The Hornbill Festival in three days — Kisama, the battle ground, and Khonoma
Three days for the Hornbill Festival, which runs from 1 to 10 December each year at the Kisama Heritage Village south of Kohima. One full day at the festival, one in the city with the Kohima War Cemetery and the cathedral on Aradura Hill, and one in Khonoma, the Angami village west of the city. Apply for the Inner Line Permit online before you travel, and book your bed early: the city fills in festival week.
Photos: Aravind Manickam (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Ganesh Mohan T (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Ly.n0m (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Who this is for
Travellers coming for the Hornbill Festival in the first ten days of December, who also want to see the city and a Naga village.
Day by day
Day 1A whole day at Kisama
1 stop
A whole day at Kisama
The festival's main venue, from morning dances to the evening.
- 09:00Kisama Heritage VillageAbout 22 minutes south of Kohima. Dances, the morungs of all 17 ethnic groups, crafts, food stalls, archery, Naga wrestling and games, as Wikipedia describes the festival. Back to the city for the evening concerts.
Day 2The city, its battle and its cathedral
2 stops · 7 min on the road
The city, its battle and its cathedral
A quieter day in Kohima between festival days.
- 09:00Kohima War CemeteryGarrison Hill and the tennis court of the 1944 battle, now a terraced cemetery with 1,420 Commonwealth burials.
- ↓ 7 min by road · 3 km11:00Mary Help of Christians Cathedral, KohimaThe Catholic cathedral on Aradura Hill, about 6 minutes from the centre on our routing. Wikivoyage says no church of its kind in the north-east is larger, and that the view of the town from it is very fine.
Day 3Khonoma
1 stop
Khonoma
A day in the Angami village before you leave.
- 09:30KhonomaAbout 37 minutes west of Kohima: the village that held out against the British until 1880 and has guarded its forest for Blyth's tragopan since 1998.
Getting there
Fly or take the train to Dimapur, about 105 minutes below Kohima on our routing. See how to reach Kohima.
Where to stay
Kohima for all three nights. We have no verified lodging or prices; book early for festival week.
Know before you go
- The Hornbill Festival runs 1–10 December every year; the main venue is Kisama, south of the city.
- December is dry at Kohima, with days of about 17.0°C and nights of about 5.2°C by IMD normals; carry warm layers.
- Indian citizens from outside Nagaland need the Inner Line Permit, valid 15 days for tourists.
Places on this route
Going together
No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.
Other ways to do it
All Kohima itineraries →
Nearby destinations
All destinations →
Questions people ask
How many days are enough for the Hornbill Festival?
One or two full days at Kisama show most of the festival: the dances, the morungs, the crafts and the games. This plan gives it one whole day and fills the other two with the war cemetery, the cathedral and Khonoma. With more time, go back to Kisama on another of the ten days.
How do I get from Kohima to the Hornbill Festival?
The Kisama Heritage Village is about 10.8 km and 22 minutes south of the city centre on our routing, above the highway towards Jakhama; Wikipedia gives 12 km. Taxis and shared cars run out during the festival, and the road gets busy, so leave the city early in the morning.
What should I pack for Hornbill in December?
Warm layers: Kohima averages about 17.0°C by day and 5.2°C at night in December by IMD normals, and it is almost dry. Carry your Inner Line Permit and an identity card, comfortable shoes for the hillside venue, and cash for crafts and food, since we cannot verify card payments.