India Nagaland 16 Days

Day 1 Departure

Today you leave to return in 16 days with lots of great memories.

Day 2 Arrival Guwahati

You will be picked up at the airport and transferred to the hotel in the center of Guwahati. a lively city with local markets, many small stores and whenever possible play cricket, the national sport of India.

If you want to explore the city a little further away from the hotel, you can do it perfectly well by tuktuk.

Day 3 Guwahati - Kaziranga NP

After breakfast we leave the city of Guwahati via a road parallel to the Brahmaputra River. The first part is still through road but then we turn off to drive on alternating paved and unpaved roads through several villages towards Kaziranga National Park. We spend the night in a hotel close to the park which we will visit tomorrow morning.

Day 4 Kaziranga NP - Jorhat

In the early morning, you can take an optional safari to Kaziranga National Park. Kaziranga is a UNESCO protected park. It is also a Tiger Reserve and the park is world famous for rhinos. Kaziranga has the highest density of tigers in the world. The park has more than 450 species of birds, 18 of them endangered species. The bearded staircase is the main attraction. Apart from tigers and Rhino and various birds the park is also home to other animals such as Buffalo, Asian elephants, Sambar, pig deer, swamp deer and wild boar. After lunch we take a short drive to the town of Jorhat. For the most part we will drive the busy through road 715 and where possible we will turn off to take the secondary roads. Jorhat is the last capital of the Ahom kingdom. Here you can visit historical monuments such as tombs and mosques. Jorhat is also known as the "tea capital" of India. Many tea plantations can be found in this city and the surrounding area. Of course, you can have a cup of delicious Assam tea at a local restaurant.

Day 5 Jorhat - Dibrugarh

Today we are going to Dibrugarh via Majuli Island. For this we have to catch the ferry across the Brahmaputra River after half an hour's drive. Majuli is the largest river island in the world, here live the Missing tribes, Hindu monks who practice Vaishnavism. Dibrugarh is one of the major cities of Assam. Here you can visit temples or go to the botanical garden. There is ee colorful bazaar. There are also many beautiful tea plantations and you can take a walk along the river.

Day 6 Dibrugarh - Mon

After breakfast we drive to the province of Nagaland. The first part is still flat but that will change when we enter the mountains near Tizit. As we ascend, the quality of the road gets worse and is sometimes no more than a wide track of earth with breathtakingly beautiful views over the many mountains of Nagaland up to Mon. Mon is a simple town with many tribes as its population. Mon lies at an altitude of 900 meters and is the land of the Konyak Nagas. These were one of the great warriors among the Nagas and practiced headhunting until not long ago. The Konyak villages are ruled by Angh which means head of the village. You see here especially that women wear tattooed faces. People adorn themselves with feathers on their headgear. Konyaks are skilled artisans and are true craftsmen. Our overnight stay here is simple.

Day 7 Mon ( traditional tribes Longwa )

After breakfast we drive to Longwa village (41 km / 2 hours), in the border area of India and Burma. We will search for the various tribes still living here. With a local guide, we try to meet the more remote tribes. Not so long ago these tribes were completely cut off from the outside world but are now visited with caution.

Then we drive back to Mon.

Day 8 Mon - Mokokchung

After breakfast we drive south. we now enter the narrow part of Nagaland, sandwiched between Myanmar and Bangladesh. Soon after leaving Mon, the road gets bad. Today we drive much off road on earth narrow roads through the breathtakingly beautiful mountain landscape of Nagaland with sometimes no more than a small path to get to Mokochung. If it has rained, parts of this day's stage can be challenging and tough, but it is not dangerous. Mokokchung lies at an altitude of 1325 meters and this picturesque town is the cultural center of the Ao tribes. The Ao Nagas are famous for their colorful dances. If time permits, we will visit Unmga village - the largest Ao village. After this long day, we spend the night in a fine hotel with good beds.

Day 9 Mokokchung - Kohima

After breakfast, we drive further west. A full day through and over the many mountains of Nagaland. The quality of the road will vary from asphalt to dirt roads. Currently they are improving the road to Khonoma. Kohima, Nagaland, is inhabited by 16 major tribes, along with other sub-tribes. This is a land of song and music, where folk songs honor the brave warriors of the past. However, the new generation of Ao people is increasingly being drawn to Christianity by foreign missionaries. We spend the night within walking distance of the center. Fine hotel with good beds and air conditioning so we can rest well for two nights.

Day 10 Kohima stay

After breakfast we drive to Khonoma village (20km) is inhabited by people from the Angami tribe, in the year 1879 the tribals surrendered to the British army after years of struggle and made peace. At the end of the village is a memorial where the place where many Nagas were brutally murdered. Some were even dug their own graves and shot at point blank range. Khonoma is also known for its fighting prowess. In the afternoon, we drive back to Kohima. On the outskirts of the village is a memorial site of a battle against the British occupation army. Many Nagas died here in their revolt against British occupation. If we still have time we also visit a Kisama village - this is a Naga Heritage Village and the venue for the Hornbill Festival, which consists of a number of beautifully built traditional houses and morungs (dormitory Naga boys).

Day 11 Kohima - Imphal

After breakfast we drive to Imphal on the border with Myanmar. It is not a long drive and we will arrive by the end of the morning. In the afternoon we will visit the local market. The Ima-Keithel is a local market where only women are allowed to sell their goods. Imphal was once the capital of historic Manipur. The literal meaning of Manipur is the land of jewels. Located at 800 meters here are the oldest polo fields in the world. You can visit the serene and well-maintained gardens of the Second World War cemetery. This commemorates the English and Indian soldiers who died here. Japanese and English troops fought each other here. Not far from here is a small museum about this forgotten part of the war. We drive on to Moirang and visit the Loktak but, the largest freshwater lake in eastern India.

Day 12 Imphal - Silchar

There are few straights in the road today and the distance is quite long. So we set out early. The road has a provincial road number, but is largely unpaved. The road winds through beautiful mountain scenery. Along the way there are only a few small mountain villages. Lunch and coffee shops are not very numerous. But all the more photo stops we can make. Silchar is a small village with a simple guesthouse.

Day 13 Silchar - Shillong

We start with a stretch of lowland before we swing back into the mountains. We drive very close to the Bangladesh border. This section through the mountains is equivalent to yesterday, with few settlements and beautiful views. Shillong is a hill station (1500 meters high) in northeast India. It is also the capital of the state of Meghalaya, one of the smallest states in India. The hilly area is somewhat reminiscent of Scotland, which is why it is sometimes called the "Scotland of the East. The landscape consists of rolling hills lined with spice bushes and conifers. In the past, it was a popular place among the British. You can also motor around go to the Elephant waterfall. The British gave this name in the past because of a rock that resembled an elephant. This can't be seen now because the rock was destroyed during an earthquake.

Day 14 Shillong stay

Today you can explore Shillong. About 15 kilometers from the city is Barapani Lake. This lake was created after a dam was built in the Umiam River. It is one of the most beautiful places in this area. You can kayak or explore the river by pedal boat. You can also visit Don Bosco, which was established to preserve local cultures in India. The architecture of the building is already special to see, as it is built in the shape of a honeycomb. This is also a museum. Furthermore, you can take a walk through Phan Nonglait park and go to the colorful Bara bazaar.

Day 14 Shillong - Guwahati

It is a short drive back to Guwahati where we started the trip. After arriving in Guwahati, you will have the opportunity to visit the famous Maa Kamkhya Temple - one of the most sacred Hindu pilgrimage site.

Day 15 Departure

Day 16 Arrival home