15 jours à moto dans le Nagaland, Inde

Motorbikes

During this trip, you ride on the Enfield Classic 350 cc motorcycle. This is a ‘European’ type engine with the gear shift on the left side of the engine and an electric starter.

Difficulty and offroad

This is not a particularly difficult trip. You are not travelling at a great height, and the days’ distances are not too long. The main roads are paved, but they are often in very poor condition. Many day trips will go on very bad dirt roads. This can be challenging and difficult after rainfall.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival - Guwahati

You will arrive at the Guwahati airport. They will pick you up and transport you to the hotel. Soon after, you will meet the mechanic, the driver, and the motorcycles.

Day 2: Guwahati - Kaziranga NP (230 kilometers / 143 miles)

After breakfast, you leave the city of Guwahati via a road that runs parallel to the Brahmaputra river. The first part is still a main road. However, you then turn off to drive on alternately paved and unpaved roads through various villages towards Kaziranga. You spend the night in a hotel close to the Kaziranga Park which you will visit the following day.

Day 3: Kaziranga NP - Jorhat (105 kilometers / 65 miles)

In the early morning, you can optionally join a safari to the Kaziranga National Park. Kaziranga is a UNESCO protected park. It is also a tiger reserve, and the park is world famous for rhinos. Kaziranga has the highest density of tigers in the world.

The park has over 450 species of birds, 18 of which are endangered species. The beard stairs are the main attraction. Apart from the tigers, rhinos and various birds, the park is also home to other animals such as buffalo, Asian elephants, sambar, pig deer, swamp deer, and wild boars.

After lunch, you take a short drive to the city of Jorhat. You drive on the busy main road – the 715 - and where possible, you will turn off to follow smaller secondary roads.

Jorhat is the last capital of the Ahom kingdom. Here, you can visit historical monuments, such as tombs and mosques. Jorhat is also known as the ‘tea capital’ of India. There are many tea plantations in this city and the surrounding area. You can of course enjoy a cup of delicious Assam tea at a local restaurant.

Day 4: Jorhat - Dibrugarh (125 kilometers / 78 miles)

Today, you go to Dibrugarh via the island of Majuli. To get there, you have to take the ferry over the Brahmaputra river after half an hour’s ride.

Majuli is the largest river island in the world and is home to the missing tribes - Hindu monks who observe Vaishnavism. Dibrugarh is one of the major cities of Assam. Here, you can visit temples, the botanical garden, and the colorful bazaar. In addition, there are also many beautiful tea plantations to enjoy and you can take a walk along the river.

Day 5: Dibrugarh - Mon (130 kilometers / 81 miles)

After breakfast, you ride to the province of Nagaland. The first part is still flat but that will change when you ride up to the mountains at Tizit.

As you ascend, the quality of the road deteriorates and is sometimes no more than a wide trail of earth with breathtaking beautiful views over the many mountains from Nagaland to Mon.

Mon is a simple place populated with many tribes. Mon is located at an altitude of 900 meters and is the land of the Konyak Nagas. These were one of the great warriors among the Nagas and practiced headhunting until recently.

The Konyak villages are ruled by Angh which means head of the village. You mainly see women with tattooed faces. The people adorn themselves with feathers on their headgear and are skilled craftsmen. Your accommodation is basic tonight.

Day 6: Mon - Stay (80 kilometers / 50 miles)

Today, you drive to Longwa village (41 kilometers / 2 hours) close to the border of India and Myanmar. You meet the village chief and you can also see how they maintain a traditional form of opium making. Afterwards, you return to Mon.

Day 7: Mon - Mokokchung (160 kilometers / 99 miles)

After breakfast, you ride to the south towards the narrow part of Nagaland, which is wedged between Myanmar and Bangladesh. Soon after leaving Mon, the road gets bad. You will drive a lot off road on narrow roads through the breathtaking beautiful mountainous landscape of Nagaland with sometimes no more than a small path to get to Mokochung. After rain, parts of the road can be slippery and challenging, but it is not dangerous.

Mokokchung is located at an altitude of 1,325 meters and this picturesque town is the cultural center of the Ao tribes. The Ao Nagas are famous for their colorful dances. If time permits, you can visit Unmga village - the largest Ao village. After this long day, you spend the night in a great hotel with good beds.

