30 day itinerary – Nagaland and Guwahati

November 20, 2019

30 day itinerary – Nagaland and Guwahati

Benreu Sunrise

Day 1: To Guwahati (Kamakhya)

A board at Diezephe

Arrived at Guwahati by 1830 hrs on 7^th April 2019. Since the usual place I stay in was full, stayed at the “official” guest house besides Kamakhya temple. This place can be booked only by the resident Pandas (priests). Rooms are basic and offer value for money.I havearrived bang in the middle of Navaratri! Too many people everywhere.The temple has been decked up for the occasion. The whole temple is covered with floral garlands. Another room is decorated completely with fruits!! Vanity perhaps.

Day 2: Guwahati (Kamakhya)

Went to Siddhi Ganesh early in the morning. As usual the temple room was closed. Since I’m always the first person here, I get to open the temple door. The new resident Swami of Siddhi Ganesh was unhappy that I opened the temple door. I had met this swami on my last visit too. He also told me that Panchmudi beside Siddhi Ganesh is off limits to devotees. It’s open only to tantrics nowadays. I’m disappointed as it is one of my favourite spots in Nilanchal

Sunrise over Pheren

.
As I waited here, another swami came down. It took me a moment to recognise the former resident swami of Siddhi Ganesh. Without his flowing beard, Swami Nijanand (Nutrition swami, as I affectionately call him) had become almost unrecognisable. Swami Nijanand had spent many years living in the room beside Siddhi Ganesh. He would only eat 3-4 meals in a week! His only meal in 2 days would be a breakfast consisting of rice and milk cooked together with some spices. If it was his breakfast day, he would offer me food and advice on nutrition. (Hence his nickname; ‘Nutrition Swami’). The swami immediately recognised me and was happy to see me. He took me under his wing to Panchmudi. Swami Nijanand now lives in Kashi. He was on a 10 day pilgrimage to Kamakhya on the occasion of Navaratri. He has given up his habit of eating 3-4 times a week and is on 2 meals a day.

Kids at Thanamir village

I walked up to Siddhi Ganesh and I ran into an old acquaintance from 2010. As his service to God, he would spend time helping around in Kotiling. He reminded me to come over for the ritual lunch (bhog). On Mondays by 1300 Hrs, free lunch is served at Kotiling. The meal consists of rice, pulses and potatoes cooked together like a stew (Kichidi). Sit cross legged on the floor and enjoy the Kitchadi served on paper plates. There might have been about 30-40 people for the lunch today. Since this custom is not widely known, most of the people here for lunch are locals. I saw a group of people sitting in a circle smoking weed. As Kotiling is a Shiva temple, smoking weed in public hardly raises an eyebrow. ‘Bam Bam Bhole Nath’ seems to be the popular war cry before inhalation!! And everyone is welcome to join in. Free food and free weed. I love Monday afternoonsJ . Went to main temple in the evening. It was relatively less crowded. The free queue to the sanctum took only 2 hours! In the evening went for Aarti.

Freshly plucked wild berries

Day 3: Guwahati (Kamakhya-Paltan Bazar)

Rainy day.Went to Kotiling and Siddhi Ganesh in the morning. After breakfast went for a walk in the main temple. When I came back to the guest house, I was told to leave because I had only booked for 2 daysJ I found a place online near Paltan bazar and shifted there.

Since Palatan bazaar is the hub of transport activity, I tried to hire a cab for Nagaland. All the taxi operators adviced to not to hire a small hatchback car due to the terrible state of roads in Nagaland. Unfortunately, all the taxis were pre-booked due to the national elections. FYI, it’s cheaper to take a taxi from Assam and travel through Nagaland, than hire a cab in Nagaland itself.

Terraced fields of Khonoma

Day 4: Guwahati (Paltan Bazar) -Dhimapur

Took the morning train to Dhimapur. Today is election day in Nagaland. Everything was closed at Dhimapur. Even the taxis that ply regularly from Dhimapur to Kohima are not on the roads. Got an autorikshaw and went to Trinity Villa homestay. This is a charming homestay not too far from the railway station. I went for a walk around the homestay. The bye-lanes are impeccably clean. There are bamboo waste bins on either sides of the road. But the main roads are in a terrible state of disrepair.

