Aloo Gobi is a traditional North Indian dish that is enjoyed widely around the world but most commonly in India and Pakistan. Made up of the main ingredients ‘aloo’ meaning ‘potato’ and ‘gobi’ meaning ‘cauliflower’, this dish is hearty and full of goodness. There are many variations that may include peas or other veggies but the name stays the same.
Authentic Aloo Gobi does not have a liquid gravy which means the flavour comes from the aromatic spices added including tumeric . It is found all over India because the ingredients are widely accessible and cheap, it fills your stomach and it’s also simply delicious!
This recipe gives a zero waste spin on this traditional dish making use of the whole cauliflower, including the stalk and stems for added crunch! Super easy, super tasty and always a crowd pleaser! Enjoy š
SERVES 6
PREP TIME 10 MINS
COOK TIME 25 MINS
TOTAL TIME 35 MINS
INGREDIENTS
2 large potatoes (cut into 3/4 inch cubes, skin on)
1 medium cauliflower (cut into large florets and peel the outer layer of the stalk. Remove 1/2 inch off the bottom (and compost!) and cut the rest of the stem into 1/4 inch slices) 1/2 cauliflower leaves (separate leaves from stems and cut stems into 1/2 inch slices (like you would with celery) – chop leaves roughly)
3 shallots (diced)
1/2 red onion (finely diced)
3/4 green chilli (finely chopped) (optional)
1 sq inch ginger (minced)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tomatoes (finely diced)
1/2 lemon (juiced)
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp cumin seeds
Handful of chopped coriander (including stalks)
Cup of water
GARNISH
Coriander
STEP 1
Heat your pot and add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add ginger, chilli and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
STEP 4
Add salt and spices, stir and cook for another 1-2 minutes over a low heat.
STEP 5
Pour in your diced tomatoes, stir and simmer for a few minutes before adding the potatoes. Increase the heat slightly, add a splash of water and cover for 5 minutes.
STEP 6
Add the cauliflower stalks and florets, cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Add a splash of water if necessary.
STEP 7
Squeeze half a lemon and mix in with a handful of roughly chopped coriander.
STEP 8
Serve with rice, chapati or other Indian bread with a sprinkling of extra coriander as garnish.
As you may already know, Iāve spent a lot of time in India and Iāve even got Indian heritage as my grandad was from Kolkata, West Bengal. And as a vegan foodie, itās simply impossible to not love everything about Indian cuisine because itās always bursting with the most exceptional spices! Every region is the home to different unique flavours and after having slept in so many different random family homes with different cultural practices and ancient family recipes, Iāve picked up a few tips and tricks along the way!
This southern Indian style coconut dahl recipe is hearty, full of flavour and packed with fiery spice! Omit the chillies if you canāt handle the heat otherwise embrace the flames because this is a dish jammed with goodness, protein and an exotic taste which is delicious on its own or to pack a punch alongside other curries.
The term ādalā / ādahlā / ādhalā means split lentils or pulses in the Indian sub-continent and is a staple dish served all over with many variations (most likely because India is the largest producer of pulses in the world!). The more southern states are known for their affinity to powerful and spicy flavours and the typically tropical coconut milk based dishes. The southern states usually use dahl as the base to the famous dish, Sambar, whereas in the north it is a staple dish in its own right.
It is commonly eaten with chapatis (also known as rotis) or rice and one variation or another is found on (almost) every thali plate in India. For those of you that have never heard of a āthaliā, itās a ālittle bit of everythingā type of plate where youāll get a selection of batch cooked curries, dahl, rice and chapatis which are served at the local dhabas (restaurants). Itās the best and cheapest way to try as much delicious food as possible when youāre visiting India!
Dahl is a great source of protein and fibre and is also low in fat so it makes an excellent addition to your cooking repertoire! Itās also rich in nutrients like vitamin B and iron which is always helpful too!