Day 8: Mokokchung - Kohima (190 kilometers / 118 miles)

Today, you ride further towards the west, travelling the whole day through and over the many mountains of Nagaland. The quality of the road will change from asphalt to unpaved roads. They are currently improving the road to Khonoma.

Kohima, Nagaland is inhabited by 16 major tribes, along with other subtribes. This is a land of song and music, where folk songs honor the brave stars of the past. However, the new generation of Ao people are increasingly drawn to Christianity by foreign missionaries.

You spend the night within walking distance of the center. You stay at a very pleasant hotel, where you can rest well for two nights.

Day 9: Kohima - Stay (100 kilometers / 62 miles)

Today, you can stay around Kohima or join for a day tour. You ride to Khonoma village (20 kilometers) inhabited by people from the Angami tribe.

In the year 1879, the tribals surrendered to the British army after years of fighting. At the end of the village lies a memorial to honor the many Nagas who were brutally murdered here. Some were even shot at point blank range while digging their own graves. Khonoma is also known for his fighting prowess.

In the afternoon, you drive back to Kohima. On the outskirts of the village is a memorial site of a battle against the British occupation army. Many Nagas died here in their rebellion against British occupation.

If you have time, you will also visit Kisama village - this is a Naga Heritage Village which is the venue for the Hornbill Festival and consists of some beautifully constructed traditional houses and Morungs (Naga boys dorms).

Day 10: Kohima - Imphal (140 kilometers / 87 miles)

Today does not entail a long drive, and you will arrive by the end of the morning. Imphal is near the Myanmar border. In the afternoon, you visit the local market.

The Ima-Keithel is a local market where only women are allowed to sell their goods. Imphal was once the capital of historic Manipur. The literal meaning of Manipur is the land of jewelry.

The area is situated at 800 meters and has the oldest polo fields in the world. You can visit the serene and well-kept gardens of the second world war cemetery which honors the English and Indian soldiers who died here. Japanese and English troops fought against each other here. There is also a small museum close by documenting this forgotten war.

You then ride to Moirang and visit Loktak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in eastern India.

Day 11: Imphal - Silchar (260 kilometers / 162 miles)

There are few straights in the road today and the distance is quite long, so you set off early. The road has a provincial road number but is largely unpaved. The road winds through a beautiful mountain landscape.

Along the way, there are only a few small mountain villages. Lunch and coffee stops are not frequent. However, there are a lot of opportunities to take many pictures along the way. Silchar is a small village with a basic guesthouse.

Day 12: Silchar - Shillong (270 kilometers / 168 miles)

You start riding in a lowland area before you swing back into the mountains. You ride very close to the Bangladesh border. This section through the mountains is similar to yesterday, with a few settlements and beautiful views.

Shillong is a hill station (1500 meters high) in the northeast of India. It is also the capital of the state of Meghalaya, one of the smallest states in India. The hilly area is somewhat reminiscent of Scotland, which is why it is also referred to as the ‘Scotland of the East’.

The landscape consists of rolling hills with spice bushes and conifers. In the past, it was a popular spot among the British. You can also ride around with your motorbike and then go to the Elephant waterfall. The British have given this name in the past because of a rock that resembled an elephant. It is no longer visible because the rock was destroyed in an earthquake.

Day 13: Shillong - Stay

Today, you can explore Shillong. About 15 kilometers from the city lies the Barapani Lake. This lake was created after a dam was built in the Umiam river. It is one of the most beautiful places in this area. You can kayak or explore the river with a pedal boat.

You can also visit Don Bosco, which was founded to preserve local cultures in India. The architecture of the building is special to see, because it is built in the shape of a honeycomb. This is also a museum. You can also take a walk through the Phan Nonglait park and go to the colorful Bara bazaar.

Day 14: Shillong - Guwahati (160 kilometers / 99 miles)

It is a short drive back to Guwahati where you started the journey. After arriving in Guwahati, you have the opportunity to visit the famous Maa Kamkhya Temple - one of the most sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites.

Day 15: Guwahati - Departure