Dzukou Lily 25

Dzukou Valley Trek, Nagaland

Dzukou Valley in Nagaland is probably the most famous trek in entire Northeast India nowadays and there is a good reason for it. It was not that famous till at least 2015 and mostly locals used to visit it. However, a place like this could not have remained hidden for a long time in the information age. So, the pictures of those iconic rolling hills started flooding the social media with a few years, it became one of the most sought-after destinations.  Proximity to the venue of the popular Hornbill Festival also made it more popular.

Nevertheless, my experience with this valley has been more complex than it should have been (Although later on I did it again with ease but my initial attempt ended with a failure). I am not sure how to describe or explain this. It is a short and easy trek that everyone else seems to have done with consummate ease. But for me, it took two attempts, and even after that, I barely made it to the entry point of the valley and could not really explore it in a way it deserved. Only during my 3rd attempt I managed to do a satisfactory exploration. I wanted to call this post “two and a half failures” but people have complained about too much negativity in my tone in the past. So, let me just cut the self-loathing and have a look at Dzukou through these three trips, one failure, one half-success, and one success.

Dzukou Valley Trek: Failed Attempt (September 2017): A Night at the Jungle Hut

As my regular readers know, I started this blog with a trek to the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand in 2010. Since then, I have had a fascination of such areas, desolated high altitude valleys, that can be reached only after a trek. I have known about Dzukou since then but I never managed to make it due to my base in Delhi and excessive focus on Himachal.

Nevertheless, I arrived in Kohima with a lot of expectations this September. While rains are always to be expected in the northeast, this year, it had rained even more than usual. I initially planned it in August but gave up due to the same reason. Ideally, September is too late for the wildflowers but considering the rains, I expected them to remain. I knew it will still rain but I expected it to be less severe, which was my first mistake.

The primary decision I had to make here is regarding the route (Details in the guide section at the bottom). I decided to take one from Viswema village, the one that is longer but easier according to other reports. The village is 22 KMs from Kohima and the second mistake I made here is to start from Kohima in the morning instead of looking for some nearby accommodation the previous day. I waited for the complimentary breakfast at my homestay, took a slow city bus to the Network Stand, and then took a slow shared car to Viswema. It was already 10 AM by the time I was at the start of the trekking point.

The trekking point at Viswema is located just on the other side of the village, by the side of the road. There are a couple of small shops and a garage too. I talked to one of the guys who advised me to buy a sheet of plastic for INR 30 from the nearby shop. This was the wisest advice I received on this trip. He also asked me to hire a car from the village but that would have been too expensive for a budget traveller.

Actually, it is a motorable road from Viswema that leads one to the actual trekking point, after which, one has to complete a steep but short hike. I was told that this stretch is around 6-7 KMs and I was hoping to cover it in 2 hours. However, I expected a completely straight road, which was another silly assumption on my part. It is actually a gradual incline, and so walking is not as easy as it sounds, especially as I was carrying all my luggage including the laptop as I wanted to stay up there for a couple of days.

The initial hike was still pleasant. I quickly knocked off a couple of kilometers. Viswema was looking like a dream from that altitude. I clicked one good photograph but a thick veil of mist appeared out of nowhere and obliterated the whole landscape in front of my eyes within two minutes of that capture.

Dzukou (1)

Dzukou (2)

I kept going but soon it started raining. I tried to continue but the rain got progressively heavier and not having waterproof shoes was beginning to cost me. By that time, I had covered an awkward amount of distance. I had come too far to return while I still had to cover a lot more to reach my destination. I was worried about my equipment too so I paused, and waited for a while. The rain subsided but it had taken away almost an hour of my valuable time. Due to unfavorable timezone arrangements, it gets dark pretty quickly in the Northeast. It was already past noon and I had no more than 4 hours in hand. On the positive side, there was a large Bhutan Glory (Bhutanitis Lidderdalii) on the road. I almost stepped on it but saw it at the last moment. Then I captured it… digitally.

