Experience
Hornbill Festival
Nagaland's festival of festivals, ten days every December, when every tribe in the state gathers at one heritage village outside Kohima.
Quick answer. The Hornbill Festival is held every year from December 1–10 at Kisama Heritage Village, about 12km from Kohima, Nagaland. All of Nagaland's sixteen-plus tribes perform in one arena, mornings and afternoons, with morung visits, food stalls and evening concerts in Kohima. The ILP is waived for festival visitors (Dec 1-10), carry a photo ID; our packages from ₹3,999 include entry passes, stay and transport.
The essentials
- Dates
- December 1–10, yearly
- Venue
- Kisama Heritage Village
- State
- Nagaland, Northeast India
- Base town
- Kohima, 12km north
- Nearest airport
- Dimapur, ~3h by road
- Permit
- None needed for Indians
01, What it is
What is the Hornbill Festival?
The Hornbill Festival, also called Hornbill Mahotsav (हॉर्नबिल महोत्सव), was created in December 2000 to bring Nagaland's tribes together in one place, at one time. It is named after the great hornbill, the bird that appears across Naga folklore, ceremony and dress, and it does what no photograph manages: sixteen-plus tribes, each in full dress, sharing one arena for ten mornings and afternoons in a row.
It is sometimes called the "festival of festivals," because alongside the state celebration each tribe also presents its own harvest and initiation festivals inside its morung at Kisama.
Which state celebrates the Hornbill Festival?
Nagaland. The venue, Kisama Heritage Village, sits between the villages of Kigwema and Phesama on the Kohima–Imphal highway, about 12km south of the state capital Kohima. Nagaland is a hill state in Northeast India; Dimapur, the gateway airport and railhead, is about 74km away, roughly three hours by road.
Not to be confused with: Hornbill Park in Morigaon/Jagiroad near Guwahati, Assam, an entirely separate zoo-and-park attraction with no connection to this festival. And Pakke Paga is a different hornbill-named festival in Arunachal Pradesh, held in January.
Hornbill Festival schedule, what happens each day?
Every day has arena performances in the morning, morung and food-stall afternoons, and carnival or concert evenings in Kohima, with the programme rotating daily so no two days repeat. Full rhythm in the first-timer's guide, or day by day:
Day 1 · Day 2 · Day 3 · Day 4 · Day 5 · Day 6 · Day 7 · Day 8 · Day 9 · Day 10
Mornings belong to the main arena: scheduled performances, war dances, folk songs, indigenous games, tribe by tribe. Afternoons move to the morungs (each tribe's traditional house at Kisama): food, rice beer, stories and crafts, with elders and teenagers in the same room. Evenings shift down the hill to Kohima, the night carnival along the main road, and the Hornbill rock concerts that run parallel to the festival.
The detailed tribe-by-tribe programme is published each year by the tourism department before December 1. The day-shape above has not changed since the festival began.
Hornbill Festival dates by year
The festival runs December 1–10 every year (there was no edition in 2020, during the pandemic). Past editions:
| Year | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | December 1–10, 2026 | Current, packages live |
| 2024 | December 1–10, 2024 | Completed |
| 2023 | December 1–10, 2023 | Completed |
| 2022 | December 1–10, 2022 | Completed |
| 2021 | December 1–10, 2021 | Completed |
| 2020 | , | Cancelled (pandemic) |
02, The birds-eye view
Current edition
Hornbill Festival 2026
03, Common questions
Everything people ask
When is Hornbill Festival 2026?
December 1–10, 2026, at Kisama Heritage Village, about 12km from Kohima, Nagaland. The arena programmes run mornings and afternoons; evenings belong to the night carnival and concerts in Kohima town.
How do I reach the festival?
Fly or take a train to Dimapur, then 74km, about 3 hours, by road to Kohima. From Guwahati it is roughly 340km, a full day on mountain roads. Festival week adds traffic, so we build transfers around the programme timings.
Do I need a permit?
During the Hornbill Festival (December 1-10) the ILP is waived, Indian nationals enter with a photo ID. Any other season, Nagaland requires an ILP: ₹200, 30-day validity, online at ilp.nagaland.gov.in. Foreign nationals pay ₹500. We handle permits for booked travellers.
Where should I stay?
Most travellers base in Kohima and commute to Kisama (30–40 min). Our early-bird festival tents are closer to the action. Kohima hotels fill up and raise rates for festival week, book early either way.
How cold is December?
Cold. Kohima sits at about 1,400m, days are mild in the sun, but mornings and evenings drop hard. Warm layers are not optional. Our packing guide lists exactly what to bring.
Are the festival entry tickets included?
Yes. Every package includes entry passes and permits, along with transport, meals, a guide, campsite stay and basic camping equipment.
Is it good for families and solo travellers?
Yes. The festival ground involves walking on sloped, uneven ground, but there is no age limit on wonder. Solo travellers join our small groups, festival week is the easiest week in India to be alone and never lonely.
What do packages cost?
Published and per-person: Hornbill Festival (3D/2N) ₹4,999 · Dzükou Valley (2D/1N, ex Kisama) ₹3,999 · Hornbill & Dzükou (4D/3N) ₹7,999 · Hornbill & Dzükou & Khonoma (5D/4N) ₹12,999. All-inclusive as listed; confirmed in writing on WhatsApp before you pay.
In which state is the Hornbill Festival celebrated?
Nagaland, in Northeast India. The venue is Kisama Heritage Village, about 12km from the state capital Kohima.
When is the Hornbill Festival celebrated?
Every year from December 1 to December 10. The 2026 edition runs Dec 1–10, 2026 at Kisama Heritage Village.
What is the Hornbill Festival?
A ten-day festival where all of Nagaland’s tribes gather at Kisama Heritage Village, arena performances each morning and afternoon, morung visits, food and craft stalls, and evening concerts in Kohima. It has been held every December since 2000.
Where is the Hornbill Festival held?
Kisama Heritage Village, between the villages of Kigwema and Phesama, about 12km south of Kohima and roughly 3h by road from Dimapur airport and railway station.
Is the Hornbill Festival open to tourists?
Yes, domestic and international visitors are welcome. Indian nationals apply online for an ILP (₹200), waived during Hornbill Festival week; foreign nationals get a ₹500 permit through the official portal.
Why is it called the Hornbill Festival?
After the great hornbill, the bird that appears across Naga folklore, ceremony and dress. The festival was created in December 2000 to bring Nagaland’s tribes together in one celebration.
How do I book?
Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and group size. We confirm the plan and price in writing, then an advance secures your spot. Cancellation terms are shared before you pay anything.
What is the daily schedule of the Hornbill Festival?
Mornings: scheduled performances in the main arena, tribe by tribe. Afternoons: the morungs at Kisama, food, crafts, stories. Evenings: the night carnival and concerts in Kohima. The tribe-by-tribe programme is published each year by the tourism department before the festival.
What should I pack?
Warm layers, a proper jacket, comfortable shoes for sloped ground, a rain shell, power bank, cash (ATMs strain during festival week) and your ID for permits. Full list in our packing guide.
04, Read next
Guides for going
Hornbill Festival, first-timer's guide
What ten days actually look like, hour by hour, on the ground.
Getting there, Dimapur to Kohima
Sumo, taxi, bus or flight, every way in, compared honestly.
Camping at Kisama
Tents, bonfires and 10 minutes from the gate, the camp, honestly reviewed.
Opening vs closing ceremony
Which days deserve your dates, the honest comparison.