ChaloHoppo to the Hornbill 2019 + Dzukou Valley Time to enjoy the Morungs at Hornbill 2019 Attending the grand showcase that is Hornbill festival will take you back to a time when the Naga folks used to live life in harmony with nature. A time when hunting and celebrating was the way of life. You also get to explore Dzukou valley, Dzukou lily or not, the valley will remain enchanting, as you trek to see the carpeted valley spread between the states of Manipur and Nagaland. The frozen Valley of Dzukou. Anyone who manages to spend a reasonable time travelling across Nagaland, from the land of the Konyaks in Eastern Nagaland right up to the land of the Angamis in the state capital of Kohima will find the Naga people extremely hospitable. That green hills and crispy clouds give you company when you aren’t surrounded by these warm people is a bonus. For those who like their red meat, Naga cuisine should be right up there in the list of cuisines to try. Varieties of smoked and fresh meat, infused with local herbs and generous portions of bamboo shoot. Hornbill festival brings all these little things together in one place for everyone to witness and it is definitely an event one shouldn’t miss. The other aspect of this tour is exploring the lesser known valley of flowers that spread like a carpet, changing colour with the seasons is a trekkers wonderland. At approximately 8000 feet you can see rivulets, flowers, herbs and shrubs spread across Dzukou’s lap. With the scenic and quaint villages of Jakhama and Viswema serving as bases for starting the trek, your experience of being one with nature starts the moment you arrive in Nagaland. The brief Itinerary 3 nights and 4 days Day 1 Welcome to Nagaland! This is your first day, so once you freshen up at the campsite, you can head to the festival venue in Kisama 5.4 km away and enjoy the festival for the day. Come back to the campsite in the evening relax around the bonfire before you head out to explore the night carnival in Kohima. Overnight at ChaloHoppo village - Camp Yedikha Note: This plan needs you to fly into Dimapur the previous day so that you can reach Kohima today by 11 am and enjoy Hornbill festival. If you reach Dimapur today then you will stay at the campsite but you won't be able to witness the Hornbill festival. Day 2 Spending a day at the Hornbill festival After breakfast head to Kisama village, the venue of the Hornbill festival and spend your day there visiting various 'Morungs' trying local delicacies and enjoying the numerous competitions like Naga chilli eating competition etc. You can also shop for arts and crafts at the venue. You can also explore the town of Kohima - the war cemetery, the Cathedral and the local market. The evenings get chilly in Nagaland, so sit around a nicely lit bonfire. Wrap around the shawls bring out the woollen caps, it's going to be cold. Spend your night singing dancing and karaoke’eng along the bonfire. Singers, musicians, dancers are welcome to showcase their talents. Overnight at ChaloHoppo village - Camp Yedikha Day 4 Trekking to Dzukou valley We have to be up early and ready by 7 am. Breakfast at the campsite and we charge on the sumos waiting for us. The ride from the campsite to the starting point of the trek, Viswema will take about an hour depending on the conditions of the road on the climb. The trek to Dzukou will take a maximum of 5 hours considering the first time and slow trekkers. We will be heading to the Helipad to witness the sunset and come back to the dormitory. Our base will be the dormitory, which offers a beautiful view of the valley. Sleep tight it will be cold. Drive Time: 1 hour. Stay- Dzukou Dormitory. Day 4 Bidding goodbye to Nagaland Wake up early and head into the valley. The trail down takes about 1 hour. We will have professional guides throughout to make sure you don’t get lost in this beautiful land. Come back to the dormitory to have breakfast and trek back post that. The trek back will take us 5 hours, the same time it took us to reach. Jump in your sumos and reach Campsite by 1pm. Post lunch you can head back to Dimpaur. If you wish to stay back the night at the camp, you can get in touch with us. Drive Time: 1 hour. Arrival and Departure timings, flights and suggestions. Arrival: Fly in to Guwahati (GAU) on Day 0. Book any flight that lands by 9 30 pm. Then take the daily overnight Nagaland express- train no.15603 that departs from Guwahati railway station at 11: 30 pm. Reservations are easily available on this