ChaloHoppo with MuzArt to explore Naga Villages and Hornbill Festival

2019December 6th - 11th

Time to go Village Hopping in Nagaland during Hornbill 2019

Travel and art have always been the best of pals! Travel to the far-off villages of Nagaland and experience the Hornbill Festival. Heal yourself, with live Music and Art Therapy sessions. A special hand-picked trip for

the lovers of art and music.

The beautiful homestays of Dzuleke.

Travelling, Music and Art -The universal healers.If you also believe in the same and would love these three meet up, this especially crafted trip is for you! Join us with MuzArt, two trained therapists from Mumbai helping you dive

into the ocean of relaxation through music and art.Participate in live sessions every day while you travel to the quaint villages of Nagaland

and experience the much talked about, Hornbill Festival. Travel to Asia's first green village and a village without any signs of cellular connectivity, know the much-awaited Hornbill Festival and trek to the surreal land of Dzukou Valley. Meditate to the sound of music and the strokes of paint in the secluded natural spots.

This winter let music and art be your guide.

The brief Itinerary

5 nights and 6 days

Day 1 Setback is a setup for a comeback

Pick up from Dimapur railway station at 5:30 am in the morning. This isn’t exactly the Nagaland we are talking about yet. A 5-hour bumpy ride through a dust bowl has to be endured to reach the promised Naga- land.When you finally reach Khonoma village and settle in your homestay and look out from your balcony, you will know it was worth the pain.Take a walk to the terraced rice fields of the village and pluck some local veggies. You will head further down to the stream, where the first session will be conducted. This session will focus on accepting the fact that struggles and pain are a prelude to success.Time to have some finger-licking Naga cuisine with your host family, made out of your plucked vegetables from the field. Good time to get some tips on how to cook a perfect Naga cuisine.

Stay- A beautiful Homestay in Khonoma.

Day 2 Tune in to tune out

After breakfast head for a heritage walk in the village to the “morungs”, and historical forts accompanied by the local guide. After the walk, we head for an hour drive to Dzuleke. Ah, such a hidden gem!Reach Dzuleke, and indulge in a session, comprising of mini-games and activities to build the habit of mindfulness keep travellers engaged in a natural way as they move through the day. This will be followed by a workshop on bringing this practice into our daily life back home. Walk to the waterfall through the forests, where you will have another session. Empty thoughts and admire the pure surroundings of this paradise. Give the local mythical stories an ear and watch sky shift colours as the sunsets. If the weather permits, do a small trek to the nearby hidden waterfall.Roam around in the village with only 34 houses. Head for dinner and relax in the cosy homestay. Stay- One of the 5 Homestays in Dzuleke.

Day 3 Self-expression

After breakfast, we leave for Kohima to attend the Grand Hornbill festival. So, today you shall have your first glimpse of the celebrations. It’s time for lunch at one of the dozen authentic food stalls at the Hornbill festival venue in Kisama village.From now until, the sunsets, you are free to explore the festival on your own. We head to our campsite in Jakhama village, where the other campers and your comfortable tents await. Just before you head to the tents, have your session which will involve musical instruments, body rhythm, sharing circles, and activities to create the experience for travellers that simply expressing oneself trumps in every regard the pressure of managing your impression. The bonfire, some good food and stargazing should end this night. Stay- ChaloHoppo Village, Campsite Yedikha.

Day 4 Letting go to being in control

We have to be up early and ready by 7 am. Breakfast at the campsite and we charge on the sumos waiting for us. The ride from the campsite to the starting point of the trek, Viswema will take about an hour depending on the conditions of the road on the climb. The trek to Dzukou will take a maximum of 5 hours considering the first time and slow trekkers. Our base will be the dormitory, which offers a beautiful view of the valley.At night have your session under the starlit skies. Experience how to observe ourselves and our environments in a deep and practical way through creative and thinking activities help travellers to learn to draw a distinction between things that they are in control of and things that are beyond control - one of the keys to well-being. Stay- Dzukou Dormitory.

