99% OFF
Featured
New
India

Nagaland Hornbill Festival · The Festival of Festivals

The Festival of Festivals at Kisama, plus Khonoma and Dzukou

4.8214 reviews
5 Nights / 6 Days(5N/6D)
India, Nagaland
moderate pace
Great for friends, solo, couples

Destinations: Dimapur → Kohima → Kisama → Khonoma → Dzukou Valley

1 / 10

Overview

About this Nagaland Hornbill Festival trip

Every year from 1 to 10 December, Nagaland's major tribes gather at the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama, near Kohima, for the Hornbill Festival. Each tribe has its own morung (traditional house), and the arena fills with war dances, log-drum ensembles, folk songs, indigenous games and food stalls. You'll spend two full days at the festival, with evenings at the Kohima night carnival and the Hornbill music events. Between festival days you'll visit Khonoma, India's first 'green village', pay respects at the Kohima War Cemetery, and hike up to the rolling Dzukou Valley on the Nagaland–Manipur border.

Hornbill Festival days at the Naga Heritage Village, Kohima's war cemetery, Khonoma green village and a Dzukou Valley hike.

Duration: 5 Nights / 6 Days
Stay: 3-star hotels and premium homestays (festival-week rooms are limited)
Transport: Private SUV with local driver
Best time: 1–10 December (fixed festival dates); October to May for the rest of Nagaland
Departures: 8 upcoming dates

Why Choose the Hornbill Festival?

Two full days at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama
War dances, log drums and morungs of Nagaland's tribes
Hornbill night carnival and music events in Kohima
Khonoma — Angami heritage and India's first green village
Kohima War Cemetery, site of a decisive 1944 battle
Day hike to Dzukou Valley

Trip highlights

Hornbill Festival
Naga Heritage Village
Kohima War Cemetery
Khonoma
Dzukou Valley
Night carnival

Itinerary

Day-by-day plan for Nagaland Hornbill Festival

6 days, planned end to end

D1
- Pickup at Dimapur airport or railway station
- Drive up to Kohima (approx. 3 hours, 74 km)
- Check in and collect festival passes
- Evening at the Hornbill night carnival
D2
- Drive to the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama (approx. 30 minutes)
- Morning cultural programme — dances, songs and rituals by each tribe
- Tour the tribal morungs and craft bazaar
- Naga food stalls for smoked pork, bamboo shoot and rice beer (optional)
D3
- Drive to Khonoma (approx. 45 minutes)
- Angami village walk with a local guide — terraced fields and stone gateways
- Story of Khonoma's conservation movement and hunting ban
- Lunch in a village home
D4
- Morning indigenous games and competitions at Kisama
- Kohima War Cemetery on Garrison Hill
- Kohima Cathedral and the local market
- Evening Hornbill music and cultural events
D5
- Early drive to Viswema or Zakhama trailhead
- Steep 2.5–3 hour climb to the valley rim
- Walk through the rolling bamboo-grass valley
- Descend and return to Kohima for a farewell dinner
D6
- Breakfast in Kohima
- Drive to Dimapur (approx. 3 hours)
- Onward flight or train

What's covered

Inclusions & exclusions

Read this before you book — no surprise add-ons later.

Included

5 nights in a hotel or premium homestay in Kohima
Daily breakfast and dinner
Dimapur pickup and drop
Private SUV for all transfers and excursions
Hornbill Festival entry for 2 days
Local guides in Khonoma and for the Dzukou hike
Nagaland Inner Line Permit assistance

Not included

Flights or trains to Dimapur
ILP fee (approx. ₹50–100 per person; paid online)
Camera fees and paid concerts at the festival
Lunches and festival food stalls
Personal expenses and tips

Stay & travel

Hotels & transport

Hotel category

3-star hotels and premium homestays (festival-week rooms are limited)

Twin-sharing rooms with daily breakfast unless stated otherwise. Single rooms and upgrades on request.

Transport

Private SUV with local driver

Airport and station pick-ups, sightseeing and inter-city transfers are arranged by our ground team.

Overnight stops: Dimapur to Kohima · Hornbill Festival — Day 1 · Khonoma Village · Hornbill Festival — Day 2 & Kohima · Dzukou Valley Hike · Departure

Route

Route map

8 stops from start to finish

DimapurStart
2KohimaStop 2
3KisamaStop 3
4KhonomaStop 4
5KisamaStop 5
6Dzukou ValleyStop 6
7KohimaStop 7
DimapurFinish

Plan ahead

Best time & what to pack

Best time to visit

1–10 December (fixed festival dates); October to May for the rest of Nagaland

Things to carry

Original photo ID and ILP printout
Warm layers — Kohima nights drop to 5°C in December
Trekking shoes for Dzukou
Day pack, water bottle and snacks
Power bank and spare camera battery
Cash — card and UPI coverage is patchy in villages

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Do Indian citizens need a permit for Nagaland?

Yes. All Indians from outside Nagaland need an Inner Line Permit (ILP), which can be applied for online. We'll guide you through it and need your ID and photo at least two weeks before travel.

What about foreign nationals?

Permit rules for foreign nationals in Nagaland have changed in recent years, and a Protected Area Permit may be required. Please contact us before booking so we can confirm the current rules.

Why book so early?

Kohima has limited rooms, and they sell out for festival week months in advance. Booking by August or September is strongly recommended.

How hard is the Dzukou hike?

The first 2.5–3 hours are a steep climb on a rough trail. After that the walk is gentle. If you'd prefer not to hike, we can arrange a visit to Touphema village instead.

Is the food vegetarian-friendly?

Naga cuisine is largely meat-based, especially smoked pork, but hotels and many festival stalls serve rice, dal and vegetable dishes. Please let us know your dietary preferences in advance.

Reviews

What travellers say

Write a review

4.8

214 traveller ratings

Verified FONIX WORLD reviews · 0

No verified reviews for this trip yet

Travelled on this trip with FONIX WORLD? Share your experience from My Reviews once your trip is complete — it helps the next traveller decide.

Policy

Cancellation & refunds

Refund by days before departure
When you cancel	Refund
30+ days before departure	90% refund
15–29 days before	75% refund
7–14 days before	50% refund
Less than 7 days	No refund

Cancel 30+ days before departure: 90% refund · 15–29 days: 75% · 7–14 days: 50% · under 7 days: no refund. Refunds go back to the original payment method within 7–10 working days. Cancel any time from My Trips — the refund is calculated instantly.

Share this trip and decide together.