Hornbill Festival Tour
Festival Dates : 1st Dec - 10th Dec
Tour Duration : 4 Nights / 5 Days
hornbill festival tour itinerary:
Day 01: Dimapur - Kohima (74 kms, 3 hrs drive)
Meet upon arrival at Dimapur Airport / Railway Station.
Dimapur:
Dimapur, the gateway of Nagaland is designated to be the largest city in Nagaland, popularly known as the "City of River People". 'Dimapur' is a derivation from Kachari dialect in which 'di' implies river, 'ma' meaning great and 'pur' means city, together meaning "the city near the great river". This city, situated at an altitude of 475 feet above mean sea level is the most developed and industrialized area of the state.
If time permits, visit at Dimapur -
Medieval Ruins of Kachari Kingdom:
Dimapur holds the status of being the ancient capital of Kachari tribe who ruled the state before 13th century. The glory of the Kachari kingdom appears on the ruins spread around Dimapur. The ruins provide evidences of the Kachari civilization reflecting a touch of Hinduism who were pre-dominantly non-Aryans.
Diezephe Craft Village:
The village exhibits trained weavers and craftsmen skilled in wood carvings, bamboo and cane works. In recent times, the village has developed in this field of art expanding the variety of handloom and cane products with the assistance of Nagaland Handloom and Handicrafts Development Limited.
North East Zone Cultural Centre Museum:
This cultural centre set in a well conditioned museum organizes various cultural programs in and outside the state. Centre aims at the cultural promotion of the state and provides ample scope for tourists desiring to gain knowledge and information about the various cultural heritages of North Eastern people.
Thereafter, drive further to Kohima.
Kohima:
The capital city of Nagaland, situated at an altitude of 4738 feet above mean sea level is encompassed by hills providing a majestic beauty to the city. The name 'Kohima' has been derived from Tenyidie dialect 'Kewheimia' meaning "people living in the hills". Kohima received its present name from the British rulers who had set up colonial units devastated during the Second World War. Kohima city is inhabited by the Angami, Rengma, Kuki and Zeliang Naga tribes. It is a beautiful hill station of North-East India beckoning the tourists to its religious, monumental and village attractions.
Arrive at Kohima and check-in at hotel.
Evening: Free at relaxation. Overnight: Stay in hotel.
Day 02: Kohima - Hornbill Festival celebration
In the morning after breakfast, visit Naga Heritage Complex in Kisama Village.
Hornbill Festival:
Hornbill Festival is one of the prominent seven day long festival celebrated exclusively in Nagaland every year during first week of December. This festival is organized at Naga Heritage Village situated in Kisama Village of Kohima, organized by the State Tourism and Cultural Department. Participated by all the tribes of Nagaland, this festival is observed to promote inter-tribal interaction and development of the cultural heritage of the state. Famously, the festival is named after the Hornbill bird which is admired in folklores of most of the Naga tribes. Colourful ancient attire, sharp weapons, feathers of hornbill, nails and teeth of Tiger and other animals used as ornaments worn by the tribes identify this unique festival of Nagaland. War Dance is a popular dance form performed during this festival. Hornbill festival offers a great platform to the tribes where they display their unique art and crafts including paintings, wood carvings & sculptures, hunting skills, ethnic food fairs, indigenous sports and games like Naga Wrestling, Traditional Archery etc. which attracts a great number of tourists every year. Some other attractions of Hornbill festival include Hornbill International Motor Rally, Vintage Car Rally, Hornbill Global Film Festival, Hornbill National Rock Contest, North East India drum chow, Literature Fest, Beauty Contest & Fashion Shows, Music Concerts, Konyak fire eating show, Naga king chilly eating contest, Pork fat eating contest, Flower shows and its sale, Stalls selling herbal medicine, local food etc.
Spend the whole day at Naga Heritage Complex in Kisama Village. Enjoy tribal music, dances and food of indigenous Naga tribes in Hornbill festival.