Anyway, on with the recipeā¦
SERVES 6Ā
PREP TIME 15 MINS
COOK TIME 30 MINS
TOTAL TIME: 45 MINS
INGREDIENTS
200g red lentils
400ml coconut milkĀ
300ml water (extra cup of water to hand)
2 tbsp coconut oilĀ
2 white onions (finely diced)
2 red pepper mild chillies (halved lengthways) (optional)
1 hot green chilli (halved lengthways) (optional)
1 lime (juiced)
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp salt (adjust to taste, especially if you remove the chillies)
3/4 tsp turmericĀ
1/2 sq inch ginger (minced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
Handful of fresh coriander
GARNISH
Drizzle of chilli oilĀ
Desiccated coconutĀ
Fresh corianderĀ
STEP 1
Soak the lentils in hot water for 10-15 minutes (as you prepare your veg and complete step 2).
STEP 2
Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a pan over a low heat. Once you can smell the fragrant aroma, remove the seeds before they burn and transfer them to a spice blender or pestle and mortar. Grind the seeds into a dust-like powder and set aside.
Featuring my glamorous assistant (AKA Mum) with our make-shift pestle and mortar after the spice blender broke!
STEP 3
Add coconut oil to a large pot on a low heat and slowly cook the onions for 8-10 minutes.
STEP 4
Add mustard seeds, garlic, chillies, ginger, turmeric and salt . Cook until the mustard seeds start to pop then add the ground cumin/coriander mix.
STEP 5
Pour in the coconut milk, water and lentils and stir thoroughly. Increase to a medium heat until the contents are boiling then cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the lentils are soft. Have a cup of water on hand to add as and when needed.
STEP 6
Add the lime juice and roughly chopped fresh coriander and stir, covering and cooking for another 5 minutes.
STEP 7
Garnish with desiccated coconut, a generous drizzle of chilli oil and torn coriander leaves and serve with your choice of rice or Indian bread.
So thatās it! Super simple, one pot, no mess and packed full of nutrients and yumminess! I hope you like it and drop me a message to let me know how you get on!
I have travelled extensively across the last 8 years including more than one year on my bicycle and have seen some of the most mind blowing, remote and beautiful places but there was something about Meghalaya that touched my heart in a way I wasn’t expecting.
I hope this blog post gives you a tiny idea of how much this wonderful place touched my heart and inspires you to go and visit yourself because it is truly special.
More blogs to come soon with more info on specific places in Meghalaya š
A fun adventure with my partner in (slow-motion) crime
I travelled the whole state with Yesenia, a Spanish woman (and fellow feminist) that had reached out to me via Instagram when I was in Assam. We’d met up and shared Christmas and New Year together in Guwahati whilst waiting for Queenie to get fixed after our little accident when I was run over by a drunk driver. As we were both cycling towards Bangladesh, we decided to see what it would be like travelling together and opted for the scenic route rather than the primary road to Shillong.
Little did we know that it would end up being more than a two week trip because we fell so in love with the nature, the people and each other’s company. That and, well, the hills were massive and we were going S U P E R S L O W . . . haha. In my defence, I had serious gear problems following my accident when I was run over by a drunk driver in Assam!
Anyway… here are some of our highlights:
Amkyrbai Lake
The first place that sole our hearts was Amkyrbai Lake. An undiscovered local tourist attraction located on the main road. We were struggling with the constant uphill climb on our first afternoon crossing the border from Assam and the sun was setting rapidly. Taking a break and a breath, I noticed a bamboo built archway. We didn’t have food or water but I just had a feeling it might be somewhere nice to camp. As we went to have a look around inside, we couldn’t believe our luck to find this beautiful and abandoned outdoor abyss; a lake surrounded by bamboo forests and what looked like an old market that was maybe active during high season.
We went on a mission to find a clean water source and made friends with the lady who worked there selling snacks, tea and rice. She spoke no English but the local priest from the next village helped to translate. They warned us against the wild elephants but we explained we knew the risks and were very happy here as it was just so beautiful. She gave us tea, rice and potatoes for the evening and they agreed to not tell anyone we were staying there.
It was perfect; we had toilets, a mini kitchen, a whole lake and a gorgeous bamboo forest with no one to disturb us! There was even shelter under one of the bamboo huts, obviously used during high season. We ended up staying 3 nights there and the few locals that visited didn’t bother us too much at all.
