In a land shaped by steep hills, shifting clouds, and stories carried through generations, Nagaland stands as one of India’s most culturally rich and diverse states. Home to 17 major tribes and many more sub-tribes, each with its own language, food habits, rituals, and architectural styles, this region offers a depth of heritage that cannot be understood in a single visit. Every tribe has its own worldview, its own rhythms, and its own memory of the past. To travel here is to listen, observe, and slowly uncover these layers over time.
But beneath this cultural richness lies a history marked by turbulence. The hills of Nagaland have witnessed several turning points in time. When the British first arrived in the 19th century, they encountered fierce resistance from the communities who lived here. Decades later, the same hills became a battleground during World War II, most famously at Kohima, where one of the fiercest battles of the Eastern Front was fought. In the years following Independence, the region continued to navigate questions of identity and autonomy.
Even today, the land carries the weight of these histories, though its people continue to move forward with resilience, pride, and a deep sense of belonging to their land.
This chapter takes you into the heart of the Angami homeland. Once known as formidable warriors, the Angami community built their lives around discipline, land stewardship, and close-knit village systems. Their terraced fields are engineering marvels, their homes reflect generations of craftsmanship, and their relationship with the forest is rooted in both reverence and responsibility. Modern life has changed much, yet the core of their culture remains beautifully intact.
Over six nights and seven days, you will walk through heritage villages where memory sits in stone and wood, listen to stories of resistance and renewal, dine on organic produce grown in Asia’s first green village, wander through forests where the silence feels ancient, and stand atop ranges where the winter light sweeps across endless ridgelines. The journey blends gentle adventure with cultural immersion, allowing you to experience Nagaland not as an outsider looking in, but as a respectful guest welcomed into its living traditions.
This is not a complete story of Nagaland. No journey can ever claim to be. But it is one meaningful chapter in what could become a longer relationship with these hills.
The arrival on Day 1 has to be a maximum of 1:30 pm. The group will depart from the airport by 2:00 pm at the latest. Any arrivals post that (due to timings/flight delays), will have to get to destination Khonoma at their own expense. We highly recommend flying a day prior if the flights don’t match this timings. For departure, you can book anytime post 12 PM on Day 7.
The trek to Dzükoü valley is not that challenging but a long one. It can be considered an easy to moderate level for a beginner. The initial stretch is a steep climb for almost an hour. Post the climb, the valley starts and the trail follows an easy straight path for about 3-4 hrs to reach your dormitory.
The cultural diversity of northeast India is so vast that we can’t blame outsiders for not being aware of communities in the region who are purely vegetarians, so much so that they avoid eating onions( they are indigenous to the region, in case you are thinking about communities from mainland India who have settled here). Having said that, we must admit that the region’s food habits especially in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya are predominantly non-vegetarian with a whole lot of red meat-based preparations. But the states have warmed up to tourists recently and almost every place you visit will provide the Indian staple diet of rice, dal and sabji, even chapatis if you are lucky. Your craving for butter paneer may not be satisfied, but you will do just fine as far as maintaining your health and strength is concerned.
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 little 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.
A 60 litre backpack would be handy. For your trek to Dzükoü Valley, a smaller day bag would be useful. The rest of your stuff will remain at Jakhama while you explore the valley.
No, absolutely not! Although the language used in this region is Angami, you can converse with the locals in English. Almost everyone knows English and a few might also surprise you with Hindi in an Angami accent.For starters, Keneka Ase?’ means How are you? in Nagamese and ‘NMeza!’ translates to Thank You!
The minimum group size for this trip is 4 participants. We recommend early travellers book flexible flight tickets. In the unlikely event that the trip is cancelled due to insufficient bookings, we will inform you at least 21 days before the start date.
Rooms are shared on twin sharing basis. In case you are a solo traveller, you will be paired up with another solo traveller of the same gender.
It is important to note that booking flights before reserving a slot with us does not guarantee availability. In the event that we are sold out, we cannot be held responsible for any inconvenience caused.
We accept up to 3 people from the same group in our set departures to keep the group dynamic open and engaging. For larger groups, we recommend our Bespoke Trips — tailored to your preferences and budget.
To comply with the latest guidelines set by the Government of Nagaland, ILP applications must now be completed by the individual traveler through a system that requires a live photo capture. As third parties are no longer permitted to apply on behalf of travelers, the ILP cannot be bundled as part of a travel package.
While most of your expenses are taken care of in the trip cost, an additional Rs. 1,000 per day (Upper limit) would be more than enough for all your expenses. Most places along the route also accept online payments, making transactions convenient and hassle-free.
Applying for the ILP is a simple online process. Travelers can visit the official ILP portal of the Government of Nagaland at https://ilp.nagaland.gov.in and follow these steps:
Once approved, the ILP will be issued digitally and can be downloaded from the portal.
Once you sign up for the trip, we will be sending you a detailed list of Things to Carry for the season!
We’ll be staying at simple homestays and a very basic dormitory throughout the trip. None of the properties on the trip are boutique/luxurious. They are all clean, comfortable and hygienic and have been vetted by our team! The property at Dzükoü Valley is extremely basic and is the only option, unless you’re looking to carry your own tent to pitch.
Jakhama Campsite has three categories available. A comfortable and clean 3 men tent (double sharing basis), three cabins (double sharing basis) and one stone cottage with attached washroom (double sharing basis). Stay in these is allotted on your choice and on a first come, first serve basis.
