Festival · Fixed dates - 1-10 Dec 2027
Hornbill Festival at Kisama
Five festival days among the morungs with log drum, wrestling and night concerts, plus a village stay at Khonoma
From US$2,750 per person
Overview
Nagaland is 16,500 square kilometres of folded hills between the Brahmaputra plain and Myanmar, rising to Saramati at 3,841 m on the border. Ridgetop villages were built for defence, which is why so many sit on the very crest with long views and a hard climb to reach, and why the road distances are deceptive. Only Dimapur is flat, hot and plains-like.
The hills were never fully absorbed by any plains empire. British administration arrived piecemeal from the 1830s, American Baptist missionaries from the 1870s, and the state is now overwhelmingly Christian with the highest Baptist proportion in the world. In April 1944 the Japanese advance was stopped on the ridge at Kohima, in fighting across the tennis court of the Deputy Commissioner's bungalow, and the Commonwealth cemetery marks that ground.
For a Western visitor the draw is cultural and specific. The Hornbill Festival at Kisama gathers all the state's peoples from 1 to 10 December and has become the single biggest event in the Northeast for foreign travellers. In Mon district, Konyak villages hold the last generation of tattooed former headhunters, now very old men, whose history deserves care rather than spectacle.
Hand-held, every step
You travel as our guest, not as a booking number. One named person looks after you from the first video call to the drive back to the airport, and explains the meaning behind everything you are looking at.
In Nagaland that matters most where the crowds are thickest and the customs least familiar.
- Airport welcome with a name board, a local SIM and your first rupees sorted
- One trip manager on WhatsApp for the whole journey, answering within the hour
- Guides who explain each ritual, dish and carving as you meet it
- Reserved, safe places at festivals rather than the crush
- A real part in a puja, a wedding or a family celebration if you want one
- Female guide on request, vetted drivers, and no shopping-commission stops
Festivals worth planning a trip around
Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Islamic dates follow lunar calendars, so each year shifts. We confirm every date against the panchang before a departure goes on sale.
| Festival | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Hornbill Festival | 1-10 December | All sixteen Naga peoples gather at Kisama near Kohima with morungs, dance, log drums, wrestling and night concerts |
| Sekrenyi | February | The Angami purification festival at Kohima villages, with ritual bathing, gate pulling and ten days of ceremony |
| Aoling | April | The Konyak new year in Mon district, six days marking the end of sowing, with feasting and full dress |
| Moatsu | May | The Ao festival after sowing in Mokokchung, with songs, rice beer and the Sangpangtu fire gathering |
| Tuluni | July | The Sumi mid-year festival at Zunheboto, celebrating the season's plenty with rice beer shared from bamboo cups |
| Tsukhenyie | Apr-May | The Chakhesang festival of purification and renewal in Phek district, with communal work and dancing |
| Christmas | December | Carol singing and week-long services across a largely Baptist state, with villages lit and schools closed |
| Mimkut | January | The Kuki harvest festival in the southern districts, with mourning rites for the dead and a feast to follow |
Food to try in Nagaland
Ranked the way a local host would feed you, starting with the dish you should not leave without.
