Hornbill Festival FAQ

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Yes. Every package includes entry passes and permits, along with transport, meals, a guide, campsite stay and basic camping equipment.

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.

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.

Nagaland, in Northeast India. The venue is Kisama Heritage Village, about 12km from the state capital Kohima.

Every year from December 1 to December 10. The 2026 edition runs Dec 1–10, 2026 at Kisama Heritage Village.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.