Dzukou (4)

The road was longer than I’d imagined. It must have been 8-9 KMs from the main road and the light was fading fast. Finally, I reached the end of the road and it was already past 3.30 PM. Here, I found a hut, and a building that was under construction. I am sure in the future this will be turned into a tourist facility but at that point of time, there was no one. I noticed the steep trekking trail going upwards inside the jungle. Another non-steep route was going straight. So, it was a bit confusing and there was no signage to guide the trekkers. I decided to take the steep one.

The first few steps went well, but after that the trek was getting progressively more difficult. Due to the rains, a hilly stream was overflowing and merging with the steps, making it very difficult to move. While this stretch is short, it is covered by a thick, evergreen canopy, making it even darker. Soon, I was finding it very hard to see and beginning to question my decision and wisdom. At one point, I completely stopped because I could not see the trail ahead. Was it even the correct route?

Today, in hindsight, I can say that I was on the right path and I was almost there, barely 200 metres away from salvation. But at that moment, it was pretty dark and I had no idea what was happening. Maybe the rains had also obliterated some parts of the trail, which led to the confusion along with the lack of signage in the beginning. I paused for five minutes but the visibility dropped further and the rains also started again. With a heavy heart, I decided to come back.

The return turned out to be even harder. It was no more than 5 PM but it was pitch dark inside the jungle. I missed the trail at some point, slipped at a few points, found myself in a very awkward spot and could not proceed further although I knew I was not far. I was not carrying a torch either and my phone was dead too. I considered my options. One option was to sit still in the jungle for the next 12 hours and wait for the morning light. But in that case,  another burst of rain would have been a terrifying prospect, along with the arrival of any kind of wild carnivore.

Just at that point, it occurred to me that I still had a functioning camera. I cursed myself for my stupidity and took it out. While we underestimate the glow of the camera screen under normal circumstances, in that primal darkness, it worked like a torch. I could finally see the trail, which was just two feet away from my spot. The next half an hour was tiresome but finally, I managed to come out of the jungle and reached the hut.

I think constructions use this hut occasionally but there was no one that night. Now, I could keep walking and tried reaching the main road. But I was tired already and that would have taken at least 3 hours more and it would have been hard to get a transport to Kohima from there. I was also not sure if there was any accommodation option in Viswema. Even if it was there, I would have reached after 9 PM and as far as I had seen, these places become desolated after 6 PM. So, I finally decided to spend the night in that hut and start moving in the morning. The room was locked but there was enough space in the porch. There were some mats, a bench, utensils, and various other items, suggesting that I was not the first person to stay there.

My material, as well as social, needs have always been very modest. So, I was happy to find a place to lie down after a tough day. I was fine with the desolation but the only problem was food. I had not had anything after breakfast. I knew that accommodation and food will be available in the valley but now I had no option left. I checked all accessible corners of the hut and finally found a bottle of Kissan Jam. It was mostly empty, except a few drops at the bottom of the bottle. I had to use my toothbrush bring that out and had my first morsel in 12 hours. It reminded me of Adrien Brody in The Pianist, when he receives some normal food after many days of struggle. I have always been against excessive glamorization of travel writing, but yes, sometimes it can make you look like a Hollywood star, although there was no one to witness that glorious moment.

Pianist Jam Scene

I dozed off soon, but was woken up by the sound of something jumping on the tin roof. I could not really see anything but the sleep had departed already. I opened my laptop to check time. It was 1 PM. I thought of watching a movie and wait for the morning. But the only unwatched film with me was  Mikhail Kalatozov’s Soy Cuba. It was too experimental a film to be watched when one was physically drained. But I think it had the desired impact and I was feeling sleepy again. After that, there was no interruption that night, or at least, I did not realize.

I woke up at around 4.30 AM after that and it was already pretty bright. I even considered going back to the valley. But I was too tired and also, I soon realized that my camera had accumulated a lot of vapour inside and it was no longer usable. This will remain a great regret for me because I could not take a single photograph of my shelter. Anyway, I walked fast, reached the highway by 7 AM, and then caught a cab to Kohima to end my ordeal.

