I just can’t wait to share this amazing experience. Four days in Nagaland, and especially the Dzukou Valley trek fills my heart with a sense of fulfillment that I experience only once in a while. Dzukou Valley was in my mind when I planned this north-east trip, but I was not quite sure if I could actually make it alone. My google search on how to do this trek resulted in minimal information. Still I tried to join all the dots together and prepare myself mentally to endure the fear of the unknown. Though in recent times, Dzukou Valley is getting popular among travellers, there is not much proper guidance on the trek available online. In order to fill this void, here is this article: Dzukou Valley trek in Nagaland : A complete guide.
Reminiscence of the past year:
While trekking through the Dzukou Valley, I did miss my Triund peak trek almost one year ago, especially because I did it with Parina, and some close friends. I feel treks are more enjoyable in a group rather than alone. And in a group, it’s safer as well. But doing it alone definitely was more adventurous, and satisfying.
{If you love adventures, do check out: Adventure camping in Ladakh ||| Serolsar Lake Trek}
Dzukou Valley at the heart of Nagaland
Geography and location:
Sitting in the foothills of eastern Himalayas in the state of Nagaland, Dzukou valley is the crown jewel of north east India. Standing at ~8000 ft (2438 mts), Dzukou valley is situated beside the Japfu peak on the border between Nagaland and Manipur. However, being close to Kohima, the state capital of Nagaland, more tourists trek the valley from Nagaland side rather than Manipur side.
Dzukou Valley is an absolute delight, a treat to the eyes and soul. Its rolling hills, emerald green gentle slopes, and evergreen forests made me remember Coorg and Ooty in south India. For a good part of the year, the valley fills with the famous Dzukou lilies and a large number of other varieties of orchids. This prompts people to call it the Valley of flowers of north east India.
Growing popularity in recent times:
This valley remained hidden from travellers for long, though some local travellers from north east India used to visit. But in recent times, with the growing popularity of Hornbill festival, more and more tourists are visiting the valley every year. For travellers visiting the Hornbill festival, adding two more days for the Dzukou valley trek is another exciting proposition.
{To know about another such trekking destination in north east India, check out: Yuksom}
Hornbill Festival:
A festival of festivals that brings together all the various ethnic groups of Nagaland on one platform, Hornbill festival showcases the cultural richness of Nagaland. Started in the year 2000 by the government of Nagaland, it’s held between 1-10 December every year at Kisama village, 16 kms away from Kohima.
The festival celebrates everything that is great about Naga culture- its traditional food, dance, sports, crafts, etc. If one wants to know Nagaland up-close, no need to see any further. It has established itself as one of India’s go-to festivals. I hope to make it to the festival this time in December.
My Dzukou Valley Trek Schedule
After spending 3 days in Manipur enjoying the festival of colours- Holi there, and experiencing their unique culture, I headed for Nagaland. I had planned for 4 days in Nagaland. Though Dzukou Valley was in my scheme of things, I wasn’t sure if I could pull this trek off alone. So, the schedule, to start with, was flexible. But after talking to a few locals around on the first day itself, I convinced myself that I should at least give it a try. So, the schedule became like this:
- Arrival; Day-1: Reach Dimapur from Imphal; explore Dimapur a bit, and move to Kohima; explore local Kohima in the evening
- Day-2: Visit a few places in Kohima, and trek to the Dzukou Valley
- Day-3: Trek back from Dzukou Valley to Kohima; explore local markets in the evening
- Departure; Day-4: From Kohima to Dimapur; Dimapur to Guwahati, and onward to Delhi.
Day-1: Imphal- Dimapur- Kohima
The flight from Imphal got delayed a bit, and I landed at Dimapur airport at around 1 PM. Nobody asked me to check my Inner Line Permit (ILP) to enter Nagaland (though I had it). I had earmarked a few spots in Dimapur to pay a quick visit. But after talking to a few locals at the airport, I decided to visit only the (Dimasa) Kachari Rajbari ruins.
