Hornbill Festival And Nagaland Backpacking Trip | Muddie Trails

Hello Travelers!

We Will Start Our Journey From Dimapur With A Short Journey To The Capital Town Of Nagaland, Also Called The Land Of Tribes Kohima. Few Local Attractions Of Kohima Will Make Us Feel Part Of The Nagas Culture.

We Will Then Head To Kisama Village To Experience The True Culture Of Nagas Ranging From Food, Attire, Music To Tasting Locally Blended Rice Beer. Incidentally, Kisama Village Is The Home To The Most Famous Hornbill Festival Of Nagas That Is Celebrated With Pomp And Glory In The First 10 Days Of December Every Year.

And Then The Real Heavenly Experience Beckons – A Trek To The Dzukou Valley. The Spectacular “Mountain Wave” Setting Of Dzukou Valley Is Almost Unbelievable. It Feels Like A Setting Straight Out Of Fairy Tales And Makes You Wonder – How On Earth Such A Marvelous Creation Is Plausible!?

Let’s Be Part Of The Festival Of Festivals – The Hornbill!

Highlights Of The Nagaland Trip:

• The Hornbill Festival

• The Heavenly Dzukou Valley Trek (2 Days/ 1 Night)

• Kohima – The Land Of Tribes

• Kisama Heritage Village – The Heart Of Nagas Culture

• A Unique Experience One Wouldn’t Get Any Where In India!

Itinerary:

Day 1 (Arrival At Dimpur, Journey To Dzuleke - A Village Without Mobile Network)

• The Trip Starts At Dimapur Airport With Your Flight Arrival. 

• A Journey Of About 3.5 Hours Via Kohima Town Will Take Us Back In Time To A Serene Place Called Dzuleke That Has Tiniest Of Population – Only 34 Households.

• The Moment You Enter Dzuleke, One Can Actually Feel A Sense Of Calmness And Serene Wilderness That Is Totally Undisturbed From The Civilization.

• One Can Hear Birds Chirping, Wind Blowing Against The Trees And Witness Clear Blue Skies With Slowly Moving Clouds. Many A Times, One Can Even Spot Some Wildlife Like Bysons And Deer.

• If Lucky, We Will Be Treated With A Beautiful Sunset Across The Hill With Sky Changing Colors.

• After Experiencing Nature At Its Full Glory At The Village, We Shall Head Back To Our Cozy Homestay.

• Socially Gather As We Share Each Others Stories And Get To Know Each Other Better.

• Finish Delicious Dinner Served At Our Stay And Take A Good Night’s Rest.

Day 2 (Kohima - Arrival At Hornbill Village)

• Good Morning Nagaland!

• The Sun Raises Really Early As It’s Far East Of The Country. We Will Go For A Morning Walk Through The Village, Explore The House Holds And Serene Panorama Of Dzuleke.

• After Breakfast, We Shall Head Towards Kohima, The Capital Town Of Nagaland To Visit Colorful Cathedral Church.

• We Will Visit World War Ii Cemetery, Know About Interesting Stories About Japanese Army Attacking India Through North East And How Nagas Defended Our Country.

• We Will Then Move Towards The Happening  Village Of Kisama – The Mystic Piece Of Land That Showcases Rich Culture, Architecture And Practices Of The Nagas.

• This Village Is Also The Venue Of Vibrant Hornbill Festival That Happens Every Year From December 1 To 10.

• Check Into Our Homestay Which Is Hardly 1.5 Km From The Hornbill.

• Refresh And Give A Visit To Festival Arena.

• Enjoy A Warm Bonfire With Hot Dinner And Snooze For The Night.

Day 3 (A Day At The Hornbill) 

• After A Fulfilling Breakfast, We Will Head To The Heritage Village Where All The Action Takes Place.

• Explore Bamboo Pavilions, Idols, Museum, Morungs Which Are The Arenas For The Tribes To Learn And Display Different Skills Like Archery, Arts, Crafts And Even Headhunting!

• Wake Up The Foodie In You. Taste Authentic Delicacies Of Nagas, Different Kinds & Colors Of Rice Beer.

• Get Thrilled With Magnificent Performances By Different Tribes That For The Heart Of Naga Culture.

• A Day Outing At The Hornbill Festival Is Truly An Exhilarating Experience Once Cannot Forget.

