Naga Village Life – Kohima and Khonoma

Naga Village Life – Kohima and Khonoma

Embark on a captivating journey of discovery through Nagaland. Spectacular landscapes and tribal villages abound in India’s remote and contiguous north-eastern state. Experience a life far removed from our own, where you will embrace the unknown to create memories that last a lifetime. You will live alongside the locals and find the opportunity to slow down, live in the moment and ‘just be’. You will find deep roots within the community and a sense of kinship that is extended to all visitors. Spend the night at India’s first Green Village – Khonoma, hike through to the legendary Dzukou Valley, learn to pound rice into wine, traditional cooking and much, much more!

Itinerary

Day 1: Set foot in Naga hills and transfer to Kiruphema village

Stop At: Kiruphema Basa, Nagaland 797002, India
Welcoming you to Nagaland. Today you meet your Guide at Dimapur Airport and then surface transfer to Kiruphema. As you drive on, you will notice that you are entering the hilly area and the temperature also slowly retreats and becomes cooler comparing to Dimapur. On reaching Kiruphema check in to your homestay, get introduced to your host who will lead you to your room, freshen up and have a cup of tea. Later on you participate in blacksmithing with some local craftsmen. Undeniably you are to experience the purest form of hospitality and innocence of the tribal in this exonerate village. Enjoy the local dinner and retire for the evening.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Sechu (Zubza), Nagaland, India
Elder Welcome
You are welcomed and inducted into the ways of the Naga by a member of our Council of Elders.

Elderhood is a position of reverence and one of service in Naga society. Elders are custodians of culture and history, and are responsible for the transference of Naga values from one generation to the other.

Our Elders are uniquely positioned to welcome you into Naga society having lived both in and outside of Nagaland.

They will entrust you with insight and advice to help you confidently transition from the outside into Naga society.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Homestay

Day 2: Hiking to Sechuma and drive top Khonoma via Mezoma

Stop At: Sechu (Zubza), Nagaland, India
After a good night’s rest, today, you wake up to breakfast along with some locally made breads or puffed sticky rice, which are sure to suit your taste buds. You are bidding goodbye to your new friends and proceed to the next village. The adventure moment is starting today, you shall hike from Kiruphema village to Sechuma village. The hike cuts through uneven gradient and the trek will be a moderate one which take about 3 hours. Meet your car and you will be driving till Sechuma village, have local lunch with a family. Visit the megalith culture at Mezoma and as you continue driving towards Khonoma, your attention will be caught by the beautiful forest cover and breathtaking view of the terraced fields of Khonoma and Mezoma. Enjoy the local dinner on reaching your destination and retire for the evening.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Homestay

Day 3: Explore Asia’s First Green Village

Stop At: Khonoma Village, Khonoma India
A new day, a new adventure awaits… As you wake up in this beautiful village, your host has prepared your breakfast, starting the day’s adventure by exploring Asia’s first Green village “Khonoma”. Enlightened with the stories of warriors and the struggles of the Angamis against the British Army, as you come across ceremonial gates, forts, morung, age-group houses, you will also meet local craftsmen who make cane basket and women weavers and interact with the friendly villagers. Drive to the buffer zone KNCTS (Khonoma Nature Conservation & Tragopan Sanctuary) for a Picnic lunch and get a chance to see the Mithun (State animal of Nagaland), hear birds’ chirping, breathing thin clean air!

Or you have the option to have lunch at your homestay and Post lunch take a “Nature Walk” you may take a slow leisure walk towards the organic farming area, collect wildly grown organic vegetables and herbal plants, Get to see how the people of Khonoma practice one of the most sustainable way of doing jhum cultivation with Alder trees! On arriving to your homestay, You may join your host in cooking dinner with your collection of vegetables!
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Homestay

Day 4: Heading to the capital city, Kohima

Stop At: Kohima, Kohima, Kohima District, Nagaland
Today you have the option to go and experience some local routine – go and fetch drinking water, carry fire-wood or prepare food for the cattle OR After leisure breakfast we shall visit a school meeting and interacting with the shy students! Its time to bid goodbye to this alluring Village and head on to the next destination with loads on adventures ahead. Drive to Kohima, the state Capital. On arrival check into your Hotel. Today you shall be visiting local market and you will get to know the food habits of Nagas, you get to see various eatable insects and worms, mushroom, vegetables, seasonal grown and wild fruits all sold in the local market. Later on you visit some places of importance like Second World War Cemetery, State Museum and the Cathedral. To deepen your knowledge about the War history, you shall meet an old man who owns a mini private museum who has good collection of artifacts of the battle of Kohima during the 2nd World War that took place in the year 1944. Time for a good lunch and later you are driving for about an hour to Kigwema village (15 kms) which is an ancestral village to many Angami Naga villages. It happened to be a village of refuge for the Japanese

soldiers during the 2nd World War at the Battle of Kohima. You shall be exploring the village taking a village walk visiting the community who still lives in traditional houses, visit schools, part take in pounding rice in the traditional way!

Later drive back to Kohima for overnight stay.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Hotel - Delux room (Twin sharing)

Day 5: Hiking to Puliebadze

Stop At: Pulie Badze, Kohima India
fter a sound sleep, get freshen up and have the healthy breakfast prepared at your Hotel. Today you shall be hiking to Mt Puliebadze with packed lunch. Mt Puliebadze is a legendary peak named after Pulie, a man who got lost in the forest after killing a giant serpent and is believed to have been taken by the spirits. This peak is also called 7522 hill during the British time and was used by the Japanese as a strategic point during the Battle of Kohima in 1944. The hike take about an hour for leisure/slow hikers, the trail is moderate and doable by all adventurous minded people. Lunch on the peak which offers a great view overlooking Kohima town and the surrounding villages. Hiking back till the trekking point, meet your car and drive back to Kohima. Evening you are driving to Kisama village, the venue of the Famous Hornbill Festival. Visiting Kisama will enable you to get some idea of the different tribes of Nagaland. Drive back to Kohima for overnight.
Duration: 6 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Hotel - Delux room (Twin sharing)

Day 6: Bid Farewell to Naga Hills

Stop At: Dimapur, Dimapur, Dimapur District, Nagaland
It’s time to bid farewell to the land of Nagas. Post breakfast drive to Dimapur to connect your flight for your onward journey.
Duration: 3 minutes

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.