Kachari Rajbari Ruins
Around 10th century AD, there was a Kachari civilization around Dimapur of which little history exists. However, the mushroom shaped domed pillars (8-10 ft each) and the gateway still stand testimony to a glorious past. An English lieutenant- Grange discovered it in 1840, and brought it to public knowledge.
I looked at them in bewilderment, and imagined that whoever built these things in that era, must be of superior creativity and imagination. However, the purpose of the structures are still mysterious. It’s a small green campus; takes only about 15-20 minutes to walk around.
Driving up the hills to Kohima:
The auto rickshaw driver became an instant friend; I don’t know what clicked with him. He helped me find the right shared taxi near Dimapur railway station. In the taxi, I met Somnath, a Marketing Manager (from West Bengal) of a mobile accessories company who was travelling for work.
The shared taxi dropped us at Kohima ISBT, only 2-3 kms away from the city around 5 PM (drive time: 2 hrs). It was weird! They have this rule that taxis of one region in Nagaland are not allowed to ply in another region! (If you have any idea about why is it so, please let me know in the comments section). So, we had to take another shared taxi from the ISBT to the main city.
First view of Kohima:
Aesong, a fellow traveller from Kohima suggested us a nice hotel (East Gate hotel) near the Kohima war memorial. Somnath suggested that we should share a room to save some money, and I saw no reason not to agree. It’s always good to meet new people while travelling. It gives new perspectives of places, people and their culture.
While reaching the city, I couldn’t catch a good view of the city, but from the balcony, night view of Kohima was quite amazing, similar to that of Shimla and Gangtok.
Day-2: Kohima- Dzukou Valley
I decided to visit the Kohima War Cemetery and the Kohima Cathedral Church before proceeding towards Dzukou Valley trek. The hotel I was staying was at a walkable distance from the War Cemetery, which wouldn’t take more than 30 minutes to explore. And the Cathedral was near the Network Travels AOC bus stand from where I was supposed to board a shared taxi to Viswema, the starting point of the trek. So, it was also doable.
Kohima War Cemetery
In March 1944, at the height of World War-II, if the Allied/ Commonwealth armed forces hadn’t fought valiantly in Kohima and Imphal, parts of India would have fallen to Japan. However, the small contingent held their ground suffering heavy casualties, and succeeded in forcing the Japanese forces to retreat. Britain regards this battle so highly that British National Army Museum has voted the battle of Imphal and Kohima as the greatest in their history.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission established and manages this cemetery meant to pay homage to the brave 2337 brave soldiers who laid down their lives for freedom.
Back to hotel and off to the trek:
The lady at the reception helped me with a taxi with a friendly driver. He took me to the cathedral first, and then dropped me at the Network Travels AOC bus stop.
Kohima Cathedral Church
Christianity is the predominant religion in Nagaland; as much as 88% of population are Christians. Of this 88%, 75% are Baptists, and 13% are Catholics and other denominations. This makes Nagaland the most Baptist state in the whole world!
The evening I reached Kohima, standing in the balcony of my hotel room, I could see all the cross signs in neon red light over the churches dazzling in the night skyline across the hill slopes of Kohima. However, the most recognizable landmark church in all of Kohima is a catholic church- Mary Help of Christians Cathedral, or more popular as Kohima Cathedral Church. Built in typical Naga architecture, it was consecrated in 1991.
When I reached the cathedral, it was closed for renovation. So, I walked around the church, and took some pictures of the impressive building. Besides, it offers a splendid view of Kohima city from its backside.
Viswema village: Onward to Dzukou Valley
The shared taxi from Kohima to Viswema took 30 minutes to fill enough passengers (7 of them) to start. So, at last, I was on my way to the Dzukou valley at around 9:30 AM. It took about 45 minutes to cover the distance of 24 kms to Viswema. Though the road was mostly good, some patches were bad and dusty.
Viswema is larger than a village, but not big enough for a town. I had my breakfast (puri- sabzi) in a small eatery, and packed some chocolates, eggs, peanuts, biscuits and water for the trek.
