All You Need To Know About The Annual Hornbill Festival In Nagaland

If you want to get a sneak peek into the tribal way of life and their culture, the annual Hornbill Festival in Nagaland is your best chance.

Organised between December 1-10 every year, the venue of the Hornbill Festival is the Naga Tribal Village in Kisama, which is 12km from Kohima on the National Highway 39.?

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What is?Hornbill Festival?

The Hornbill Festival is organised by the Department of State Tourism and the Department of Art and Culture and has been an annual event since 2000.

Nagaland is home to several ethnic groups and all of them take part in this festival.

"Unlike many other various other parts of the world, Nagaland has its own heritage which is neither crafted nor curated. It is a platform where all 17 tribes of the state come together and showcase their culture to the people," Nagaland Tourism Minister Temjen Imna Along, said.

Unique experiences in?Hornbill Festival

Along with the traditional arts and crafts, the Hornbill Festival also opens up the window of Nagalands's rich culinary options to visitors from across India and outside.

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Hornbill Festival tour package

The IRCTC is offering a special tour package for those wanting to visit the Hornbill Festival this year.

The IRCTC's 4-day and 3-night tour package called ‘Hornbill Festival Tour with IRCTC Ex-Guwahati commences in Dimapur, Assam and concludes with a return to Dimapur.

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The duration of the tour is four nights and five days and the tour dates are November 30, December 1, December 2, December 3, December 4, December 5, December 6, December 7 and December 8.

The tour package includes:

Day 1:?

On arrival at Guwahati, you will be received by IRCTC. On day one the journey starts by visiting the Kamakhya temple. Check into hotel. Evening at leisure. Night Stay at Guwahati.

Day 2:?

The visitors will depart for Kohima after breakfast. The distance is around 370 Kms with a journey duration of approx. 8-9 hrs, depending on the road conditions and traffic. Lunch will be provided enroute. On arrival a Kohima, the tourists will check in to hotel. Night Stay at Kohima.

Day 3:?

After breakfast, the tourists will go and witness the celebration of the Hornbill Festival. Spend the day at Kisama Village. The visitors will get a chance to explore various tribes and tribal customs and taste the Naga food in traditional huts.?

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Visitors can also go handicraft and souvenir shopping and also visit the war memorial at Kohima City and other nearby attractions. On day 3, visitors can go explore the street carnival and stay the night at Kohima.

Day 4:

On day 4, tourists will get a chance to visit Naga villages tucked in the hills of Nagaland - Khonoma. Khonoma is around 25 kms from Kohima which may take us a 1.5-hour journey, depending on the traffic. At Khonoma you can experience the culture and living set-up of a typical village.?

There are also historical sites and forts that one can visit. The tourists also will get a chance to interact with locals and witness the weaving of shawls and making cane baskets.?

Day 5:?

After breakfast, the tourists will depart for Guwahati for the return journey.?

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