One woman, a lovely lady named Lily-Mary from a neighbouring town, even drove me 9kms to the next village to pick up supplies so we could camp there for longer. This meant we had three nights of almost private bliss where we cooked gourmet camp meals, played music and swam naked in the lake mostly undisturbed.
The beautiful Lily-Mary
On the road in the East Kasi Hills
When we finally brought ourselves to leave our beloved new home, we stopped by at Lily-Mary’s house in Patharkhmah to rest the next night. The family welcomed us warmly and cooked a huge spread of the most delicious food – YUM!
Continuing up the challenging and never-ending inclines of the East Kasi Hills definitely paid off because there was an abundance of charming tiny villages, friendly locals, incredible camp spots and breathtaking mountain scenery in every direction. The roads are in great condition which make life much more palatable when you’re constantly climbing and had hardly any traffic – a biker’s dream!
Married Village to Mairang
We stumbled across another outstanding camping spot in a pine forest alongside a pristine secluded river near Maroid Village. After an extremely tough day of climbing steep mountains and hungry bellies after a dissatisfying meal of rice and salt, we helped each other to carry our bikes over a small river and up onto a glorious forest path. It was just wonderful, nobody disturbed us and we stayed two nights and three days. Time flew by, washing laundry in the river, reading books, drawing, cooking, hiking – L I V I N G – it was bliss.
From Maroid Village, we cycled towards Shillong and passed through Mairang. It was a larger town on higher ground with almost no shelter from the wind making it chilly to travel in January! When we arrived, we decided to go back 15kms or so and detour to Kyllang Rock, the second highest rock and viewpoint in the whole state and camped just opposite, it was beautiful and the journey through the local villages was special, too. After ticking that off the list, it was finally time to move onto Shillong.
Waking up by the river
Cooking over open fire
At Kyllang Rock
Shillong
I had high hopes for Shillong after hearing such wonderful things but after our wonderful small-village escapades, cycling into the city was disappointing. We looked forward to the final stretch of our journey from Guwahati being a very long descent after all the challenging climbing, but that was utterly ruined by heavy traffic forcing us to hold our brakes the whole way into town. Shillong city itself is insanely crowded and not an ideal place for bicycle travel. We did coincidentally meet up with 4 other cycle tourists, (including Xavier, who was the first ever cycle tourist I’d met back in February 2019 in Vietnam! Small world!) which was a nice surprise.
We’d heard that Elephant Falls was overrated, so we gave that one a miss, but we did get to visit Laitlum Grand Canyon with local friends, Diana and MickeyDee, which was beautiful. If you’re cycling, it’s about 22kms from the centre with some healthy rolling hills and gravel roads. At the canyon, you walk down lots of steps to get a better view. You can walk all the way down to the village (we didn’t do this) but apparently that takes a good few hours down and of course, much longer up. It was hard enough climbing back up the steps from the viewpoint! A nice day out.
When two became three
Arriving into Shillong meant we finally managed to reconnect with Jestin, who I’d met at Hornbill Festival and had decided to cycle with for some time. We all headed to Cherrapunji (locally known as Sohra) together which was where I was blown away beyond words. Honestly, I knew it was going to be beautiful there but I could not have anticipated just how spectacular it was. Picturesque and smooth mountain roads delicately winding into the valley felt even more sensational than usual as my muscles smiled to have a break from climbing in this majestic setting. We didn’t get to cycle together for too long, as Jestin headed back to meet friends in Dawki, but it was a nice experience while it lasted! š
The road from Shillong to Cherrapunji (Sohra)
The bone crushing factory
Throughout Meghalaya we took shelter in many places including people’s homes, at a convent and of course, outside in the most spectacular nature. Although it was never usually a challenge to seek refuge with the friendly locals, we did get caught out one night when it was dark, freezing cold and we had nowhere to go, so we slept inside a bone crushing factory to keep warm – yes, me, the vegan sleeping inside the bone crushing factory – EW! But there was beauty in abundance throughout Meghalaya and within 5 minutes from wherever you find yourself, you’re guaranteed an epic nature view.