Approach to the Dzukou Valley Trek
There are basically two approaches to the Dzukou valley trek; one via Zakhama village, the other via Viswema village. Both the routes end at the same guesthouse for overnight stay. Beyond that point, there is the open valley that one may choose to hike and explore the next day.
Let me explain each of these approaches for convenience of a first timer.
Approach-1: Zakhama village
- Reach Zakhama, ~14 kms away from Kohima by shared taxi: 30 minutes
- Motorable road of 2-3 kms to the trek starting point (may hike or take a taxi; optional): 1 hr
- Difficult section of 5-6 kms with steep slopes (30 to 60 degrees): 4-5 hrs
- 1.5 kms of plateau; easy hiking/ walking: 30 minutes
- Total trekking time (excluding motorable road): ~6 hrs to reach the end point of the trek where there is a small guesthouse to spend the night.
Approach-2: Viswema village
Some of the trekkers begin trekking from Viswema village itself. But majority of trekkers actually go a little far by a taxi or truck to a point where there is no motorable road, and start trekking from there.
- Reach Viswema, ~23 kms away from Kohima by shared taxi: 45 minutes
- Motorable road of 8-9 kms to the trek starting point (may hike or take a taxi; optional): 4 hrs walk
- Difficult section of 1.5 kms with steep slopes (30 to 60 degrees): 1.5 hrs
- The beautiful view of the Dzukou valley starts at the end of this difficult section
- Then cross 4-5 kms of plateau of easy hiking/ walking: 2 hrs
- Total trekking time (excluding motorable road): 3.5 hrs to reach the guesthouse.
My recommendation:
Viswema route is definitely better of the two approaches, unless one is especially fond of trekking in difficult terrain. It takes less time than the Zakhama route. But more importantly, the last plateau section of 4-5 kms actually runs among the hills through the Dzukou Valley, and is a hike with gorgeous sight.
The only problem is that the motorable road till the starting point of the trek is too long to walk; so, one has to take a taxi. The taxi costs Rs.1500/ one way, which is a bit too much if you are alone. To solve this problem, either you go in a group, or wait at Viswema village for a group who you can join. If you don’t find a taxi, just wait for a while, or ask the nearby shopkeepers.
There is an approach from Manipur side, from the Senapati district (Isii mount). However, I have not been from that side; so, not much idea.
The ascent: Winning over the fear of unknown
As I was alone, I had to hire a small truck myself (for Rs.1500) to reach the starting point of the trek. On the way, there was an entry point to the Dzukou valley where I had to pay a nominal fee.
The entire route was extremely bumpy; actually the worst road one can imagine. I was sitting on the front cabin of the truck; but my head banged against the roof several times, and my back was hurting like hell!
The trek begins:
It was around 11.45 AM, my ordeal was over, and I started my trek up the hill inside the forest. I knew that the difficult section was only 1.5 kms, but I wasn’t sure of how much time the whole trek would take to reach the guesthouse.
However, the bigger question (say fear) was that whether I would be able to find my way through the forest to the end point alone. If I wouldn’t be able to complete the trek during daylight, it would mean spending the night in the jungle! A truly horrifying prospect.
The steep slope:
In the beginning of the trek, the slope was gentle; but just for the first 10-15 minutes. Thereafter, the slope increased suddenly and drastically. At some points, the slope was more than 50 degrees. For a little more than 1 km, I kept hiking the steep slope with some difficulty. The two water bottles I carried, were helpful.
First view of Dzukou valley:
It took me an hour and fifteen minutes to cross the difficult section, where there was a small rest shed (reached there by 1 PM). That vantage point offers a panoramic view of the whole mountain range that I had been trekking. I took a longish rest there and started walking again lest I might not reach the guesthouse before evening. (Note: After this point, take the road to the right, not the left one).
And just when I turned around to the other side, voila! There in front of me was the open expanse of the gorgeous Dzukou Valley! Wow! What a sight that was! Extraordinarily beautiful rolling hills running into each other to form a V-shaped valley. Verdant grass land on the surface of the mountains. The dominating flora included (among other trees) Rhododendrons and Bamboo shrubs. My favorite Rhododendron flowers had just started blooming, but I was just about 15 days too early.