Kohima war memorial

Kachari ruins, a listed monument site, is located close to the homestay. Used Google maps to find my way there. As I would come to realise many times later, Google maps is not reliable in Nagaland. Google maps took me to the rear outer wall of Kachari ruins. I couldn’t find the gate to enter the premises. Then I asked some locals and found my way to the main gate. Kachari ruins are protected by tall steel bars at the front and high walls at the rear. Due to the national elections, the entry gate was locked. Opposite the gate is the government run circuit house. I asked the police personel there when the gate for Kachari ruins would open. They adviced me walk further down the road and jump inside!! There were many people already inside and they pointed out the bent section of the steel fence. And I scaled the steel bars and jumped inside. Inside are some old ruins left behind by of the old Dimasa Kachari kingdom. There is a large pond in the site. Sadly nothing is signposted.

Kohima market

By now I had realised that Indians need an Inner Line Permit (ILP) to enter Nagaland. Surprisingly, foreigners do not need an ILP for Nagaland. I was technically an illegal alien since I was already in Dhimapur without an ILP. I asked my trekking guide if she could arrange a permit for me but got no response. Since it was the weekend following election day, I would have to stay a few days just to apply for a permit. Started making plans to move out from Nagaland the next day. Then luck arrived from an unexpected quarter. I had posted a picture of Nagaland in my school group and one of my classmates replied about her friend in Dhimapur. Her friend, a doctor, was super helpful and told me that his personal assistant would call me next day morn

Live frogs for sale at Kohima market

ing and sort the mess out. I slept a little easier.

Day 5: Dhimapur- Diezephe- Kohima
As promised the doctor’s personal assistant called me in the morning and asked me to send documents by mail. 3 photographs and ID proof are required to obtain an ILP. He took them to the DC office in the morning. 3 officials are required to sign the papers to issue the ILP. Since this would take half a day, I requested him to arrange a cab for me to do local sightseeing. He promptly arranged a private vehicle (Rs 2000/-) for local sightseeing.

Wooden granary for rice at Thanamir

Kohima Cathedral has one of the largest wooden crucifix in Asia

Through dilapidated roads I reached Deziphe. The destination was a weaving community called “Echo” that I had read about in the newspaper. We had to ask around quite a few times for this ‘weavers village’ as most local people were unaware of its existence. Finally, after asking many people, we were directed to a house. This turned out to be an artisan’s workshop that specialised in traditional woodwork. There was a workshop and display centre in the same premises. The items on sale here were available in Dhimapur and it’s not advisable to travel here just to buy them. The owner of this woodworking centre told me the route to the weavers community. ‘Echo Self Help group weaver’s community’ turned out to be just a shop beside the road. They have a small collection of traditional handicrafts weaves. They have a homestay but it's open only during the Hornbill festival. The vast majority of tourists arrive in Nagaland during the hornbill festival. Rest of the year, Nagaland hardly gets any tourists.

Dzukou river

On the way back to Dhimapur, the doctor’s personal assistant called me. He said that none of the ILP officials have turned up for work due to the heavy workload the previous election day. The permit could only be applied on Monday. That meant waiting 2 days to apply for the permit and another 3 days to have it processed. I could not wait that long. I enquired what would happen if we proceeded inwards without a permit. He replied that checking for ILP is sporadic and limited to share Sumo’s and buses. The authorities normally do not check private vehicles. Since our vehicle was a private car (an unofficial taxi with private number plates) I decided to try my luck and proceed to Kohima. The road from Dhimapur to Kohima in very poor condition as engineering work was in progress. Once the road is 4 laned, travel times should come down significantly. After 4 Hrs through terrible roads, I reached Kohima. Checked into Hotel Pine by 4:30 PM. The trip to Kohima including Diezephe cost me Rs. 6000.

Wokha Tourist lodge

The plains are behind me. Kohima feels like a mountain town. The air has become cool and pleasant. Went for a walk in Kohima. Live frogs being sold by roadside vendors. The fresh pork momos from the street vendor were delectable. The journey has finally begun in earnest, albeit illegally.