Cherrapunji (Sohra)
Renowned as the wettest place on Earth, it was inevitable that it would be home to breathtaking natural scenes but this region exceeded all my expectations and overtook as possibly the best place I’ve ever been. Cycling into Cherrapunji was an absolute dream! From Shillong, you climb steadily for the first 30kms or so then you have a loooong, windy, gradual downhill overlooking the most beautiful mountains and valleys – you feel like you’re flying! This place is home to spectacularly huge cliffs, rich, dense jungle and the most incredible waterfalls, even during dry season, which left me speechless and humbled. What magnified the whole experience was that no one told us!! We just didn’t expect it to be so stunningly phenomenal and were left entirely blown away.Blog post coming soon on my adventures in Nongriat, highlight of my time in Meghalaya. Keep your eyes peeled!
Me and Yemeni at one of the many breathtaking natural pools at Rainbow Falls, Nongriat
Dawki
So Dawki was a place I’d massively built up in my head because of Jestin and all the wonderful things he’d said which had left me with expectations. For Yese and I, we found it another typical border town. Yes, there is ‘the cleanest river in Asia’ but honestly, I was more more blown away by other places in Meghalaya. Saying that, we arrived in the dark, on a Saturday night, so there were drunken men everywhere and we struggled to find a place.
The place Jestin had for us was too exposed and therefore unsafe (highlighting the struggles we face as travelling and camping as women in comparison to him) and we ended up staying inside an old church building after searching for hours at half past ten PM. We wanted to visit Shnongpdeng the next day which is a quieter (and supposedly more beautiful) town just 7kms uphill from Dawki, but Yese was violently ill and I’d severely hurt my knee so we couldn’t move anywhere. In a rush to cross the border, we had to miss it in the end. We weren’t too fussed.
Food
One down side to the state was the food – it was not vegan friendly at all and there were quite a few occasions where I ate rice with salt when nothing else was available. Meat and fermented fish (locals call it katung) are a huge part of their diet and culture because Meghalaya is a Christian state and therefore the vegetarian culture associated with Hinduism is not prominent.
I found myself having a lot of plain, boiled veg accompanied by dal which is common in the Northeast. A wide variety of fruit was not as readily available in the rural towns but we could usually find oranges and bananas at frequent enough intervals.
NOTE: Anywhere throughout Meghalaya, but especially in remote villages, it can be particularly challenging to get food on a Sunday as everything shuts down super early.
TOP TIP: If you’re looking to cycle through Meghalaya, take opportunities at (usually weekly) market days and stock up on easy protein-rich snacks like cooked chickpeas or nuts if you’re veggie/vegan.
There are two prominent cultures in Meghalaya: Kasi and Garo. I travelled through the Kasi Hills and I have to say that they have such a calm and loving aura around their communities. Simple living, family orientated, and what was particularly interesting is that they live in a matrilineal society.
This means that the bloodline is traced through the Mother and the family property, inheritance and responsibility falls to the youngest daughter to take care of. She stays in the family home with the parents to look after them as they age and become more dependent.
Despite this being seen as giving better rights to women, they are nowhere near equal and the ultimate decision making always comes down to the fathers, grandfathers and uncles. Women still have the responsibility of looking after the home, husband and children, and in some places even work in the fields as well. Women are still restricted with their decision making, ability to pursue careers, freedom to travel and right of public expression in society. I’m telling you, the deeper I get into this journey, the more I realise that the real superheroes of this world are the working class women of Asia.
Something else we couldn’t help but notice was the little little size of the people! We’re not sure why, but Kasi people were tiny and Yesenia and I are both quite tall so everyone found it equally amusing that we were so tall and they were so small!
Us posing as giants…
Kasi people and culture are incredibly friendly and far less invasive than other Indians in regular interactions (on the whole) and we felt that shift dramatically as we crossed the border from Assam to Meghalaya which was a welcomed and nice relief. That’s not to say that we were free of hassle throughout our journey as we still suffered unbearable attention at times and frequent selfies. The worst case was when we were invited in to stay at someone’s home after we couldn’t find a place to sleep and it had already gotten dark. There were about 50 children that all swarmed inside the house, touching and grabbing our bikes and the bags on it. They were fascinated and had never met foreigners so there were definitely no personal space boundaries but they were harmless and just excited so we didn’t mind too much!
