14 Days Discover India Nagaland on Motorcycle

Day 1: Arrival - Guwahati

You will arrive at the Guwahati airport. We will pick you up and transport you to the hotel. Soon after, you will meet the mechanic, the driver and the motorcycles.

Day 2: Guwahati - Kaziranga NP

After breakfast, we leave the city of Guwahati via a road that runs parallel to the Brahmaputra river. The first part is still a main road. However, we then turn off to drive on alternately paved and unpaved roads through various villages towards Kaziranga. We spend the night in a hotel close to the Kaziranga Park which we will visit the following day.

Day 3: Kaziranga NP - Jorhat

In the early morning you can optionally join a safari to the Kaziranga National Park. Kaziranga is a UNESCO protected park. It is also a tiger reserve, and the park is world famous for rhinos. Kaziranga has the highest density of tigers in the world. The park has over 450 species of birds, 18 of which are endangered species. The beard stairs are the main attraction. Apart from the tigers, rhinos and various birds, the park is also home to other animals such as buffalo, asian elephants, sambar, pig deer, swamp deer and wild boars.

After lunch, we take a short drive to the city of Jorhat. We drive on the busy main road – the 715 - and where possible, we will turn off to follow smaller secondary roads. Jorhat is the last capital of the Ahom kingdom. Here you can visit historical monuments, such as tombs and mosques. Jorhat is also known as the ‘tea capital’ of India. There are many tea plantations in this city and the surrounding area. You can of course enjoy a cup of delicious Assam tea at a local restaurant.

Day 4: Jorhat - Dibrugarh

Today we go to Dibrugarh via the island of Majuli. To get there we have to take the ferry over the Brahmaputra river after half an hour’s ride. Majuli is the largest river island in the world and is home to the Missing tribes - Hindu monks who observe Vaishnavism. Dibrugarh is one of the major cities of Assam. Here you can visit temples, the botanical garden, and the colorful bazaar. In addition, there are also many beautiful tea plantations to enjoy and you can take a walk along the river.

Day 5: Dibrugarh - Mon

After breakfast we ride to the province of Nagaland. The first part is still flat but that will change when we ride up to the mountains at Tizit. As we ascend, the quality of the road deteriorates and is sometimes no more than a wide trail of earth with breathtaking beautiful views over the many mountains from Nagaland to Mon. Mon is a simple place populated with many tribes. Mon is located at an altitude of 900 meters and is the land of the Konyak Nagas. These were one of the great warriors among the Nagas and practiced headhunting until recently. The Konyak villages are ruled by Angh which means head of the village. You mainly see women with tattooed faces. The people adorn themselves with feathers on their headgear and are skilled craftsmen. Our accommodation is basic tonight.

Day 6: Mon - Stay

Today we drive to Longwa village (41 km / 2 hours) close to the border of India and Myanmar. We meet the village chief and you can also see how they maintain a traditional form of opium making. Afterwards we return to Mon.

Day 7: Mon - Mokokchung

After breakfast we ride to the south towards the narrow part of Nagaland, which is wedged between Myanmar and Bangladesh. Soon after leaving Mon, the road gets bad.

We will drive a lot off road on narrow roads through the breathtaking beautiful mountainous landscape of Nagaland with sometimes no more than a small path to get to Mokochung. After rain parts of the road can be slippery and challenging, but it is not dangerous. Mokokchung is located at an altitude of 1,325 meters and this picturesque town is the cultural center of the Ao tribes. The Ao Nagas are famous for their colourful dances. If time permits, we visit Unmga village - the largest Ao village. After this long day, we spend the night in a great hotel with good beds.

Day 8: Mokokchung - Kohima

Today we ride further towards the west, travelling the whole day through and over the many mountains of Nagaland. The quality of the road will change from asphalt to unpaved roads. They are currently improving the road to Khonoma. Kohima, Nagaland is inhabited by 16 major tribes, along with other subtribes. This is a land of song and music, where folk songs honour the brave stars of the past. However, the new generation of Ao people are increasingly drawn to Christianity by foreign missionaries. We spend the night within walking distance of the centre. We stay at a very pleasant hotel, where we can rest well for two nights.

Day 9: Kohima - Stay

Today you can stay around Kohima or join for a day tour: we ride to Khonoma village (20km) inhabited by people from the Angami tribe. In the year 1879 the tribals surrendered to the British army after years of fighting . At the end of the village lies a memorial to honor the many Nagas who were brutally murdered here. Some were even shot at point blank range while digging their own graves. Khonoma is also known for his fighting prowess. In the afternoon we drive back to Kohima. On the outskirts of the village is a memorial site of a battle against the British occupation army. Many Nagas died here in their rebellion against British occupation.

If we have time, we will also visit a Kisama village - this is a Naga Heritage Village which is the venue for the Hornbill Festival and consists of some beautifully constructed traditional houses and Morungs (Naga boys dorms).

Day 10: Kohima - Imphal

Today does not entail a long drive, and we will arrive by the end of the morning. Imphal is near the Myanmar border. In the afternoon we visit the local market. The Ima-Keithel is a local market where only women are allowed to sell their goods. Imphal was once the capital of historic Manipur. The literal meaning of Manipur is the land of jewellery. The area is situated at 800 meters and has the oldest polo fields in the world. You can visit the serene and well-kept gardens of the second world war cemetery which honors the English and Indian soldiers who died here. Japanese and English troops fought against each other here. There is also a small museum close by documenting this forgotten war. We then ride to Moirang and visit Loktak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in eastern India.

Day 11: Imphal - Silchar

There are few straights in the road today and the distance is quite long, so we set off early. The road has a provincial road number but is largely unpaved. The road winds through a beautiful mountain landscape. Along the way there are only a few small mountain villages. Lunch and coffee stops are not frequent. However, there are a lot of opportunities to take many pictures along the way. Silchar is a small village with a basic guesthouse.

Day 12: Silchar - Shillong

We start riding in a lowland area before we swing back into the mountains. We ride very close to the Bangladesh border. This section through the mountains is similar to yesterday, with a few settlements and beautiful views. Shillong is a hill station (1500 meters high) in the northeast of India. It is also the capital of the state of Meghalaya, one of the smallest states in India. The hilly area is somewhat reminiscent of Scotland, which is why it is also referred to as the ‘Scotland of the East’. The landscape consists of rolling hills with spice bushes and conifers. In the past, it was a popular spot among the British. You can also ride around with your motorbike and then go to the Elephant waterfall. The British have given this name in the past because of a rock that resembled an elephant. It is no longer visible because the rock was destroyed in an earthquake.

Day 13: Shillong - Guwahati

It is a short ride back to Guwahati where we started our trip. After our arrival back in Guwahati, you will have the opportunity to visit the famous Maa Kamkhya Temple - one of the most sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites.

Day 14: Guwahati - departure