Evening: Free at leisure. Overnight: Stay in hotel.
Day 03: Kohima - Hornbill Festival celebration
In the morning after breakfast, spend the whole day at Naga Heritage Complex in Kisama Village. Enjoy tribal music, dances and food of indigenous Naga tribes in Hornbill festival.
When time permits, visit in Kohima -
Kohima village:
Kohima village, also known as Bara Basti is considered as the second largest village in Asia. It is also one of the most densely populated villages in the continent. Legend narrates that the village was set up by a man called Whinuo Kewhira. Kohima village is grouped into 4 khels namely Dapfutsuma, Lhisema, Pfuchatsuma and Tsutsonuoma. Several clans are brought together within the village community by the institution called 'khel' which governs the entire village. The membership of a khel depends on two aspects - birth or heredity. The ancient Kohima village was believed to possess 7 lakes along with 7 gateways. The main entrance of the village is set with a traditional wooden gate carved in traditional Naga art and decorated with horns of gayal (mithun) reflecting the glory of the ancestors of the village.
Catholic Cathedral:
The Catholic Cathedral standing on the Aradurah Hill is acclaimed as the largest cathedral in entire Asia. The birth of this cathedral took place after the battle of Kohima in the Second World War. It was established with an aim to offer prayers in loving memory of the sacrificed soldiers by Japanese survivors of the war. The cathedral covers a huge area of 25,000 sq feet showcasing a mixture of both modern and native architectural treat.
Evening: Overnight: Stay in hotel.
Day 04: Kohima - Khonoma - Kohima (20 kms one way, 45 mins drive)
In the morning after breakfast, drive to Khonoma Green village.
Khonoma Green Village:
Khonoma village is the homeland of the Angami tribe. This 700 year old village also referred to as 'Khwunoria' by the inhabitants holds a historical record of a brave resistance made by the Naga warriors against the British in 1879 AD. The presence of a fort called 'Kuda', meaning "a place of defense" is a unique feature of this village. The villagers practice terrace farming of Alder trees which exhibits their skill in management of terraced cultivation. This farming fixes nitrogen in the soil which controls soil erosion. This step towards 'eco-tourism' has heightened the mission of "Green Khonoma" in the village.
In the late afternoon, take return transfer to Kohima and visit -
Kohima War Cemetary:
It is a war memorial set in the honour of those valorous soldiers and officers who sacrificed themselves during the Second World War. The cemetery, earlier known as 'Garrison Hill' is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Sir Edwin Lutyens was the principal architect of this cemetery. There stand 1421 magnificent stone graves of the brave soldiers killed in the battle of Kohima in April, 1944. Of these, 1070 graves are of soldiers from United Kingdom, 5 Canadian soldiers, 3 Australian soldiers, 33 graves of undivided India, 2 graves of East African soldiers, 1 from West Africa, 9 Burmese soldiers and a single non-war grave. Each grave bears an appropriate epitaph engraved in bronze. Historians regard the Battle of Kohima as "one of the bitterly fought battles of the Second World War". The British before departing Kohima had erected a heart touching inscription inside the memorial in the memory of brave comrades which reads: "When you go home, tell them of us and say: FOR YOUR TOMORROW, WE GAVE OUR TODAY."
Sales Emporium:
The Sales Emporium houses a wide collection of Naga handloom and handicraft items. Such handloom articles are also available in private outlets such as Gurtal (near war cemetery) and Belho Weavers (beside Assam Oil Company).
Overnight: Stay in hotel.
Day 05: Kohima - Dimapur departure (74 kms, 3 hrs drive)
In the morning after breakfast, take transfer to Dimapur airport / railway station for your onward destination.
Tour terminates here
North East India Tourism
Package Inclusions:
# All ground transportation by a dedicated and exclusive vehicle driven by our experienced and friendly driver
Package Exclusions:
# Any air fare or train fare
