Ngada Festival
Overview
Ngada is a post harvest festival of Rengma Naga Tribe to celebrate the harvest. It is considered the mother of all festivals of Rengma Naga Tribe. It is one of the biggest festival and is celebrated with great splendour and merry making. Everyone, young and old are dressed with their colourful traditional attires and the newly harvested crops are served along with meats and rice beers.
Besides heralding the Rengma New Year, Ngada marked the end of the harvest season. It is also a time to remember the dead by offering local brew on the graves. Thus, it was believed, helped those who die in the year ahead find their way to heaven.
The festival enthuse all able bodied men dressed in their war and ceremonial costumes, to visit the Morungs in the village. The woman, also in their fineries, followed closely behind carrying baskets filled with meat and the potent Nkhezü (Rice beer), apparently to keep the men’s spirits high. The choicest food, however, would be saved for visitors, who could not get away without eating to their heart’s content.
Itinerary - NGADA FESTIVAL 2N & 3D
Day 1 (26th Nov) :- Tesophenyu
Evening arrive to Tesophenyu, on your own. Receive you at village at the gate with traditional welcome and escort you to your homestay.
Overnight Homestay and Tented
Day 2 (27th Nov) :- Tesophenyu (Ngada Festival)
Morning after breakfast at your respective homestay there shall be a public traditional call marking the beginning of Ngada festival which marks the end of the agricultural session and welcoming the new year for Rengma Nagas.
You shall be escorted to local houses where they will be performing rituals.
The rest of the day you shall witness dances, songs, indigenous games in which you are more than welcome to participate!
Evening we shall gather at bon-fire which is a conducive atmosphere for cultural exchange with barbeque
Overnight Homestay and Tented
Day 3 (28th Nov) :- Tesophenyu (Ngada Festival)
Morning breakfast at respective homestay. After which at the sound of the mithun/buffalo horn-blowing gather at the venue again for more dances, games and songs. Later we shall, on partly traditional costume/s we shall hike towards the community forest which will take about half an hour for picnic lunch with local people. Collect wildly grown organic vegetables for the dinner.
Hike back to village howling and war cry!
Evening bon-fire where local rice beer shall be served mean time the locals will encourage their distinguish guests to pick a folk song which will be a theme memory of the festival
Overnight Homestay and Tented
Itinerary - NGADA & HORNBILL FESTIVAL 8N & 9D
Day 1:- (25th Nov) Dimapur – Kohima (68 km/3 hrs)
Meet your guide and car at Dimapur airport, after a brief introduction of the staff and tour surface transfer to Kohima. Enroute stop at small vegetable/fruits market and tea break.
Overnight Hotel/Homestay.
Day 2 :- (26th Nov) Kohima – Tesophenyu (65 km/3 hrs)
Today after breakfast pack and drive towards Tesophenyu. Enroute visit explore Tuophema village a well known community initiated tourist destination. Local lunch shall be served.
Post lunch continue driving towards Tesophenyu.
On arrival you shall be introduced to your host family. You may explore the village, later there shall be an informal gathering where proper highlight of “Ngada Festval” shall be given following with local wine and dinner
Overnight Homestay/ Tented
Day 3 :- (27th Nov) Tesophenyu (Ngada Festival)
Morning after breakfast at your respective homestay there shall be a public traditional call marking the beginning of Ngada festival which marks the end of the agricultural session and welcoming the new year for Rengma Nagas.
You shall be escorted to local houses where they will be performing rituals.
The rest of the day you shall witness dances, songs, indigenous games in which you are more than welcome to participate!
Evening we shall gather at bon-fire which is a conducive atmosphere for cultural exchange with barbeque
Overnight Homestay and Tented
Day 4 :- (28th Nov) Tesophenyu (Ngada Festival)
Morning breakfast at respective homestay. After which at the sound of the mithun/buffalo horn-blowing gather at the venue again for more dances, games and songs. Later we shall, on partly traditional costume/s we shall hike towards the community forest which will take about half an hour for picnic lunch with local people. Collect wildly grown organic vegetables for the dinner.
Hike back to village howling and war cry!
Evening bon-fire where local rice beer shall be served mean time the locals will encourage their distinguish guests to pick a folk song which will be a theme memory of the festival
Overnight Homestay and Tented
Day 5 :- (29th Nov) Tesophenyu – Kohima
Today after breakfast we shall bit farewell and drive towards Kohima
Enroute explore Tuophema village where we shall have a tea break. Continue driving to Kohima. On arrival lunch at your hotel and evening at leisure.
Overnight Hotel/Homestay
Day 6 (30th Nov) Kohima- Khonoma- Kohima
Today we drive for 18 km/1 hour to Khonoma “the first green village of the country”
Explore the village where you shall come across ceremonial gates, forth, age-group house, cairn circle, meet local craftsmen, etc. Picnic lunch at buffer zone of KNCTS (Khonoma Nature Conservation & Tragopan Sanctuary) You shall have an opportunity to witness and participate in indigenous games. Later drive back to Kohima for overnight.
Overnight Hotel/Homestay
Day 7 :- (1st Dec) Kohima (Hornbill)
Morning we shall start our day by visiting some local market and World War II cemetery. We shall spend the rest of our day in Hornbill festival filled with songs and dances, and people in full festive mood with colorful attires. We shall also see shops where you can pick up souvenirs to take home for your dear ones. We then shall have lunch at the festival where you can taste local food. We shall also visit Phesama village in the afternoon.