Dzukou 2nd Attempt: A Successful Ascent in December 2017

I returned to Nagaland after 3 months and this time I was no alone. I have already published my Pfutsero Travelogue. After that, we arrived in the same area. Being in a group meant that we had better bargains and were saving money on accommodation and transport. However, this also meant that we were finding it hard to coordinate and although we planned to go for the trek every day for the next 4-5 days, we could never collectively make up our minds to leave on time. I did not even want to visit Hornbill Festival but that is where we ended up every day and downed ourselves in rice wine and rice beer.

Finally, on the last full day of the trip, we decided to give it a try. By that time Johann and Devesh had left for Mon district and only Shubham was remaining of the original group. But he had a group of friends joining in and they also had their own vehicle. So, the first part of the trip was taken care of. We just drove to the steep trekking point, following the same route. The steep hike also seemed easier in the dry season. It took us around 50 minutes to negotiate this part, and in the process, I realized that I was very near to the top when I gave up last time.

After around 1.1 Km of a very steep hike, the valley finally opened up in front of us. I have done far longer treks but this was a reward comparable to many of them. It was a hazy, cloudy day but one glimpse of the valley was worth all the effort. It was also greener that my expectations although it was way past the peak season.

Dzukou (5)

Dzukou (6)

It is still 4-5 KMs after this point to the official resthouse of Dzukou. But it is a straight stretch where you just have to keep walking and the house was already visible in the horizon. We walked through dense foliage but the trail was very clear and we had no issues in reaching the destination in another hour and a half, including some photography breaks.

Dzukou (8)

Dzukou (10)

Dzukou (11)

The people at the hut served some good fried rice and tea for us. There were already a lot of other people in the valley, most of them seemed to have stayed the night. By deciding to come on the last day, I already knew that I was not going to fully enjoy the valley. I tried hard to compensate and took a few more photographs but the weather was worsening. We spent no more than 3 hours at the top when the rains returned, reminding me of the previous attempt. This time though, I was not alone and nor did I have any luggage. So, we rushed back in a hurry and reached the car in a couple of hours, just before it got completely dark.

Dzukou (12)

Dzukou (13)

Dzukou (14)

Dzukou (16)

So, in the end, finally I can say that I have set foot in the Dzukou Valley but in my heart, I know that much more had to be seen. I must return next year, during the flowering season. But till then, all I can do is remember that lonely, drenched night, and watch the remainder of Soy Cuba.

Dzukou 3rd Attempt: Spotting the Dzukou Lily in June 2019

Dzukou Lily 7
Dzukou Lily 3

So, I finally made another solo trip to Dzukou, and this time, finally I had good weather and the right season. I even spotted the Dzukou Lily in full bloom as you can see above. I have also updated the guide below with latest information.

You can read the Dzukou Lily experience here with more photographs.

Dzukou Valley Travel Guide

How to reach Dzukou Valley?

There are two primary trek routes to Dzukou Valley. Both involve a bit of motorable road, and a bit of steep trekking, and then some straight walk in the valley.

  1. From Viswema Village (22 KM from Kohima + 8 to 9 KM motorable road + 1 KM steep hike + 4 to 5 KM straight walk in the valley to the resthouse)
  2. From Zakhama Village  (16 KM from Kohima + 3 to 4 KM motorable road + 5-6 KM steep hike + 1 to 2 KM walk in the valley to the resthouse)
  3. There is also a route from Manipur side (Senapati District), but it is even more obscure, unmarked, and I have never met anyone who has done it.

 

How to reach Viswema from Kohima?

At Kohima, go to the Network AOC Stand (Don’t confuse it with NST stand, where you are most likely to arrive from Dimapur), from where you get shared cars to any of these villages at INR 50-80 per head.

How to get cars to the trekking point?

