Dzükou Valley from Kohima — what is published about the walk, and what is not
The Dzükou Valley near Kohima: high meadows at about 2,438–2,452 m behind Mount Japfü, walked from Viswema or Jakhama, with flowers from May to September.
ArticleVerified 2026-10-23
Best time to visit Kohima — dry winter and Hornbill, the long monsoon, the Dzükou lily
When to visit Kohima: dry winter days of 16.1–19.0°C and the Hornbill Festival (1–10 December), clear October–November, the rainy May–September. IMD normals.
Kohima has its own weather station, and Wikipedia carries the India Meteorological Department's normals for 1991–2020. The city has a mild highland climate, with most of its rain from June to September.
Photos: Original: Samudra Bikash Hazarika Derivative work: UnpetitproleX (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
The year at Kohima
- January: mean high 16.1°C, mean low 5.1°C, rain 12.1 mm.
- February: mean high 19.0°C, mean low 6.6°C, rain 28.5 mm.
- March: mean high 23.5°C, mean low 10.6°C, rain 48.6 mm.
- April: mean high 25.2°C, mean low 13.3°C, rain 100.1 mm.
- May: mean high 25.1°C, mean low 14.7°C, rain 188.5 mm.
- June: mean high 26.0°C, mean low 16.7°C, rain 248.3 mm.
- July: mean high 25.8°C, mean low 17.2°C, rain 334.7 mm.
- August: mean high 26.2°C, mean low 17.2°C, rain 344.0 mm.
- September: mean high 25.6°C, mean low 16.4°C, rain 268.2 mm.
- October: mean high 24.2°C, mean low 13.5°C, rain 125.2 mm.
- November: mean high 21.8°C, mean low 8.8°C, rain 22.9 mm.
- December: mean high 17.0°C, mean low 5.2°C, rain 6.4 mm.
The highest temperature recorded is 33.9°C and the lowest 0.6°C.
October to December: clear, and the Hornbill
The rain tails off in October and almost stops in November and December. From 1 to 10 December the Kisama Heritage Village holds the Hornbill Festival; see our Hornbill guide. Book early for that week.
January and February: dry and cold at night
Days of 16.1 to 19.0°C, nights of 5.1 to 6.6°C, and very little rain. Mount Japfü, above the city, gets snow in these months by Wikipedia's account.
March and April: spring
Warmer days of 23.5 to 25.2°C, with rain picking up from 48.6 mm in March to 100.1 mm in April.
May to September: the rains and the flowers
June to September bring most of the year's rain, up to 344.0 mm in August. It is also the season of the Dzükou Valley's flowers: Wikipedia says wildflowers carpet the meadows from May to September, and the Dzükou lily blooms in May and June. Read the Dzükou Valley guide.
Plan it
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Questions people ask
Which is the best month to visit Kohima?
November and December, by the IMD normals for Kohima: rain falls to 22.9 mm in November and 6.4 mm in December, days are about 17.0 to 21.8°C, and December brings the Hornbill Festival from the 1st to the 10th. January and February are also dry but colder at night.
How cold is Kohima in winter?
Mild by day and cold at night. December to February average 16.1 to 19.0°C by day and 5.1 to 6.6°C at night at Kohima, and the lowest recorded temperature is 0.6°C. Wikipedia says Mount Japfü, above the city, gets snow from December to February.
When does the Dzükou lily flower?
In May and June, by Wikipedia's account of the Dzükou Valley, where wildflowers carpet the meadows from May to September. Those are also months of heavy rain at Kohima, with 188.5 mm in May and 248.3 mm in June, so walkers need rain gear and a flexible day.