Overnight Kohima Hotel/Homestay
Day 8 (2nd Dec) :- Kohima (Hornbill)
Morning we shall start our day by exploring Kigwema village and get some idea about the village life where we’ll come across huge wood carvings in front of rich men’s houses.
Afterwhich we shall spent the rest of our day in the hornbill festival. Lunch at Hornbill festival. We shall be looking forward to see more fascinating and ethnic culture of the Nagas. We shall participate in the night carnival at Kohima where we shall see people selling different items from Christmas decorations to chicken barbecue. One of the most interesting aspect of the carnival is the whole street being filled and flooded with people taking their family and friends for fun and dinner.
Overnight Kohima Hotel/Homestay
Day 9:- (3rd Dec) Kohima – Dimapur
We journey down to Dimapur to connect your flight for onward journey.
TOUR END
Itinerary -NGADA & HORNBILL FESTIVAL 8N & 9D [2]
Day 1 (25th Nov):- Jorhat – Mokokchung (115 km/5 Hrs)
Meet your car and guide at Jorhat airport, after a brief introduction surface transfer to Mokokchung. Enroute lunch (packaged), visit Chuchu village.
Overnight Hotel/Homestay
Day 2 (26th Nov) :- Mokokchung- Tesophenyu (95 km/4 hrs)
Today after breakfast pack and drive towards Tesophenyu. Enroute visit explore Ungma village which one of the oldest Ao Naga village, next visit Longkhum village which is regarded as the vanguard village of the Ao in the past!
Local lunch at Longkhum village. Post lunch continue driving towards Tesophenyu.
On arrival you shall be introduced to your host family. You may explore the village, later there shall be an informal gathering where proper highlight of “Ngada Festval” shall be given following with local wine and dinner
Overnight Homestay/ Tented
Day 3 (27th Nov) :- Tesophenyu (Ngada Festival)
Morning after breakfast at your respective homestay there shall be a public traditional call marking the beginning of Ngada festival which marks the end of the agricultural session and welcoming the new year for Rengma Nagas.
You shall be escorted to local houses where they will be performing rituals.
The rest of the day you shall witness dances, songs, indigenous games in which you are more than welcome to participate!
Evening we shall gather at bon-fire which is a conducive atmosphere for cultural exchange with barbeque
Overnight Homestay and Tented
Day 4 (28th Nov) :- Tesophenyu (Ngada Festival)
Morning breakfast at respective homestay. After which at the sound of the mithun/buffalo horn-blowing gather at the venue again for more dances, games and songs. Later we shall, on partly traditional costume/s we shall hike towards the community forest which will take about half an hour for picnic lunch with local people. Collect wildly grown organic vegetables for the dinner.
Hike back to village howling and war cry!
Evening bon-fire where local rice beer shall be served mean time the locals will encourage their distinguish guests to pick a folk song which will be a theme memory of the festival
Overnight Homestay and Tented
Day 5 (29th Nov):- Tesophenyu – Kohima (65 km/3 hrs)
Today after breakfast we shall bit farewell and drive towards Kohima
Enroute explore Tuophema village where we shall have a tea break. Continue driving to Kohima. On arrival lunch at your hotel and evening at leisure.
Overnight Hotel/Homestay
Day 6 (30th Nov) :- Kohima- Khonoma – Kohima
Today we drive for 18 km/1 hour to Khonoma “the first green village of the country”
Explore the village where you shall come across ceremonial gates, forth, age-group house, cairn circle, meet local craftsmen, etc. Picnic lunch at buffer zone of KNCTS (Khonoma Nature Conservation & Tragopan Sanctuary) You shall have an opportunity to witness and participate in indigenous games. Later drive back to Kohima for overnight.
Overnight Hotel/Homestay
Day 7 (1st Dec) :- Kohima (Hornbill Festival)
Morning we shall start our day by visiting some local market and World War II cemetery. We shall spend the rest of our day in Hornbill festival filled with songs and dances, and people in full festive mood with colorful attires. We shall also see shops where you can pick up souvenirs to take home for your dear ones. We then shall have lunch at the festival where you can taste local food. We shall also visit Phesama village in the afternoon.
Overnight Kohima Hotel/Homestay
Day 8 (2nd Dec) :- Kohima (Hornbill Festival)
Morning we shall start our day by exploring Kigwema village and get some idea about the village life where we’ll come across huge wood carvings in front of rich men’s houses. Afterwhich we shall spent the rest of our day in the hornbill festival. Lunch at Hornbill festival. We shall be looking forward to see more fascinating and ethnic culture of the Nagas. We shall participate in the night carnival at Kohima where we shall see people selling different items from Christmas decorations to chicken barbecue. One of the most interesting aspect of the carnival is the whole street being filled and flooded with people taking their family and friends for fun and dinner.
Overnight Kohima Hotel/Homestay
Day 9 (3rd Dec) :- Kohima – Dimapur – Flyout
We journey down to Dimapur to connect your flight for onward journey.
TOUR END
Cost Inclusions and Exclusions
COST INCLUSIONS:
Accommodation
All Major Meals
English Speaking Guide
Entry fees
Parking fees
Sealed Water for drinking
PAP Permit
Inner Line Permit (ILP) for Indian Tourists)
GST
COST EXCLUSION:
Personal drinks & beverages.
Camera fees
Train/Flight Tickets
Any other personal expenses which are not mentioned in the “Cost Inclusion” shall be extra payable
Highlights
Explore Rengma tribal villages at Tsemenyu and surrounding villages
Local Cuisine and Culture
Tribal Photography
Indigenous Games
Folk song and dances
Tour Price
On Request
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