You can ask around after reaching Viswema for cars to cover the motorable road and reach the trekking point (You can walk this stretch but it takes up around 3 hours through gradual incline and tires you even before the start of the actual trek). You can also take someone from Kohima but I am sure they will ask an exorbitant amount. From Viswema they tend to ask for INR 1500 even if you are alone. So, this works better if you have more people to share the cost. The best guy to ask is the auto-repair guy at Viswema, whose garage is located just at the start of the road, and where the shared cars from Kohima also drop you.

Where to Stay the night before Dzukou?

This is a tricky one. You can always start at Kohima and start as early as possible. But you can also start in one of the roadside villages so that you can start quickly in the morning.  I have done it both from Kohima and from Kigwema on different occasions.

Where to Stay on the Highway near Dzukou?

I once stayed in the one called Vicha Paying Guest at Kigwema and we had a good experience in this family-run homestay, which also had the best food I had found in the entire Nagaland. The stretch between Kohima and Zakhama has many homestays nowadays and this trend will only grow. However, some of them come alive only during the Hornbill Festival in December because that’s when more people visit.

Where to stay cheaply in Kohima?

Kohima is an expensive city and can get difficult for backpackers and budget travellers. There are some godforsaken old school hotels in the market that you should probably avoid. I am aware of three places that offer shared bunk beds in Kohima City.

Morung Lodge (INR 800/bed/night with breakfast) at Midland Colony. It is a good place, highly rated online, with good views and facilities, and I have stayed here before. However, to be honest, 800 is a bit too high for a shared bed.

EcoStay Hostel (INR 550/bed/night with breakfast) near the World War Cemetary is a new development and I just stayed here for my latest trip. As of now, it seems to be the most affordable decent option for backpackers. The rooms need a bit more space though. An open balcony would have made it infinitely better.

Central Guest House (INR 300-400/bed/night) near the NST bus stand is the cheapest option. I have not stayed here but from what I learned from the ones who stayed, the facilities are not that great.

Will there be someone in the valley to help me?

Yes, there are a couple of appointed people who are supposed to man the guest house throughout the year. They also collect fees, provides bedding, and cook food for the visitors.

What is the altitude of Dzukou Valley?

It is around 2400-2700 metres.

Where to Stay in Dzukou?

Dzukou (15)
You can stay in the valley at the rest house. Basically they have a big hall, which is called the dorm. You can hire blankets & mat etc for INR 200 and help yourself out there. Otherwise, there is a solitary hut where you can get a private room for higer rates.

Can I pitch a Tent in Dzukou?

Yes, you can pitch your own tent for INR 100, or even borrow a tent from the caretaker to pitch at a designated spot near the rest house. The second option, of course, costs more. (Check the Price Chart below for more details).

Can I get food in Dzukou?

Yes, there is a kitchen and they provide some basic food like tea, rice, omelet, noodles, etc. I saw some people cooking pork, not sure they took the food with them or the caretaker provided them.

What is the right season for Dzukou?

It can be accessed throughout the year. For the wild blossoms, visit it in the summer and monsoons (May to August). The rains can be challenging but this is the price you pay for best views. The famed Dzukou Lilies bloom around late May and early June. A lot of people visit it in December to club it with the Hornbill Festival but to be honest, that is a dry and dull season for the valley.

Are there any entry fees to the Valley?

Yes, they charge INR 100 as an entry fee even if you don’t spend the night, along with  INR 200 as a camera fee in case you have it.

What about phone and data connectivity in the valley?

Most services work till Viswema. There is no real connectivity up in the valley. Sometimes you may capture some random signals but don’t get too excited.

Where do I get Old Monk before the trek?

Nagaland is actually a dry state where commercial alcohol is prohibited.  But you can always get some traditional rice beer, which ia integral part of their culture and not prohibited. You will have to ask around for this though unless your time it with Hornbill fest, where they sell it openly, but at a premium.

Dzukou Valley Price Chart (Rates for amenities)

With my recent trip, I noticed that the prices have increased a bit with its increasing popularity. Packed food is sold at a premium also, but that is expected in a trek due to supply issues. You can also get firewood for a bonfire and use the kitchen items too. So, here is a list of prices of various items atop Dzukou Valley.

