Day 1: Guwahati
Arrive in Guwahati, where you will be met by your driver and guide, and transfer to your accommodation. In the afternoon, time permitting, there will be an opportunity to visit Kamakhya temple, Kalashetra and its museum, plus the state emporium. Drive from Guwahati to Kaziranga National Park, located in the floodplains on both sides of the Brahmaputra river, and home to the endangered one-horned rhino. Overnight at Kaziranga.
Day 2: Game Drives
Enjoy two game drives in the National Park: an early morning elephant safari to seek out the one horned rhino, along with a range of other magnificent animals and birds, followed by an afternoon jeep safari. Overnight at Kaziranga.
Day 3: Brahmaputra River
Drive from Kaziranga to Majuli island, taking a ferry ride over the mighty Brahmaputra River. Overnight on Majuli Island, the biggest inhabited river island in the world.
Day 4: Majuli
Explore Majuli island, visiting a variety of very different satras (Hindu monasteries), and see pottery making in a local village. Overnight on Majuli Island.
Day 5: Sibsagar
Drive to Sibsagar and visit the eighteenth century Hindu temple of Shiv Dol, dedicated to Lord Siva, and the highest Hindu temple in all of India. Built by Queen Madambika, wife of the Ahom King Shiva Singha, it has long been established as one of the most revered and sacred pilgrimage sites in the country.
Overnight at Sibsagar.
Day 6: Royal Houses
Visit the ancient Ahom royal house of Talatal Ghar, Kareng Ghar and other historic sites in the vicinity of Sibsagar as time permits before driving to Mon in Nagaland. Overnight at Mon.
Day 7: Hongpoi village
Today we will visit Hongpoi village in the morning where we will meet tattoed Konyak tribe warriors. In the afternoon we will visit Mon, the largest village in the north of Nagaland. Overnight at Mon.
Day 8: Longwa
Drive out to Longwa, a village famous for its local opium production, which straddles the Myanmar-Nagaland border. You might even choose to step across the border yourself into Myanmar. Visit the home of the village angh (chief) and other local houses, too. Afterwards drive on to visit the traditional village of Chui. Overnight at Mon.
Day 9: Assam
Today involves a very long drive which requires most of the day, first heading into Assam via Sibsagar and then onwards back up into the mountains of Nagaland, through beautiful scenery to reach Mokokchung town, renowned for its good shopping facilities. Overnight at Mokokchung.
Day 10: Chuchuyimlang
Visit Chuchuyimlang, a typical Ao tribe village, and then Mopungchuket, where we will visit ancient carvings in the village park. Overnight at Mokokchung.
Day 11: Angami tribe village
Drive to Kohima, the capital of Nagaland, pausing at the Angami tribe village of Touphema to visit its small museum, its amphitheatre and community kitchen. Overnight at Kohima.
Day 12: Hornbill Festival
In the morning, visit the Hornbill Festival at the “heritage village” of Kisama for the opening day ceremony. In the afternoon visit Kigwema, a typical Angami tribe village where some of the houses still bear the traditional kikeh crossed-horn gables. Overnight at Kohima.
Day 13: Hornbill Festival
Spend a full day at the Hornbill Festival enjoying endless presentations of colourful dances and songs from a variety of Naga tribes, each dressed in their own traditional costumes. Overnight at Kohima.
Day 14: Markets
In the morning explore the exotic local market in Kohima and the World War Two cemetery, immaculately maintained by the British War Graves Commission. In the afternoon, visit Khonoma village, scene of epic nineteenth century battles of independence against the advance of the British Empire. Overnight at Kohima.
Day 15: Hornbill Festival
Enjoy a final full day back at the Hornbill Festival. Overnight at Kohima.
Day 16: Depart
After breakfast, transfer to Dimapur and onwards to the airport. If time permits, we will enjoy a visit to Chumpo Museum on the way.
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