Day 6: Kohima- Wokha

Reached the Wokha Sumo counter by 9 Am. There were a lot of people waiting there. The person at the ticket counter was extremely unhelpful. He was not willing to say even if there was a vehicle to Wokha! Then a driver approached me and said it’s unlikely that I would get a public vehicle to Wokha. He suggested that I hire his car for to Wokha (Rs 3500) as there are a large number of people waiting for share Sumo’s. I decided to wait for a while. In about ten minutes 2 Sumo’s arrived and there was flurry of activity. Everyone started running into the Sumo. The person from the Sumo counter finally called me and said that these are the vehicles to Wokha. He gave me 3 seats (Rs 250 each) at the back row.

Riphym Village

The road to until Tuophema is in decent condition. The Sumo halted at Tuophema for a while. I got out an enquired about accommodation here. There are only 2 hotels at Tuophema. The one that was beside the Sumo stop was closed for this season. Arrived at Wokha by 1300. The best place to stay in Wokha is the ‘Tourist lodge’. This tourist lodge is government owned but run by a private contractor. It is situated away from the main town centre and offers excellent views of Wokha. The semi-detached cottages consist of a day room and bed room. At Rs.1000 a night, it offers excellent value for money. I am the only person here.

Englan Village

In the evening I met a passer-by and struck up a conversation. He turned out to be a local school teacher. He had followed the national elections very closely and was quiet eager to know why Rahul Gandhi chose the constituency of Wayanad in Kerala! I asked him about share Sumo’s to Mokokchung. He immediately called up his friend who said that no vehicles would be available the next day as it was Sunday. As Nagaland is a Christian state, everything including public transport is closed on Sundays. The earliest seats I could get were for Tuesday as the Monday trips were sold out.

Making a sitting bench from aerial roots at Riphym

In the evening I had a conversation with the caretaker of tourist lodge. He told us to order the food for tomorrow in advance as there would be nobody in the kitchen on Sundays. The caretaker arranged for a local guide to trek to Mount Tiyi. The trek starts at 7 AM tomorrow.

Day 7: Wokha- Riphym-Wokha

Riphym village

Got a call at 6:30 from the trekking guide that he would not come to Mount Tiyi. Being Sunday, his family wanted him to attend church. The caretaker could not find another guide. As an alternative, he arranged an autorikshaw for visit the nearby village of Riphym. The road to Riphym is reasonably good. In an autorikshaw,

the trip to Riphym takes about 1 hour. The road passes through the beautiful village of Englan.
Riphym has a Tourist Lodge but it was closed. Walk up and beyond tourist lodge to the Angananavadi (kindergarten) on the mountain top. There is a large stone bench to sit on. Sitting in this sublimely peaceful place with the fresh cool breeze blowing is transcendence. Went for a walk in the village. The village was, as usual, impeccably clean. Returned back to Wokha by 2 PM.
After lunch at the Wokha Tourist Lodge, went to the Sree Wokeshwarnath Temple. Surprisingly, the temple is maintained by the army but is open to all. When I reached back to the tourist lodge, I requested the caretaker to find a guide for the trek to Mount Tiyi tomorrow. (Click here for Wokha and surroundings)

Morung at Mopumchuket

Day 8: Wokha - Mokuchung

The caretaker could not arrange a guide for mount Jafu by morning. As the share Sumo’s were full, I decided to take the bus. I packed up and went to the bus stop. The bus from Kohima to Mokuchung stops at Wokha by 9-10 AM. It started raining. To avoid the rain, I had to stand under the overhang of a shop.I waited until 11:30 but the bus had not arrived. I walked down further and found a counter for the state owned Nagaland Bus Services. I enquired about the Mokuchung bus and he replied that today’s bus service for had been cancelled due to poor patronage. Just when I stepped out from the counter, a bus arrived. This is the first bus that that had arrived since I had started waiting from 9 AM. I went back to the bus counter and asked if this bus would go to Mokuchung. He came out from his seat spoke to the bus driver. He then asked me to get in the bus. The bus would drop me off at some place near Mokuchung. I think that the bus was going to Tuengsang.