• We Will Head Back To The Homestay And Finish Our Dinner.

• Take Good Rest.

Day 4 (Dzukou Valley : Trek To Fairy Land, Camping)

• Today We Shall Trek To The Heavenly Dzukou Valley.

• The Initial Part Of The Trek, Around 2 Hours Of The Mountain Slope, Is Steeply Surrounded By Rain Forest. The Locals Have Done A Great Job In Maintaining The Sanctity Of The Trail.

• Once We Hike Up The Mountain, A Completely New World Appears In Front Of Our Eyes. Tens Of Rolling Hills Carpeted By Dwarf Bamboo Trees Welcome Trekkers With A Captivating Views.

• This Remaining Part Of Trek Of About 3 Hours Through The Valley Is Relatively Easy But Long. The Beauty Of The Valley Will Make Trekkers Forget Everything Else.

• We Will Reach Base Camp Located At A Magnificent Setting At The Other End And Drop Our Bags In The Tents Once Our Care Taker Pitches The Tents.

• After A Well Deserved Hot Black Tea, We Will Hike Up Nearest Mountain Peak Which Is The Only Place With Mobile Signal!

• Gear Up For A Very Very Cold Night. Weather Permits, We Can Even Light A Bonfire.

Day 5 (Explore The Fairyland, Trek Back To Earth)

• Today We Shall Explore A Helipad And Trek Down The Valley To Reach Breathtaking Grasslands, Pristine And Cold Flowing Rivers, Floating Clouds That Act As A Crown To The Majestic Mountain Peaks.

• This 3 Km Trek Down Is Icing On The Cake Of Already Unimaginable Setting Of The Dzukou Valley

• After Taking Endless Selfies, Couplefies And Groupfies, We Will Finally Trek Up And Have Hot Lunch At Our Base Camp

• Resume Our Trek Along The Hills, And Finally Hike Down The Rainforest Of The Mountain Slope To Reach Back To Jakhama Village.

• Over Night Guest House Stay At Kohima.

• Your Body Asks For Rest After 2 Days Of Trek And Exploration. Have A Tight Sleep.

Day 6 (Return Journey)

• Good Morning Nagaland, One Last Time During The Trip, Until We Return Back.

• All The Outgoing Flights Are Scheduled Around Afternoon Time From Dimapur Airport. 

• We Will Drop You Just On Time And Good Bye For Now!

 Basic Details:

About Trip:

• This Trip Involves Basic Facilities In Terms Of Food, Travel, And Stay Without Any Luxury, Whatsoever.

• This Is A Group Trip With Shared Model. It May Not Suit Everyone – Especially For Those Expecting Privacy And Comfort. It Best Suits For People Who Wish To Socialize.

• Please Do Not Book This Trip If You Are Not Okay With Above Points. 

Travel:

• Trip Starting/Ending Point: Dimapur Airport Of Nagaland

• Starting Time: 12 PM Day 1

• Ending Time: 12 PM Day 6

• You May Book Flight/Train To Dimapur From Your City In India

• Local Travel By Sumo/Eco/Similar Tourist Vehicles.

Stay:

• Total 5 Nights

• Kisama/Jhakama/Dzuleke: Homestay For 4 Nights On Sharing Basis (Comfort Stay)

• Dzukou Valley: Camping For 1 Night (Basic Stay)
  > Common Washrooms By Dzukou Association
  > 2 Sharing Tents For Couples
  > 3 Sharing Tents For Others

Nagaland Package Inclusions.

• Travel (Dimapur To Dimapur)

• Stay For 5 Nights

• 5 Breakfasts

• Hornbill Festival Entry

• Dzukou Valley Trekking Fees

• All Other Entry Tickets, Permissions

• Local Guide / Trip Captain

• Campfire(S)

• A Unique Cultural And Offbeat Experience Of The Most Untouched State Nagaland.

Nagaland Package Exclusions:

• Lunches, Dinners

• Any Kind Of Insurance, Activities, Shopping, Party, Medical Expenses

• Any Misc. Expenses That Are Not In Inclusions Above

• Any Extra Cost Arising Due To Any Change In The Itinerary/Stay On Account Of Flight Cancellation, Bad Weather, Traffic-Congestion/Roadblocks, Political Disturbances And/Or Any Factors Beyond Our Control.