Northeast India Tour with the Hornbill Festival

Namaste! Welcome to India!

After you clear immigration and customs formalities our representative will meet you in the arrival area of the airport to escort you to your hotel.

Delhi is the center of contemporary India. Here you will experience the mingling of the old and new India, the ancient and the modern. Delhi is made up of seven old cities, spanning the 11th through 20th centuries. It has seen the rise and fall of many emperors who left behind a plethora of monuments commemorating the grandeur and glory of bygone ages.  Very few cities in the world can claim such a profusion of history, culture and architecture.

You will be transported back 400 years when you take a Rickshaw tour of Chandni Chowk. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (1592-1666) built the walled city of Delhi on the banks of the holy River Yamuna.  Its magnificent palace, known as the Red Fort, contains impressive mansions, enchanting bazaars, elegant shrines, royal gardens and fountains.

Chandni Chowk, known as the Moonlit Sqaure of India, is its major thoroughfare. Designed by the Emporor’s beloved daughter, it faces the Red Fort with a canal running down the center and glittering pools at major intersections reflecting the moonlight. 

Gliding through its narrow lanes you will witness architectural marvels, multicolored facades, beautifully decorated shops, ethnically dressed men and women and be invigorated by the cries of hawkers and fragrances emanating from the potpourri of eateries that line these historical alleys.

During the British regime, the street underwent major changes and since then this area has witnessed some of the most important events in Indian history. Today these splendid ruins and tales of valor are a testimony of the evolution of the times.  Chandni Chowk truly reflects the national unity, secularism and diversity of India.

The total duration of the tour will be 3 hours – 3 hours 30 minutes. This is a detailed tour with several stops and includes complimentary snacks. The tour ends at an Old Haveli (mansion) built in 1860, which has a photo gallery depicting the lifestyle of the Mughals and a small lounge to relax and relish some famous snacks.

An afternoon drive takes you along the ceremonial avenue, Rajpath, passing the imposing India Gate, Parliament House and the Presidential Residence. Afterwards, visit Qutab Minar, the five-storied tower, with a 14.4meter base that tapers up to two and a half meters at the top and is visible for a long distance around.

Late afternoon, take a guided walk through Nizzamuddin basti (colony), a medieval settlement where the tomb of the famous 13^th century Muslim Sufi Saint Nizzamuddin Auliya is located.

Today morning assisted departure transfer to the airport to board the flight for Kolkata. (AI 401 – 0700/0905 hours)

On arrival at Kolkata airport, board the onward flight for Dimapur. (AI 709 – 1005/1125 hours)

On arrival at Dimapur airport, board the chopper (depending upon availability) to fly to the campsite.

Kohima Camp is located in a region that is predominantly occupied by the Angami tribe, one of the major tribes of the 16 tribes of Nagaland. Historically warriors, these tribes spent much of their time in warfare with the other tribes and villages. The inter village feuds came to an end in 1879 with the annexation of their territory by the British. Their primitive religion, Animism, was replaced by Christianity as the majority of the Angamis changed their faith.

On your arrival at the camp, located at the foothills of the gigantic Japfu Mountain, soak in the serenity of the surroundings as you are accorded the traditional welcome of the tribes of Nagaland. You will then be accompanied to your superlative luxury tent where a guest relation hostess will help you with the check-in formalities.

Spend the afternoon relaxing in the peaceful environs of the camp. Enjoy a drink by the campfire followed by a feast skillfully created by the chef, as you sit down to your first night’s dinner in the lap of nature and luxury.

After a leisurely breakfast, you will be driven to the Kisama village for the spectacular Hornbill Festival. Revel in this marvelous riot of color as you watch all 16 tribes of Nagaland show off the rich fare of diverse cultures and traditional arts that is Nagaland. You can witness the attire, folk music and dance forms, headgear, cuisines, paintings, handicrafts, and other intricacies of the varied tribes and sub-tribes of the state.

The highlight of the festival is not only the music, both traditional and contemporary, and dance but you will also be enchanted by the display of exquisite handicrafts and handlooms. Adding to the excitement is a motor rally, traditional sports like wrestling and archery, a literary fest, and fun events like climbing a greased bamboo pole or a chili eating contest.

Having built up an appetite, you return to the camp for a sumptuous lunch after which you can choose to relax in its serene surroundings. Or you may choose to explore the charming Kigwema village just a few kilometers drive away.  Kigwema is a quaint old village of the Angami tribe. Literally ‘inheritance of the house’, it is believed that many other Angami villages originated from here. In 1944 the Japanese forces came to Kigwema on their way to attack Kohima and were provided shelter by the villagers. Walk through the lanes of the village seeing the traditional houses with their impressive wooden pillars, arriving at a local home to experience the Angami way of life over a cup of traditional tea.

In the afternon, you have the option of returning to the festivities of the Hornbill festival in the capital city, Kohima. Get into the spirit of the festival as you enjoy the music of one of the many talented Naga rock bands or scour the night bazaar for the rather unusual Naga delicacies. Be inspired by a fashion show featuring traditional tribal wear as well as contemporary designs or be entertained at the Miss Nagaland contest.