Losing way briefly:
While I was trekking in the difficult section, I kept coming across trekkers who were on their way back. But beyond the rest shed, I suddenly stopped seeing anyone for the next 4-5 kms till the guesthouse! I was all alone, and very apprehensive that I might miss a turn, and go in a completely wrong route to get lost in the open valley.
This was going on in my mind when I actually came to a dead end near a dry water stream at the intersection of two hills (picture below). I felt a chill run down my spine. Did I just lose my way? Yes, but fortunately, by just a hundred meters. So, I walked back and guessed the right route again, and kept hiking. I was just hoping to see someone from the other side; but there was none to be seen!
All alone, but the nature as company
I was all alone, but had the nature as company. I kept the faith, and kept walking among the bamboo shrubs. After about another two kilometers, I had the first view of the guesthouse over a far away hill. This soothed my nerves a bit, but I was still not 100% confident. Because I wasn’t sure whether the road actually connected to that hill.
Winning over my inner fears:
The valley was so beautiful it felt very friendly. Attending to my inner fears, I continued talking to the bamboo shrubs and the rolling hills. I felt like taking a picture at every turn. At one point, the view of large number of dead (burnt) black trees over a hill was so fascinating!
As I kept walking, the guesthouse got hidden from my sight at times, and again came back into the view. Maybe when I was some 500 meters away, I felt confident that I was on the right path. It was such a relief! At last, I reached the guesthouse by 3:15 PM.
But why was I all alone?
Note: This is all the reason why one should start as early as possible in the morning.
Watching the sunset over Dzukou Valley
After checking in at the guesthouse, I immediately ordered some maggie (the only thing that they have) to satisfy my hunger. I had it with the eggs that I carried from Viswema. Once I regained my strength, I decided to trek again across to another hilltop where there was a helipad for some reason. That proved to be a great decision. From the guesthouse side, it was difficult to get any good pictures of the valley below the setting sun. However, from the helipad side, the hills behind the guesthouse looked stunningly beautiful.
Surreal view!
Lush green, rounded as if a fine landscape architect had curated the valley like a garden. Sunset is the golden hour for photography; and it didn’t disappoint at all. The sun setting behind the valley in the west, and the hills on the opposite side in the east, both looked pristine.
I sat there speechless marveling the glory of nature. Didn’t really had the urge to move from there. But I had to reach the guesthouse before it was dark. Needless to say that there was no electricity up there.
Spending the night in Dzukou Valley
The guest house:
It was a very basic guesthouse; to be honest, not a guesthouse actually. It was basically four walls and a roof with a floor beneath. That’s it! A dormitory without a bed! They offered a thin sheet to sleep on (for Rs.50), and a blanket (for Rs.250). There were a few private rooms as well, available on first-come-first-serve basis. They had small tents on offer too. Though there were a few toilets, they were not clean. They had kept some unclean drums near a stream in which they filled stream water for drinking purpose.
A sleepless cold night:
Expectedly, it was pitch dark up there. Chatting with fellow trekkers helped pass time though. Dinner (rice-dal-potato fry) was ready by 7:30 PM, and it was not bad. After dinner, it was time for more chatting. One Bengali trekker couple showed us videos from their trekking in Meghalaya. And two siblings from Italy- Flora and Vasco shared their experience of traveling across the globe.
When it was time to sleep, the noise made by a group of young guys at the bonfire outside made things difficult. However, the main problem was the cold. I realized late in the night that one blanket was not enough. But it was too late by then. I couldn’t sleep properly due to the cold (temperature must be in single digit). Vasco later told me that there were rats moving over his body!
