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Nagaland
State · North East

Nagaland

Land of festivals: Naga warrior heritage, Hornbill and hills

Nagaland's 16 tribes keep distinct costumes, songs and food. Visit hilltop villages, war memorials, and the Hornbill Festival, with scenic ranges and rare bird roosts such as the amur falcon.

Best time
October to May (Hornbill Festival: 1 to 10 December)
Allow
4–7 days
Getting there
Dimapur (DMU) airport and railhead; Kohima by road, 2 to 3 hours from Dimapur
Permits
Indian non-Nagaland residents need an Inner Line Permit (ILP), available online or at Dimapur; foreign nationals need a Restricted Area Permit exemption or registration. Check the current rule.
Capital
Kohima
At a glance
16 districts · 42 places · 32 off the beaten track
Must-see

The unmissable Nagaland

01

Hornbill Festival, Kisama

Ten-day December gathering of Naga tribes with dance, food and music.

02

Kohima War Cemetery

WWII memorial of the 1944 Battle of Kohima.

03

Khonoma village

India's first green village with terraces and warrior history.

04

Dzukou Valley

Flower-filled valley and trekker's camp on the Nagaland-Manipur border.

05

Mokokchung

Ao Naga hill town with Longkhum and Chuchuyimlang villages.

06

Longwa village, Mon

Konyak village straddling the India-Myanmar border.

07

Doyang River and Wokha

Amur falcon migration roost each October to November.

08

Touphema

Tourist village with a Naga hut stay near Kohima.

Tourist circuits

Ready-made routes

Join the dots: each circuit links places that make sense together.

Heritage3 days

Kohima heritage and Khonoma

War memorials, warrior villages, Hornbill grounds and local museums.

  1. Dimapur
  2. Kohima
  3. Khonoma
  4. Kisama
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Culture4 days

Konyak country

Tattooed headhunter-era heritage, sacred sites and border villages.

  1. Mokokchung
  2. Mon
  3. Longwa
  4. Shangnyu
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Wildlife3 days

Amur falcon route

Mass roosting of migrating falcons each October to November.

  1. Dimapur
  2. Wokha
  3. Doyang
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Adventure3 days

Dzukou and Japfu trek

Alpine meadows, rhododendron and a mountain camp.

  1. Kohima
  2. Viswema
  3. Dzukou Valley
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Hills4 days

Ao and Sumi hills

High villages, Naga weaving and quiet ridge roads.

  1. Mokokchung
  2. Tuensang
  3. Zunheboto
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District by district

Every district, place by place

16 districts. Open any to see what's worth your time — gold tags mark lesser-known places.

KohimaHQ Kohima · 5 places · 1 offbeat

Capital district, WWII history and Angami culture.

  • HeritageKohima War CemeteryGarden cemetery on the old Battle of Tennis Court.
  • CultureKhonomaTerraced Angami village with a war history.
  • CultureKisama Heritage VillageVenue of Hornbill Festival with tribal huts.
  • AdventureDzukou ValleyTrek to a flower-covered mountain valley.
  • CultureTouphemaOffbeatHilltop tourist village with Naga huts.
ChümoukedimaHQ Chümoukedima · 2 places · 2 offbeat

Foothill district created from Dimapur.

  • HeritageChümoukedima old townOffbeatOriginal Naga stronghold with ruins and a view.
  • CultureMedziphemaOffbeatMarket and rural life.
DimapurHQ Dimapur · 3 places · 2 offbeat

Commercial hub and gateway, once a Kachari capital.

  • HeritageKachari RuinsMushroom-shaped stone pillars from a medieval kingdom.
  • NatureTriple FallsOffbeatForest cascade near the city.
  • CultureShiv Mandir areaOffbeatLocal market culture and food.
NiulandHQ Niuland · 1 place · 1 offbeat

New district bordering Assam.

  • OffbeatNiulandOffbeatFoothills and tea-plantation edges.
PerenHQ Peren · 3 places · 3 offbeat

Zeliang hills and forest on the Assam border.

  • OffbeatTeningOffbeatSmall hill town with forest and waterfall.
  • NaturePuilwa FallsOffbeatWaterfalls in dense forest.
  • hillsMount PaunaOffbeatHilltop views near Peren.
PhekHQ Phek · 4 places · 2 offbeat

Chakhesang district of terraced hills.

  • hillsPfutseroHighest town in Nagaland, with glorious views.
  • hillsGlory PeakShort trek to a sunrise point.
  • CultureChizamiOffbeatWeaving village in the Chakhesang hills.
  • OffbeatKuzhamiOffbeatCold hill village.
WokhaHQ Wokha · 3 places · 2 offbeat

Lotha Naga home and the Doyang amur-falcon roost.

