” Best Time to visit Dzukou Valley “? Well, the answer depends upon what provides you a greater thrill.
If one wishes to witness – Masterpiece of nature festooned with vibrant, nodding wildflowers, you ought to visit from April to September, the blooming season and the best time to visit Dzukou Valley or the winter season from October to March to boasts a different kind of stark, desolate beauty.
The Pristine Dzukou Valley is an undisturbed land and a secret kingdom of the North – East, India. The valley is a serene retreat where one can escape the hubbub and helter-skelter of urbanity.
The land of undulating rolling hills, stretched with a colourful carpet of flowers and wild dwarf bamboo is breathtakingly beautiful and can be described as a masterpiece of nature’s handiwork.
Dzukou Valley is nestled high amongst the clouds at 2,452 meters above the sea level. This heavenly divine place of flora and fauna is located at the border of Nagaland and Manipur.
The Dzukou Lily(Lilium Chitrangadae), which is found only in Dzukou Valley, is an important highlight that adorns the picturesque landscape.
The timeless erosion and weathering of the rocks leading to the formation of perfectly molded sweeps of hillocks add glamour to its distinctive contours.The burnt trees scattered through the valley, reminiscence of two huge forest fires, adds an esoteric element to the expansive vistas.
DZUKOU VALLEY
3 Days – 2 Nights
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Best Time to visit Dzukou Valley
The Dzukou Valley spanning across the Nagaland and Manipur interstate boundary exemplifies the best craftsmanship of nature. The alluring valley holds velvety green treeless knolls that spread as far as eyes can take you.
Choose your slot for Best Time to visit Dzukou Valley – Summers paint a colourful picture with the valley blooming with bright flowers but winters turn the valley into a frosty canvas covered in white snow.
If you are someone who loves the rhythmic rain, the vibrant green forest and the wetlands, then we assure you the best time to visit Dzukou Valley is the month of July.
The best time to visit Dzukou Valley for offbeat tourists is from October to May.
The drier seasons – summer and winter are the best time to visit Dzukou Valley due to an advantage – the absence of leeches.
Dzukou Valley Nagaland Best Time to visit – The two driest times to visit the picture-postcard landscape are in the summer season (April – May) and the winter season (November – March), though regardless of when you visit, you’re guaranteed of a visual treat.
Blooming Season(April – September)
If your dream is to experience an enchanting valley festooned with vibrant, nodding wildflowers, April – August is the best time to visit Dzukou Valley.
The first two weeks of July are usually the peak flower season making the Valley refreshing. This is the best time to visit Dzukou Valley.
In the misty and sloppy arms of monsoons, the endemic Dzukou Lily(Lilium Chitrangadae) makes its unparalleled appearance. Lilies, Aconitum, Euphorbia and multi-colored Rhododendrons spread across the valley displaying its beauty.
The Flowering Season is the best time to visit Dzukou Valley if one wishes to witness the valley sprinkled with colourful wildflowers blooming and lightening up the masterpiece of nature’s handiwork.
Although Monsoon serves as the best time to visit Dzukou Valley, be aware of the trails as it becomes muddier and slippier, and the leeches will be out in full force. So, bags of salt or spray bottles filled with brine must be carried.
Sometimes visitors get stranded in the valley or washed away in flash floods when returning from the valley during the monsoon season too.
Winter Season(October – March)
The winter season is not the best time to visit Dzukou Valley as one doesn’t get a chance to witness the blooming of wildflowers. The temperature also drops far lower than one would expect in such tropical states.
In winter, the valley loses its emerald green hue and becomes more straw-coloured as the green-pigment chlorophyll breaks down in the leaves of the dwarf bamboo plants.
Delicate ice crystals form on foliage and the meandering rivulets at the bottom of the valley freezes during the night. One can witness it in the early morning before they begin to slowly thaw again during sunrise.
During the winter, though a pinch of warmth can be felt in the direct sunshine during the daytime, there remains an undeniable chill in the air.
Air temperatures during the winter days often hover around 10 °C. At night, air temperatures commonly plummet to several degrees below freezing and each morning one would wake up to see a heavy frost capturing the entire valley.
The catch is that if one wishes to witness such frost wraps, winter season is the best time to visit Dzukou Valley.
We assure you that the Dzukou Valley trek’s best time is at any time of year. If you can’t make it during flowering time, it’s a beautiful place to hike around as it has much more to offer than its colourful flora and fauna.
