Did you know that Northeast India has the highest cultural diversity in the whole of Asia? At least 225 tribes co-exist in an area the size of the United Kingdom. Though NE India is changing, just like any other place in the world, that’s definitely not due to tourism, as it is probably the least visited area in the whole Himalayan region. Don’t be surprised to find people staring at you unabashedly! And don’t expect them to go out of their way to make you feel at home either. Apart from some regularly visited villages in Nagaland and around Kaziranga National Park, in most places the locals are still in the phase of figuring out why on earth these outsiders would brave bumpy, winding roads just to see their remote villages. The people of the Northeast are friendly but non-intrusive.

Although deeply attached to their traditional culture, the Nagas, Mishmis, Adi Galongs, Apatani and Monpas are changing their traditional clothing rapidly for the universal western attire, at least the men are. But the reverse happens during indigenous festivals, when the ancient rich culture of these independent mountain people comes alive in the ritualistic singing and dancing to the pulsating, heart-thudding beat of drums, representing an age-old tradition. That’s why we have developed a series of car-based festival tours that get you up-close to a tribal culture that may well be on the verge of vanishing. Apart from the well known Hornbill festival, the festivals of the northeast are highly authentic, small-scale affairs which have not been adapted at all to the taste of tourists. So, get ready to expect the unexpected…

One important remark about the dates of festivals and festival tours: as the Northeastern festivals are small-scale and locally organised affairs (with the exception of the Hornbill Festival) it is often difficult to obtain the exact dates of the festivals. Also, festival dates are sometimes changed in the last minute. Being based in the Northeast, we constantly track the latest developments in this respect. However, there are many Delhi-based and foreign travel agents and tour operators who simply copy what they find on the internet, This information can be misleading. So if you are interested in a festival tour, please contact us first.