Hi dear travellers,
We are going to be a small team of 5+1 or 7+1 group. Now you may ask why such a small group? Because this is going to be a very explorative and intensive tour. Mostly road journey. And we will be travelling to some very remote and unique places in our country where the tribal structure of those societies are still intact and they speak only their language. We will need interpreters to communicate with them. Located in the tail of the Himalayas, which is the Patkai Range, the roads are challenging at places and the views wild and spectacular. We will be witnessing the Aoleang Festival of the Konyak tribe.
Aoleang Monyü is a vibrant Spring Festival celebrated annually by the Konyak tribe. Primarily held in the Mon District of Nagaland, it marks the welcome of the new year, the arrival of spring, and the completion of the spring sowing season. The festival gives you a rare and uncommercialized look at the tribal culture. Real guns loaded with homemade gunpowder are fired throughout the festival to symbolize past wartime glory, in their mock war dances . Elders wear distinct face and body tattoos earned during headhunting days, paired with dramatic hornbill feathers and boar-tusk headdresses.
The largest of the sixteen major Naga ethnic groups, Konyaks were fierce fighters and head hunters. Konyak warriors used to hunt heads to gain power, honour and social status. They believed that an enemy’s head held a soul force that brought fertility to their crops and prosperity to the village. You can find out who was a head hunter by some distinctive tattoos on their bodies and faces . Headhunting was officially banned in 1960 and a few head hunters are still alive. Most of them are around ninety years of age and above.
In this trip we will not only observe their festival celebrations but we will also visit the remote villages Hongphoi, Longkei and Longwa. Longwa sits directly on the international border of India and Myanmar. this village is a major cultural heartland of the Konyak tribe renowned for their intricate wood carvings, facial tattoos, and unique heritage. We will visit the residence of the Angh ( village chief) whose house is two nations in one home meaning his home is perfectly dissected by Mynamar and India. One row of his rooms are in India while the others are in Myanmar. If you sit in his kitchen, one door opens to India and the other to Myanmar. The Angh has dual citizenship because he has subjects in both the countries and so does the villagers of this village. Both Indian Rupees and Burmese Kyat are accepted currency here. Local blacksmiths and artisans in the village are renowned for wood carving, metalwork, and traditional handmade gun making.
ITINERARY
Before I discuss the itinerary, let me tell you the structure of their festival. Aoleang festival is celebrated individually in all villages. They have their own programs. Two days of the festival are celebrated in a mega scale in the Heritage Complex where all the tribes of Mon district come and showcase their cultural programs. But which two days, are announced a couple of weeks before the actual date of the festival. Programs remain closed on Sundays as Konyaks are predominantly Christians. That is why on Sunday we will visit the special service in their church.
01/04/27
- We pick you up from Dibrugarh airport at 9 am
- Move towards breakfast stop.
- Post breakfast move towards Mon village.
- After a quick lunch move towards Hongphoi village/Heritage Complex
- Overnight stay in homestay in Mon village ( double sharing basis)
02/04/27
- Post breakfast leave for Longwa/Heritage Complex
- Dinner and overnight stay at homestay in Mon village
Day 3
- Post breakfast leave for Longwa/ Heritage complex.
- Dinner and over night stay in homestay in Mon village.
04/04/27
- Today we visit Konyak Baptist Church. Located in the heart of Mon town Nagaland, the mega church of the Konyak Baptist Church Mon (KBCM), constructed over a period of ten years is the biggest Baptist church in Asia, now. The seating capacity in this church has been estimated to be over 10,000. Please wear formals today.
- Picnic in Jhahphat Long.
- Dinner and nightstay at Mon village.
05/04/27
- Post breakfast we leave for Longwa/Heritage complex.
- Dinner and over night stay in Mon village.
6/04/27
- Post breakfast we leave for Dibrugarh.
- Lunch stop at Dibrugarh.
THINGS TO TAKE
This is a general guideline. Please do carry whatever clothes you are comfortable with.
Tour Gear:
- You can carry trolley /duffel bags/rucksacks
- Water bottle or a hydration pack.
- Emergency food ( fruits/protein bars/any kind of nutritional munchies)
- Water bottle or hydration pack ( one litre volume)
- ORS sachet : 2/3
Clothing:
- A light Fleece jacket/a light warm woollen sweater- 1.
- Any kind of clothes you feel comfortable in. A formal wear for the church visit.
- Umbrella/Raincheater/ Any rainproof.
- Undergarments - 1 for each day of the trip.
- Woolen cap - 1.
- Sun cap or Biker Scarf for protection from sun- 1.
- Sunglasses ( optional)
Footwear:
- Sneakers or closed shoes- 1 pair.
- Lightweight Slipper/Sandals/kitos - 1 pair.
FYI
- Region : Nagaland
- Duration : 5nights 6 days
- Maximum Altitude : 2900 feet roughly.