Steps to Longkhum

It rained heavily during the whole bus journey. The scenery enroute to Mokuchung is extremely beautiful. In the bus were 2 Italian tourists. They had crossed the land border from Myanmar into India and were also travelling to Mokuchung. Their final destination was Manjauli in Assam. I got off somewhere when the conductor asked me to do so. There was a small army check post beside the bus stop. The soldier on duty was very helpful. He called a taxi and asked him to take me to our hotel, Marvel Guesthouse.

After a while, I went to the town centre to book a share Sumo to Wokha. There is only one share Sumo from Mokokchung to Wokha! This Sumo cannot be pre-booked as it starts from Wokha. If there are no passengers on the Wokha-Mokochung sector, then the trip is cancelled. The second option is to take a ticket to Kohima and get down at Wokha. There are numerous share Sumos to Kohima. (Click here for Wokha and surroundings)

Traditional Handicrafts center at Ungma

Day 9: Mokuchung- Ungma- Longkhum- Mopumchuket- Mokuchung

Woke up in the morning to strong winds and heavy rain.I could feel that the building was shaking gently. Perhaps it was an earthquake or it was due to the strong winds. I rushed down only to find that the iron gate exit to the ground floor was locked. I was locked in! I had to call the owner on my mobile to unlock the front gate!

Longlaba Stones

Hired the cab that had dropped us to the hotel yesterday. Started out by 10 to Ungma. There is a memorial for the first martyr from Ungma against the British rule. There is a training centre for teaching traditional handicrafts to the new generation. The watch tower and Morung are worth visiting. Ungma has the reputation for being the Mafioso capital of Nagaland, but it’s a nice place to visit.
The next destination was Longkhum. Due to the fog and heavy rain, the visibility had reduced considerably. Resumed the drive when the intensity of the rains subsided. The road to Longkhum makes for a pleasant drive. Do not miss the tree lines steps that lead to Longkhum. The main attraction of Longkhum is the Longlaba Stones. At the end of the stones is the ‘eagle cave’.

Mopumchuket Etiben Tower

Longkhum and Mopumchuket are on opposite sides of Mokuchung. Returned back to Mokuchung and had lunch there. Lunch consisted of rice, pork curry and black sauce made from the fermented Yam leaves. This black sauce is the local specialty.

After lunch I went to Mopumchuket .The main attraction of Mopumchuket is the Sungkotenem park. The small privately run museum in Mopumchuket is usually closed. Our driver went to the house of the custodian of the museum and had it opened. Do not miss the amazing sunsets from the Etiben lookout tower. Visit the interesting Morung near the school. Returned back to Mokuchung by 6PM. (Click here for Mokuchung and surroundings)

Day 10: Mokuchung-Wokha

Path to Mount Tiyi

Went to the Sumo counter in the morning. Since there were very few passengers from Wokha, the Sumo doing the round trip from Wokha to Mokochung and back had been cancelled. I bought tickets to on a share Sumo to Kohima and got off at Wokha. I’m back at the Tourist Lodge.

In the evening, I met my acquaintance from the last visit, the school teacher. He called me into his house and we had a cup of tea. The hospitality of the people of Nagaland is amazing. They are very friendly to outsiders. He was disappointed at the poor state of development in Nagaland and blamed it on the rampant corruption. ‘A highly educated Christian state should not be so corrupt’, he lamented. (Click here for Wokha and surroundings)

Cave of departed souls on Mount Tiyi

Day 11: Wokha- Jafu peak- Kohima -Khonoma

The caretaker had the ‘Tourist Lodge’ had managed to get a guide (Rs 800) for me to visit Mount Tiyi. It is absolutely recommend a guide as it’s easy to get lost. (Click here for Wokha and surroundings)

I completed Mount Tiyi trek and was back in the tourist lodge by 1300. Since I’m back from M. Tiyi earlier than expected, I decided to return to Kohima the same day. Took an autorikshaw to the Sumo counter. The share autorikshaw’s in Wokha charge the same fare per passenger irrespective of the final destination. Post noon, the share Sumo’s to Kohima depart only when there are sufficient passengers. Hence there are no fixed departure timings. I departed from Wokha by 2:30 PM. The Sumo was going to Dhimapur and it was only half full. I have the middle row to myself. Reached Kohima by 5:15 PM.

