Dzükou Valley, Nagaland

It is also known as the Valley of Flowers. The Dzukou Valley is one of the most frequently visited tourist attractions in the North East. The word Dzükou originates from derived the  Viswema  dialect of the  Angamis  'Dzü-ko' which means 'Soulless and Dull'. It refers to when some ancestors of Viswema who moved out to build a new village in Dzükou. But due to the adverse weather conditions they were not able to harvest crops which led them to say "the valley is very beautiful but is dull and soulless"

It is a beautiful place to hike around in itself, flowers or not, and if you are interested in rock climbing, there are plenty of opportunities to break a sweat within the valley. What is even more surprising the valley is very popular and loved by local tourists from Nagaland and Manipur, but it has yet to be “discovered” by foreigners and domestic tourists from further abroad. Come visit while you can, because India’s northeast is almost certainly going to experience a tourism that is going to flourish in the coming years.

Even though it is possible to get to the valley from Manipur, the major way is from Nagaland. There are no convinces on the Manipur side, making the trekking trail much more exhausting, and roads to the valley are in poor condition. Most of the visitors from Manipur drive to the Nagaland to enter the valley. But if you want to approach from Manipur, do make sure you have the appropriate equipment and a local guide who knows the way. From Kohima, the relaxed capital of Nagaland, getting to Dzukou Valley is a relatively candid proceeding. The valley can be reached from two towns: Jakhama and Viswema. Jakhama is about 20 kilometres from Kohima, and Viswema about 25 kilometres away from Kohima. Kohima itself can be reached by bus. The nearby railhead to Kohima is in Dimapur. To get to any one of these towns from Kohima, you can take a shared taxi from the Network Travels AOC Bus stand.

There are many yellow vans and Sumos parked. It costs 40 Rs per person to get to Jakhama, and 50 Rs per person to get to Viswema. The taxis leave when full, and it takes about 30 to 45 minutes to approach Viswema.

The journey to Viswema starts with round about 8 kilometres of motor able road. The road slopes up slightly, and the walk takes approximately 3 hours. You can also hire a taxi which takes you from the main highway to the end of the motor able road.

To reach the valley through Jakhama, the jorney is much more hard than the one from Viswema. Unless you are into that sort of thing, it is recommend you take this one down, not up. The steep path is covered with rough hewn stone steps, which are much less exhausting to walk down than the muddy trail up from Viswema. It takes about 3 hours to walk down from the valley to the main road on this path. If you aree heading upwards, from Jakhama there is a motor able road for about 3 to 4 kilometers, after which your climb starts. It will take a minimum of 4 to 5 hours to walk up, and it is a quite steep affair. The steps are in good condition, though, so you will reach very near to the rest house in the valley. The path finally combines with the trail through the valley starting near Viswema. The trekking trail to reach the Dzukou Valley is going to leave you breathless, make you feel encouraged. It will also test your ability all at once which makes this trail very special. As you make your way up towards the valley be prepared for a view that is a sight for sore eyes. You are going to witness the beauty of rolling hillocks covered by a thick blanket of green forests, the amicable beauty of aqua blue water making its way through the middle of the valley and beautiful arrangement of flowers that fill the valley with colour and light.

There are no specific permits required to enter the Dzukou Valley. However, an entry fee of Rs 30 per person is compulsory.

There is a basic rest house which looks out on the valley. It offers two refugee camp-like dorms and five private rooms with barebone necessities. Bring your own inflatable mattress, or you will regret your poor life choices.

The cost of the dorm is 50 Rs per person, and private rooms are 300 Rs per room. Mattresses, blankets, and pillows require extra payment. Basic breakfast and dinner are also available. If you have the proper equipment, the valley is also an amazing place to camp. There are a few natural campsites in the valley. The major site is exactly in the middle of the valley, while the others are covered by small caves. Virtually, you can camp anywhere you want, however, as long as you pay the park entry fee.