Made some new friends:
I met Flora and Vasco just when I reached the guesthouse late in the afternoon, and instantly made a connect. There are certain people who you like the moment you speak to them. Vasco is an art restorer, and Flora, a film maker. They are travellers based out of Corsica in France, a beautiful place itself. But they are originally from Tuscany region in Italy, my favorite part of Italy. (I still cannot forget my experience of Florence). They have been long time travellers; I was quite amazed that Flora has already travelled all the continents!
I found Vasco and Flora to be very modern, liberal and humble people. Travel makes people more inclusive and liberal. During the time that we spent that evening, and the next day, I certainly felt friends with them.
Day-3: Dzukou Valley to Kohima
The descent:
Morning view of the Dzukou valley from the guesthouse was far better. Took some more pictures, walked around the hill, and was mentally ready to say buy to Dzukou Valley. Some people went down the hill deep into the valley to explore a bit more, especially till a point where a white cross is seen from the top.
Descents are generally not that exciting as ascents. But having a young group of trekkers from IIT Guwahati, Flora and Vasco for company made the descent enjoyable. We all started together around 8:30 AM. Football dominated the discussions on the way back, especially because the young ones were footballers. We took a longish pit stop at the rest shed just at the beginning of the steep section. However, of course, while descending it was not so difficult; just being careful was enough.
Reaching Kohima:
I, Vasco and Flora joined the young group in their taxi to Kohima. We had lunch at a modest restaurant in Kohima, and went to the lodge (Morung) where they were putting up. I found it really nice, and booked a room for the night while they proceeded to Dimapur and to Arunachal from there.
Morung Lodge, a lovely homestay
I am glad that I got to live in the most popular lodge in Kohima. While visiting Kohima I had not done any research on accommodation options. But later when I watched some videos on YouTube, I found Morung Lodge everywhere! Turns out that it’s on the Lonely Planet as well.
Aesthetics:
The rooms were comfortable, and everything in the house was curated aesthetically with passion. The view of Kohima city (with colourful houses stacked up on hill slopes) from the lodge was amazing. In fact, it was interesting to note that the city is spread out in such a way that one can have the view of the city from anywhere.
For some reason, the caretaker of the lodge was not available for the evening, but Khriebu ensured that I had a good dinner at her restaurant- Morung Kitchen, again very neatly curated. As there was no other guest there for the night, I had the whole lodge to myself. I felt like I had a home in Kohima!
Morung, the social institution:
‘Morung‘ in Nagaland represents a key social institution, a center of cultural gathering, especially for men. Once upon a time, it used to be a center Naga elders taught their youth about their dialect, crafts, life skills, folk music and songs, etc. However, this institution has fallen into oblivion over time. To know more, click here.
The name perhaps has been chosen figuratively than anything else, because the lodge is open to women as much as men. In fact, it was started by a woman entrepreneur, and now run by another.
Khriebu, the dynamic entrepreneur:
I met Khriebu, the young dynamic entrepreneur managing the property. She is a sweet lady and a thorough professional. Her father was a Nagaland Civil Servant-promoted-IAS, mother a government servant, sister a reputed designer in Delhi. She used to live in Delhi for a long time. But went back to her roots some time back, and now running this lodge, and a restaurant quite successfully. Follow her on her Instagram page: @khriebu
For booking, write to them at: explorenagaland@gmail.com.
Kohima local market
After taking some rest in the afternoon, I went out to have a walk around the local market. It was fascinating to see street vendors selling unusual (for me) vegetable varieties like bitter bean, chayote (a type of squash) and snails, frogs and insects. I also found a large number of sellers from Bihar, not only street vendors, but also having other retail stores.
Unlike rest of India, but like in other states of north east India, it was a pleasant sight to see women dominate the market places. Both as sellers and buyers. Why is it so? Is it more because of socio-cultural reasons or because they are more educated? Any idea? Do share, if you know.
Day-4: Kohima- Dimapur- Guwahati- Delhi
When I told Khriebu that I was travelling to Dimapur airport next morning, she said that she was also travelling there, and offered me a seat in her car. Next morning, she along with her nephew and mother arrived around 9 AM and we were off to Dimapur. She and her mom were travelling to Guwahati for some family get-together, and her cousin was coming to drop them off. It was nice to meet her family; very sweet people.