Entry Fee: INR 100 per head

Camera Fee: INR 200

Stay Fee at the Dormitory: INR 50 (Do note that at 50 you are just allowed to stay, blankets etc cost extra)

Stay Fee at Individual Room: INR 1500 (Yes, I haven’t added an extra 0 by mistake!)

Permission for pitching own tent: INR 100

Hiring Tente from the Caretaker (2 people in 1 tent): INR 1200

Foam Mat for Sleeping: INR 50

Light Blanket: INR 50

Thick Blanket: INR 150 (Basically light blanket is useless in the cold night atop the valley. I had to use a combo of light and thick).

Cup Noodles: INR 70-90 depending on brand and size.

ORS-L  200 ml Tetrapack (Health Drink) INR 60

Omelet INR 80

Milk Tea INR 20

Red Tea (Black Tea) INR 20

Simple Veg Dinner with Daal & Potato INR 200

Dinner with Meat INR 300

Fire Wood INR 10 per piece

Borrowing Kitchen Items: You can borrow kettle, utensils, plates, etc, especially if you are camping and cooking on your own, for some additional cost. But if you build a good rapport with the guys, they can be lenient.

Photography and Drone Permissions atop Dzukou?

As mentioned before, you need to pay INR 200 for the camera. If you click on your phone, then you can avoid this cost.

On the other hand, Drone Photography is Strictly Prohibited inside Dzukou Valley. However, I saw some people doing it inside the valley without the caretaker noticing. But if he does notice it, he will ask you to stop and delete the footage.

Do we find Drinking Water atop Dzukou Valley?

There is water supply from the nearby streams, which is used for all purposes including drinking and washing. If you are not comfortable with that, bring your own bottles (and please take them back to the nearest dustbin in the city too). They don’t sell water bottles atop the valley.

Toilets atop Dzukou?

There are basic Indian style toilets. You will have to carry the water on the buckets.

Approximate Budget for Dzukou Trip (From Guwahati)

I always do it as a part of the longer trips so hard to make a proper estimate. In general, if you make a quick trip from Guwahati in 3 days, I think you can manage it in INR 3000-4000, if you don’t hire the car from Viswema (which costs an additional INR 700-800). These costs are assuming if you go for the cheapest options including sleeper class train from Guwahati, bus or shared car to Kohima, and the dormitory to stay at Dzukou and backpacker hostel at Kohima.

Ideal Dzukou Valley Itinerary

This itinerary is a bit hectic. It is assuming that you don’t do anything else and only going fro Dzukou Valley Trek. Ideally, you should have more days to relax and enjoy. Add a day extra to suit yourself.

Day 1

Arrive in Guwahati from your place. To keep costs low, take a night train (Nagaland Express) from Guwahati to Dimapur (Get the online ILP beforehand so that you don’t have to waste your time at Dimapur).

Day 2

The train reaches a very early morning, around 4-5 AM. So, come out and find a bus and then reach Kohima by 10 AM. Have breakfast somewhere and find a cab to Network Stand and get a shared car to Viswema. From here, you can hike (or pay a locla drive to drop you a bit ahead to make it easier). You will reach Dzukou Valley between 2 PM-5 PM depending on your choices. Enjoy the valley, watch the sunset, interact with other trekkers around the bonfire, and sleep at the dorm.

Day 3

Next morning, enjoy the valley in the first half. The valley is actually vast and from the dorm, you can go ahead a long way. Enjoy the views, take photographs, or just do nothing. Wrap up your expedition by noon and hike back to the main road by afternoon. Catch some bus or cab going towards Kohima on the highway. Stay at a hotel or backpacker hostel in Kohima.

Day 4

Leave the next morning for your next destination.

ILP for DzukouValley?

As usual, Indians need an inner line permit (ILP) for any place in Nagaland (Foreigners are exempted). You can get it from Guwahati, Delhi, or Dimapur office. However, nowadays they seem to be a bit lenient and don’t seem to ask tourists. Also, nowadays the good news is that you can get the ILPs online by filling up a form and making online payments. Read this post to know how to apply Naglanad ILP online.

