Nagaland · Festival guide · 6 min read
Hornbill Festival 2026: a state showcase, and how to go well
Ten days at Kisama near Kohima from 1 December. What it is, what you need before you board, and how to treat a showcase as a visit and not a backdrop.
Every December, Nagaland holds ten days of dance, food, craft and sport at one site near Kohima. The Hornbill Festival has run since December 2000, and the 2026 edition is the 27th. It begins on 1 December, which is also Nagaland’s Statehood Day.
What it is
The Government of Nagaland organises the festival, through the Department of State Tourism and the Department of Art and Culture. Its stated aims are to encourage interaction between the state’s communities and to promote and protect Naga heritage. The main venue is the Naga Heritage Village at Kisama, about 12 km south of Kohima.
Time Out India describes the programme: traditional Naga Morungs with performances, demonstrations, food and crafts; indigenous sports, including Naga wrestling and traditional archery; herbal medicine stalls; and the Hornbill Music Festival alongside, with evening events in Kohima.
A showcase, not a village ritual
This is different from the Theyyam we write about elsewhere. A Theyyam is an act of worship in a village shrine. The Hornbill Festival is a state-organised showcase, on a purpose-built site, with tickets. That is useful to know. People at the Morungs are there to share their culture with visitors, and you can ask questions.
It is still a meeting between people. Ask before you photograph anyone, accept a no, buy crafts and food from the people who made them, and do not treat the performers as a backdrop. Spend a little time at a single Morung instead of crossing the whole site for a checklist.
Before you go
Permit. The Commissioner of Nagaland says non-local Indian citizens entering beyond the inner line need an Inner Line Permit. A tourist permit is valid for 15 days, and tourists can apply online at ilp.nagaland.gov.in, where an OTP is sent to your phone during the application and a document checklist is linked. Apply well before you travel.
Foreign visitors. The portal says a Protected Area Permit is mandatory for foreign tourists, and that it was relaxed for 1 to 10 December 2025 for the Hornbill Festival. We could not find whether the same applies in 2026. Check the portal directly.
Getting there. Time Out India says to fly to Dimapur, about 74 km from Kohima, and take a private or shared taxi, which takes roughly two to three hours to Kohima or Kisama. Trains reach Dimapur from hubs such as Guwahati, and buses run via Guwahati and Shillong to Kohima or Dimapur.
Where to stay. Book as early as you can. We have not verified availability or prices for 2026.
What we could not confirm
We could not confirm the full 2026 programme, current ticket prices, accommodation availability, or whether the foreign-visitor permit relaxation is repeated this year. Check the Government of Nagaland’s official channels and the permit portal before you book.
How we researched this
This guide is compiled from Time Out India, Sentinel Assam, Wikipedia and the Government of Nagaland’s permit pages. Soul Sanchari has not visited the festival for this piece. If you have been, or you live in Kohima, tell us what we have wrong.
Planning tools for this trip
- Northeast permits and ILP guide: A planning checklist for Indian travellers dealing with Inner Line Permits, printed IDs, border areas, and buffer days.
Questions readers ask
Do I need a permit to visit the Hornbill Festival?
Non-local Indian citizens need an Inner Line Permit to enter Nagaland. The Commissioner of Nagaland lists a tourist permit valid for 15 days and an online application at ilp.nagaland.gov.in. Foreign visitors should read the portal's current rules: it says a Protected Area Permit is mandatory for foreign tourists, and that this was relaxed for 1 to 10 December 2025. We could not find whether the same relaxation applies in 2026.
Where is the festival held?
At the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama, in the Southern Angami region of Kohima district, about 12 km from Kohima.
Is the Hornbill Festival a village ritual?
No. The Government of Nagaland organises it, through the Department of State Tourism and the Department of Art and Culture, to promote Naga heritage and encourage interaction between the state's communities.
Sources
Corrections
No corrections so far. If something is wrong, tell us below and we will fix it here with a dated note.
Help us get it right