On the way, at Pherima, they stopped for lunch and I had some tea. We reached Dimapur airport by 11.15 AM. We were travelling to Guwahati by the same flight. The shortest flight I had ever had- just 25 minutes! Within 15 minutes of the flight taking off from Dimapur, the pilot announced of landing!
Time to say bye!
I said bye to Khriebu and her mom at Guwahati airport to see them soon, maybe this year again with Parina, for the Hornbill festival in December. That was a formal bye to Nagaland, actually. Quite an amazing trip, an adventurous, exciting, and unforgettable one.
The flight from Guwahati to Delhi was not at all pleasant. Owing to traffic congestion at Delhi airport, the flight couldn’t land, and had to fly to Jaipur for refueling at midnight. By the time it landed again in Delhi, it was past 1 AM, after six hours of taking off from Guwahati!
Dzukou Valley Trek: Important Tips
Best time to visit:
- For a pleasant enjoyable weather: March- May
- For flowers and greenest of green valley: Rhododendrons in April-May; Dzukou lilies in June- September
- However, monsoon months of June- Sep would be difficult to trek
- Winter months of November to February are not too bad too
How to reach Kohima:
Basically, one should reach Kohima a day before starting the Dzukou Valley trek.
- By flight: Nearest airport to Kohima is Dimapur, 70 kms away; from there take a shared taxi to Kohima
- By train: Again, the nearest railway station is Dimapur; take a shared taxi from there to reach Kohima
Where to stay:
There are limited options in budget category. Some options I know:
Morung lodge | East Gate hotel | Alder retreat | Circuit House | Akim homestays | Hotel Ariel | Native Stories (Zakhama)
How to approach the Dzukou valley trek:
Please see a special section on the approaches to Dzukou Valley trek above.
What/ where to eat (in Kohima):
- On the trek, there is only one option: the guesthouse up there. They have maggie for snacks, and basic rice- dal- potato for dinner. Carry some eggs, dry fruit, bread, etc, if you can.
- In Kohima: Amaris | D Cafe | Yaotsu’s pure veg | Jat restaurant | Cafe Aurora | Mhachaki | Morung Kitchen
- Though non-vegetarian food is more popular, one can find vegetarian restaurants easily
- Nagaland is a dry state (no alcohols)
Things to do in Kohima:
- Pay homage to the brave soldiers at Kohima War Cemetery
- Experience Naga culture at Kisama heritage village (enjoy Hornbill festival in December)
- Visit Kohima Cathedra Church for a spiritual experience
- Observe the local food preferences of Naga people at Kohima local market
- Day trip to Khonoma village, or/and Dzuleke village (on the same route)
Some helpful tips for Dzukou Valley Trek:
- One needs Inner Line Permit to enter Nagaland; click here to check out their website
- Difficulty level: partly moderate, partly easy
- Start the trek as early as possible in the day
- It’s better to trek from Viswema village side
- Take a shared taxi from Viswema to the starting point of the trek
- Mobile network will be fine till Viswema; after that there is no network in the valley
- Keep enough water, dry snacks and first aid with you
- Wear comfortable shoes; high quality trekking shoes are not needed
- Having a torch for the night is important
- A cap, and sunscreen lotions are helpful, if you are sensitive to sunburn
- On reaching the guesthouse at the end of the trek, take two blankets for the night.
Areas of improvement
Plastic pollution:
Dzukou valley is a no-plastic zone since 2019. However, it’s sad that it’s far from the truth. There is no effort from anyone to keep the beautiful valley plastic free. Everywhere, literally everywhere there is plastic litters- from the forested trek to the green valley, even at the guesthouse.
The whole place (guesthouse area) was littered with plastic bottles, polythene bags and wrappers. One can expect them to impose some restrictions, or put up some posters for awareness of tourists about environment, at least.
