DIMAPUR — Nagaland’s famous Hornbill Festival is just a few weeks away before kicking off. This 10-day annual cultural extravaganza showcases the state’s diverse cultural heritage and traditions, making it one of the most popular festivals in India.
Hornbill Festival 2024 date
Started in 2000, the Hornbill Festival is celebrated from December 1 to the 10th at the Naga Heritage village in Kisama, Kohima. This year too, it will be celebrated during the same time.
How to reach Nagaland
Visitors can come to the state by air, train or road. Dimapur Airport (DMU), which is about 70 km away from Kohima, is the state’s only airport. It takes about 1 hr 30 minutes by road, via National Highway 29 to reach the state capital Kohima, where the main venue of the Hornbill Festival is located.
By train, it takes about 4 to 5 hours from Guwahati Railway Station to Dimapur Railway Station (DMV), while it takes about 6 hours between the two cities by road (via NH-27 and NH-29). The approximate travel time from Imphal in Manipur to Kohima by road is 4 hrs and 30 minutes.
Entry Permit to Nagaland
It is mandatory for domestic (Indians) and international tourists to obtain Inner Line Permit (ILP) to enter Nagaland, as per the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873, which has been in force since 1873, enacted to protect the culture and identity of the state's indigenous people.
As per the latest update on the ILP site of the Home department, a domestic tourist can obtain the entry permit for 30 days at a rate of INR 200, while a foreign tourist has to pay INR 300 for the same number of days.
Those interested can apply for the ILP card online as the comfort of their homes by logging to https://ilp.nagaland.gov.in/, while one can obtain the same manually from various Nagaland Houses in major cities like New Delhi, Kolkata, Shillong and Guwahati, or from Deputy Commissioner’s offices of all districts.
One can pay the required fees for ILP, check application and payment status, download the card and re-upload documents on the official website.
For any query related to the ILP, one can contact the Helpdesk number +91-892-930-7387 during the government working days between 10 am and 4 pm.
What to expect at Hornbill Festival 2024
Known by the moniker “Festival of Festivals”, visitors can expect varied cultural songs, dances, games from more than a dozen tribal communities of the state during the day time at the main arena throughout the duration of the Hornbill Festival, while musicians from the state and beyond are expected to enthral the audience when the night falls.
Besides the curated cultural items, visitors can explore the morungs of each tribe to experience their culinary and join their troupes in folk song and dance performances. One can also explore various traditional game competitions. Naga traditional wrestling is one of the most-awaited events for the locals.
There are also various outdoor activities like night carnival in the state capital Kohima, which is about 12 km away from Kisama, trekking and city tour.
