Hornbill Festival Photography Tour Nagaland

Overview

4 nights and 5 days of an unforgettable travel photography expedition into the heart of Nagaland – the land of the head hunters. Experience the mystic charm of Northeast India through its indigenous culture, remote landscapes, and timeless tribal traditions.

DCP Experts

DCP Safety

Entry fees

Images Review

Meals

Stay

Transport

About The Tour

Embark on an unforgettable 4 nights and 5 days Travel Photography Tour to Nagaland, timed perfectly to coincide with the vibrant Hornbill Festival — one of India’s most fascinating cultural celebrations. Held annually in Kisama Heritage Village near Kohima, the festival brings together all major Naga tribes to celebrate their rich traditions, tribal dances, indigenous music, and warrior legacy with unmatched grandeur.

This photography tour is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to dive deep into the heritage and daily life of the Naga people, capturing portraits, tribal adornments, ceremonial rituals, sports competitions, and the fierce energy of warrior reenactments. Against the backdrop of Nagaland’s rolling hills and remote landscapes, every frame tells a story of resilience, pride, and cultural identity.

Led by expert DCP mentor, this guided tour is tailored for storytelling-oriented travel photographers looking to expand their portfolios with powerful, character-rich imagery. Whether you’re capturing vibrant moments at the festival arena or soulful scenes in the tribal villages, this expedition offers the rare privilege of documenting one of India’s least explored yet most photogenic states.

Quick Information

Route:

Dimapur – Kohima - Dimapur

Start Point:

Dimapur

Duration:

4 nights 5 days

End Point:

Dimapur

Inclusions

4 nights and 5 days of guided travel photography during Hornbill Festival
DCP Photography Mentor with deep cultural photography experience
Entry to Hornbill Festival grounds and access to performance arenas
Visits to tribal villages around Kohima and Kisama
Local transportation and logistics support during the tour
Hands-on photography guidance and portfolio review sessions

Experts

Samrat Sengupta

Panel Expert - DCP North East

Samrat is a young and dynamic zoologist and a Wildlife expert, specifically working extensively in the forests of North East India for over 5 years. He comes with exhaustive experience of working in the lesser known wild places of North East India including Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, Joypore Rain Forest, Deepor Beel, Orang National Park, Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary, Gibbon Wild Life Sanctuary and much other difficult geography of eastern Himalayas and North East India including Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur studying primate diversities and surveying avifauna conservation status. He is one of the youngest but most dynamic member of the team and is a Wildlife Photography Expert and Biodiversity Project Head for North East Indian expeditions of DCP.

Kane Lew

Masterclass Mentor And Head - Creative Photography

Kane Lew, one of the finest artists in the DCP panel of experts. He is an arts graduate from Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Arts, Mumbai, and is a commercial photographer. Kane is an experienced photographer and has travelled extensively across Indian geography for several years. He has brilliant photography skills and technical knowledge in all genres of photography with a special interest in wildlife photography. He is known for his innovations and his capability of giving shape to imaginations. He has a great teaching acumen. Apart from his love for art, sculpture and music, he is a skilled trainer, trekker and a biodiversity expert. He is a Masterclass Mentor in the panel and Head of Creative Photography Division, Team DCP.

Caesar Sengupta

Founder And Director

Dr Caesar Sengupta is a globally acclaimed Wildlife Conservation Photographer, a National Geographic acknowledged educator, freelance writer and trainer. He is a Canon India EOS Maestro, a qualified MD Medical Microbiologist and is also the Founder Director of DCP Expeditions LLP, which is India's one of the largest Wildlife, Nature and Travel Photography Community Platform, operating since 2010 and now present in 21 cities across India. He conducts regular photography workshops and field expeditions across the country. He has travelled far and wide across Indian geography and beyond. He has the timeless distinction of having a frog species discovered in 2014 named after him - The Indosylvirana caesari also known otherwise as the Maharashtra Golden Backed Frog. Through his photography, he tries to depict the untold and unseen beauties of nature.

You are advised to take a flight to Dimapur from where the journey starts. Your return ticket should be from Dimapur back to your city.

Not recommended

Getting Ready

Things to carry:

Wide angle lens
Telephoto lenses – preferably above 300 mm
Carry fully charged batteries for your camera / flash.
Carry battery charger. Carry extra pack of camera batteries
Carry backup memory cards / HDD storage drives, Laptop
A sturdy tripod is a MUST.
Remote shutter release with or without cable (preferably with a lock)
It is advisable to carry basic first aid along with you.
Enough warm clothing

Equipment available on rental - please mail us at rentals@dcpexpeditions.com.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive at Dimapur

Arrive at Dimapur. We will drive to Kohima from here which is a 2 hours journey on road. After reaching Kohima, checkin to your hotel and refresh. We plan to visit the War Cemetary, Church and the local market, which offer amazing photo opportunities. Overnight at Kohima.

Day 2 and 3: Kisama - The Carnival

Drive to Kisama, where annual Hornbill festival is held. Enjoy the dances, songs, games, etc. After the formal programme gets over, you can go to the tribal huts, interact with the tribes and learn the specific tribes more in detail. Overnight at Kohima.

Day 4 – Explore Khonoma

Morning visit to the festival, be there till lunch time. Post lunch, we will drive to Khonoma village which is around 18 km from Kohima. This village is known for Nature, History and Culture. It has being recently declared as the first 'green village of the country'. Explore the village where you come across ceremonial gates, morung, fort, stone sitting circle, age group house, etc. We return by evening. Stay overnight at Kohima

Day 5 - Departure

Travel to Dimapur in the morning for your return flight.

Field Learnings

How to approach and photograph indigenous communities respectfully
Mastering portrait photography with natural light
Visual storytelling through street and festival photography
Working with color, movement, and chaos during live performances
Composition techniques for capturing rituals, ceremonies, and details
Building a cultural narrative through photo series

Package Cost

Rs 52,000 per head inclusive of all taxes

*To know charges for foreign nationals please write to info@dcpexpeditions.com

Cost includes

Transfer charges (Dimapur – Kohima – Dimapur)
Dedicated vehicle for internal transfers for all days
Accommodation for 4 nights and 5 days
Breakfast, lunch and dinner during the stay.
All entry charges and guide fee
DCP photography expert for all days
All taxes and service charges

Cost does not include:

Mineral Water, Soft Drinks, Laundry Charges, Phone Calls, Tips etc.
Any kind of insurance, Medical or/and Emergency Charges.
Any extra meals not included in the above itinerary.

Map

Kohima, Nagaland

Policies

Cancellation policy

All cancellations before 30 days of the event date - 100% credit
All cancellations between 20 - 30 days of the event date - 50% credit
All cancellations within 20 days of the event date - No credit possible

FAQ's

Can I get a single room accomodation?

There are very limited twin sharing accommodation available. Please mail us to know availability

Can a non photographer join the tour?

Yes certainly. However, the cost will remain the same

Design Your Custom Tour

Hornbill festival - In the land of the Head Hunters, Dec 2025

₹ 52,000₹ 58,000

₹52,000₹ 58,000