On return to the camp let your valet fix you a sun downer as you sit around the bonfire and listen to the renowned cultural troop, The Tetseo Sisters, perform hypnotic folk songs from their tribe, Chakhesang, before you enjoy the delicacies prepared for dinner.

Today you will explore the treasures of Kohima, the capital of Nagaland. Kohima played a key role in World War II where the Naga tribes fought alongside Allied forces against Japan on the tennis court of the British Deputy Commissioner’s house. Visit the beautiful war cemetery built on a terraced hillside for the brave hearts that died in the war. From here, continue to the Angami village of Khonoma where you’ll relish a local lunch. Admire the traditional architecture of carved gateways and surrounding stonewalls, visit morungs and participate in indigenous games like wrestling with the local warriors.

This evening you can choose to head back to Kohima to catch more of the night events of the Hornbill festival before returning to the comfort of the camp for a lavish dinner.

Post breakfast drive to Kaziranga (approx. 5 – 6 hours) and on arrival transfer to Vessel.

Spent this day on the river where you have a good chance of spotting Gangetic dolphins as well as creating a sensation in bankside villages as we pass. Arrive in the evening at lonely Dhansiri Mukh.

This morning land and take a jeep safari in Kaziranga’s little-visited Eastern Range with grasslands much favored by rhino. You might spot the rare Bengal Florican. Returning to the boat, the cruise continues upstream.

Another day spent cruising upstream. Take time to pause and walk through a bankside village getting an insight into the life of rural India.

Around breakfast time, reach Majuli Island, supposedly the world’s largest river island, and possessing unique Hindu monasteries famed for their dance and drama performances. The whole island is now shortlisted for future UNESCO World Heritage status. Visit the monastery at Auniati with an eclectic museum. Then attend a dance performance at Kamalbari monastery before cruising across to Neamati Ghat on the opposite bank.

Drive to Sibsagar, the one-time capital of the kings of Assam. Shan by origin (Assam and Siam share the same derivation) but converted to Hinduism they ruled Assam for some 700 years until the 1820s. Their culture and architecture is a strange and delightful amalgam of Indian and S.E. Asian. See temples with Stupa like profiles and palaces of distinctive form. The temple tank here is believed to be the world’s largest hand excavated reservoir. Return to the ship which will have cruised up to Dikhou Mukh close to Sibsagar and spend the last night on board. (Dependent on river conditions the last night may be spent at Neamati, close to Jorhat).

Morning depart for Jorhat airport (approx. 1 hour 30 minutes) to connect for the flight to Kolkata (9W 2642 – 1435/1650 hours)

On arrival at Kolkata, you will be met and transferred to the hotel.

After breakfast proceed for full day city tour. Visit the Flower Market, drive pass Howrah Bridge and proceed for an excursion to Belur Math, Dakshineswar Kali Temple. On your way back to Kolkata visit College Street Book Market, Indian Coffee House and Kumhartoli.

Flower Market: In the early morning this market fills with colorful flowers from the northern part of Kolkata. You can see flowers everywhere in this market on the ground, on people’s head, in carts and trucks and on display.

Howrah Bridge took six years to construct in the 1940s. Over 2,590 metric tones of high tensile steel make up this unique cantilever bridge that joins the main Railway Station (for Kolkata) and the industrial city of Howrah with the city of Kolkata. Supported by two piers, each nearly 90 meters in height above the road level, the bridge has a span of almost 500 meters (no pillars in the middle). It was opened in 1943 and today it is one of the busiest bridges in the world. It is the third largest bridge in the world, has around 2 million people crossing over it daily.

Belur Math is the international headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission that is 16.5 km from Dakshineswar across the Ganga. It was founded in 1899 by Swami Vivekananda, the world famous yogi and disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa. This International tourist attraction is located near Belur in Howrah district. Its sprawling prayer hall with a statue of Ramakrishna is remarkable. The Belur Math shrine represents a church, mosque and temple when viewed from different angles. It’s peaceful and calm atmosphere is befitting the gravity of the place.

Take a boat to cross the river and visit Dakshineswar Kali Temple

Dakshineswar Kali Temple is famous for its association with Ramakrishna who achieved spiritual vision here. Rani Rashmoni built this temple in 1847. The 12- spired temple with its enormous courtyard is surrounded by 12 other temples dedicated to Lord Shiva.

The College Street book market is most famous for its bookstores. Many bigwigs of the Bengali publication industry are situated here. The street is also dotted with countless very small book kiosks which sell old books. It is the largest second hand book market in the world and collectively boasts of a collection of almost any title ever sold in Kolkata.

Indian Coffee House is perhaps the best place to observe Kolkata’s tradition of adda (casual meeting of friends to discuss every possible issue at hand and while away the time). That Bengalis love chatting more than any other social activity is evident from the scene that greets you when you enter the hall. Coffee House is often crowded with so many people that you have to practically talk at the top of your voice to make yourself heard by your neighbour.

