Let’s face it, the Hornbill Festival Nagaland is not the easiest destination to reach. Therefore, this travel guide will answer your question “Is the Hornbill Festival Nagaland worth visiting” before you make the trip.
Before we dive into the heart of the question, let’s first explore what India’s Biggest Music Festival – the Hornbill Festival – is all about.
This Hornbill Festival guide will provide an overview of the festival and share essential tips and insights – things we wish we knew before attending – that we are certain will make your visit to Nagaland’s best festival as smooth and enjoyable as possible.
Trust us – there are some essential Nagaland travel tips coming up.
What is the Hornbill Festival Nagaland?
The Hornbill Festival is a celebration of the rich traditions, customs, and festivals of the various Naga tribes in Nagaland, a state in the less visited North-Eastern part of India.
Held near Kohima, Nagaland’s capital, the Hornbill Festival typically takes place in the first week of December, 1-10th.
Named after the Hornbill, the bird that is sacred to many tribes in the region, this Nagaland festival brings together the diverse ethnic groups of Nagaland under one roof to celebrate their cultural heritage.
Celebrating all 16 tribes of Nagaland it makes sense that this famous Indian festival is also known as the “Festival of Festivals”
While you are on this side of the country make sure to check out our Cherrapunji 3-Day Itinerary – trust us this addition will make your India trip the most epic it can be!
This Festival of Festivals features an exciting blend of traditional Naga music, dance, folk performances, handicrafts, tribal games, indigenous food, and rituals.
Visitors can watch Naga traditional dances and games, sample local Naga food like smoked pork and axone (fermented soybeans), shop for tribal handicrafts, and witness centuries-old rituals passed down through the generations.
You can even witness living history by meeting one of the last remaining Head Hunters – for a fee of 300 INR per person. In Naga culture, a “headhunter” refers to a member of certain Naga tribes who participated in the practice of headhunting, where they would take the heads of their enemies as trophies. This was historically seen as a way to demonstrate bravery, honour, gain spiritual power, and become a “true warrior”. The practice was officially banned only in the 60s but remains an important aspect of Nagaland’s history and culture.
All sounds pretty cool right? But keep reading because there’s some very important information to come about visiting India’s most famous festival, and we still have to answer the question “Is the Hornbill Festival worth visiting?”
How to Get to the Hornbill Festival Nagaland
As mentioned earlier, getting to the Hornbill Festival Nagaland may require a bit of effort. But we are here to make it as easy as possible for you, check out some of your options for getting to Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival below:
Getting to the Hornbill Festival By Air: The nearest airport to Kohima is in Dimapur, the capital of Nagaland, and about 74 km away. Dimapur is well-connected to major cities like Kolkata, Guwahati, and Delhi. If you are flying from Mumbai to Dimapur you will need to take a connecting flight via Guwahati.
Once in Dimapur, you can hire a private or shared taxi to reach Kohima, which takes around 2 to 3 hours by road.
Getting to the Hornbill Festival By Train: Dimapur is also the closest railway station to Kohima, but getting to Dimapur is not that straightforward. There are no direct trains from major cities in India to Nagaland, as this region is only accessible through a narrow corridor between Nepal and Bangladesh. This means you’ll need to travel to Siliguri (New Jalpaiguri), then to Guwahati, and finally to Dimapur.
We recommend that if you’re traveling by train, you consider stopping in New Jalpaiguri (Siliguri) to visit the colonial hill station of Darjeeling, and then onto Guwahati to explore Cherrapunji Meghalaya and its amazing root bridges – One of our favorite destinations in India!
Once you arrive at Dimapur train station, you can take either a private or shared taxi to Kohima. We traveled to Dimapur from Guwahati by train and found plenty of taxis outside the station. We chose a shared taxi to Kohima, which took about two hours, and the fare was 330 INR / 3.70 Euro / 3.90 USD per person.
The shared taxis will stop at Kohima Interstate Bus Terminus ISBT, where there will be plenty of taxis waiting to take you to your accommodation.
Book your train tickets in advance if you want to travel to Dimapur in first class as they sell out quickly.
What to Know When Entering Nagaland as a Foreigner – Important Part One!
So apparently, foreign tourists can enter Nagaland freely (without any permits, unlike Sikkim) – however, they need to register with the Foreigner’s Registration Officer (FRO) or the nearest Police Station within 24 hours of their arrival. Who knew? Because we certainly did not!
Luckily as we were leaving Dimapur train station a police officer ran after us to bring us to the office to complete registration. We advise you not to make police officers chase after you and if you are arriving from Dimapur train station just walk straight to the Police office of your own accord which is located a few hundred meters on the right side of the exit. If unsure just ask one of the many police officers in beige uniforms.