A few shout outs/thank yous!
Ian at Pro Cyclingwas an absolute gem – he fixed all my ongoing problems from my accident before Christmas and I can very strongly recommend his shop if you’re visiting Shillong and your bike needs some TLC.
Diana went over and above to look after us in her beautiful and comfortable home in Shillong and we also had the privilege of hanging out with MickeyDee, two incredible connections and inspiring strong women made through Couchsurfing!
Orange Roots Restaurant was a delicious ‘pure veg’ restaurant (vegetarian but uses dairy products) that sponsored our meals on the way into Cherrapunji. Honestly, it was beyond exceptional – top quality food and eat as much as you like! Fantastic.
If you are reading this blog, you’re probably already familiar with the usual struggles of travelling as a vegan/veggie either as a cyclist or regular tourist. Yes, it’s sometimes challenging, but if we share information and prepare in advance, it’s never impossible! Hopefully this blog helps with some region-specific info.
I’ve recently spent 3 months in the beautiful Northeastern region of India, home to the Seven Sister States and a LOT of meat and fish based delicacies!
Where religion makes the difference
I travelled through Manipur, Nagaland, a little bit of Assam and Meghalaya. Assam is a culturally mixed state but still predominantly Hindu so there are lots of veg options there, especially in Guwahati which is a very built up city. Whereas Manipur, Nagaland and Meghalaya are predominantly Christian states meaning unlike many Hindus, vegetarianism is not a part of their culture at all. In fact, in rural areas of Meghalaya, meat and fish is such a significant portion of their diet, I had to eat rice with salt on several occasions – not ideal. But in general, rice and dal is always available and if you travel like me, staying with locals, they will make sure they accommodate you.
The good news is that in all of the main travel hubs most people speak English making it very easy to explain your dietary requirements. In fact, I didn’t even need to learn the local way to say I was vegan except in rural Meghalaya where things became significantly more challenging. There, the primary local language is Kasi which was brought over by the Welsh, so despite having the same alphabet as ours, the words are extremely hard to pronounce!
Here’s my phonetic (what it sounds like rather than what it’s spelled like) dictionary for useful food terminology in Kasi language:
I am vegetarian – nya bam dtang kidjar
No meat – nyam bam dhor
No fish – nyam bam dhor kaah
No milk – nyam di doodh
No egg – nyam bam pulang
No butter – nyam bam moch-un
There is a wide selection of fruit everywhere except Meghalaya (although that may be more season-based) where they have less especially in smaller towns. You can still expect to find bananas (of course!) and oranges.
Fun fact! Nagaland is made up of individual 17 tribes that all speak different local languages. That’s why a modern common language, ‘Nagamese’, was invented to help everyone to understand each other. It’s a mixture of Assamese, Bengali and Hindi. You can learn more about the tribes of Nagaland if you attend Hornbill Festival – a spectacular 10 day display of eclectic cultural heritage through food, music, art, performance and crafts held from 1st to 10th of December. It’s such an incredible experience and a must-see if you’re in the area around that time! You can read about my time at Hornbill Festival here.
Things you’ll notice
Being predominantly Christian (Meghalaya, Nagaland and Manipur), everything shuts early on a Sunday, so make sure you’ve eaten before or stocked up before you get caught out, especially if you’re camping in small villages!
Nagaland ishome to the King Chilli and Assam to the Ghost Chilli meaning you can expect to feel the heat in your food! Make sure you explain that you don’t want it spicy if you can’t handle it!
The veggies (especially in Nagaland) are often served boiled – a green, watery vegetable they call squash is most popular. This is obviously vegan and often what people assume you are able to eat (they literally cannot fathom the concept of vegetarianism!). Explain you can eat curry the same as them just no meat, fish, etc, otherwise you will be served boiled veg everywhere.
Ghee (clarified butter) is not commonly used in this region (unlike elsewhere in India) as it is expensive and not common practice in local food. If you are visiting posher type of places then it may be used although always better to ask either way!
There are an insane amount of different types of rice in the Northeast and as you travel through the region, you’ll get to experience a few varieties in the form of normal rice, rice beer, rice wine, beaten rice and all their other wonderful concoctions!
