Private journey · Hornbill Festival, December 2027
Hornbill Festival Tour: Nagaland and Assam, December 2027
Fourteen nights timed for the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland, 1–10 December 2027, with the Naga village of Khonoma, Majuli island and the rhinos of Kaziranga.
- Duration
- 14 nights · 15 days
- Route
- Delhi · Kohima · Kisama · Majuli · Kaziranga · Guwahati
- Best months
- December (festival 1–10 December 2027)
- Hotels
- The most comfortable stays available
- Pricing
- Tailored to your choices
Why this journey
Why this Hornbill Festival tour
This Hornbill Festival tour takes you to Nagaland in December, when the Naga tribes gather at Kisama, near Kohima, for ten days of song, dance and ceremony. Afterwards the journey continues into Assam, to Majuli and Kaziranga. Like every Hornbill Festival tour we plan, it can be shaped around your dates, pace and interests. For background, see our guide to the Hornbill Festival.
01
The festival of festivals
Nagaland’s tribes gather each December at Kisama Heritage Village for dance, song, games, food and crafts.
02
Khonoma
A day in the historic hill village known for its terraced fields and its community-led conservation.
03
Majuli and Kaziranga
Vaishnavite monasteries on a river island, then the one-horned rhinos and wild elephants of Kaziranga.
The route
Your route
You fly from Delhi to Dimapur and drive up into the Naga Hills, then down through Assam to Majuli and Kaziranga, and fly home from Guwahati.
Day by day
Your Hornbill Festival tour, day by day
Day 1 Arrive in Delhi
You are met at the airport and driven to your hotel.
Overnight: Taj Palace, New Delhi
Day 2 Delhi
The Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk, and the Lotus Temple.
Overnight: Taj Palace, New Delhi
Day 3 Delhi to Kohima
Fly to Dimapur, the gateway to Nagaland, and drive up through the Naga Hills to Kohima.
Overnight: Niraamaya Retreats Aradura, Kohima
Day 4 Hornbill Festival
Drive to Kisama Heritage Village, around 10 to 12 kilometres from Kohima. Explore the traditional morungs, or tribal houses, and watch the opening celebrations, performances and costumes.
Overnight: Niraamaya Retreats Aradura, Kohima
Day 5 Hornbill Festival
A full day at the festival: dances, indigenous games, Naga food, handicrafts and textiles. The programme changes each year, and we share it as soon as it is published.
Overnight: Niraamaya Retreats Aradura, Kohima
Day 6 Khonoma
Visit Khonoma, a historic Angami village surrounded by forested hills, to walk its lanes, see its traditional architecture and learn about community life. Return to Kohima.
Overnight: Niraamaya Retreats Aradura, Kohima
Day 7 Kohima to Majuli
Drive down through Dimapur towards Jorhat in Assam, then take the ferry across the Brahmaputra to Majuli.
Overnight: Majuli, at the most comfortable island stay
Day 8 Majuli
Visit the satras, villages and craft communities of Majuli and learn about its Vaishnavite traditions, music and mask-making.
Overnight: Majuli, at the most comfortable island stay
Day 9 Majuli to Kaziranga
The ferry back to the mainland, then drive to Kaziranga National Park.
Overnight: Diphlu River Lodge, Kaziranga
Day 10 Kaziranga National Park
A safari for one-horned rhinoceros, wild elephants, swamp deer and birds. Zones and timings depend on the park’s schedule.
Overnight: Diphlu River Lodge, Kaziranga
Day 11 Kaziranga to Guwahati
Drive to Guwahati. If time allows, a first look at the city in the evening.
Overnight: Vivanta Guwahati, Guwahati
Day 12 Guwahati
Kamakhya Temple, one of Assam’s great pilgrimage sites, and other sights depending on opening hours.
Overnight: Vivanta Guwahati, Guwahati
Day 13 Guwahati to Delhi
Fly back to Delhi. The rest of the day is free.
Overnight: Taj Palace, New Delhi
Day 14 Delhi
A flexible day for Humayun’s Tomb, Hauz Khas, the museums or the markets.
Overnight: Taj Palace, New Delhi
Day 15 Depart Delhi
Transfer to the airport for your journey home.
Where you’ll stay
Hotels on this Hornbill Festival tour
These are the hotels we usually suggest for this route. We confirm each one with you, and can suggest alternatives at a similar level if you prefer. Majuli has no luxury hotels, so there we choose the most comfortable island stay.
Taj Palace
New Delhi · 4 nights
Diphlu River Lodge
Kaziranga · 2 nights
Vivanta Guwahati
Guwahati · 2 nights
Majuli: a simple island stay
Majuli · 2 nights
Make it yours
Shape it around you
This Hornbill Festival tour is a starting point. These are some of the changes our travellers most often ask for.
Questions
Questions about this Hornbill Festival tour
When is the Hornbill Festival?
It runs from 1 to 10 December each year at Kisama Heritage Village near Kohima. This journey is timed for the opening days in December 2027. The festival programme is published by Nagaland Tourism, and we reconfirm the schedule before you travel.
What are the hotels like in Nagaland?
Kohima’s hotels are simple and comfortable rather than luxurious, and they fill early for the festival. We reserve the best available well ahead and tell you exactly what to expect. The comfort level rises again in Assam.
Do we need a permit for Nagaland?
Rules for foreign visitors have changed several times in recent years. We check the current requirement for your nationality and arrange any permit needed as part of your journey.
How cold is it in December?
Days in Kohima are mild and sunny; nights are cool, often close to single figures in Celsius. Warm layers are useful in the evenings.
How early should we book?
As early as possible. Rooms near Kohima are limited during the festival, and the best ones are often taken a year ahead.
Hornbill Festival Tour: Nagaland and Assam, December 2027
Enquire about this Hornbill Festival tour
Tell us when you would like to travel and who is coming. We will reply personally to arrange a call at a time that suits you.
Prefer to write directly? contact@alluring.travel · WhatsApp +91 92119 13735