Day 5 Reflections

Wake up early by 5 am and head to the valley to see it in its frozen form and to see the sunrise. Come back, have a quick breakfast, pack up and begin your return trek. Reach the starting point of Viswema trek where our Sumos will be waiting for your rescue. An hour ride back and some hot delicious Puri Bhaji awaits you at the campsite.Freshen up and head for the second round of experiencing the Hornbill festival. From now until, the sunsets, you are free to explore the festival on your own. Come back to the camp and reflect on your journey with a session. Music and art activities will serve as tools for travellers to reflect on their entire journey while experiencing how reflection techniques can be incorporated into their daily life along with its importance. This is your last night at the camp and in Nagaland, so make it count! Stay- ChaloHoppo Village, Campsite Yedikha

Day 6 Bidding Nagaland goodbye, unless you want to stay back!

We will need to leave really early, so you must have packed last night. Post breakfast head to Dimapur.

Arrival and Departure timings, flights and suggestions.

Arrival:Fly in to Guwahati (GAU)on the 5th of November 2019. Book any flight that lands by 9 30 pm. Then take the daily overnight Nagaland express- train no.15603 that departs from Guwahati railway station at 11: 30 pm. Reservations are easily available on this train as long as you are booking at least 2 weeks in advance.

Departure:Fly out of Dimapur airport(DMU) on the 11th of December 2019 at 1: 30 pm. These are connecting flights that go to all the major cities.

FAQs about the sessions?What exactly happens in the creative wellbeing sessions?Participants actively engage in the creative process of making music and art by immersing themselves in a variety of musical instruments, and art materials brought into the workshop. Every session has a specific desired outcome such as:● Self-awareness● Relaxation & stress management● Unleashing creativity● Self-expression● Coping with change● Communication● Emotional regulation, etc.

Every session contains research-based activities that create an experiential journey taking participants toward the outcome through a blend of instruments and art material

Is this therapy?Although we are trained therapists, our sessions in a non-medical setup are catered to the general public to increase the overall well being of an individual. We use the facets of music and art to allow people to feel connected, safe and improve their quality of life through fun, engaging and creative activities!

Why should this be a part of my trip?Creative arts like music and art add a different dimension to travel. It adds colour, meaning and makes the journey more holistic. It allows you to experience a place in a deeper, fuller way, and express yourself, your thoughts, and feelings. This act of expression and creation adds magic in the current moment, while also serving as a gateway to memories later on of the journey and how you felt then.

What is the role of music and art in improving well being?Research demonstrates that engaging in musical and art activities (whether playing instruments, creating art, or simply listening to music) improves mental and physical quality of life. Creative arts address a person’s cognitive, emotional, physical, social,and spiritual needs.Do participants need to be trained in music and art?Not at all. Prior training in music or art is not required to participate in music and art therapy. The process of human development prepares everyone to be a music-art maker and music-art lover–at a basic level. Each person is born with the potential to sing, create and express through art, play simple instruments, move to music, react to the elements of music, perceive relationships between sounds, remember music, andascribe meaning to a musical and art experience.

But I’m horrible at music and art!The musical instruments are extremely simple to play, and it would take you at most a couple of minutes to get familiar with them. However, it’s not at all important how well you create, but just that you are creating. The process of creation is what we focus on, rather than the final finished product. As facilitators, we’ve worked with hundreds of people and our primary job is to make the workshop safe and non-judgmental.

What is the required age to participate?All individuals, regardless of age or musical and artistic background, have a basic capacity for music and artistic expression/ appreciation at their developmental level.

How long is a session?Sessions are designed to be in sync with the travel itinerary for each day. It could vary from a minimum of 30 mins to a full session of 90 mins, according to where we are and what is happening.

What will I go home with?1. Artwork created on trip2. A better understanding of yourself3. Creative long-term techniques for overall well-being that can be continued as a regular practice once back home.4. The experience of engaging with instruments in various settings, jamming, and creating music.

Trip Inclusions

● Stay on twin sharing basis on all days with breakfast● Transport from Dimapur to Dimapur ● Lunch on Day 1,2 and 4 and 5● Dinner on Day 1, 2 and 4● English Speaking guides for all days ● Dzukou guide for a trek● Inner Line Permits for Nagaland● All Music + Art activities● Bonfire● Local guides in Khonoma and Dzuleke

Trip Exclusions● Airfare charges● All food & beverages cost apart from the ones mentioned above● Entry fee to Hornbill Festival.● Any camera fees● Campsite staff tips (if any)● Any personal expenditure (Toiletries, medicines, etc.)● Cost incidental to any change in the itinerary/ stay on account of flight cancellation due to bad weather, ill health, roadblocks and/or any factors

beyond control.● Potters hired for personal use.● Anything not specifically mentioned under the head "Inclusions"

Reviews of this tour!