When most people think of visiting India, your mind jumps to veggie heaven but in this region, you have to watch out for FERMENTED FISH! (Ew, I know!!) It’s in almost everything that’s preprepared as a local dish so be sure to check before a nasty surprise!
TOP TIP:Get pickled! There are so many incredible and homemade pickles available that add so much flavour to your food…the perfect accompaniment for boiled vegetables eh?
A wonderful meal cooked for us at a convent in Meghalaya
Snacking Tips!
BEATEN RICE
You can just add water, wait for 5 minutes, drain it then add fruit and sugar or salt and nuts for quick energy. This is readily available at markets and can be bought without plastic. Especially good for breakfast or to take with you on a hike like I did when visiting the spectacular Dzukou Valley. (Here you can read about my incredible trip to Dzukou Valley and my blog on how to travel zero waste.)
TOASTED CHANA (CHICKPEAS), MUTTAR (PEAS) AND NUTS
Such an amazing, healthy and nutritious street food with many versions available all over the northeast. Even better, they used recycled newspaper to serve them to you so you don’t even need to have a container handy!
AMAZING FRUIT AND VEG!
If you’re a bicycle traveller that likes to camp and cook then I have good news for you! The fruit and vegetable selection is vast and super tasty (especially the pineapples!).
Epic veg display at the Manipuri women’s market
AVOCADOS
What vegan doesn’t love avocados?! Despite the meat takeover in the Northeast, in Manipur and Mizoram avocados are super cheap and much more sustainable because they grow locally. I know, you’re welcome – ENJOY!
Special mentions
Orange Roots
If you’re travelling from Shillong to Cherrapunjee then you have to pass the spectacular Orange Roots! An amazing all vegetarian restaurant that serves a wide variety of options and can tailor a lot of their menu to being vegan. The thali plate was exceptional and the best news is that it’s eat as much as you like! Not the cheapest, but up there with the best! 180 rupees for a standard thali (can be vegan) and 220 for the special thali. Divine!
Shree Monami Marwari Bhojnalaya
We found a gem of a restaurant in Shillong with super cheap and tasty food! Thalis, parathas, curries, all the usual favourites and for a fabulous price! 7 rupees per roti, 40 or so for a curry, 90 for a thali. Excellent!
Nagaland as a whole was a place that charmed me beyond words, but Dzukou Valley is a place that is extra special and a must visit if you’re in the region!
When I was bumping up the horrific, rocky roads into Kohima, I met Akung, a sweet 20 year old Naga guy who was holding a large newspaper package. I asked him to take my photo and we got chatting. I told him about my plan to visit Dzukou Valley in the morning and even though he was meant to be catching the bus to return to his village for college the next day, he said he’d love to come with me and him and his friend could be my guide. In the next breath he told me that the package was full of weed and then I was down – you can always trust you’ll laugh with a stoner eh?!
Which Route?
You have two options, Jakhama (Zakhama on Google Maps) and Viswema. Jakhama is the more challenging approach being a steep climb up natural steps through overgrown, organic jungle and Viswema is 12kms longer but far easier with a 1 hour steepish uphill then a very gradual incline through grass and flowers. Most people approach from Viswema and descend out of Jakhama. My journey details the other way around.
If you are fit and used to hiking, I would recommend my route – the beautiful overgrown jungle is worth it and it makes for a nice, easy walk out of the valley when you leave. I also have problems with my knees (especially on steep declines) so descending Viswema was much more comfortable. Ascending Viswema is manageable even for a novice or untrained hiker.
How long it takes to reach the valley
I’d heard that Jakhama could take between 5-7 hours but it took us 4 and we were not rushing at all with many breaks. It is worth noting that I was trekking during winter which is very dry, the same route during high season would definitely take longer.
There is a long road to the entrance of the Viswema route which takes around 2 hours to walk or 40 minutes to drive. from there, the walk takes around 3-4 hours.
How to get there
Most people start their trip in Kohima although some stay in the homestays in the villages. Either way, you can jump in a Sumo (local shared jeep taxi) for a cheap price (around 50 rupees I heard) although I prefer hitchhiking and Naga culture is amongst the friendliest on the planet so it’s extremely easy to find a ride.
