A Nagaland tour package is a journey into one of the most culturally distinctive corners of India. Nagaland is home to more than a dozen major Naga tribes — among them the Angami, Ao, Konyak, Sumi, Lotha, Chakhesang and Phom — each with its own language, dress, festivals and village traditions. Hilltop villages, carved wooden gates and morungs (traditional dormitories) tell the story of warrior societies that have embraced Christianity and modern life while fiercely protecting their identity.
Most visitors come for the Hornbill Festival, held every year from 1 to 10 December at Kisama Heritage Village near Kohima, where all the tribes gather for dances, games, crafts and food. But Nagaland is rewarding all year. You can walk through Khonoma, India's first 'green village'; trek to the rolling meadows of Dzukou Valley; visit the moving Kohima War Cemetery; meet tattooed Konyak elders in Mon and Longwa on the Myanmar border; or watch Amur falcons swirl over Doyang reservoir in autumn.
Nagaland's roads are mountainous and can be slow, especially in the monsoon, so our itineraries focus on one or two regions at a time. Dimapur is the gateway by air and rail; Kohima is about three hours away. Every visitor needs an Inner Line Permit and foreign nationals currently also need a Protected Area Permit — we arrange both.
Nagaland
5N / 6DDimapur → Dimapur
Naga villages, WWII history and a night in the meadows of Dzukou Valley.
Facilities included
Khonoma, Kisama & Dzukou Valley
Price on request
Kohima War Cemetery, Khonoma green village homestay, Dzüleke eco-village, Kisama Heritage Village
Nagaland
4N / 5DDimapur → Dimapur
Three festival days at Kisama with a local guide, Kohima's night carnival and a village escape to Khonoma.
Facilities included
Hornbill Festival Tour Package
Price on request
3 days at the Hornbill Festival, Guided morung visits, Kohima night carnival, Khonoma village walk
Nagaland
3N / 4DDimapur → Dimapur
Nagaland's favourite trek: up via Viswema, a night among the bamboo hills, down via Zakhama.
Facilities included
Dzukou Valley Trek
Price on request
Viswema forest trail, Night in Dzukou Valley, Sunrise over the hills, Zakhama descent
Nagaland
6N / 7DJorhat → Dimapur
Meet tattooed Konyak elders, sleep in Longwa on the Myanmar border and cross Nagaland to Kohima.
Facilities included
Konyak Country & Mokokchung
Price on request
Night in Longwa on the Myanmar border, Konyak elders & Angh's houses, Shangnyu carved panel, Ungma, oldest Ao village
Assam · Nagaland
5N / 6DGuwahati → Dimapur
Rhino safaris in Kaziranga followed by the Naga hills — Kohima, Khonoma and Kisama.
Facilities included
Kaziranga to Kohima
Price on request
Kaziranga jeep safaris, Kohima War Cemetery, Khonoma green village, Kisama Heritage Village
Hill CityKohimaNagaland's hilltop capital, steeped in WWII history and Angami Naga culture.
Heritage VillageKisama Heritage VillageOpen-air Naga heritage village near Kohima and the venue of the annual Hornbill Festival.
MemorialKohima War CemeteryCommonwealth war cemetery on the site of the 1944 tennis court battle, with the famous Kohima Epitaph.
VillageKhonoma VillageHistoric Angami village and India's first 'green village', ringed by terraced rice fields.
ValleyDzukou ValleyRolling meadow valley at about 2,450 m on the Nagaland–Manipur border, famed for its lilies.
MountainJapfu PeakNagaland's second-highest peak (3,048 m), with sunrise views and record-breaking rhododendrons.
Hill TownMokokchungCultural capital of the Ao Nagas, with Ungma, one of the oldest and largest Ao villages.
Tribal RegionMonHomeland of the Konyak Nagas, known for tattooed elders, log drums and powerful village chiefs.
VillageLongwa VillageKonyak border village where the Angh's house straddles the India–Myanmar boundary.
HeritageKachari Ruins, DimapurMushroom-shaped sandstone pillars left by the medieval Dimasa Kachari kingdom.
VillageTouphema Tourist VillageCommunity-run Angami village resort with traditional cottages, about 40 km from Kohima.
Hill TownPfutseroNagaland's highest and coldest town (≈2,130 m), with Glory Peak sunrise views.
LakeDoyang ReservoirHydro reservoir where hundreds of thousands of Amur falcons roost every October–November.
LakeLake ShilloiNagaland's largest natural lake, a foot-shaped lake hidden in the Patkai hills near Myanmar.
Eco VillageDzüleke VillageTiny Angami eco-tourism village in a forested valley, famous for streams, butterflies and homestays.