- Smoked pork with akhuniPork smoked over the hearth and cooked with fermented soybean, the dish Nagaland is known for; eat it in a Kohima home kitchen
- Axone and bamboo shootFermented soybean paste with pork and shoot, pungent and central to Sumi cooking
- AnishiDried and fermented colocasia leaf cakes cooked with pork, an Ao speciality from Mokokchung
- GalhoA rice and vegetable porridge with meat, the everyday Naga one-pot meal
- Raja mircha chutneyKing chilli pounded with garlic and fermented fish, among the hottest things you will ever taste
- Boiled greens with bamboo shootThe Naga vegetable plate, cooked in water with no oil and a lot of chilli
- Zutho and thutseRice beers served in bamboo mugs, central to hospitality in Angami and Ao villages
- HinkejvuAn Angami dish of mashed colocasia, beans and leaves, mild and sustaining
- Smoked beef with bamboo shootA standard across the hills, dried in the rafters and rehydrated in a long slow pot
- Dimapur market produceNot a dish but a place; the Sunday market sells hornets, snails, silkworms and local chilli to taste if you dare
Heritage sites in Nagaland
- Kohima War CemeteryThe Commonwealth cemetery on Garrison Hill holding over 1,400 graves from the 1944 Battle of Kohima
- The Kohima tennis courtThe ground where the Japanese advance was held, now marked within the cemetery terraces
- Khonoma villageAngami village of fortified gates and terraced fields, which declared Asia's first green village
- Konyak morungs of Mon districtBachelor dormitories with carved log drums, the social and military heart of old Konyak villages
- Longwa villageA Konyak village on the border, where the chief's house sits in both India and Myanmar
- Touphema and Kisama heritage villagesReconstructed Naga village complexes used for cultural stays and the Hornbill Festival
- Kachari ruins, DimapurMushroom-shaped monoliths from the thirteenth century Kachari kingdom, the state's only ancient brick and stone site
- Mokokchung Ao villagesUngma and Longkhum, among the oldest and largest Ao settlements, with stone seats and morungs
- Baptist churches of the hillsAmerican mission architecture from the 1870s onward, including Kohima's large cathedral-scale churches
- Dzukou ValleyA high flower valley on the Manipur border, protected and reached only on foot
Places to visit in Nagaland
- KohimaThe ridge capital, with the war cemetery, the state museum and the Hornbill Festival nearby
- KisamaThe Naga Heritage Village 12 km from Kohima where the Hornbill Festival is staged
- KhonomaA historic Angami village an hour from Kohima, with terraces, forest and homestays
- Mon districtKonyak country in the far north east, eight hours from Kohima on hard roads
- LongwaThe border village straddling India and Myanmar, with the most visited Konyak chief's house
- MokokchungThe Ao heartland and the state's intellectual centre, with old hill villages around it
- Dzukou ValleyA trek of four to five hours from Viswema to a high valley of seasonal lilies
- DimapurThe hot foothill city with the airport, railhead and Kachari ruins
- ZunhebotoSumi country, known for its huge Baptist church and the Tuluni festival
- Tuensang and NoklakRemote eastern districts with Chang, Khiamniungan and Yimchunger villages
Waterfalls, lakes and wild places
October and November are the standout weeks for water, with the Doyang falcon roost at its peak and the Dzukou streams running clear, while the monsoon makes hill streams dangerous and the trek paths slick. Lakes such as Shilloi and Dzudu carry local ritual restrictions, so do not swim or fish without asking your host village.
- Dzukou Valley streamsCold clear water in a high flower valley, with caves used by trekkers for shelter
- Doyang river and reservoirNear Wokha, the roost site where up to a million Amur falcons stop each October and November
- Shilloi LakeA foot-shaped lake in Phek district, held sacred locally, with no fishing permitted
- Dzudu LakeA small high lake near Chakhabama in Phek, surrounded by grassland and ritual restrictions
- Likhimro riverA hill river in the eastern districts, crossed on the road to Tuensang
- Chumukedima fallsA modest cascade near Dimapur, the easiest water stop in the foothills
Where to stay in Nagaland
Properties we would put our own guests in. Your package includes the level you choose, and we hold rooms before festival dates.