  • WildlifeDoyang ReservoirAmur falcons gather here in October-November.
  • NatureTotsu CliffOffbeatDramatic mountain lookout.
  • hillsMount TiyiOffbeatHilltop views near Wokha.
ZünhebotoHQ Zünheboto · 2 places · 2 offbeat

Sumi Naga hills; famous for Sumi shawl weaving.

  • CultureZünheboto townOffbeatSumi cultural centre and market.
  • NatureSatoi RangeOffbeatForest-covered range for hiking.
MokokchungHQ Mokokchung · 4 places · 3 offbeat

Ao Naga's cultural hub with old villages.

  • CultureLongkhum villageHilltop Ao village with a long tradition.
  • CultureChuchuyimlangOffbeatTraditional Ao village with a clay-wall history.
  • CultureUngmaOffbeatOldest Ao village, with a unique morung gate.
  • NatureDikhu RiverOffbeatRiver valley views with rafting.
LonglengHQ Longleng · 2 places · 2 offbeat

Small Phom Naga district between Mon and Mokokchung.

  • OffbeatLongleng townOffbeatHilltop Phom community town.
  • CultureYongnyahOffbeatPhom village with strong tradition.
MonHQ Mon · 4 places · 3 offbeat

Konyak heartland: tattooed elders and spectacular morungs.

  • CultureLongwaVillage straddling the Myanmar border.
  • HeritageShangnyuOffbeatArchaeological village with carved wooden monoliths.
  • hillsVeda PeakOffbeatViewpoint over Mon hills and rivers.
  • CultureMon town marketOffbeatKonyak crafts and food.
TuensangHQ Tuensang · 2 places · 2 offbeat

Eastern Chang country with remote culture.

  • CultureTuensang townOffbeatChang Naga market town and museum.
  • CultureSangtam villagesOffbeatVillage homestays in eastern hills.
ShamatorHQ Shamator · 1 place · 1 offbeat

Remote district bordering Myanmar.

  • OffbeatShamatorOffbeatYimkhiung Naga hills, little visited.
NoklakHQ Noklak · 1 place · 1 offbeat

Remote Khiamniungan hills bordering Myanmar.

  • OffbeatNoklakOffbeatBorder hamlet with traditional customs.
KiphireHQ Kiphire · 3 places · 3 offbeat

Sangtam and Yimkhiung district on the Myanmar border.

  • OffbeatThanamirOffbeatRemote Naga village and Saramati base.
  • AdventureMount SaramatiOffbeatNagaland's highest peak, about 3,840 m; trek needs guides and permissions.
  • WildlifeFakim Wildlife SanctuaryOffbeatBirds and subtropical forest.
TseminyuHQ Tseminyu · 2 places · 2 offbeat

New hill district near Kohima.

  • OffbeatTseminyuOffbeatHill town with orange orchards.
  • CultureRengma villagesOffbeatRengma weaving and festival traditions.
Unexplored

Hidden gems of Nagaland

LongwaMon

Village divided by the India-Myanmar border; Konyak history lives here.

ShangnyuMon

Village with carved wooden monuments of Konyak heritage.

Dzukou ValleyKohima

Meadows that burst into wildflowers in July; basic huts.

PfutseroPhek

India's highest town in the state, with cloud-top sunrises.

Doyang amur falconsWokha

Hundreds of thousands of falcons roost each October.

Mount SaramatiKiphire

Remote high peak on the Myanmar border.

TouphemaKohima

Village stay in a traditional Angami-style hut.

Thanamir ValleyKiphire

Quiet mountain valley with local homestays.

Eat

Signature flavours

  • Smoked pork with bamboo shoot
  • Axone (fermented soybean)
  • Galho (rice porridge)
  • Zutho (rice beer)
  • Naga chilli chutney
Stay

Village homestays in Khonoma and Touphema, small town hotels and forest guesthouses.

Festivals

When to time your visit

  • Hornbill Festival — December
  • Moatsu (Ao) — May
  • Sekrenyi (Angami) — February
  • Aoling (Konyak) — April
Insider tip

Hotels are scarce around Hornbill week; book a month ahead and keep the ILP handy for checkpoints.

Plan Nagaland with us

Tell us the circuit, the season and your pace — we'll shape it into a private itinerary. Permits, stays and transfers handled.

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Compiled from public tourism information and our own knowledge; permits, entry rules, district boundaries, timings and prices change — approximate, verify before travelling. Last reviewed 2026-11-09.