train as long as you are booking at least 2 weeks in advance. Else take a flight to Dimapur(DMU) on Day 0 and stay back the night in Dimapur. Departure: Fly out of Dimapur airport(DMU) on the Day 4 or take the trains we have mentioned below from Dimapur to Guwahati for their return on the 4th day. The drive time to the station from our campsite is 5 hours. -Intercity Express train number 15604 departs from Dimapur at 23:15 pm and reaches Guwahati at 4:45 am. -Guwahati Intercity Express train number 15606 departs from Dimapur at 23:15 pm and reaches Guwahati at 4:45 am. For those flying out, another night at the campsite or night stay in Dimapur will be necessary. The additional stay at camp will be chargeable at RS 1800 per person inclusive of breakfast. Specifically for people flying on Day 5, to Guwahati, Indigo 6E3645 which leaves from Dimapur at 13:45 pm and arrives in Guwahati 14:40 pm will be ideal. Trip Inclusions ● All accommodations on twin sharing basis at Camp Yedikha ● Sleeping bags, sleeping mats, pillows ● Simple breakfast on all days except Day 1 ● Bonfire ● Hygienic toilets for men and women ● Bathing rooms ● Guide for Dzukou trek ● Dormitory in Dzukou Valley ● Lunch and Dinner at Dzukou valley ● Transport from campsite to trekking base point and back to campsite including parking charges etc. ● Electricity source with charging facility for mobile devices at the campsite ● Running water supply at the campsite Trip Exclusions ● Airfare charges ● Transport from Dimapur to Camp Yedikha and back. ● All food & beverages costs apart from the ones mentioned above ● Entry fee to Hornbill festival (very nominal amount) ● Any camera fees ● Campsite staff tips (if any) ● Any personal expenditure (Toiletries, medicines, etc.) ● Cost incidental to any change in the itinerary/ stay on account of flight cancellation due to bad weather, ill health, roadblocks and/or any factors beyond control. ● Anything not specifically mentioned under the head "Inclusions". Reviews of Dzukou Valley Trip! FAQ’s Q. How many days is Hornbill festival scheduled for and what are the dates? A: Hornbill festival is scheduled every year from December 1 to 10. Q. Are specific days of the festival worth attending and how many days should one spend at the festival? A: From our experience the first day should not be your priority since there are high chances of delay in proceedings as formalities take time. Hence we recommend attending the festival in a way that you can go to the venue for 2 days. That is a good enough time to spend. If you want to know specific dates then attending the last day of the event on December 10, is a good idea. Q. If I am coming all the way to Nagaland, is it worth just to attend the festival or would you recommend exploring any specific villages around? A: You should keep at least a week in hand if you are planning your trip to Nagaland during the Hornbill festival. The real Nagaland is hidden in its villages and you must visit the villages of Dzuleke, Khonoma and even Jakhama which is around the vicinity of the festival. But ideally we would recommend spending nights in those villages. And of course a trek to Dzukou valley should also be on your list. FAQ’s Q. Is it safe to travel to Northeast India? I have been warned about Naxalites, ULFA and other terrorist groups. A: The sources of such warnings should be checked and speaking from the perspective of locals living in the region we can say that though some parts of Northeast India do have cases of groups clashing against government forces from time to time, it doesn’t affect a tourist as long as the route is chosen wisely and hours of commute are decided smartly, much like travelling in any other part of the world. If you have seen warnings in the advisory pages of governments, then we would like to remind you that governments (of different countries)will always take precaution and not be in sync with the real situation. Northeast India is absolutely safe with warm and welcoming locals. You should have no issues even going to the most interior places. As with any other tribal dominated region, respect the local culture and don't hurt their sentiments, and you will have a great time in a beautiful place. Because so less is known about the region in general, it may be a wise idea to get in touch with some travel experts before you plan your trip. Q.What type of Bag should I carry? A 40 litre backpack would be handy, since the tour involves staying in a campsite and a trek to Dzukou valley.