Need for collaboration between government and civil society
With a bit of care and effort, Dzukou Valley trek can be so much more enjoyable. Even more important is the sustainable tourism. The plastic pollution can easily be controlled by a simple regulation, implemented strictly at the entry gate to the Dzukou Valley. To know how government can help, read: Role of government in sustainable tourism}
I think a collaboration between the government (Forest department and Tourism department) and local NGOs can go a long way in keeping the valley green and clean. The NGOs can help local youth come up with better facilities and better management of the guesthouse for a fee. Even better if one can come up with a community-led tourism model. For more ideas, and example, check out: Sustainable tourism.
A better guesthouse:
Nice guys that they are, the caretakers of the guesthouse are not trained enough. They don’t maintain anything! Neither basic hygiene, nor drinking water. It becomes cold at night; they can put up some beds and charge a bit more; nobody will complain, surely. While we were trying to sleep, these guys came in the dormitory, and started playing loud music on their phones! That was so insensitive!
It’s run by a local youth club. Though it’s understandable that maintaining logistics for the tourists at a high altitude is a difficult task, they could do a lot better, if they wanted. One doesn’t expect great food up there; food was okay, in any case. However, the altitude and distance are not that difficult to have at least water bottles or some light snacks there.
Concluding Remarks
Wanting for more!
The four days spent in Nagaland has made me wanting for more. I explored a modern north Indian state capital, went on a solo trek to the Dzukou Valley, and came across some wonderful people. However, four days were never going to be enough for experiencing the Naga culture. I would love to come back this year itself in December during the Hornbill festival, and then will explore iconic Naga villages like Khonoma, Dzuleke and Mon. North Nagaland is also quite beautiful; would love to explore places like Wokha, Doyang river, Mokokchung, etc.
With growing popularity of the Hornbill festival, tourism is getting streamlined gradually. However, even now, there are lack of good budget accommodation options beyond Dimapur. At the same time, there is a need for maintaining a balance between tourism and commercialization. Too much tourism may not be good for the region’s environment.
Have you been to the Dzukou Valley or Nagaland? Please share your experience with us.
Jayvanti Einjen
V.nice information for visit Dzukou valley and pics are very nice
stampedmoments
Thank you so much, as always 🙂
Nirbhay
Amazing. Never seen such a detailed breakdown of the trip. This helps a lot. Thank you!
stampedmoments
Thanks a lot Nirbhay, for reading and sharing your lovely feedback.
Keep connected.
Soumen Chatterjee
It’s just a an amazing blog I must say. Though I have visited Nagaland quite a lot of time but only on official tour , but through your blog I understand there are lot of things that can be explored.
1st is the Dzukou Valley which I understand is an absolute delight, a treat to the eyes and soul. Its rolling hills, emerald green gentle slopes, and evergreen forest. For a good part of the year, the valley fills with the famous Dzukou lilies and a large number of other varieties of orchids. This prompts people to call it the Valley of flowers of north east India. Trecking must have been a great experience. Kohima war cremetory also just wonderful to know about.
Kachari Rajbari Ruins , Kohima war cemetery and the kohima cathedral Church have a lot of information which I gained while reading it.
Dzukou Valley! looked extraordinarily beautiful rolling hills running into each other to form a V-shaped valley. Verdant grass land on the surface of the mountains. The dominating flora included (among other trees) Rhododendrons and Bamboo shrubs. It’s just Waooo!!!. The sunrise and sunset must have been thrilling. Most importantly u made friends at the guest house which is really awesome to make friends during the trip.
Next was Morung, the social institution:
‘Morung‘ in Nagaland represents a key social institution, a center of cultural gathering, especially for men. Once upon a time, it used to be a center Naga elders taught their youth about their dialect, crafts, life skills, folk music and songs, etc.
I hope u loved the Naga food and it’s delicious I must say I had a lot of it and I loved their non veg dishes.
Overall I loved the experience and reading the blog was just thrilling.
stampedmoments
Yes, Soumen, it was indeed a unique and wonderful experience.
Doing it alone made it even more exciting!
Thanks for reading in detail; keep it up!