Plastic Advisory at Dzukou

There are some recent reports of declaring Dzukou Valley a plastic-free zone, which is something that is immediately implemented, although I am not sure how easy or difficult that will be. I have noticed that dustbins have been installed at various spots throughout the trail but still I saw a lot of plastic litter at various points in the valley. I think some strong punitive measures have become necessary.

Also Read: Other places to see and things to do around Kohima

Also Read:  Hornbill Festival Travel Guide if you are planning to visit it.

Jitaditya Narzary

28 thoughts on “Dzukou Valley Trek, Nagaland”

  1. Wow! I know I can never trek in this lifetime at least! I know I will miss untamed untouched beauty of nature ……but I know I can experience it through your blog post Jitaditya 🙂 Its fantastic that you share things as is…..

  2. The landscape of Nagaland looks so beautiful. I had no idea about Nagaland beyond Kohima and Mon but looks the rolling hills are simply stunning. This trek also seems to be relatively unexplored. Hope people do not start going there in hordes now.

  3. Gosh, I travel by myself but I don’t think I’d dare do this kind of trek alone. The landscape is stunning though and I’d love to visit those hills. I remember that moment in the Pianist – great film isn’t it? Glad you could re-enact your own version with the leftover jam!

  4. Carolina Colborn

    Because of your 0.5 success (the other way of looking at it!), you have some amazing photographs to take home and share with us. No, you are not too negative. Most of the time, writing about the failures gives the readers tips on how not to fail. But I think being more concise will help!

  5. What a riveting post Jitaditya…I loved the story of your failure as much as I loved your success. There is always something inspiring and something to learn from all such experiences, and your story kept me hooked with excitement till the end.

    Bookmarking it and hope to do it sometime in future 🙂

  6. It was nice to read both your success and failure at this trek. Many travelers out there don’t for the gram and forget to accept that traveling is not all rosy. The pictures of Viswema with the mist and without mist is beautiful, really really beautiful. There’s lushness and fertility on the valley. Glad you never gave up and tried again. That’s the spirit. Been planning an Himalayan trek but haven’t recorded any progress yet. You’re an inspiration.

  7. Holy smoke! That sounds flat cray cray. I hate the feeling of being lost or not actually being sure where I am, especially when it’s getting dark. You handled it like a champion! Is this the same area that the Japanese invaded during WW2? P.S. Don’t listen to people who rag on your writing style that it may be ‘negative’, because your voice is very refreshing! I hope I don’t have any ‘getting lost’ nightmares tonight though. 😀

  8. What a beautiful place! Your photos are lovely. Never heard of this place, but it seems like a great destination.

  9. Some beautiful views from the parts of the trek that you did complete. And you got a beautiful photo of the Bhutan Glory – such a stunning butterfly. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having turned back, especially if you were hiking in the rain and dark. I would have turned back sooner lol! And I give you huge kudos for heading back to attempt the trek again after the first time – I’m sure the memories of a drenched night weren’t totally enticing you to get back!! Congrats on making it into the Dzukou Valley in the end – and I look forward to hearing about your next trip during flowering season!

  10. What an epic saga. Kudos to you for not giving up in the face of adversity but moving on. In spite of the odds you still managed to get some stunning shots. I am sure you would already be planning your next hike to the same place and I am sure you will complete it fully this time. All the best !

  11. Whoa whoa whoa! Had goosebumps reading of your first attempt. Have been lost in the forest in the night for just a few minutes and it was harrowing not knowing where to go. To be stuck like you did…oh man! Am sure there were great lessons to be learnt frim this experience, though!
    The landscape looks just so stunning! We have always thought we’d head to the NE with 3 months time to do justice, but looking at your stories, that doesn’t seem enough time!

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  14. Jayanta Jyoti Sarmah

    I have organised the Zdukou Valley trek tour..
    Really beautiful place … peoples should visit

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  16. Best guide I have ever come across.I’m planning to visit the valley in March. How’s the weather in March

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