ChaloHoppo to aLesser Known

Nagaland

Dec 10- Dec 17

Time to meet the Headhunters of Nagaland

Starting from Kohima, the modern-day capital of Nagaland, driving up to the picturesque town of Mokokchung, home to the Ao Nagas and the

epicentre of the American Baptism movement to ultimately reaching the wild east where the last surviving tattooed headhunters live.

View from the homestay in Longwa

View of Longkhum Village in Mokokchung.

A glimpse of the gunmaker’s home in Longwa village

The brief Itinerary

7 nights and 8 days

Day 1 A night at the terraced campsitein Jakhama village

Two things can precede your arrival at the campsite. Either you are coming from Dimapur directly, crossing bumpy roads, wondering if the misery will ever end and is this journey going to be worth it, and the other situation is that you arrived a day earlier and have been to the Hornbill festival already and know that the terrible roads were worth the trouble. In any case, tonight is about meeting other campers from across the world, uniting over the fire and having a myriad of conversations over some tasty organic food. The winters are quite chilly and the only time you will leave the fire is when it's time for you to sleep. If you get a decent spot around the bonfire, you may be able to spot a couple of satellites and planets between the stars.

Overnight at Camp Yedikha

Day 2 Mokokchung - The quiet hill townwith a rich history

Your exploration of Nagaland begins today, as you set out for Mokokchung,the most stylish town in Nagaland, as described by a local college goingboy in Kohima. You will probably find his statement to be true, once youenter the beautiful town perched at 4600 feet, and see the local youthdressed to stun! You will have to wait for 6 hours as we cross the Wokhadistrict to reach Mokokchung.Today, you should enjoy the drive, the food stoppage at Wokha district,thereby trying the cuisine of another tribe, an evening walk in Mokokchungtown and a good night's sleep. For tomorrow we start our day early andhead out to explore two to three villages. Mokokchung is known as thecultural capital of Nagaland, so you have lots of look forward to.Drive time: 6 hoursDistance covered: 150 kmOvernight at A beautiful homestay with a view

Day 3 Longkhum, Umga and more.

The Ao Nagas are considered the most advanced of all the Naga tribes,considering they were one of the first to get educated and had a crucialrole to play in spreading the American Baptism movement that sweptNagaland. Three prime villages of significance that you will be visitingtoday, based on how you feel after visiting one of them would be -Longkhum, Ungma and Mopungchuket. Each village has its ownsignificance like Longkhum - the Vanguard village at 6056 feet, Ungma -the second largest village in Nagaland and Mopungchuket - where folktales of the Nagas live.At the end of today's tour which will include a bit of driving and walkingaround, you should get a sound sleep since tomorrow, is going to be a longday.Overnight at Whistling Winds.

Day 4 Mon Town - Enter the wild east

Followed by an early breakfast the drive to Mon town begins. The circumnavigation due to lack of motorable roads connecting the two districts makes the drive really long. Thankfully only 4 of the 8 hours are roads that are cringe-worthy. Drive past the Assam border to enter the land of the Nagas, and not any Nagas, the Konyaks, also known as the last of the tattooed headhunters. You will slowly leave the plains and tea gardens of Assam and head towards higher elevation on bumpy roads. The drive slowly starts to give you the feeling that you are entering a different zone, something unknown. Thatched huts and flowering plants serving as boundaries of homes will welcome you into Nagaland. The clouds should be right up there with you. But you have to understand that this will be one of the bumpiest rides of your life and hence prepare accordingly. Check into your comfortable stay for the night after trying some local food.

Drive time: 8 hours. Overnight in cottages overlooking Mon town.

Day 5 Meet the last face tattooed king and more

Today we hope to meet the last surviving face tattooed headhunter Angh, i.e. the chief or the king of a Konyak village. Usually, he is found sitting in his kitchen drinking dearly bitter black tea with other old men, all of whom wear tattoos on their wrinkled skin. The king or his men don't really speak English but a conversation can be facilitated with the help of the local guide cum translator. Don't forget to 'pay' your regards to the Angh. We will spend some time picking up handloom and handicraft products from the local market. The Konyaks make some amazing products and this is a great way of supporting the local community as well as have a fascinating shopping experience. Take a walk through the King’s house, shedding your usual understanding of kings, queens and palaces. The village gets more fascinating as you visit the gun maker's house and understand the nuances of the gun culture in Nagaland.

Overnight in a homestay overlooking the hills of Longwa village.