Sajith
It was interesting to read. I couldn’t stop reading until the very end. The Dzukou valley, Kachari ruins, the war cemetery, all are amazing, The travel itself appears to be terrifying. But truly, trips like these will provide something extra that you will remember forever.
Of course, the trips will provide new connections, good people, lovely and comfortable stays, and so on. I enjoy reading.
stampedmoments
Hi Sajith!
Indeed, it was a bit difficult trekking alone, but more exciting for the same reason!
Nagaland, and entire north east is largely unexplored; so, one feels like really discovering places.
Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Kelly | Poky Little Wanderer
Those hills are just so beautiful! What a lovely adventure to have, and it sounds like you found a lot of wonderful new friends to share it with despite going by yourself!
stampedmoments
Yes, Kelly, gorgeous landscape, and lovely new friends!
Great trip, indeed. Thanks a lot for your feedback.
Let’s keep connected.
kmf
I’ve never heard of Dzukou Valley or Nagaland so your post was very informative. Sounds like an amazing experience and lots of great ideas for sustainable tourism.
stampedmoments
Hey! Good to hear from you.
Glad that you liked it. Thanks a lot.
Falguni Trivedi
So detailed and covered almost all the small things too… Too good… Thanks for sharing
stampedmoments
That has been the effort. Glad that it seems useful to you.
Thanks a lot for reading, and sharing your feedback.
Shrusti Mohanty
Definitely saving this one, Nagaland has been on my list for a while now. Thank you for such detailed information!
stampedmoments
Hey Shrusti!
Good to hear from you again.
Glad that you liked. Thanks for connecting.
Pinkoo
The picture with rolling hills lead me to read. The blog gives the thrills and chills of the adventure behind the beautiful picture.
stampedmoments
Thanks a lot, Pinkoo for your lovely feedback.
Yeah it’s a unique landscape and an amazing experience to have.
Please keep connected for more.
Shishir Mondal
Thanks for sharing necessary information, I am planning to trek Dzukou valley by April ’24.
stampedmoments
Hi Shishir!
Glad that you found it useful.
Have a great trip!
Sauvhik Paul
Thanks for the info, would u mind if u tell us the entire cost of the trip from Dimapur, like the hotel and stuff
stampedmoments
Sure. Please write to us: stampedmoments@gmail.com
Sarita Hevia Iphone
Incredible experience!!!
Stunning views, amazing trekkings, fantastic culture
Congratulations for your trip and thanks for share it
stampedmoments
Yes, that’s true.
It was such a wonderful experience!
Cherished memories forever.
Thanks for the feedback.
Uma
This complete guide to the Dzukou Valley Trek in Nagaland is absolutely brilliant! Your detailed breakdown of the trekking routes, along with tips on what to pack and the best time to visit, is incredibly helpful for both novice and experienced trekkers. The photos and vivid descriptions really capture the valley’s beauty and make it come alive. I also appreciate the emphasis on sustainable trekking practices. This guide has definitely inspired me to plan my own adventure to Dzukou Valley. Thank you for sharing such a comprehensive and engaging resource!
stampedmoments
Hi Uma! Thanks for the sweet feedback.
Really happy that my blog helped you to plan.
Dzukou valley is indeed an enchanting experience; have a good time.
I did have a look at WanderOn; such a wonderful travel site!
Aniket
Hi, thanks for sharing such a detail information. But still, I’ve few questions as below-
1. I would like to know if u can share contact of any shared transports and Dzokou guesthouse. 2. Can I have direct shared cab from Dimapur to Kigwema? And If I want to get another shared taxi from Kigwema to Viswema starting point on the very next day, can I avail it?
3.What is the capacity of the Dzokou Guesthouse
4. Any alternate stay at Dzokou?
stampedmoments
Hi Aniket!
Glad that you liked the blog post.
I’m gonna write an email to you with answers to your questions.
Thanks; keep connected.
Amarjyoti
Thanks lot for the information,i also planning to go alone
stampedmoments
Hi Amarjyoti!
Glad that you liked the article.
Have a good trip!