Dzukou Valley is well – known only by the local tourists from Nagaland and Manipur. This place is usually less crowded than the other scenic spots in the Seven Sister States and is still undiscovered by many global travellers.
How to reach Dzukou Valley?
The Dzukou Valley lies between 25°31’0” N and 25°35’0”N latitude and 94°3’0″E to 94°5’0″E longitude, spanning along Nagaland’s Kohima district and majority on the Manipur side.
Since Dzukou Valley is tucked between Nagaland and Manipur, it can be attempted from either ways.
But the Manipur trail is not marked, since there are no amenities and the trail is much more strenuous.
Hence, the trek to Dzukou Valley is mainly focused from Nagaland. Getting to Dzukou Valley is a relatively straightforward affair from Kohima, the capital of Nagaland.
From Kohima, the valley can be approached from two villages –
- Zakhama(about 20 km from Kohima) and
- Viswema(about 25 km from Kohima)
DZUKOU VALLEY
3 Days – 2 Nights
But as regards, if you’re trekking independently without preparations, one may get lost or take a wrong turn on the way.
The Southern trail starting from Viswema Village is the easiest and maximum attempted route. If one intends to visit Dzukou Valley via Zakhama Village, be prepared for a steep climb of around 2 – 3 hours and 1 – 2 hours of flat land walk. The Zakhama trail is not advisable during monsoons.
The Viswema Trail
The trek from Viswema to Dzukou Valley is the easier of the two routes, with only 1 hour of steep climbing.
The Viswema trail starts with about 8 km of motorable road from the Viswema village to the Trekker’s Point. Then the road slopes up gently, beyond which the actual trekking starts and it takes around 3 hours to reach Dzukou Valley.
One can hire a taxi from the main highway to the end of the motorable road. The same taxi will also come and pick you up after you climb down. But the both side fare is around Rs 5000/-.
The Zakhama Trail
The Zakhama trail is comparatively more demanding as it is a direct route to the Dzukou valley than the Viswema trail and takes less time. But one requires
The Zakhama trail is a steep and difficult path lined with rough – hewn stone steps, which are much easier to walk down than the muddy trek of the Viswema trail. It takes about 3 hours of unremitting, steep uphill trekking to reach the valley.
Accomodations in the Dzukou Valley
Accommodation is not a problem in the Dzukou Valley as there is a guest house located at the top of the valley.
There are three main options regarding where to stay in the Dzukou valley –
- Staying at the Guest House :
The basic rest house overlooking the valley provides two options – dormitory and private, depending on your budget and interests.
The private rooms with very basic amenities cost you an exorbitant price of Rs 1500/- and extra price for meals. 50 rupees for the dormitory and another 50 rupees for a tent if you like camping out in the open instead. Mattresses, blankets, and pillows are extra.
From the guest house in the valley, one can witness the panoramic view of the sunrise brightening up the valley.
- Camping in Tents :
The valley is a popular camping spot for local tourists and many trekkers.
If you have the proper gear, Dzukou Valley is a great place to camp. There are several natural campsites in the valley and the main site lies in the middle of the valley.
- Sleeping under a Cave :
The large rock outcrop at the bottom of the valley has a sizable overhang to provide shelter from the rain.
One can spend the night here to experience vagabondism and complete wanderlust. But one needs to carry everything right from food, sleeping amenities, light, firewood etc to stay inside the caves.
Most trekkers like to spend their night here to experience the real feel of the valley.
Ecosystem of the Dzukou Valley :
Many people speculated about the origin of Dzukou valley stating that it was formed as a result of a meteorite impact or that it is a caldera resulting from a violent volcanic eruption long ago.
Some estimate the age of the geosynclinal valley between 2 to 4 million years old.
Different types of rocks and minerals comprise the rock profile of the valley that includes sandstones, clays, shale siltstone, petrified wood and lignite seams.
The ecosystem of the Dzukou Valley favors the growth of a riot of wildflowers and blossoming rhododendrons during the blooming period(April – September). The rare Shirui Lily(Lilium mackliniae) and most notably, the endemic Dzukou Lily(Lilium chitrangadae) can be seen during this period – the best time to visit Dzukou Valley.
The endemic flower, Dzukou Lily, is a distant cousin of the lighter pinkish shade Shirui Lily(Lilium mackliniae), a rare species of the Shirui Hills of Manipur, which can be seen during the best time to visit Dzukou Valley.