Circular tomb of Village elders at Khonoma

Kohima is too crowded for my liking. I decide to go to Khonomaon the same day. Since it’s late, there are no more share taxis to Khonoma. I have to hire a cab (Rs 600). As usual, the state of the road is horrendous. The trip takes about 1.5 Hrs. It’s dark by the time I get to Khonoma. There is only one shop that’s open at Knonoma. I step out and ask the shopkeeper about accommodation options in Khonoma. He directed me to a few homestays that might be available, but they are all closed. Finally, I check into the Dovipee inn (Rs 2000 per night).

Community cooking

Day 12: Khonoma

Today is Good Friday. As expected, everything is closed. I enquired for a local guide, but nobody was willing to work on Good Friday. I’m sure that I’m the only tourist in Khonoma. I go for a walk around this beautiful village. It is one of the cleanest villages in Nagaland. It’s also called green village of Nagaland.

Terhuotsise

I go for a stroll in the village. The listed heritage monuments are interesting. The Good Friday procession to the Catholic Church has started from beside Dovipee inn. The Catholic Church and Baptist churches are the biggest buildings in the village. (Click here for Khonoma)

Day 13: Khonoma- Kohima- Viswema

Saturday is cleanliness day for the villagers. In the morning one group scoured the village roads to collect all garbage and plastic bits. Then the second group of people arrived. They were planting ornamental and flowering plants on the roadside. The whole community takes part in keeping the village beautiful. This is how the world should operate!!

It's school time in Knonoma

After a stroll in the village, I walk to Terhuotsiese. I had hired a cab to Kohima (Rs 600). He turned out to be a local guide. The cab dropped us at the Sumo counter to Viswema. But due to the luggage I was carrying, I am not able to jump into the share taxis and catch a seat. Finally, I gave up all hope and hired a car to Viswema (Rs 400).

I was put up at Native stories homestay. This is a small family run homestay. The room costs Rs 1000 per night. The owner’s sister looks after the place and she’s an excellent cook too. I recommend her pork with Mizo paste. Her son, an arts student, would be our guide to Dzokou tomorrow. It’s has been raining intermittently. Hopefully, it won’t rain tomorrow.(Click here for Khonoma)

Dzukou Valley

Day 14: Viswema- Kigwema- Dzokou valley

It rained the whole night but there are blue patches in the sky. Luckily it turned out to be an excellent day. Started the trip by 0730 in the morning. A vehicle took us to Kigwema (Rs 2000). The trek starts where the motorable road ends at Kigwema. The initial ascend is very steep and it takes about an hour. Then the trail follows an even terrain for about 2 hours. The guesthouse at Dzokou is run by the ‘Southern Angami Youth Organisation’. The organisation charges Rs 100 per person as entry fees into Dzokou. A room costs Rs 1000 and a dorm costs Rs 100. Blankets are available for hire in the dorm. Basic food is available at Dzokou guest house.

Cross beside Dzukou valley

After lunch, went for a walk in the valley below. Crossed the river and went to the cross on the other side of the valley. It’s still recovering from the fire of Dec-18. Green bamboo shoots are sprouting all over. (Click here for Dzokou)

Day 15: Dzokou valley-Zakama- Viswema- Mima-Viswema

The spot where the NCC was created

It was very cold at night. The wooden boards of the room are badly set. Cold air comes in through the gaps in the wooden board. Make sure to bring a candle/torchlight as there is no light inside the rooms. There is one solar powered light outside the room.