Day 6 A night at the opiated border town of Longwa

You can experience a beautiful sunrise in the village and if you are an early riser, a hike up to the India Burma border pillar no 155 will give you a bird's eye view of the village. Ignore the men with rifles patrolling the pillar and the border and focus on the clouds below you. Rest of the day you can spend as you like, walking and hiking.This day has been added on request and feedback from travellers who wished they had an extra day in this border village doing nothing but just soak in the beauty of the place.

Overnight in a homestay overlooking the hills of Longwa village.

Day 7 A night in the train reflecting on the trip

Today it is time to bid goodbye to your hosts and to Nagaland. We drive out by 10 am. This train ride will be an equally exciting and important part of the trip. Let's just leave it to the day when you board the train.Total drive time from Longwa to Simalguri (railway station) will be 5.5 hours.

Day 8 Fly out of Northeast India

The train chugs into Guwahati early in the morning. Board your flight with memories for a lifetime.Any flight after 12 pm can be booked.

Trip Inclusions

● All accommodations on a twin sharing basis in tents, homestays and guesthouses.● Transport from Dimapur station/Airport at noon (Day 1) to Simalguri Railway station in Assam on the last day of the tour. ● AC 2 tier train tickets from Simalguri station to Guwahati on 16th December.● All permits(including Inner Line Permits) and parking charges● All meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner except Lunch and Dinner on Day 2 and Day 3.● English speaking local guides in Mon, Mokokchung and Longwa● A Chalohoppo guy as the tour leader● Entry fee to monuments etc, if any

Trip Exclusions● Airfare charges● Lunch and Dinner on Day 2 and Day 3● All food & beverages cost apart from the ones mentioned above● Any camera fees● Hotel & driver tips (if any)● Tips to be paid while visiting villages, if any● Any personal expenditure (Toiletries, medicines, etc.)● Cost incidental to any change in the itinerary/ stay on account of flight cancellation due to bad weather, ill health, roadblocks and/or any factors

beyond control.● Anything not specifically mentioned under the head "Inclusions".

Reviews of Lesser Known Nagaland.

Reviews of Reviews of Lesser Known Nagaland.

Reviews of Lesser Known Nagaland.

FAQ’sQ. Which airport do we have to come to and fly out from?A: The tour begins from Dimapur Airport or Dimapur Railway station and ends at Guwahati Airport.

Q. What time should we land and what time should we book the return flights?A: Ideally you should land by noon on 10th December and fly out from Guwahati at 8 am on 17th December.

Q. Do I need a Visa, inner line permit or any other kind of identity proof to enter northeast India?A: Yes, your Permits are included in the cost of the package.

Q.I am a solo traveller, can I come on this trip?A: A most definite yes, as long as you are okay travelling in a mixed group of other solo travellers or small group of friends.

FAQ’sQ. I am a vegetarian, I hear that people only consume meat there. How will I manage?A: The cultural diversity of northeast India is so vast that we can’t blame outsiders for not being aware of communities in the region who are purely vegetarians, so much so that they avoid eating onions (they are indigenous to the region, in case you are thinking about communities from mainland India who have settled here). Having said that, we must admit that the region’s food habits especially in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya are predominantly non vegetarian with a whole lot of red meat based preparations. But the states have warmed up to tourists recently and almost every place you visit will provide the Indian staple diet of rice, dal and sabji, even chapatis if you are lucky. Your craving for butter paneer may not be satisfied, but you will do just fine as far as maintaining your health and strength is concerned.

Q. How will the roads in Meghalaya be?

A: The roads in Meghalaya are the best you can come across in the country. Although, the road journey to Kongthong will be rusty with bad roads.

FAQ’sQ. Is it safe to travel to Northeast India? I have been warned about Naxalites, ULFA and other terrorist groups.

A: The sources of such warnings should be checked and speaking from the perspective of locals living in the region we can say that though some parts of Northeast India do have cases of groups clashing against government forces from time to time, it doesn’t affect a tourist as long as the route is chosen wisely and hours of commute are decided smartly, much like travelling in any other part of the world. If you have seen warnings in the advisory pages of governments, then we would like to remind you that governments (of different countries)will always take precaution and not be in sync with the real situation. Northeast India is absolutely safe with warm and welcoming locals. You should have no issues even going to the most interior places. As with any other tribal dominated region, respect the local culture and don't hurt their sentiments, and you will have a great time in a beautiful place. Because so less is known about the region in general, it may be a wise idea to get in touch with some travel experts before you plan your trip.

Cost of the experience per person

Rs. 39,999

For further details email experiences@chalohoppo.com

AND EXPECT A PROMPT RESPONSE.

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