- The Heritage, KohimaA restored colonial-era bungalow near the war cemetery, the most characterful hotel in the stateHeritage
- Hotel Japfu, KohimaA long-standing full-service hotel in the capital, used by officials and visitors for decadesMid-range
- Razhu Pru, KohimaAn old Angami family house turned small guesthouse in the heart of townBoutique
- Khonoma village homestaysAngami family houses in the historic village, arranged through the village councilMid-range
- Touphema Heritage VillageCommunity-run Naga-style cottages 41 km from Kohima, with village cookingBoutique
- Hornbill Festival cottages and camps, KisamaBamboo cottages and tented camps for the December festival, booked many months aheadMid-range
- Konyak homestays, Mon and LongwaVery simple rooms in Konyak houses, the only realistic accommodation up thereMid-range
- Whispering Winds, MokokchungA dependable hill-town hotel in the Ao heartlandMid-range
- Niathu Resort, ChumukedimaThe most comfortable property near Dimapur airport, useful for arrival nightsUpscale
- Hotel Saramati and Dimapur city hotelsPractical foothill hotels for permit formalities and flight connectionsMid-range
Evenings out and culture
| Place | What it is |
|---|---|
| Hornbill Festival night concerts | The Hornbill International Music Festival runs alongside the day programme, with rock and metal bands from across India |
| Naga log drum and morung performance | Village men beat a hollowed log drum in sequence at Kisama and in Konyak villages, by arrangement |
| Church choirs and carol services | December singing across a heavily Baptist state, with choirs of real quality in Kohima and Mokokchung |
| Kohima cafe and live music scene | A small circuit of cafes with guitar nights, reflecting the state's strong rock tradition |
| Rice beer evening in an Angami house | Zutho poured from a gourd by a host family, with songs and the family's own history |
| Note on alcohol | Nagaland has prohibition on the statute book and no open bars, though enforcement is patchy and rice beer is served in villages. Do not expect to buy alcohol openly |
Getting to Nagaland by air
| Airport or route | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dimapur (DMU) | The state's only airport, in the foothills, with flights from Kolkata, Guwahati and Delhi; Kohima is 3 hours by road |
| Guwahati (GAU) | The regional gateway, about 8 hours by road to Kohima, or an hour's flight to Dimapur |
| From the USA | US gateway to Delhi, then Delhi to Dimapur via Kolkata or Guwahati; plan an overnight in Assam |
| From the UK and Europe | London, Frankfurt or Amsterdam to Kolkata, then a direct hop to Dimapur, which is the shortest route in |
| Festival season flights | Dimapur fills up for the Hornbill Festival in early December, so book flights and permits three to four months ahead |
Trains and road to Nagaland
| Route or station | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dimapur (DMV) | The state's only significant station, in the foothills, 74 km and about three hours from Kohima |
| Guwahati to Dimapur | Roughly five hours on the fastest services, a comfortable daytime run |
| Rajdhani Express from New Delhi | Around 36 hours to Dimapur on the Dibrugarh service, the long way in |
| Kolkata to Dimapur | About 24 hours overnight via Guwahati, useful for travellers arriving through Kolkata |
| Note on rail | Only Dimapur is on the network, so every hill destination involves three hours or much more by road |
Weather, seasons and best time to visit Nagaland
October to April works, but December is the month most guests choose because the Hornbill Festival runs from the first to the tenth and the air is clear. Avoid June to August, when the roads to Mon and the eastern districts can be impassable for days.
| Months | Season | Day temperature | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov-Feb | Cold in the hills | 4-20°C / 39-68°F | Kohima needs a fleece and a jacket, especially at the December festival; Dimapur stays mild |
| Mar-Apr | Spring | 12-26°C / 54-79°F | Clear warm days, Aoling in Konyak country, rhododendron on the higher ridges |
| May-Sep | Monsoon | 19-30°C / 66-86°F | Heavy rain, landslides on the Mon and Tuensang roads, leeches on the trekking paths |
| Oct | Post-monsoon | 13-25°C / 55-77°F | Roads drying, the Amur falcon roost at Doyang and the clearest views before the festival |
Nagaland tour packages
Per person, twin sharing, excluding international flights. Hotels, private transport, guides, entries, your trip manager and 24-hour support are included.
Tradition · Oct - Apr
Konyak Villages of Mon
Stay in Konyak houses, meet the last tattooed elders with their families present and see the border chief's house
From US$3,000 per person
Tradition · Oct - Apr
Angami and Ao Hill Villages
Terraced farming with an Angami household, morung carvings at Ungma and two village homestays
From US$2,438 per person
Wildlife · Fixed dates - Oct to Nov 2027
Amur Falcons at Doyang
Watch the world's largest falcon roost gather at dusk with the village conservation team that stopped the hunting
From US$1,750 per person
Location · Oct - Apr
Kohima 1944 and the Dzukou Valley
The war cemetery and battlefield ground with a military historian, then a trek up to the high flower valley
From US$2,125 per person
Take part, don't just watch
Add any of these to a tour. A host stays beside you and tells you what is happening and why it is done that way.