Started trekking back by 0730. At the mid-point of the trail is a small waiting area. The trail is beautiful. The trail descends quite steeply for 3/4^th of the way. Then the descend becomes a gentler. Stopped beside a brook and took some break. It took about 3 hours to reach Zakama. Compared to the Kigwema route, this path is better maintained. It had started drizzling by the time we reached Zakama. From here, it’s only a short ride to Viswema

After lunch, decided to visit Mima village. I had read that Mima village, also known as honeybee village, had recently opened up for tourism. My guide had never visited Mima and he came along with me. Mima is only 16 KM away from Viswema. Enroute is the location of the first camp of Naga National Council (NCC) that was set up in 1956. This camp was later destroyed by the Indian army. We found our way to the camping site. Perhaps because of the off-tourist season, there was nobody there. There were quite a lot of traditional honey bee nests. The traditional beehives are made into the earth. There is an opening for the bees to enter the beehive (See pic). There are terraced paddy fields on the mluntain slopes. But the trip to Mima is a major disappointment.

Tree sump marks the easternmost extent of WW2 Japanese empire

Day 16: Viswema-Kohima-Viswema

Decided to go to Kohima today. The first stop was the beautifully maintained Commonwealth war cemetery. The ‘Battle of Kohima’ in 1944 turned the tide of war in the east. The tree stump in the war cemetery marks the easternmost limit of Japanese occupation in WW2. This cemetery has today become an oasis of calm in manic Kohima.

Kohima Cathedral

The next destination was Kohima Cathedral. This catholic church houses one of the largest wooden cross in the world. 99% of the funding for the church came from overseas. For many donors, it was an act of penance for their participation in the Battle of Kohima. The church and lawns looked deserted. Unable to get in, I peeked inside the church through the glass on the front door. Then I saw a person entering the church through a side door. This door is always open and tourists are welcome to enter anytime.

Dzuleke

While having lunch I realised that my purse and money was missing. I started frantically looking for it. Then I received a call. It was from Kohima Cathedral. I had left my wallet thereJ Nagaland people (except the political class) have a reputation for honesty and now I can testify that it’s true. I went to the state museum in the evening, but by then it was closed. Returned to Viswema in the evening.

Day 17: Viswema- Kohima- Dzulekie- Benreu

The road to Benreu via Dzulekie is relatively unknown and is not even marked on Google maps. It was extremely difficult to arrange a vehicle to Benreu. Yesterday, I had enquired at the taxi stand in Kohima many times to find a taxi that was willing to take me to Benreu. Even those who had agreed to the trip, later called up and refused saying that the roads are terrible. There are no buses or share Sumos to Benreu from Kohima. Finally I managed to find a willing cab driver.
Started the journey at 8AM.Road maintenance was in progress and section of the road turned out to good. In other areas, the road was nothing more than a big muddy puddle.

Benreu Village

Enroute, stopped at the beautiful little village of Dzulekie. There is a tourist office at the beginning of the village, but it was closed. I went to the nearby house and asked about the tourist office. The lady of the house, who neither spoke English or Hindi, came out from the house and signalled me to come along with her. She kept asking her neighbors and finally we came to an elderly man working in a farm. He turned out to the tourism officer! He left his farming tools behind and took me to the tourism office. Dzulekie has ample opportunities for trekking, bird watching and camping. A few homestays cater to the tourists. The shortest trek to the pristine mountains surrounding Dzuleke takes 4-5 hours. My cab driver cannot stay for another day and there are vehicles available for hire in Dzulekie. I’m forced to resume the journey to Benreu. If I come to Nagaland again, I will definitely spend time in this village.

Market in Pheren

Reached Benreu by 1330. The only accommodation in Beneru is ‘Mount Pauna Tourist centre’. Benreu town centre consists of a small shop and half-length football ground. Mount Pauna Tourist centre is located on the adjacent mountain to the village centre. As usual, I’m the only person here. The caretaker of the tourist centre arranged a guide to visit Benreu. (Click here for Benreu)

Pheren Town center

Day 18: Benreu- Pheren

In the morning, I went for a walk in the village. I saw two hunters on the road. One had a gun and other was armed with a slingshot. A share Sumos ply between Dhimapur from Benreu on alternate days. There is no service to Dhimapur today. Since there are no taxis in Benreu, the caretaker drove us in her car to Pheren. She charged Rs 2000 for the 2 hr trip.

