Plan your North East Trip this December to Experience Authentic Tribal Culture at Hornbill Festival 2018

The seven states in northeastern India are known for their unique flora and fauna, natural beauty and tribal culture. Being one of the most underrated travel destinations, North East offers great opportunities to create lifelong memories. Hornbill Festival is one such annual event that gives travel enthusiasts to explore the traditional tribal culture of North East India in its true form.

Hornbill festival: What, when & where?

Hornbill festival is the largest festival in Nagaland celebrated by the indigenous warrior tribes, every year. Named after the Hornbill bird, this festival is conducted annually from December 1^st to 10^th at Naga Heritage Village in Kisama. Kisama is about 12 kilometers away from Kohima- Nagaland’s capital.

What to do at the Hornbill Festival?

Organized by Nagaland State Tourism & Arts and Culture Department, Hornbill Festival gives tourists the chance to interact with local tribes, explore their traditions and enjoy folk dances, songs and games. You can even grab a bite at local food stalls and buy tribal handicraft and handloom items while at the Hornbill festival.

Hornbill Festival is also known for the National Rock Concert where national and international music bands participate and entertain the visitors during the evenings. Also, one can shop around at the night market or enjoy the thrill of participating in traditional competitions such as Naga Chilly Eating Competition or Pork Eating Festival.

As the festival aims at preserving the tribal culture and showing the glorious heritage to the tourists, one is sure to be entertained and amazed while at the Hornbill festival.

Explore & Capture the Traditional North Eastern Heritage in Photographs

Hornbill Festival offers a great chance to travel enthusiasts who wished to visit the North East. You can plan out your trip around December when you can not only come face to face with Naga tribal culture at the Hornbill Festival but also plan on visiting the following locations:

Kaziranga National Park

You can start your trip with a safari at the famous Kaziranga National Park. Known for one-horned rhinoceros, the national park offers something for everyone. While photography enthusiasts can capture a wide variety of animal and bird species in their shots, nature lovers can be enthralled by the scenic beauty of the natural park. You may even get a chance to spot rhinos who are often seen crossing the safari path.

Majuli Island

Majuli is the largest river island in the world situated right in the middle of the Brahmaputra river. Known for vaishnav monasteries and mishing tribal villages, this island offers a great chance to explore local heritage and capture unique moments in photographs. You can cruise across the Brahmaputra in a ferry and visit the Vaishnav monastery or the Sattra on the island. If you are lucky, you might even get a chance to see an energetic dance performance on the beats of drums and cymbal by the Hindu monks. 

Jorhat

Known as the cultural capital of Assam, Jorhat is an important urban center in Assam. Home to many Assamese historical monuments, Jorhat offers great views and photo opportunities for travelers who wish to get enlightened about the history of North East India. There are many monuments, research institutes, religious places of interests among local markets each of which can give you a lesson in local traditions and lifestyle of people in North Eastern part of India. If you wish to know more about north east, do not forget to keep Jorhat in your itinerary.

Imphal

The state capital of Manipur, Imphal, too is an ideal tourist destination if you are visiting north east for the Hornbill festival. With tribal huts, museums and Kangla fort, Imphal is an ideal place for explorers who wish to get an idea about the erstwhile kingdom of Manipal. Also, as Imphal witnessed a battle in the World War-II, the war cemetery gives tourists a chance to know more about the conditions that led to the battle and the sacrifice of hundreds of soldiers who fought in the war.

North eastern India in itself is an exciting place to be in. And with the Hornbill festival, it becomes even more amazing. So, why not plan for the Hornbill festival and witness the largest celebration of tribal communities while getting a chance to capture the tribal traditions in photographs.