The 1944 battlefield with a historian
You walk the Garrison Hill terraces and the tennis court ground where the Japanese advance was finally held, with a guide who knows the regimental histories and the Naga side of the story. Families tracing a grandfather's grave are helped to find the exact plot beforehand.
A Konyak household in Mon
You stay in a village where the oldest men still carry facial tattoos earned in a practice that ended generations ago, and you meet them in their own homes with their families present and their consent. Their grandsons translate, and nothing is staged for a camera.
Terrace farming at Khonoma
An Angami family takes you into the stone-walled rice terraces they have farmed for centuries, explains the alder tree system that keeps the soil fertile, and puts you to work. The village council will also tell you why they banned hunting in their own forest.
Log drum and morung evening
In a village that still keeps its carved log drum, the men show you how the beats carried messages across valleys and let you take a place in the rhythm. The morung's elders explain what the dormitory meant before the missionaries closed most of them.
Questions travellers ask about Nagaland
Why should I visit Nagaland?
For the Hornbill Festival, where sixteen peoples gather in one place from 1 to 10 December, and for Kohima, where the 1944 battle that stopped the Japanese advance is commemorated in a cemetery of great care. Beyond those, ridgetop villages, textiles and Konyak history make it the most culturally distinct state in India.
When is the best time to visit Nagaland?
December for the Hornbill Festival, with Kohima at 4 to 20°C and needing warm layers. October and November are superb for clear views and the Amur falcon roost. March and April suit the Konyak Aoling festival. Avoid June to August, when monsoon landslides regularly cut the roads to Mon and Tuensang.
What permits do foreign nationals need for Nagaland?
Foreign visitors require a Protected Area Permit or Restricted Area Permit, obtained in advance through a registered operator, and must register with the local Foreigners Registration Officer on arrival. The requirement has been relaxed and reimposed several times in recent years, so we confirm the current rule with the authorities before you book anything.
Are the Hornbill Festival dates fixed?
Yes. The festival runs from 1 to 10 December every year at the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama, 12 km from Kohima, which makes it the one event in the Northeast you can plan a holiday around with confidence. Accommodation in Kohima sells out months ahead, so book by August.
Is Nagaland safe for travellers, including solo women?
Yes, and Naga hospitality is formidable, with village councils taking real responsibility for guests. Women travel here comfortably, though permits mean you will be with a guide anyway. The practical issues are long rough roads, especially to Mon, limited medical care outside Dimapur and Kohima, and occasional local shutdowns.
Do US, UK and EU citizens need a visa too?
Yes. The Indian tourist e-Visa is the first step for US, UK and EU nationals and takes three to four weeks, and the state permit sits on top of it. Send us your passport details once the e-Visa is granted so the Protected Area Permit can be processed for your exact route and dates.
What do Nagaland tours cost?
Our ground costs run from about US$1,400 for five nights at the Amur falcon roost to US$2,400 for eight nights including Konyak Mon, per person sharing. Hornbill Festival trips are around US$2,200 for seven nights. Permits, accommodation, 4x4 transport, guides, festival passes and village fees are included; flights and visa are not.
How many days do I need in Nagaland?
Seven nights for the Hornbill Festival with a village stay attached. Eight nights if you want Mon, because the drive from Kohima takes a full day each way on poor roads. Five nights is the minimum for Kohima, Khonoma and the battlefield without feeling as though you only drove.
Can I buy alcohol in Nagaland?
Prohibition is on the statute book, so there are no open bars and no shops selling liquor, although enforcement varies and the law has been debated repeatedly. Rice beer such as zutho is served in villages as part of hospitality. Hotels will not stock alcohol, so do not plan an itinerary around a drink.
How should I behave in a Konyak village?
As an invited guest, not a photographer. The elderly men with facial tattoos belong to the last generation of a practice long ended, and they are visited in their own homes with consent and their family present. Ask before every photograph, accept the tea or rice beer offered, and let your guide handle the gifts.
Cities and towns in Nagaland
Each has a full guide of its own, with its own food, heritage, hotels, trains and tours.