Foreigner’s Registration for visiting Nagaland involves filling out information such as passport/visa details, where you will stay, and for how long. It is pretty straightforward and the police were lovely to us. We even got a phone call from a police officer later that night to make sure we got to our Kohima accommodation ok.
Would you like all the transport and logistics for a 7-day trip to Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival taken care of for you? This comprehensive Hornbill Festival Tour in Nagaland handles every detail, including airport transfers, entry to the festival, and much more.
In addition to the vibrant Hornbill Festival experience, the tour also includes the renowned Dzukou Valley trek, a visit to a traditional Naga village, and other famous Nagaland attractions. We honestly believe this is the ultimate Nagaland experience, so don’t miss out – book your unforgettable Hornbill Festival adventure now and start looking forward to an extraordinary journey!
Where to Stay When Visiting the Hornbill Festival Nagaland? Important Part Two!
When attending the Hornbill Festival, Nagaland’s second largest city, Kohima, is generally the number one choice, as it offers the most accommodation options, from budget hotels to luxury stays.
However, given that Kohima is the top choice for accommodation, this means that lots of people visiting the Hornbill Festival will also be staying there and lots of accommodation is booked out in advance.
This also means that all these people will be traveling to and from the festival with you, which means one thing – traffic jams!!
We found it challenging to find clear information on the best places to stay for the Hornbill Festival, particularly when factoring in the distance from the festival, transport options, and the additional costs of getting to and from India’s Biggest Music Festival.
Coming up in this Guide to the Hornbill Festival we have compiled the best tips for where to stay when visiting the Hornbill Festival, tips we wish we knew for our visit. Because, did you know that Kohima is located 12 km/ 7 miles from the Hornbill Festival grounds at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama?
Thankfully we arrived in Kohima a couple of days before the festival began so we had time to get the best tips for the Hornbill Festival from the local Naga people.
The festival-goers hadn’t begun to arrive yet and the Kohima traffic was already crazy!! As we were told by our host – “You haven’t seen anything yet”. Our host went on to advise us that the 12km journey can take up to 2 hours each way during the Hornbill Festival. No, thank you!
We took this as a sign to book accommodation closer to the Hornbill Festival site at Naga Heritage Village, it saves us time traveling from Kohima to the Hornbill Festival each day.
Staying in Kohima for the Hornbill Festival allows you to enjoy the convenience of being close to restaurants, markets, and other amenities. Just allow sufficient time (and patience) for the heavy traffic.
How Did we Find our Accommodation for the Hornbill Festival?
Opting to stay in Kisama, we booked a guesthouse called EPITOME only 500 meters from the Hornbill Festival site, and paid 2500 INR/ 28 Euro/ 29 USD per night.
We found our guesthouse by entering Naga Heritage Village on Google Maps and searching for accommodation around the area. There were actually quite a lot of guesthouses available – albeit quite expensive given what they were offering. However, we understand an accommodation price increase is to be expected for India’s Biggest Music Festival.
Most Kisama Guesthouses list a WhatsApp number, allowing you to easily contact them for details on availability, pricing, and photos.
Camping for the Hornbill Festival is also a popular choice for festival-goers; and can offer pretty decent deals. Check out the camping offers in the pictures below.
Points to Remember:
- Kohima is your best bet for a wider range of accommodations and amenities, but be prepared for the busy traffic.
- If you prefer to be closer to the festival venue and don’t mind limited options, consider staying in Kisama near the Naga Heritage Village.
- Book your accommodation for the Hornbill Festival well in advance as options are more limited and may book up quickly.
Ok so now you know where to stay for the Hornbill Festival let’s take a look how to get to and from the Hornbill Festival Nagaland.
While you are on the topic of hidden gems in India make sure to check out our favorite Indian attraction – Nongriat’s Living Root Bridges in Meghalaya.
Transport to and From the Hornbill Festival
A taxi from Kohima to the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama will cost you 600/700 INR.
An alternative option for transport from Kohima to the Hornbill Festival is the Hornbill Festival Premium Shuttle Service. You can purchase a pass for this shuttle service at the entrance of Naga Heritage Village for 200 INR per person.
If you choose to stay in surrounding local villages such as Kigwema. You can either purchase a ticket from the Hornbill Festival Premium Shuttle Service for 50 INR per person – what makes it premium? It is comfortable, it has air-conditioning and a phone charging point.
In our opinion, if you are staying in the local village of Kigwema you should just take full advantage of the wonderful FREE bus service from the Hornbill festival to Kigwema village. From the Naga Heritage Village to Kigwema is only 4km (2 miles) and will take you 10 minutes – we are sure you can survive that length of time without needing your phone charged!
