The hornbill festival is one of the grandest festivals in the nation. This festival is held in the month of December. And, since 2000, the state government is using this festival to promote tourism, nationally and internationally. And its success is testified by hundreds of photographers, naturalists, and anthropologists who throng the state in December.

The Hornbill festival provides great insights in the lives of the Nagas. The Nagas are the people of 16 tribes who are native to Nagaland. The festival is marked by celebrations and dance where you stand a chance to witness the Nagas in their traditional attire, and explore their food, customs, songs and their unique dance. The Naga tribes bond over the Hornbill festival. Each tribe has unique customs associated with their village and their surroundings. These tribes share and understand the customs of other tribes through the hornbill festival.

The Kisama village, which is a heritage village, plays host to the hornbill festival every year. The name Kisama bears the name of two villages which donated their lands for the heritage project. The land for this village is donated by the Phesama and Kigwema village. The Kisama village has 16 dormitories or Morungs for each of the tribe. Each Morung is built keeping the sensibilities of the tribe it is expected to host. The Morungs are the places where the tribe elders educate their young ones about their customs and traditions. One way of this education is song and dance.

The festival goes on for ten days. The best part about these ten days is that you get to experience the food of each of the tribe over the course of time. Apart from the food, each tribe has a different variant of rice beer. Ten days, and sixteen varieties of food and rice beer! And you thought you ought to be Germany to experience all that fun! If this is not enough, the Nagas are natural rock musicians. They host a rock concert, dirt rally, and a world-war II rally.

1. How to get there?

The hornbill festival, though a grand affair, demands that you indulge in a fair amount of planning. The best place to set up base is in Kohima. You can try the home stays or you can stay in the nearby villages. Alternatively, you can contact and Book your holiday to Nagaland with North East Tour Packages by SOTC and we will assist you with the details and take care of the planning part.

2. Inner Line Permits

Nagaland, although an Indian Territory, demands that all Indian citizens acquire a permit. Without a permit, you won’t be let inside the state border. Foreign nationals are exempted from acquiring a permit, but they have to report to the local police station every day. The permits are available at the Commissioner’s Office, Dimapur and from Nagaland Houses located across the nation.