Apparently, the only private hotel in Pheren is the family run ‘Holiday Inn’. It’s a modern place with a few rooms. But the service is terrible. The landlady (who’s also the receptionist) of ‘Holiday Inn’ claimed that she did not know English or Hindi. But later she was speaking to us in fluent Hindi when it suited her and feigned ignorance when we wanted something! She's a blot on the otherwise fantabulous hospitality I experienced all over Nagaland.

Organic packaging at Wokha

I went to the city centre to arrange a transport to Dhimapur. Share Sumos ply in the morning and at noon. I got the number of a taxi driver and asked him to pick me up from ‘Holiday Inn’ tomorrow. I wanted to see some sights and sounds of Pheren, but being a small town there are no cabs. I couldn’t find a local car owner who was willing to take me around.

Day 19: Pheren - Dhimapur

The Sumo picked us up from ‘Holiday inn’ by 11 AM. The trip to Dhimapur took 4 hrs. I’m back at Trinity Villa.

Day 20: Dhimapur

Went to the Bamboo Resource centre. This is located at 6^th mile. There are many Bamboo products emporium. In the same campus is the honey development corporation. Unfortunately both were closed as it was a weekend. There is a large park tht showcases different bamboo varieties from all over Nagaland and abroad.

Saramti trek follows the ridge line. Can be scary

Day 21: Dhimapur - Kohima

Dropped my 5 year old traveling companion at the airport. She seems to have enjoyed the trip. I take a share Sumo and head to Kohima. Checked into the Hotel Pine besides Oking Hospital.

Day 22: Kohima- Kifri

Headed out to Kifri in a share Sumo. This is the first day of the trek to Saramati trek. (Click here for SaramatiTrek)

Saramati base camp

Day 23: Kifri- Thamair

Today we stop in Thamir. This is the base village from where the trek starts. The remoteness of the village has kept alot of the traditional ways alive.Thamair is also called apple village as it’s the only place in Nagaland where apples grow.

Day 24: Thamair- Saramati Base Camp

It had rained heavily whole night. Taking a calculated risk, I started trekking at 0915. The trek passes through pristine forest. The trail follows the ridge in many places. This can be scary. But not as scary as the near-vertical rock that has to be climbed over. Reached Saramati base camp just before it began raining again. Soon the heavy fog descended.

Thanamir village

Day 25: Saramati Base Camp- Saramati - Thamair- Pungro- Kifri

At night the strong winds bought more rain. In the morning, the rains reduced to a drizzle. Against the advice of my guide, I decide to attempt the trek to the peak. But after 1.5 Hrs of steep ascend, I’m forced to turn back due to bad weather. It’s only an hour to the top. I’m disappointed. So near, yet so far.
Walked back to Thamair. I have butterflies in my stomach when I have to do down the steep rock face. I make it back to Thanamir in one piece but with bruised ego and a broken heart. Drove back to Kifri after lunch.

Local delicacy is the most expensive on the menu

Day 26: Kifri- Kohima

The share Sumo picked me up from the guesthouse at Kifri at 6 AM. After a long days drive, I’ve reached bustling Kohima. I cannot get over disappointment of having to turn back 1 hr from Saramati peak. I cannot even drown my sorrows away as sale of alcohol is illegal in Nagaland.

Day 27: Kohima -Dhimapur- Guwhati (Kamakhya)

Met my guide in the morning. She took me to try out the local delicacy- dog meat. And it does not taste like chicken J. A share Sumo took me onwards to Dhimapur.

Local delicacy is served

The share Sumos from Kohima terminate at Dhimapur railway station. This was quiet convenient for me as I was booked on a train to Guwahati. It’s quite late by the time I reach the homestay at Kamakhya. My landlord is surprised that I’ve arrived. Most of the trains had been suspended to do the heavy rains caused by the cyclone.(Click here for Saramati Trek)

Day 28: Kamakhya

Heavy rains. Slack day.

Day 29: Kamakhya

Went around the hillock. Rained heavily the whole day

Day 30: Kamakhya- Home

Vacation over. I'm wiser than 30 days ago me.

Other Nagaland blogs