Apart from the rare and endemic variety of lily, one can witness many other flowers like Euphorbia sikkimensis, Ranunculus species, Aconitum species etc. adorning the valley in vivid beauty – Dzukou Valley Nagaland best time to visit.
The fauna of the valley has no detailed studies or surveys. The Asiatic black bears(Ursus thibetanus), leopards(Panthera pardus) and Indian elephants(Elephas maximus indicus)have been reported in the Dzukou Valley.
One of the biggest threats to the Dzukou Valley ecosystem are the wildfires that rapidly spread through the dwarf bamboo cover. Fires are particularly liable to occur during the winter season and are normally started by people(intentionally or unintentionally).
Exploring Dzukou Valley – Feast your eyes :
The immaculate valley of treeless gentle mounds is covered with dwarf grasses and dotted with burnt trees, which stands as a reminder of the devastating wildfires. The candy clouds that float below the valley at the break of dawn, slowly make way for the rays of sun, casting a golden hue on the valley.
On a perfect sunny day, the pristine valley shines in different shades of green overlooked by the clear blue skies. The winding rivulet flowing through the valley with crystal clear water, perennial waterfalls tucked in the forbidden corners, deep cut ravines and caves seems to be perfectly sculpted by nature.
- A trek to the bottom of the valley :
As you trek down from the guest house located on the top of the valley, one can witness the spectacular
valley sprinkled in flowers.
- Take a dip in the crystal clear water of the rivulet :
The crystal clear rivulet gently flows through the rocks and crevasses tucked in the valley shaping into natural pools. It meanders through the valley and becomes shallow towards the centre.
As they run across the valley, the stream changes its forms – starting from rivulet to waterfall to water pools. Take a dip in this water bath and refresh your journey in the valley.
- Cherish the colourful riot of flowers :
Almost everyone wishes to witness the valley in full bloom. So, while you plan your trip make sure you visit between the months of May – August, June being the best time to visit Dzukou Valley.
Dzukou Valley stands vivid with flowers blooming in white and yellow, occasionally dotted with blue flowers. The endemic Dzukou Lily makes its appearance across the valley in sparse locations painting the green canvas with a sprinkle of pink.
Due to such gorgeous blooms of flowers, the Dzukou Valley is named as “Valley of Flowers in Northeast”.
- Rejoice the views from the rest house :
The first thing that you will notice when you get to the rest house is the perfect view of the Dzukou valley from the property. One could easily spend a few hours soaking up the sun, enjoying the panorama view.
For the best chance of witnessing a perfect sunset one should visit outside the monsoon season – the best time to visit Dzukou Valley, as there’s a better chance of cloudless skies during these times.
- A visit to the Ghost Cave :
In the Dzukou valley, a cave known as the “Ghost Cave” or “Bhoot Gufa” has been reported and it is only a 15-minute walk from the rest house.
The cave extends for around 1 km and so one needs to bring a good headlamp or flashlight if you want to explore it.
Convinced to visit the picture-perfect Dzukou Valley?
The Dzukou Valley in Nagaland is truly a land beyond imagination, a piece of heaven all year round. It is a perfect travel destination for adventure lovers and a perfect way to end your tour of North-East India.
The unbridled whim of lush green forests, gurgling streams of waterfalls and unmatched varieties of flora and fauna are the little tokens while trekking up to the enchanting valley. Dzukou Valley is a visual treat to your soul and is a must visit location in everyone’s bucket list.
Dzukou Valley is most famous for its multicolored carpets of flowers, most notably the Dzukou lily that bloom during the summer – the best time to visit Dzukou Valley.
As the dawn sways by, the silent murmurs of gentle breeze wraps you in its invisible armor, the sky slowly turns into cobalt blue pushing away the clouds and the sun illuminated the valley in spectacular hues of green and golden.
The Dzukou Valley in Nagaland is one of the most memorable attractions in North East India as it holds an outstanding offbeat destination for adventure seekers. You are virtually guaranteed to find peace and solitude in this blissful serene, even if you don’t visit the valley at the best time to visit Dzukou Valley.
The valley is still relatively unspoilt and untouched. It is worth visiting but we encourage you not to schedule your visit for too long, as dramatic changes may be afoot.
If the valley becomes accessible and known to a larger segment of the global tourist, it is likely that the Dzukou valley experience will be greatly diluted.
DZUKOU VALLEY
3 Days – 2 Nights