagaland; so if you're planning to attend, do book accommodations well in advance. However, staying in Kohima and driving down to Kisama can be a tiring experience, as there are traffic jams due to the increase in number of tourists. Therefore, UFO usually sets up camp near the venue so that we have walking access to the Festival, instead of spending hours stuck in a traffic jam. Facilities include tents, sleeping bags, eco-toilets, water, common area, phone charging points, and kitchen. It's the "happiest campsite" with bonfire, jamming, and other activities.

Tours around the Hornbill Festival?

We also have a trek to the surreal Dzukou Valley, after spending time at the Nagaland Hornbill Festival. We trek up to the Dzukou valley to spend the night at the government guesthouse. Food is provided through the state run kitchen. A trek to Japfu peak, the second highest point in Nagaland and the highest point in Kohima Valley can also be organized.

Travel Tips

There is a very handy Information Center next to the festival venue, which provides brochures listing the events at the Hornbill Festival and other attractions in Nagaland. Make sure you bargain at the souvenir shops.Inner line permits are necessary and can be gotten online for foreigners visiting Nagaland. However, foreigners will need to register themselves with the Foreigner's Registration Office (District Superintendent of Police) within 24 hours of entry into the state. Indian tourists need an Innner Line Permit. This is available from any Nagaland House. Kohima doesn't have an airport. The nearest one is in Dimapur,with flights to and from Kolkata and Guwahati.
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