Featured Cultural Expedition

Cultural Tour with Hornbill Festival

9 Days · Assam · Nagaland

Expedition overview

A festival-anchored journey combining Kaziranga safaris, Majuli's Satras, a tea bungalow in Jorhat and two full days at the Hornbill Festival in Kisama with a side trip to the historic Angami village of Khonoma.

Why choose this expedition

Two full days at the Hornbill Festival — Northeast India's largest cultural gathering.
Khonoma — the warrior Angami village and Asia's first declared Green Village.
Kaziranga's Central and Western ranges by jeep on a single dedicated day.
Two nights on Majuli with the Satras and mask makers.
Stay in a heritage tea planter's bungalow in Jorhat.

Itinerary highlights

Kaziranga Central & Western jeep safaris
Brahmaputra ferry to Majuli
Majuli Satras
Mask-making village
Mishing tribal villages
Jorhat tea bungalow
Garampani hot springs
Hornbill Festival at Kisama
Naga morungs
Khonoma — Asia's first Green Village

Cultural highlights

Majuli Satras — Vaishnavite monasteries of Srimanta Sankaradeva
Shamaguri mask-making village
Mishing tribal villages on Majuli
Jorhat tea bungalow heritage stay
Hornbill Festival at Kisama Heritage Village
Khonoma village — Angami heritage and conservation model

Tribal communities encountered

Mishing
Vaishnavite Satras
16 Naga tribes
Angami

Wildlife & nature

Kaziranga — one-horned rhino, tiger, elephant, swamp deer
Birding inside Kaziranga's Central and Western ranges

Photography opportunities

Naga warriors in regalia at the Kisama arena
Morungs and log drums of the 16 tribes
Mask makers of Shamaguri at work
Rhino at dawn in Kaziranga
Khonoma's stone-walled terraces

Festival experiences

Hornbill Festival (1–10 Dec)

Day-wise itinerary

Day 1
Guwahati to Kaziranga
Arrive in Guwahati and journey east to Kaziranga National Park, settling into a forest lodge at the edge of the vast rhino-grassland wilderness.
Day 2
Kaziranga safaris
Venture deep into Kaziranga National Park by jeep safari, photographing one-horned rhinos, swamp deer and wild elephants across the Central and Western ranges.
Day 3
Kaziranga to Majuli
Drive to Nimati Ghat and ferry across the Brahmaputra to Majuli island, the world's largest river island, arriving as the sun sets over the water.
Day 4
Majuli
Wander through Majuli island's satras on this Assam cultural tour, visit the Shamaguri mask village and meet Mishing communities who live on bamboo stilts above the floodplain.
Day 5
Majuli to Jorhat
Ferry back to Nimati and continue to Jorhat on this Northeast India tour, where a heritage tea planter's bungalow offers colonial charm amid manicured gardens and rolling plantations.
Day 6
Jorhat to Kohima
Travel south through the Naga foothills to Kohima on this Hornbill Festival tour, a long scenic drive that shifts from tea estates to terraced hill country.
Day 7
Hornbill Festival, Kisama
Spend a full day at Kisama Heritage Village during the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland, witnessing dance, music, crafts and the iconic morungs of sixteen Naga tribes.
Day 8
Khonoma & Hornbill
Walk the stone terraces of Khonoma, Asia's first Green Village, before returning to Kisama for another afternoon of Hornbill Festival immersion.
Day 9
Departure
Depart from Dimapur airport on this Nagaland Hornbill Festival tour after a final morning walk through the misty terraced hills of Khonoma and the surrounding Angami countryside.

Responsible travel notes

Buy directly from tribal weavers and craft stalls at Kisama, not from resellers.
Ask before photographing performers in regalia outside the main arena.
Carry a reusable bottle — Kisama generates large volumes of plastic during the festival.
Respect Khonoma's conservation rules: no hunting, no littering, stay on marked paths.

Frequently asked questions

When exactly is the Hornbill Festival?: 1 to 10 December every year, at Kisama Heritage Village, about 12 km from Kohima.
Do I need a permit for Nagaland?: Yes — Inner Line Permit for Indian citizens, Protected Area Permit for foreign nationals. We arrange both.
Is accommodation available in Kohima during Hornbill?: Demand is very high. We book hotels and homestays 6–9 months in advance.

Related festivals

Hornbill Festival
Nagaland

Related expeditions

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Living Roots Expeditions designs each journey with handpicked village hosts, local guides and ethical partners.

Email us at hello@livingrootsexpeditions.com