Morning enjoy a walk that touches upon the confluence of cultures in Kolkata. The walk will take you from Bow Barracks to Burra Bazar. Here the expert will trace for you the origins and remains of the varied communities that hung their boots and called Kolkata home. Here you can check why Chinese breakfast still rules Tiretta Bazar where the Parisis are dwindling in numbers with each passing day and how the Armenians gave the city its oldest surviving Christian church while we pass the Anglo – Indians, the Muslims, the Marwaris, the Biharis and many more that made this city a great melting pot of diverse cultures.

In the afternoon explore Park Street. It was the capital street of Imperial India where the rich and the famous lived and dined and made merry. Here you will explore Park Street from one end to the other taking in restaurants, watering holes, hotels, churches, colleges, stately homes and the burial grounds.

Today transfer to the airport to board flight for Bagdogra

(9W 615-1015/1120 hours)

On arrival at Bagdogra, drive to Glenburn Tea Estate.  (Approx. 4 hours)

Glenburn is a heavenly little plantation retreat that lies on a hillock above the banks of the River Rungeet high in the Himalayas overlooked by the mighty Kanchenjunga mountain range. Started by a Scottish tea company in 1859, Glenburn has now passed into the hands of one of India’s pioneering tea planting families – The Prakashes. They have over the years come to be known as the “Chaiwala family”  which literally means “tea planters”. The story of the Chaiwala family began over a hundred years ago and is closely entwined with that of tea plantations in India. Today, the third and fourth generation Prakash family carry almost a century of tea knowledge in their inheritance.

Rest of the day is at leisure.

Optional half – day sightseeing tour of Darjeeling: Standing high in the Himalayas at an altitude of 2134m, Darjeeling (‘Dorje Ling’) or place of the Thunderbolt offers breathtaking views of snow-capped mountain peaks with the Kanchendzonga rising higher than all the others.

Often referred to as the Queen of the Hills, it remains just as alluring with its tiny waterfalls, little villages and a narrow gauge railway track. Surrounded by world famous tea gardens and snow capped mountains, Darjeeling remains one of the most exotic destinations.

Graeme Westlake in his book ‘An introduction to hill stations on India’ refers to Darjeeling as having “A view scarcely unrivalled on Earth”.

Your day starts with an audio-visual presentation on the history of Glenburn and a brief overview of how tea is grown, manufactured and tasted.

Walk or drive through the tea fields with one of estate’s guides who will give you an insight into how the tea bush is grown and looked after. Learn how to pluck the “two leaves and a bud” that is later manufactured into the tealeaf that ends up in your teacup! During the winter season, learn about the different types of pruning that is undertaken to increase the yield of the coming season. Interact with the estate workers as you move from one part of the estate to another. Enjoy the multitude of bird life, butterflies and flora that add to the diverse landscape that makes up a tea estate. Catch a crab, or pick some watercress from the numerous springs that filter through the fields. Refreshments will be provided at a suitable mid-way point.

Break for lunch on the banks of the River Rung Dung. Relax on the riverfront and paddle in the rock pools, while you enjoy your meal. An alternative picnic venue is the Coffee Bari, half way down the hillside, with great views of the two Glenburn valleys on all sides.

Drive back up the hill to the Tea Factory where the Estate Manager will take you for a guided tour on how the leaf is brought in from the fields, weighed, and then taken through the processes of Withering, Rolling, Fermenting, Drying and finally Sorting.

The day ends with a Tea Tasting Session, where you can discover the differences in aroma, flavor and appearance of tea manufactured in different ways and during different times of the year. The session also includes tasting teas from other parts of India and the world together with examples of flavored and blended teas.   

Evening is reserved for a cooking class. You have an “open” kitchen policy where guests are invited to watch the staff cook and prepare dishes. You can often leave with their family recipes which end up on their menus

Full day is at leisure. You can hike, fish, go for a picnic lunch, visit a school and a NGO funded by Glenburn Tea Estate.

Optional: Visit to Kalimpong Town which is a two hour drive from Glenburn and has some interesting blends of Buddhist, Christian and Hindu influences with its monasteries, gompas, temples and missionary activities. The local bazaar (Wednesdays and Saturdays) is a delightful place to shop and interact with the local ethnic mix of Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepali communities. Our drivers would be happy to share some of our secret shopping addresses with you – Nepali and Chinese brocade fabrics, silks, Tibetan curios and Buddhist paraphernalia and of course the famous Kalimpong lollipops and Kalimpong cheese.

For orchid lovers, it provides a real treat with its many nurseries and rich flora. The snow-capped mountains provide panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, and at an altitude of 6,000 feet, the air is crisp and cool. A visit to the nearby Samthar Plateau can also be arranged, but best done as an overnight stay. The Kalimpong Monastery is situated in a very picturesque area, near the army cantonment. 

Today transfer to Bagdogra airport in time to board flight for Delhi (AI 880-1345/1610 hours)

On arrival at Delhi airport, you will be met and transferred to the airport hotel, JW Marriott,  for a day use room.

Late night departure transfer to the International airport to board the flight for home