If you are climbing from Jakhama, the path starts at the big sign just off the road – any taxi or local will know where to drop you. If you are starting at Viswema, you will need a lift or a taxi to take you up to the start of the path. This can be arranged from the starting point in Viswema town where most people pick up their guide.
Kohima to Jakhama starting point is about 20kms. Kohima to Viswema starting point is about 27kms.
Dzukou Valley entrance from Jakhama Village
Do you need a guide?
In my opinion, not really, despite the locals telling you otherwise. The route is clear and well signposted, especially from Viswema side, although I was trekking during winter season where there is far less rain to confuse the path. If you are a nervous person when alone in nature but would like to ascend from Jakhama side, maybe I would recommend a guide. I was told that they charge around 1500 rupees per day which would have been way beyond my budget. During high season there will also be others walking the path so I don’t think it’s necessary – your call!
When to visit
High season to visit Dzukou Valley is May to September when the valley is in full bloom because of the monsoon rain. Expect hot, wet weather and take clothes accordingly.
Winter season, November to March, is dry and very cold but still beautiful. The valley gets busy at the end of Novermber/start of December because of the infamous Hornbill Festival that takes place from 1st to 10th December in Kisama Heritage Village falling between Jakhama and Kohima. If you are trekking at this time make sure you take a lot of good, warm clothing and a sleeping bag for comfort. The winds are blisteringly cold and sometimes the guesthouse can fall short of blankets depending on how many people there are.
The guesthouse
If you can get a local to contact the guesthouse in advance, especially in winter, to check there are people there. I was rushing and didn’t do this, but it was around the Hornbill period, so I wasn’t too concerned.
You can camp with your own equipment (although you are still charged a fee – I believe 800 rupees) or rent camping gear there (I think for around 2000).
You can also stay inside the ‘dorm rooms’ (large empty rooms, one with a concrete floor, the other with a wooden floor) which cost 50 rupees per person. Then you pay extra for each blanket (small 50 rupees, large 100 rupees) and 50 for a mat. There are two dorm rooms which can sleep up to 40 people. I recommend at least two blankets during winter – it is COLD!
There are also private rooms which cost 1200 rupees per night and have a bed inside. These are apparently booked out in high season. In my opinion, not worth the money.
Food
Food at the guesthouse is 200 rupees per (very large and tasty) plate of rice, dal and fried potatoes for dinner. Seconds are usually available. I think this is a very fair price especially considering they have to carry everything up there to provide this service for you.
Some snacks, like Maggie, are available at a slightly inflated price but as a vegan, zero waste traveller, there was nothing available for me.
I would recommend packing your own snacks/meal for your journey up and down anyway. There is nothing available to buy en route.
It is possible to hire cooking equipment at the guesthouse but you also have to pay for firewood and I don’t think it’s worth it because it works out expensive and you have to carry your own raw materials.
Can you tackle it in a day?
Yes. Either route, yes, if you leave early enough but I wouldn’t recommend it. The place is so beautiful, I felt deprived with just one night there. I’d recommend staying at least one night but two or three would be much better.
Mobile signal
For the majority of the time you will be entirely disconnected until you reach the peak of Jakhama trail or the point where you emerge into the valley near the guesthouse from Viswema side. Even then the signal is weak but can be strong enough to send a message to your taxi driver (if you have one) or homestay if you decide to change your plans and stay for longer.
Our experience
After chatting with Akung, we’d planned to meet early, to take our time and get the most out of the day so I met them at their place at 7am. We’d opted to ascend the Jakhama route and took a taxi to the starting point.
The start of the Dzukou Valley trek (Jakhama route) until you reach the rainforest
The start of the walk was up a rocky trail until we reached the start of the jungle – all very straight forward and not challenging to find the route. Then we entered into the beautiful rainforest path up steep natural rock steps across river beds, over boulders and through breathtaking filigree.
Walking with the boys, who had visited before, I didn’t have to think about the route but the path did seem very clear and obvious. Saying that, we were trekking during dry season (end of November) so the paths were not muddy.
