A Day visit to Dzukou Valley, Nagaland

Standing on the border between the two states of Manipur and Nagaland, lies a vast expanse of a surreal realm - lush in greenery and miles of rolling hills called the Dzukou Valley, also known as Dzükou Valley or Dziiko Valley.  To a first time spectator like me, it is no less than a fantasy land that one would imagine, taken straight from a JRR Tolkin novel !

So first things first, there are two approaches to reach Dzukou Valley from Kohima. One is from the village of Zakhama and the other is from Viswema. It is generally considered that the Zakahama trail is the shorter but relatively more difficult one. Most tourists opt for the Viswema trail like us, which consists of about an hour of uphill trek through a steep forested path before finally reaching open valleys. From there onwards, lies about two hours of hike to the base camp, through serpentine valleys awash with young bamboo grooves dotting the hillsides and offering the most spectacular scenery on earth.

We’d begun our hike at precisely quarter past eleven and continued at a steady pace reaching the campgrounds by two in the afternoon. We were one of the first groups to arrive at the campsite and had passed a few families trudging along the trail with just one brief stop at the top of the stairs where there was a resting place. 
Being one of the first people at the campground we had our pick of the location for our tent to be pitched; which was done expertly by our guide Mr Puno Sophie. We sat on the wooden planks of the newly constructed high viewing tower enjoying our packed lunch and having the place pretty much to ourselves for the afternoon.

Our clothes were drenched and our shoes muddy and soggy as the trail intertwined through bamboo thickets still wet from the morning dew; which soaked all our clothes by the time we reached our destination. The dirt trail was muddy and laced with newly formed puddles from the previous day’s rain and carrying a walking stick was a lot more helpful than I had anticipated earlier.

As we had reached quite early in the afternoon, we still had plenty of daylight to explore the grounds further. A quick change of clothes and a refreshing wash by the spring water later, we set off to find the flatlands and the river stream leading to the Dzukou Cross and viewpoint. 
We first came across the abandoned Dzuko helipad which was diagonally opposite the camping area with an overgrowth of vegetation. As the trail ran along the bends and turns of the streams and valleys we eventually came to a clearing, where just in front of us stood miles and miles of verdant green hills stacked one on top of the other like a thick carpet of green moss.

The valley was formed as a result of years of differential weathering and erosion of the Earth's crust, creating its unique and distinct geological pattern. The valley is composed of sandstone, shale and clay beds and is well known for its seasonal flowers especially the Dzuko Lily which can be seen during the months of June to August in full bloom. 
The Dzuko Valley is a treeless expanse of vivid greenery located at an altitude of 2452m above sea level. It is said that the name Dzuko originated from the local Angami and Mao dialect meaning “cold water”. According to some legends, it's a place where the dead rest before departing!

Having reached the stream in about 30 minutes and multiple photoshoots later we finally came in sight of the Dzuko Cross - still some good distance away; standing tall and shiny white against a backdrop of contrasting green. From the other side of the valley the distance had seemed much closer but, with the sun disappearing and the puffs of cotton candy clouds giving way to dark rain laden ones fast approaching overhead; we decided to turn back.

Once at the campsite the rain came lashing down in torrents, while we sat sipping sweet milk tea; listening to the conversation of the guides and caretakers by the hearth and warming ourselves near the cooking fires. There were three earthen stoves each fed by thick logs of wood, one of which had a perpetual boiling coldurum of water which was scooped out and poured into flasks every time a fellow hiker came seeking for some.

The dinner menu for the Dzuko camp is simple and straightforward. You are provided with a basic meal of white rice, yellow dal and fried potatoes. Anything besides this (if available like eggs or chicken) is an add on at extra cost. Since I had carried some spicy jerky and small packs of local pickles we did not require any additional items. Also our guide Puno, smuggled us a portion of pork curry in a small paper cup away from prying eyes which the guides had cooked for themselves with the specific instruction - “Don’t tell anyone !”

The rain had subsided by the time our meal was over and it seemed the moon was beginning to rise slowly. Due to the absence of any light pollution in the area (Dzukou valley has no electricity and no cellphone reception) the gradual full moonrise that we witnessed from our tents was one of the most magical experiences in our entire trip. There were people from other states that were gathered outside their own tents by now, watching the beautiful scene unfold. One particular group were Rabi and his friends from Assam playing the ukulele in the dusky evening.

They were camped right next to us and as we got talking, many more hikers started pouring in; so that eventually there were almost forty people that night in total at the campsite.
We chatted and jammed to different songs, some Hindi but mostly Nepali pop songs which they seemed familiar with. 
My greatest concern before embarking on the trek as a female was the condition of the public washrooms. This particular problem had been a source of great concern before the trip. However, once we were there I found out that the washrooms seemed decent enough - it wasn’t dirty or smelly and the male and female ones were separate. It's important to note that running water was supplied only to the large vats outside from the nearby spring with the help of black pvc pipes.  

It was quite late at night by the time we went to bed at our two man tent. But thankfully, it was a comfortable and restful night as we were pretty tired from the day’s activities. We were provided with the tent and all its paraphernalia - profile mats for the floor, two single blankets, sleeping bags and pillows all arranged by Puno. We stocked up with some additional hot water in our thermos and decided to  call it a night.

The only downside to the trek as far as I recall was this really loud and boisterous group from Delhi; disturbing everyone sleeping - way past midnight! While everyone was mindful and considerate of their surroundings; making sure that they weren’t a nuisance to anyone else - it’s moments like these that makes us acutely aware of how we lack public etiquette and civil manners as Indians whenever we travel outside our native places and why most foreigners do not want us as tourists.

Towards early morning there was a short spell of rain that fell on our tents but we were dry and well protected inside as it was double layered and waterproof. The hills in front of us were completely shrouded in thick milky fog as I unzipped our tent to view the morning scenery outside. The grounds and grass were damp with a few people milling here and there, taking cinematic shots and time lapse videos.

At the camp kitchen you’re provided with hot milk tea in the morning and some plain Maggie noodles for breakfast with the option of boiled eggs. We had the tea with the remainder of our snacks and skipped the maggie; and made for an early start downhill. We did the downhill trek in good time and reached our (number) plateless gypsy by noon. With that our trek to the beautiful Dzukou Valley came to an end as we headed for our next destination - Zakhama Village.

The climb down though quicker, for me was more difficult as you had to navigate the narrow treacherous steps very carefully. One wrong step and it was enough to twist your ankles. Hence, it put more pressure on the legs and that was obviously evident in the evening once we reached our homestay. 
The one night two days trek to Dzuko has been the highlight of our visit to Nagaland and we had planned the entire tour around it. Some people also opt for a two night three day trip, however in my personal opinion it is best to choose the former for optimal usage of time and utilise the other day to stay at a new location. 

There are various options to build your tour around the Dzukou valley trip and you can get in touch with our experts at OurGuest to curate a tour catered to your specific needs.
   

Written by Prerna
Prerna, a seasoned travel & hospitality expert, isn't just a writer – she's a curator of experiences. Leading OurGuest's operations at The Barfung Retreat, she leverages her extensive background at Taj, Hyatt, ITC, and more. A Master's graduate in English Literature, Prerna's passion for storytelling is fueled by her childhood spent traversing India with her police officer father. Fluent in Bengali, Hindi, English, and Nepali, she fosters genuine connections across cultures. Join Prerna as she unveils the hidden gems and vibrant soul of Northeast India, one captivating story at a time.

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