When to visit›Nagaland›Kisama (Hornbill Festival)›December
Kisama (Hornbill Festival) in December: a fine time to go
December: 13°C days — and inside the recommended window.
December is the first month of Kisama (Hornbill Festival)'s season (December 1–10 (Hornbill Festival)), so rates are not yet at peak and the crowds are thinner. Cool days around 13°C, nights near 4°C, the odd shower. Nights drop to 4°C — pack properly for them. Stays run about 30% above the usual rate this month.
The season ends with December; January is outside the recommended window. The season runs to the end of January, next month. The rains usually arrive in April, 4 months away.
2 days in Kisama (Hornbill Festival) in December · from ₹8,444 for two
Stay, food & local travel — getting there extra
Day-by-day plan with the journey from your city, priced for December — ready in seconds, no sign-up.
What the weather actually does
10-year average · Kisama (Hornbill Festival)Cool days around 13°C, nights near 4°C, the odd shower. Nights drop to 4°C — pack properly for them.
Before you book December
Conditions specific to Kisama (Hornbill Festival) this month.
Worth knowing
Hornbill Festival — Hotels 4×
Hornbill Festival (December 1–10) at Kisama Heritage Village — rooms in Kohima fill completely. Book 6 months ahead; hotels charge 3–4× normal rates. The festival itself is unmissable — all Naga tribes perform simultaneously.
What a day in Kisama (Hornbill Festival) looks like
The things most people actually do here, by time of day.
Morning
- 17-tribe morung village circuit3h · easy
Afternoon
- Warrior dance & battle reenactmentDec2h · easy
- Naga food court — smoked pork & bamboo shootsDec1h 30m · easy
- Naga weaving & jewellery craft marketDec1h 30m · easy
Evening
- Evening rock concerts (NE India rock scene)Dec2h · moderate
About 10h of activity in total — the planner spreads this across your days and fits travel time around it.
What a December trip costs · 2 days, total for two
Budget
₹8,444 for two
- Stay · 1n₹3,413
- Food₹3,120
- Local + entry₹1,300
- Buffer₹611
Mid-range
₹19,030 for two
- Stay · 1n₹7,235
- Food₹7,200
- Local + entry₹3,200
- Buffer₹1,395
Luxury
₹44,705 for two
- Stay · 1n₹18,408
- Food₹16,800
- Local + entry₹6,200
- Buffer₹3,297
December multiplier already applied (1.30× on stays). Covers stay with GST, food, local transport, entry & activities, 8% buffer for two people sharing one room — the same figures the planner opens on. Excludes travel to Kisama (Hornbill Festival). How we price this
Add the journey from your city — see the full priceBook Kisama (Hornbill Festival) for December
Opens with December dates for two — change them on the booking site.
Tourisma may earn a small commission if you book — it never changes your price.
A December plan, day by day
2 days in Kisama (Hornbill Festival) for December, at this month's stay rates.
- 1🎭 Cultural Day2h out
- Evening rock concerts (NE India rock scene) · evening, 2h
A city best understood slowly — arrive, find the old market, and let the pace of things sink in.
- 2🎭 Cultural Day3h out
- 17-tribe morung village circuit · morning, 3h
Final day in Kisama (Hornbill Festival) — culture here is in the streets, not just museums — this day takes you through both.
Swap places, change the pace, set your own dates.
Plan my Kisama (Hornbill Festival) tripGetting to Kisama (Hornbill Festival)
Usually the biggest line in the budget — and the one the estimate above leaves out.
Kohima → Kisama
cab · 0.5h
₹800
1 way / person
Dimapur → Kisama
cab · 3h
₹4,500
1 way / person
Cheapest listed route is Kohima → Kisama by cab. Return for two works out to about ₹3,200 — so a whole trip lands near ₹11,644 for two, travel included.
Fares are typical one-way estimates per person from Kisama (Hornbill Festival)'s common gateways, not live prices — book early and expect festival months to run higher.
Every month, scored
What you’ll actually do in Kisama (Hornbill Festival)
All of these are open in December.
- 17-tribe morungs (traditional meeting halls)
- Warrior dance & battle reenactment
- Naga food court (smoked pork, bamboo shoots)
- Indigenous wrestling & Naga games
- Rock concerts (evenings — India's NE rock scene)
- Naga tribal jewellery & craft market
- Fire dance & drumming performances
- Naga weaving demonstrations
- Wild boar skull war trophies display
- Children's festival activities
- Late-night tribal campfire experiences
- Kohima War Cemetery nearby (15km)
Within reach: Naga Heritage Village · Kohima city · Bamboo pavilions · WWII Museum (festival) · Khonoma.
Permits you'll need
Inner Line Permit required
Indian visitors from outside Nagaland need an ILP — apply online at the Nagaland ILP portal (ilp.nagaland.gov.in) or at Nagaland House in Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati or Shillong, or on arrival at Dimapur.
Rules change — verify with the issuing authority before you travel.
Packing for December
- A warm layer for mornings and evenings — a fleece and a light jacket are enough.
- Walking shoes with grip and a power bank — charging points and signal are patchy on hill roads.
December questions, answered
Is December a good time to visit Kisama (Hornbill Festival)?
Yes — December is a good month for Kisama (Hornbill Festival): it sits at the edge of the recommended season (December 1–10 (Hornbill Festival)), and cool days around 13°C, nights near 4°C, the odd shower. Nights drop to 4°C — pack properly for them. Tourisma's fit score for December is 85/100.
See a December plan for Kisama (Hornbill Festival)How much does a trip to Kisama (Hornbill Festival) cost in December?
A typical 2-day trip for two costs from ₹8,444 (budget) to ₹44,705 (luxury), excluding travel to Kisama (Hornbill Festival). Seasonally adjusted for December.
Price it for your group and cityWhen is the best time to visit Kisama (Hornbill Festival)?
The best months are November, December, January. From December: The season ends with December; January is outside the recommended window. The season runs to the end of January, next month. The rains usually arrive in April, 4 months away.
What is there to do in Kisama (Hornbill Festival)?
17-tribe morungs (traditional meeting halls). Warrior dance & battle reenactment. Naga food court (smoked pork, bamboo shoots). Indigenous wrestling & Naga games. Rock concerts (evenings — India's NE rock scene). Naga tribal jewellery & craft market. Dimapur is the nearest railhead, 87 km away.
Nearby, same trip
Also on in Nagaland in December: Hornbill Festival (Kohima).
Elsewhere in India in December
Also in season this month, from Tourisma's ranking of all 238 destinations for December.
- North Goa Beaches · Goa · from ₹16,618 for two, 4 days
- Rann of Kutch · Gujarat · from ₹5,335 for two, 2 days
- Konark Sun Temple · Odisha · from ₹4,708 for two, 2 days
- Kohima · Nagaland · from ₹5,530 for two, 2 days
- South Goa Beaches · Goa · from ₹11,734 for two, 4 days
- Pelling · Sikkim · from ₹4,514 for two, 2 days
- Gangtok · Sikkim · from ₹9,916 for two, 3 days
- Alleppey (Alappuzha) · Kerala · from ₹15,271 for two, 3 days
Want this as a real plan?
Kisama (Hornbill Festival) in December, priced for your group, dawn-starts built in — about 40 seconds.
From ₹8,444 for two · stay, food & local travel — getting there extra
Plan Kisama (Hornbill Festival) in December