Hornbill Festival 2026: Dates, ILP, How to Reach Kisama

Main arena of the Naga Heritage Village at Kisama during the Hornbill Festival

Photo: "Kisama main arena Hornbill Festival 2019" by Aravind Manickam, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

The Hornbill Festival 2026 runs from 1 to 10 December at the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama, about 12 km south of Kohima. This is the 27th edition of Nagaland’s biggest cultural event. It opens on Nagaland Statehood Day, and President Droupadi Murmu has agreed to attend the inaugural day as chief guest. Below are the dates, what happens at Kisama, how to get there, and the Inner Line Permit you need before you travel.

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Hornbill Festival 2026 dates at a glance

Dates: Tuesday, 1 December to Thursday, 10 December 2026 (10 days)
Edition: 27th
Main venue: Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, about 12 km south of Kohima
Opening day: 1 December, Nagaland Statehood Day
Chief guest on opening day: President Droupadi Murmu
Organiser: Government of Nagaland (Department of Tourism)

The dates and venue come from a DD News report of 14 October. Tourism Minister Temjen Imna Along confirmed the President’s visit to reporters in Kohima on 25 October, Nagaland Post reported.

What is the Hornbill Festival?

The festival is named after the hornbill, a bird that appears again and again in Naga folklore. It brings together all 17 major tribes of Nagaland and their sub-tribes in one place, with traditional dances, music, dress and customs on show. It is widely known as the “Festival of Festivals”.

The state government first held it in 2000, which is why 2026 is the 27th edition. Abu Metha, Advisor to the Chief Minister, said at a preparatory meeting in October that it started as a three-day event, grew to five days and then to ten. It now has more than 300 events at dozens of venues across the state. One northeastern state will join as this year’s “Partner State”, and several countries are also expected to take part.

What to see at Kisama

The Naga Heritage Village is the centre of the festival. Tribes are represented by morungs, traditional dormitory houses built in their own styles, and the village is laid out around a main arena where the cultural programmes happen. According to the Tourism Department, the main highlights are:

The Naga Morungs exhibition, where you can walk through the houses of different tribes and see how each builds and decorates its morung
Cultural medleys of tribal dances and songs in the main arena
Traditional archery, Naga wrestling and indigenous games
Food and herbal medicine stalls, with tribal cuisine served at the morungs
Arts and crafts, including wood carving, painting and sculpture
Flower shows, fashion shows and beauty pageants
Musical concerts in the evenings

The state also plans industry roundtables during the ten days to promote business and investment, so expect officials and delegations at Kisama as well as tourists.

Which days should you go?

The opening day on 1 December will be the busiest and have the most security, because of the President’s visit and the Statehood Day ceremony. If you want the formal opening, go that day and arrive early. If you would rather walk around the morungs and food stalls without big crowds, the middle days are usually a better choice.

Inner Line Permit: what you need before you go

Nagaland is an Inner Line Permit (ILP) state, so Indian tourists from outside the state need an ILP. Since 1 January 2025 the permit is issued online only, according to the Dimapur district administration.

Where to apply: the official portal, ilp.nagaland.gov.in
Fee for domestic tourists: ₹200 for 30 days, plus payment-gateway charges, according to the official fee table
Fee for foreign tourists: ₹500 for 30 days

Rules for foreign visitors changed in 2025. The relaxation of the Protected Area Permit (PAP) for Nagaland was withdrawn from March 2025 on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ instructions. Foreign tourists now have to register online on the e-FRRO portal, and no physical PAP is issued. Citizens of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan, and foreigners whose origins are in those countries, need prior approval from the MHA.

Apply for the ILP well before you book non-refundable tickets, and keep a copy on your phone and a printout. Our 2026-27 winter travel guide explains why permit paperwork for Northeast destinations is worth sorting out early.

How to reach Kisama

By air: Dimapur Airport is the only civil airport in Nagaland. It is about 7 km from Dimapur town and railway station.

By train: Dimapur Railway Station (DMV) is the main railhead, in the centre of town. The Kohima taxi stand is right next to it.

By road: Kohima is 69.4 km from Dimapur, according to the district administration. Shared and reserved yellow taxis run between the two, and night buses connect Dimapur and Kohima with Guwahati and Shillong. Driving from Guwahati takes about 8 to 9 hours. The district advises starting and ending hill drives before dark.

From Kohima, take a taxi for the last 12 km to Kisama. Traffic gets heavy during the festival, so leave extra time, especially on opening day.

Where to stay and practical tips

Book early. Rooms in Kohima fill up fast in festival week. Homestays in villages near Kisama are another option.
Pack for cold. Kohima sits in the hills, and December evenings are cold, so bring warm layers for the evening concerts.
Carry cash. Many stalls and morungs are small operations, and mobile networks can slow down in big crowds.
Ask before photographing people. Performers in traditional dress are used to cameras, but a quick request is good manners.
Check entry tickets locally. Confirm the current entry fee for Kisama and any ticketed events with Nagaland Tourism before you go. We could not find an official 2026 fee notice.

If you are planning a longer winter trip, Hornbill fits into a December of festivals. Gujarat’s Rann Utsav tent city is open through winter, and our 2026-27 festival calendar lists what else is coming up. If you can travel in November, the Pushkar Mela in Rajasthan (17 to 24 November) gives you a very different kind of fair.