Despite the incline being steep and challenging, it wasn’t as tough as I had anticipated and if you are an avid hiker, I would definitely recommend the Jakhama route; the jungle landscape is breathtaking and I can only imagine its beauty during full bloom in rainy season.
About to reach Dzukou Valley from the steep Jakhama ascent
The journey was consistently up steps the whole way until we reached the peak when we had this spectacular moment of breaking through the dense jungle and emerging into the most beautiful panoramic view of the rolling green valley hills and bold, picturesque mountains. Just as we were about to reach the top, we bumped into a western traveller, Sebastian. He told us we were about 10 minutes away and we convinced him to turn round and chill for another night with us.
From the epic viewpoint, it was another 20 minutes or so to walk to the guesthouse down a leisurely path cut into the bamboo grassland that covered all the valley walls – just incredible. Our total journey took around 4 hours and that was with a lot of chill and food stops along the way.
Once we’d arrived, we met some of the other travellers there and got acquainted then walked up to another viewpoint (which is better for sunrise) that overlooks the valley and the surrounding mountains. It’s quite steep to get up there so take care especially when coming back down.
As we returned a lot more travellers had arrived and Der, the main guy running the place, came over to talk to me about blankets because they were running out. Luckily, he pulled some together for us but they were limited and it would have been more ideal to have extra.
As it was winter time sunset was early but wow, seriously amazing as the perfectly clear blue sky became filled with the brightest and boldest pinks, purples, yellows and oranges. I wished in that moment, wrapped up from the chilling winds that I’d brought my fire toys with me but I gave a short LED poi performance for everyone there as we eagerly waited for dinner.
Sunset from the guesthouse at Dzukou Valley
The temperature dropped rapidly and firewood heaters were available to rent to keep warm. We huddled close as we filled our hungry bellies with hearty portions of rice, dal and fried potatoes. The buzzy atmosphere died down early as everyone was tired and because of the cold weather, everyone retreated into hiding before 9:30pm.
I woke up in the middle of the night and took a brave walk outside to admire the stars. Honestly, it was the most mindblowingly beautiful display I have ever seen. The rich, deep navy quite literally sparkled from what looked like thousands of diamonds scattered in every direction. I took some time to feel the silence and soak in the pure bliss and peace that I felt in that moment, enjoying the natural glow that illuminated the stunning nature that surrounded me.
Waking up at sunrise was too chilling for me. Absolutely freezing I did not want to go back up to the viewpoint I’d already visited the day before as I was freezing then, so I decided to stay in the warm and have a chilled morning. Some people went down to the valley to experience the frost, but being from England, this was nothing new and didn’t entice me into unwrapping from my swaddles of blankets. Instead, I spent my morning drawing and painting, meditating, enjoying and just existing – appreciating the magnificence of our Mother Nature and wholeheartedly channelling my gratitude for such a beautiful experience.
Friends from the valley
Sunrise at Dzukou Valley
After lunch, we said our goodbyes to our new friends and started our descent down the Viswema route knowing that we didn’t have a lift to the town at the other end. Unconcerned, we took our day slowly and wanted to enjoy the valley for as long as possible. The viewpoint on the way down was also incredible although missed the wow factor like what we’d felt when we emerged from the jungle on the way up – still phenomenal.
Off route exploring in Dzukou Valley
Dzukou Valley viewpoint (Viswema route)
It made me really sad to see so much rubbish on the way up and down the trek so we decided to rescue some plastic bottles and stuff them full of unrecyclable plastic in an attempt to remove as much from nature as possible. If you’re walking this way, it’s a super easy method for making a small difference – take up the #BottleIt challenge too!
When we arrived at the bottom, there were some drivers waiting for other trekkers but we decided to get moving in case we had to walk the whole way back to town. After a short time we easily hitchhiked a lift to the starting point and I hitched another ride back to Kohima within 1 minute of being on the road. A smooth ending to the most wonderful trip.
The Dzukou Valley starting point from Viswema side
Nagaland is the 6th most ecologically diverse region in the world and Dzukou Valley blew my mind. I’d love to return again during rainy season when the flowers are in full bloom.
If you’re still trying to decide on whether or not you’d like to visit Dzukou Valley, make sure you check out my video for a little bit of extra inspo!
