MESMERIZING NAGALAND
The State of Nagaland was formally inaugurated on December 1st, 1963, as the 16th State of the Indian Union. It is bounded by Assam in the West, Myanmar (Burma) on the east, Arunachal Pradesh and part of Assam on the North and Manipur in the South. The State consists of seven Administrative Districts, inhabited by 16 major tribes along with other sub-tribes. Each tribe is distinct in character from the other in terms of customs, language and dress.
It is a land of folklore passed down the generations through word of mouth. Here, music is an integral part of life; folk songs eulogising ancestors, the brave deeds of warriors and traditional heroes; poetic love songs immortalising ancient tragic love stories; Gospel songs that touch your soul (should you have a religious bend of mind) or the modern tunes rendered exquisitely to set your feet a-tapping.
We highly recommend that you plan your trip to Nagaland during the Hornbill Festival, which is one of the best festival celebrated in the North East.
Things to keep in mind before traveling
- Every tourist visiting Nagaland needs to obtain an Inner Line Permit and a Protected Area Permit which can be collected from Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati or Tezpur airports.
- The weather in the north-east is pretty unpredictable, so be prepared to have delays due to the bad weather.
- Most roads in the Northeast are being converted into double-lane so right now they aren’t in the best shape.
- Locals are friendly and helpful. Be patient as not everyone will know fluent Hindi or English.
- Most cell phone networks don’t work well, so inform your family or friends about your whereabouts whenever possible.
- Don’t forget to carry some ready to cook food packets or instant noodles if you’re strictly a vegetarian.
- Carry extra batteries, power banks and most importantly warm clothing.
- Keep at least a couple of extra days in hand in case of any problems like landslides and bad weather on your way.
BY AIR
The nearest International Airport to Nagaland is Dimapur airport, roughly 70 Kms from Kohima the capital city. It is connected with the major cities like Delhi, Imphal, Kolkata, Agartala, Aizawl, Dibrugarh, Lilabari, Silchar, Dimapur, Jorhat and Mumbai.
BY TRAIN
The nearest railway station is Dimapur. It is well connected to Guwahati, on the other hand, has direct train lines with most major Indian cities
BY ROAD
A number of taxis ply from Dimapur to Kohima. Night buses connect Dimapur and Kohima to Guwahati and Shillong (Meghalaya).A very convenient way for reaching Kohima is to take the train or flight to Dimapur and then a taxi to Kohima.The Dimapur taxi stand is adjacent to the. Railway Station. Yellow Taxis can be hired with other passengers (shared taxis) or exclusively (full taxis).A ‘full taxi’ could cost anything between Rs.1500 to Rs. 2000 for a one way trip to Kohima. A traveler can also opt to rent a car from Guwahati (through tour operators) and drive all the way to Kohima. This is a very pleasant drive, lasting about 8-9 hours and taking the tourist past beautiful stretches of forests, greenery and hills;but one should try to start and end the journey before nightfall.
- Nagaland goes by the name ‘Land of Festivals’. The state earned that moniker because every tribe in the state has its very own festival that is celebrated in a grand way.
- Nagaland has been crowned as the Falcon Capital of World.
- Nagaland is naturally separated from Myanmar by Nagaland’s highest peak – Mount Saramati. The height of this peak is 3826 meters above sea level.
- Did you know that there are 100 (or possibly more tribes in Nagaland) out of which only 16 (possibly 17) have been officially recognized?
- Because there are too many festivals, the state of Nagaland actually introduced what is known as Hornbill Festival. This festival was introduced in year 2000. What’s the specialty of this festival? It is just an umbrella festival where every tribe comes and participates and showcase their own culture.
Top Places To Visit
- Kohima, the capital of Nagaland, is one of the leading attractions in the state.
- Dimapur serves as the main entry point into Nagaland. This is also the commercial center of the state.
- Mokokchung, considered the cultural and intellectual capital of Nagaland, is one of the most important districts in the state. Picturesque hills and the musical sounds of the streams running mesmerize you.
- To have an insight of rural life, you need to be at Wokha, the homeland to Lotha tribe.
- Mon, is one of the most mystic places in Nagaland that boasts of rich tribal heritage.
- Phek boasts of scenic landscapes. Considering the fact that evergreen forests occupy over 70% of Phek, you cannot expect anything short of stunning natural beauty
- Kiphire has some of the best awe-inspiring landscapes. To its east is Myanmar. Adventure seekers can have a whale of a time here indulging in trekking, canoeing and rafting.
Nagaland has a largely monsoon climate with high humidity levels. Annual rainfall averages around 70–100 inches (1,800–2,500 mm), concentrated in the months of May to September. Temperatures range from 70 °F (21 °C) to 104 °F (40 °C). In winter, temperatures do not generally drop below 39 °F (4 °C), but frost is common at high elevations. The state enjoys a salubrious climate. Summer is the shortest season in the state that lasts for only a few months. The temperature during the summer season remains between 16 °C (61 °F) to 31 °C (88 °F). Winter makes an early arrival and bitter cold and dry weather strikes certain regions of the state. The maximum average temperature recorded in the winter season is 24 °C (75 °F). Strong northwest winds blow across the state during the months of February and March.
Day 1: Arrive at Guwahati Airport. Drive to Kaziranga and check in at hotel .
Day 2: Explore the length and breadth of the Kaziranga National Park via Elephant Safari. Return back to the hotel for lunch and set off to explore the western range of Kaziranga on a jeep. Stay overnight at Kaziranga.
Day 3: Drive to Kohima. Cultural presentation by village folks. Stay overnight at the Touphema Tourist village.
Day 4: In the wee hours of the morning, explore the village. Post breakfast, check out of the village resort and drive to Kohima. Besides, visit State Museum, located at Bayani hill Kohima. Post lunch, head straight to Kepfiizha Dimori Cave Guest House. In the afternoon, visit the nearby Angami village. Return back to Kohima and check in at the resort for overnight stay.
Day 5: Road to Khonoma. Explore the Angami Tribal village of Khonoma, home to the father of Naga Nationalist Movement ‘Angami Phizo’. Later, drive back to Kohima for overnight stay.
Day 6: Post breakfast in the morning, drive back to Dimapur for your onwards journey.