FAQ’sQ. How many days is Hornbill festival scheduled for and what are the dates?A: Hornbill festival is scheduled every year from December 1 to 10.

Q. Are specific days of the festival worth attending and how many days should one spend at the festival?A: From our experience the first day should not be your priority since there are high chances of delay in proceedings as formalities take time. Hence we recommend attending the festival in a way that you can go to the venue for 2 days. That is a good enough time to spend. If you want to know specific dates then attending the last day of the event on December 10, is a good idea.

Q. If I am coming all the way to Nagaland, is it worth just to attend the festival or would you recommend exploring any specific villages around? A: You should keep at least a week in hand if you are planning your trip to Nagaland during the Hornbill festival. The real Nagaland is hidden in its villages and you must visit the villages of Dzuleke, Khonoma and even Jakhama which is around the vicinity of the festival. But ideally we would recommend spending nights in those villages. And of course a trek to Dzukou valley should also be on your list.

FAQ’sQ. Is it safe to travel to Northeast India? I have been warned about Naxalites, ULFA and other terrorist groups.

A: The sources of such warnings should be checked and speaking from the perspective of locals living in the region we can say that though some parts of Northeast India do have cases of groups clashing against government forces from time to time, it doesn’t affect a tourist as long as the route is chosen wisely and hours of commute are decided smartly, much like travelling in any other part of the world. If you have seen warnings in the advisory pages of governments, then we would like to remind you that governments (of different countries)will always take precaution and not be in sync with the real situation. Northeast India is absolutely safe with warm and welcoming locals. You should have no issues even going to the most interior places. As with any other tribal dominated region, respect the local culture and don't hurt their sentiments, and you will have a great time in a beautiful place. Because so less is known about the region in general, it may be a wise idea to get in touch with some travel experts before you plan your trip.

Q.What type of Bag should I carry?

A 40 litre backpack would be handy, since the tour involves staying in a campsite and a trek to Dzukou valley.

FAQ’sQ. I am a vegetarian, I hear that people only consume meat there. How will I manage?A: The cultural diversity of northeast India is so vast that we can’t blame outsiders for not being aware of communities in the region who are purely vegetarians, so much so that they avoid eating onions( they are indigenous to the region, in case you are thinking about communities from mainland India who have settled here). Having said that, we must admit that the region’s food habits especially in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya are predominantly non vegetarian with a whole lot of red meat based preparations. But the states have warmed up to tourists recently and almost every place you visit will provide the Indian staple diet of rice, dal and sabji, even chapatis if you are lucky. Your craving for butter paneer may not be satisfied, but you will do just fine as far as maintaining your health and strength is concerned.

Q.I am a solo traveller, can I come on this trip?A: A most definite yes, as long as you are okay travelling in a mixed group of other solo travellers or small group of friends.

Q. How do I get the ILP?

A: Relax! We got your back for that. We will get your Inner Line Permit made. It is included in the package.

Things to take note ofHomestay: Please understand that you will be staying in homestays and not hotels, and hence you are requested to treat the host and the family not as professional staff but as a family that is hosting guests.

Avoid plastic: Please avoid buying mineral water, since it is a major cause of pollution in the delicate eco system of the places you are visiting. Carry a reusable water bottle and fill filtered water or spring water. The hosts and your guide can assist you in showing where the water can be found.

Respect local culture: You are travelling to remote parts of the country where people speak freely and sometimes it comes across as rude, but understand that their intention isn't to hurt your sentiments, just that they perhaps lack the skill of sugar coating and diplomacy. During your tour, you may see things that may surprise you like a cat roaming around in the kitchen while you eat. But understand that many of these things are part of the way of life here and hence respect the same.

Using drone cameras:Dzukou is beautiful but sadly you cant capture the beauty from the bird view. The new rules have a restriction on flying drones in the valley. If caught your drone will seized and you will have to pay a fine of Rs. 5000.

Cancellation policyMore than 45 Days prior to arrival: 75% refund

30 -45 Days prior to arrival: 50% refund

15- 30 Days prior to arrival: 25% refund

Less than 15 Days prior to arrival : 0% refund

Cost of the experience per person

Rs 33,500

For further details email experiences@chalohoppo.com

AND EXPECT A PROMPT RESPONSE.

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