I’ll take you on a trip from Tezpur Airport to Nagaland, so you can visit the Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary. Don’t forget to pack some snacks and water because the journey will be long.
What should you take with you for the trip –?
Sleeping bag & Mattress (essential)
Good outdoor shoes (essential)
Torchlight (essential)
Water bottle (essential)
Good winter clothing (essential)
A binocular (optional)
Driving through Kaziranga National Park
It will take six hours from Tezpur to Kohima, and you will cross the famous Kaziranga National Park on your way to Kohima. If you haven’t already, driving through Kaziranga National Park will be a lifetime experience.
Nambor wildlife sanctuary
After crossing Kaziranga, we will cross another forest called Nambor wildlife sanctuary before reaching the Assam-Nagaland interstate border. The Nambor forest is a significant habitat for many species of birds. The sanctuary is rich in terrestrial woodland birds and some rare species of orchids. On our way back, I can arrange a stay at Bokaghat and you can explore Nambor if you want.
Garampani wildlife sanctuary
Then there is the Garampani wildlife sanctuary, which is adjacent to Nambor. It is a small wildlife reserve area best known for its “hot water springs.” Yes, we will have to pass through these forests before reaching the border town of Dimapur.
Inner line permits (ILP)
In Dimapur, where we will stop for a short while, we will pick up our inner line permits for the trip, which are necessary if you want to visit Nagaland, especially areas close to the Indo-Myanmar border. Why do you need an Inner Line Permit (ILP) to go to Nagaland if you are an Indian? Please click the link to know why.
Documents and fees required for inner line permits
Tourist (Domestic/Foreign): Rs 50 per person valid for 15 days / Rs 100 per person valid for 30 days
| ILP | DOCUMENTS | REQUIRED? | GUARANTOR |
| DOMESTIC TOURISTS |
Applicant’s Recent Passport Photo | Mandatory | NO |
| ID Proof (AADHAAR Card, Voter ID, Drivers License, or Any Govt. Approved ID) | Mandatory | ||
| Other Supporting Documents | Optional | ||
| FOREIGN TOURISTS |
Applicant’s Recent Passport Photo | Mandatory | NO |
| ID Proof (Passport – Both Sides) | Mandatory | ||
| Upload Visa | Mandatory |
Why Dimapur?
According to legend, Dimapur was named after Hidimba. Hidimba is the wife of Bhima and the mother of the mighty warrior Veer Ghatotkacha in the Mahbhrata. Hidimbapur was the original name of Dimapur.
Kohima
Most parts of the road from Dimapur to Kohima are in decent condition, so it will only take two and a half hours to reach Kohima from Dimapur.
We will stay in a homestay on the outskirts of the city for the night. It is hard to find hotels and homestays in Kohima during the tourist season, especially during the Hornbill festival, so it’s always good to reserve your lodging in advance.
Hornbill Festival -It is an annual event held in Nagaland from December 1 to December 10.
Lunch break – Phutsero, Jesami, or Meluri
The journey from Kohima to Pungro is going to be long and pitiless. We will pass through Phutsero, Jesami, and Meluri on the way to Phungro. We have to take our lunch break in Phutsero, Jesami, or Meluri. And yes, if you are a pure vegetarian, it is better to take your food for the journey. Though the journey is long, the view of the pretty green hills will make us forget all about it, and the lunch break will make us relish this long journey. If the weather is clear, you will see Mount Saramati peak (the highest peak of Nagaland) after crossing Meluri.
We will be at Pungro by 7-8 pm and stay at the government guest house for the night. There are a few homestays in town, but they are a little expensive for this trip.
Pungro
According to 2011 census data, Pungro has a total population of 4,744; the townlet is in the Kiphiri district of Nagaland. From there, we’ll begin the final leg of our journey to the village where my friend Suseki will be waiting for us; it’s only 32 kilometres from Pungro.
These thirty-two-kilometer-long roads will be the worst roads you have ever seen; it will take 3.5 hours to cross the road on a Sumo (jeep). Yes, we have to leave our vehicle at Pungro and hire a local cab (Sumo) to go to Fakim. Hiring the vehicle for the day will cost us 5000 rupees, and if we want to keep the vehicle for the next day we have to pay another 500 rupees and bear the expenses of the food and lodging of the Sumo driver.
Fakim Village & Fakim wildlife sanctuary
The village has a beautiful guest house, and we will be staying there for the next two days. There are only 82 households in the village. My friend Suseki lives here. He will introduce you to the members of the village council and the village headman. We will be having our dinner at the headman’s house. It will be an excellent opportunity for you to interact with the headman over dinner, in the next morning, you will get a chance to interact with other villagers of the village;
Yamsumgar tribe
It is a Yamsumgar village, which means the people belong to the Yamsumgar tribe of Nagaland. The culture and customs of the village are very different from ours, and you will be surprised to learn about their history. It is impossible to describe how incredible it is; you should go and experience it for yourself. My friend Suseki will be there for you and will help you to get a real experience of the culture of their tribe.
Fakim wildlife sanctuary
The next day, Suseki will take us to the Fakim wildlife sanctuary with a forest guard. There are many birds and animals in the sanctuary. It is a must-visit tourist attraction on a wildlife tour to Nagaland. My friend Suseki is an expert animal tracker. He has been tracking Loris, Panther, Himalayan bear, Jungle cat, and Hoolock gibbon and taking photos and videos of them for years. He is providing his services as a wildlife tracker and photographer for different conservation agencies and the state forest department. If you are with him and you are lucky, you will definitely see some wildlife in the sanctuary.
