Nagaland’s diverse cultural heritage is one of the key highlights of the rich tapestry of Northeast Indian culture. The state is home to a number of tribes and each of them have their own unique way of life. If there’s one thing that unites them all in the spirit of celebration, it has to be the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland. Known as the ‘festival of festivals’, Hornbill Festival 2025 is set to take place over ten days, from December 1 to December 10, 2025. In fact, the festival will complete 25 years in 2025! Here’s everything you need to know about the festival that’s a full-fledged celebration of Naga culture.
Hornbill Festival 2025: The Naga ‘Festival Of Festivals’
Hornbill Festival 2025 Dates And Venue
The Government of Nagaland started the Hornbill Festival in 2000 as a way of promoting and preserving Naga heritage. The State Tourism and the Art & Culture Departments of Nagaland organize this grand festival each year. Taking place in the Kisama Heritage Village, 12 km away from Nagaland’s capital, Kohima, the festival is a 10-day event. It takes place each year from December 1 to December 10, promising ten days of fun events, cultural performances, and delectable culinary experiences.
It celebrates the indigenous tribes of Nagaland, each with their own culture, heritage, and ways of living. The cultural performances, handicrafts, traditional sports, and local cuisine all honor the diverse social and cultural fabric of Nagaland. The 10-day celebration promotes inter-tribal harmony and attracts thousands of locals as well as tourists from all over the world.
Key Attractions Of Hornbill Festival Kisama Village
Kisama Village, where the festival takes place, transforms into a vibrant canvas of Naga culture during these ten days. It turns into a living, breathing museum that brings together the different tribes of Nagaland.
The village houses an array of traditional tribal huts (locally known as morungs). These represent the 17 major tribes of Nagaland. There are plenty of events and cultural activities organized during the festival, and here are a few of them:
- Traditional sports such as archery, Naga wrestling, and mock battles.
- Local handicrafts such as handwoven shawls, tribal jewelry, bamboo toys and products, wood carvings, wooden instruments, etc.
- An array of local delicacies including dishes made from bamboo shoot, smoked pork, rice beer, soybean, local vegetables, etc.
- Music performances and nightlife events such as the Hornbill International Rock Contest and Kohima Night Carnival. These events promise the ultimate celebration of music, nightlife, food, and games.
- Bustling markets where you can buy local handicrafts, souvenirs, traditional garments, local food, and soak in the local culture.
How To Reach Hornbill Festival Village For Hornbill Festival 2025
By Air
Dimapur Airport is the nearest domestic airport to Kisama, located about 77 km away. From the airport, you can get direct cabs to the heritage village. However, flights to Dimapur airport from other major Indian cities are limited, so your next best bet would be to reach Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati and then take a direct cab to Kisama. However, this journey would take significantly longer, about 8 to 9 hours depending on the traffic and road conditions.
By Rail
Dimapur Railway Station is the closest major railway station to Kisama, located about 82 km away. It enjoys decent connectivity to other railway stations in the Northeast. From Kohima, the capital of Nagaland, it is about 74 km away,
By Road
By road, Kisama is decently connected to major cities in Nagaland, including its capital, Kohima. If you’re staying in Kohima, you can easily get a direct cab to the heritage village, which is roughly 12 km away.
How To Obtain The Nagaland Inner Line Permit
The Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873, which has been in force in the Naga Hills (present Nagaland) since 1873, requires anyone – both Indian and foreigner – to have an Inner Line Permit (ILP).
While applicants who are traders, businessmen, teachers, and laborers require a local guarantor – someone who would sponsor the ILP applicant, tourists do not require a guarantor. However, they’ll be required to give a local contact.
Depending on the ILP category, it may take anywhere between a few hours to 2 to 3 working days to obtain the ILP.
For Indian tourists, an ILP costs INR 200 and is valid for 30 days.
For foreign tourists, the ILP costs INR 300 with the same validity as that for Indian nationals.
For domestic tourists, here are the documents required to obtain an ILP:
- Recent passport photo
- ID proof (Aadhar Card, Voter ID, Driver’s License, or any government-issued ID)
For foreigners, an ILP requires a recent passport photograph and copies of the applicant’s passport and visa.
Travel Tips For Those Attending The Hornbill Festival Nagaland
- Carefully plan your point-to-point travel itinerary – especially modes of transport like train/flights and internal commute.
- Book accommodation at least a few weeks in advance to avoid any last minute convenience. Ensure you book your stay in a major city close to the festival venue, which will most likely be Kohima, the capital city of Nagaland.
- Apply for the ILP at least a couple of weeks in advance so you obtain it at least a week before your trip.
- Carry cash with you in case UPI payments do not work due to poor network.
- Make sure to carry adequate warm clothing as the winter temperatures in December in Nagaland can range anywhere between 4°C to 24°C.
- Having a local friend, a tour guide, or befriending a local can benefit you in exploring and understanding the culture of Nagaland.
Summing Up
Hornbill Festival 2025 promises to be a fun-filled celebration of local culture, music, food, and everything in between. While the tickets and the music line-up hasn’t been revealed yet, the cultural festival will span for ten days in the first week of December. So what are you waiting for? If exploring the culture of Nagaland was on your travel bucket list, there’s no better opportunity than making your way to the Hornbill Festival 2025.