FestivalHornbill FestivalEasy · 1–10 December
TrekkingDzukou Valley Trek & CampingModerate · October – November, March – May; June – September for flowers
CultureNaga Tribal Village VisitsEasy · October – May
CultureKonyak Heritage Tour, MonModerate · October – April; Aoleang (first week of April)
FoodNaga Cuisine TrailEasy · Year-round; December (Hornbill Festival morungs)
BirdwatchingAmur Falcon Watching at DoyangEasy · Late October – early November
HistoryKohima WWII History WalkEasy · Year-round; October – May for clear weather
CraftNaga Handloom & Shawl WeavingEasy · Year-roundTrekkingJapfu Peak TrekChallenging · October – April; March – April for rhododendrons
FestivalNaga Tribal Festivals: Sekrenyi, Moatsu & AoleangEasy · January (Sükrünye), February (Sekrenyi), April (Aoleang), May (Moatsu), November (Tokhu Emong)October to May is the best time for a Nagaland tour. December is the busiest month thanks to the Hornbill Festival (1–10 December). Dzukou Valley is greenest in June–September (when lilies bloom) but trails are muddy; October–November is the best compromise for trekking.
Autumn · Oct – Nov
Clear skies, ideal for Dzukou and Japfu treks. Amur falcon roosting at Doyang (late October–early November).
Winter · Dec – Feb
Hornbill Festival 1–10 December. Cold, dry and sunny days; frosty nights in Kohima and Pfutsero. Sekrenyi (Angami) in February.
Spring · Mar – May
Rhododendrons on Japfu, pleasant weather. Aoleang (Konyak, early April) and Moatsu (Ao, early May) festivals.
Monsoon · Jun – Sep
Lush landscapes and Dzukou lilies, but heavy rain and landslides on some roads.
Dimapur Airport (DMU) has flights from Kolkata, Guwahati and other cities. Kohima is about 75 km (2.5–3 hours) from Dimapur. Jorhat Airport in Assam is the easiest gateway for Mon and Longwa.
Dimapur is Nagaland's main railway station, on the Guwahati–Dibrugarh line. A new line towards Kohima (Zubza) is under construction.
NH29 links Dimapur and Kohima. Guwahati to Kohima is about 340 km by road (8–9 hours). Mon is reached from Sonari in Assam, and Mokokchung from Jorhat via Amguri/Tuli.
Indian citizens who are not indigenous to Nagaland need an Inner Line Permit, applied for online at the official Nagaland ILP portal. A tourist ILP currently costs ₹200 and is valid for 30 days; online applications filed in working hours are often approved within a few hours. Offline applications are no longer accepted. Carry printouts, as permits are checked at entry points including Dimapur.
Foreign nationals need a Nagaland ILP (currently ₹500 for 30 days) and a Protected Area Permit (PAP). The PAP requirement for Nagaland was reinstated by the Ministry of Home Affairs in December 2024; the state assembly has asked for it to be withdrawn, but it was still in force at the time of writing. Permit rules change. Always verify on the official portal before you travel.
Verify before travel — rules and fees change.
Launched by the Government of Nagaland in 2000, the Hornbill Festival is named after the great hornbill, a bird that features in the folklore and headgear of many Naga tribes. For ten days each December, Kisama Heritage Village becomes a living museum: each tribe's morung hosts dances, songs, traditional games and food stalls, while evenings bring rock concerts, a night bazaar in Kohima and events such as the Naga king chilli eating contest.
Naga villages are traditionally built on ridgetops for defence, divided into clans or khels with their own gates. Angami villages such as Khonoma, Kigwema and Jakhama around Kohima are known for terraced rice fields, while the Konyak villages of Mon district are famous for their chiefs (Anghs), log drums and the facial tattoos of elders who took part in head-hunting before it ended in the mid-20th century. Naga shawls, woven on back-strap looms with tribe-specific patterns, make meaningful souvenirs.
In April–June 1944 Kohima was the scene of one of the decisive battles of the Burma Campaign, when Allied forces halted the Japanese advance into India. Fighting across the Deputy Commissioner's tennis court is commemorated at the Kohima War Cemetery, maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, with its famous epitaph beginning 'When you go home, tell them of us and say…'.
Every year from 1 to 10 December at Kisama Heritage Village, about 12 km from Kohima.
Yes. Indian citizens not indigenous to Nagaland need an Inner Line Permit, available online at ilp.nagaland.gov.in. Foreign tourists need both a Nagaland ILP and a Protected Area Permit.
It is an easy-to-moderate trek. The Viswema route is about 8 km one way with roughly 900 m of climbing; most people reach the rest house in 3–5 hours.
Four to five days covers Kohima, Khonoma, Kisama and Dzukou. Add three or four days to visit Mokokchung, Mon and Longwa.
Yes. Nagaland's tourist circuits are safe and the people are known for their hospitality. Follow local advice, respect village rules and carry your permits.