- Average temp: Temperature during daytime in April can hover around 28 degree C while at night can come down to 16 degrees.
- Stays : Stays will be in home-stays on double sharing basis.
- Min age: 6years if accompanied by parents. 18 years if unaccompanied by parents.
- Min batch strength : 5
- Max batch strength : 7
- Program may get modified in case of extreme weather conditions or non availability of a home-stay on the route. In the latter case, we may, alter the route slightly but the tour will be completed.
- For queries call : 9874358754
- Please note that the minimum batch strength is 5 . If we fall short of the requisite number, the tour will be called off and your tour fees will be refunded in full without any cancellation charge deducted. However, if you still want to go ahead with the tour, it will be our pleasure to conduct it for you. In such a case your tour fees will be a little higher and the amount will be disclosed to you well before the date of journey.
FAQ
- What are the dates of the Aeleang Festival:
April 1st to April 6th.
- How to reach Dibrugarh:
You will get trains and regular flights from all major airports to Dibrugarh. In case there is no direct flight, fly to Guwahati and from there you will get both flights and trains to Dibrugarh.
- What time will you drop me/us at Dibrugarh airport after the completion of the tour?
Expect to reach Dibrugarh around 2pm. So book your flight tickets accordingly.
- Can I change some portion of the itinerary?
We cannot accommodate a change in our itinerary.
- What kind of accommodation can we expect?
Accommodations are on double sharing basis with attached western toilets.
- What kind of food can we expect?
Both vegetarian and non vegetarian breakfasts and dinners will be served in the homestay. Inside Mon town both veg and non veg food options can be found in some restaurants. We can guide you there. In Longwa we will stop at a traditional house where thee ladies in the kitchen will cook for you. both Veg and non veg rice thalis are available here. Longwa does not have restaurants as such.
- Traditional rules: You will be meeting tribal chiefs (Anghs), present small gifts to the Anghs.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
- Cancellations will be subject to cancellation charges.
- Cancellations will have to be intimated to Soma's Camps by email only. Email address is somascamps@gmail.com.
- 30% of the total trip fee is not refundable on cancellation at any point of time. If you fail to pay your trip fee( in case of part payments) within the scheduled date and ignore repeated intimations, your registration maybe cancelled and the booking amount forfeited.
- Trip has to be booked at least 60 days prior to the date of journey.
- Cancellation between 60 to 22 days prior to departure date : 70% of the trip fee will be refunded.
- Cancellation between 21 and 11 days prior to departure date : 30% of the trip fee will be refunded.
- Cancellations made from 10 days to the day of departure or no showing up : no refund.
- Please understand when we say 'trip fee', we mean the full amount not partial payment.
- Cancellation by Soma's Camps in the unforeseen eventualities of riots, political or industrial unrest like Railway operators strike, Airlines strike, it may be necessary to cancel the tour in the best interests of our clients. In such an eventuality our clients will be informed as soon as possible. The trip fee paid by the clients will be refunded in full OR we will provide you with an alternate set of program dates.
- Cancellation by Soma's Camps in the unforeseen eventualities of pandemic, epidemic, any other long term natural or biological disaster or man-made, disasters like war and others, it may be necessary to cancel the tour in the best interests of our clients. In such an eventuality our clients will be informed as soon as possible. 70 % of the trip fee paid by the clients will be refunded.
Other Terms & Conditions
- Payment: Payment for the trip can be done online via GooglePay / UPI/ net banking / NEFT .
- Non-liability: Soma's Camps is not responsible for any loss/damage of your gears/equipment or other belongings on the trip.
- Regarding proper disposal of non bio-degradable waste: At Soma's Camps, we to prefer to leave nothing other than footprints behind. Kindly help us to maintain that by taking care of your non bio-degradable wastes.
- Emergency during the trip: If for any reason you have to leave the trip midway, Soma's Camps can make arrangements for your return to the nearest rail head/airport. In such a case pay the trip facilitator the amount of the transport before you start for the railhead/airport.
- Please understand when we say 'trip fee', we mean the full amount not partial payment
- Program may get modified/cancelled in case of inclement weather.
- Cost escalation during the trip, due to change in itinerary owing to natural reasons or unforeseen conditions like Landslides , Road Blockage, Bad Weather, Social or Political Unrest, Strikes, sudden shut down of any govt office etc, will have to be borne by the participant.
- Soma's Camps do not owns the stays along the route. Maintenance of the stays are solely with the owners.
- Please note that the minimum batch strength is 5. If we fall short of the requisite number, the trip will be called off and your trip fees will be refunded in full without any cancellation charge deducted. However, if you still want to go ahead with the trip, it will be our pleasure to conduct it for you. In such a case your trip fees will be a little higher and the amount will be disclosed to you well before the journey.
- The tour price is based on current rate of accommodation and transport, if petrol/diesel prices increase after 31/10/26, tour price will also go up accordingly since this trip has transport uses everyday, multiple times.