Now you that know how to get to the Hornbill Festival let’s look at what to expect from Nagaland’s famous festival.
What is the Entrance Fee for the Hornbill Festival?
Day one of the Hornbill Festival is free up until 4 pm. Each day after this for the 10-day Nagaland Festival will cost you 200 INR per person. At just over 2 Euro (2 USD) we think that price is pretty good to experience India’s Biggest Music Festival – what do you think?!
Will Alcohol be Sold at the Hornbill Festival?
Nagaland is a “dry” state, meaning the sale and consumption of alcohol are prohibited by law.
However, rice beer and rice wine, traditional alcoholic beverages made from fermented rice, are still commonly consumed in Nagaland. It is typically brewed at home or in small-scale local production and is culturally significant, especially during Nagaland festivals and community events.
And at this Festival of Festivals, you can expect to find plenty of rice beer and rice wine on offer – served in cool bamboo mugs! Naturally, as dedicated Happy Irish Wanderers, we had to sample each Nagaland tribe’s rice beer to determine which one stood out – purely for cultural research, of course!
Rice beer and rice wine at the Hornbill Festival will cost between 100 – 150 INR.
What to Expect at the Hornbill Festival Nagaland?
You now know that you can purchase alcohol at the Hornbill Festival, but what else can you expect from this Nagaland festival?
As we now know, the main event happens at the Naga Heritage Village near Kohima, where various Naga tribes set up their authentic tribal huts to showcase their traditional attire, customs, and daily lives.
You’ll see colorful Nagaland folk dances performed around campfires, hear traditional drum beats, and watch Naga rituals, dances, and games such as shotput to determine the strongest tribe members.
The Hornbill Festival also provides a great opportunity to see some unique cultural aspects like wood carving, weaving, and handicrafts, which are integral to the lifestyle of the Naga people. For shoppers, it’s an exciting place to purchase one-of-a-kind tribal items, including jewelry, handwoven textiles, and pottery.
Basically, there will be entertainment and activities happening everywhere you look. The only issue with the Hornbill Festival is that there is only one of you and so much to see all at once!
You can even broaden your knowledge of Nagaland and visit the Naga Arts Gallery, as well as, a World War II Museum and World War II Vintage Car Display.
Did you know that the Battle of Kohima during WW2 was crucial for South Asia. The Battle of Kohima stopped Japan’s advance into India and weakened its position in the region, paving the way for Allied victories back into Burma and throughout Southeast Asia, ultimately contributing to the end of Japanese control.
Taking time to visit this important Nagaland Museum during your time at the Hornbill Festival will definitely be worth your while. It was nice to have a bit of a break from all the crowds too!
Of course, as it is India’s biggest music festival you can expect many music acts from both National and International artists. We were lucky enough to watch acts from Wales, Japan, the USA, and of course, many local Nagaland musicians, all of whom had us on our feet in cheer – and that wasn’t just because of the local Naga rice beer!
Aside from the cultural festivities, the Hornbill Festival also serves as a platform for the Naga people to promote their identity and heritage to the outside world, fostering an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect for tribal cultures.
So having read all about the Hornbill Festival, what do you think, Is the Hornbill Festival Nagaland worth visiting? Why not see what we got up to at the Festival of Festivals in the video below which is sure to help you make up your mind!
So, Is the Hornbill Festival Nagaland Worth Visiting?
Now that you have gained lots of new knowledge and our top tips for attending the Hornbill Festival, let’s get to the main question, undoubtedly the reason for reading this article in the first place.- Is the Hornbill Festival Nagaland Worth Visiting?
Our answer, and you may have already guessed at this stage, is 100% absolutely, yes the Hornbill Festival is worth visiting.
What makes the Hornbill Festival unique is not only its grandeur but also its authenticity. You’re not just seeing a performance for the sake of tourism; you’re witnessing a living, breathing celebration of the Naga people’s cultural pride and identity.
The Hornbill Festival offers nonstop entertainment and activities at every turn. Prepare to be awestruck by the vibrant colors, lively music, and the warm, welcoming Naga people. You’ll find yourself hopping between villages, each brimming with infectious energy and passion.
Immerse yourself fully in the experience, you honestly won’t be able to get enough of it.
Trust us when we say that there is no festival quite like this Festival of Festivals and you will not regret making the journey to visit – especially with the extra tips!
We hope this Hornbill Festival travel guide has helped prepare you for your visit, allowing you to focus more on enjoying your visit to this remarkable and lesser-visited gem of India.
If we have left anything out please let us know. We would love to hear from you and get your answer to “Is the Hornbill Festival Nagaland worth visiting?”
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