Dzü-kou
Popularly read as "cold water". In the Viswema Angami dialect it is also read as "dull" or "soulless".
After the valley · the almanac
The trek in four numbers
Up from Viswema, a night at the rest house, down to Jakhama: the direction most walkers recommend.
2,452m
The valley rest house
~21km
Viswema to Jakhama, mapped
May–Jun
When the Dzükou lily blooms
1
Frog found nowhere else
💪 Moderate up, harder down🪪 Inner Line Permit🚯 Plastic-free
Day by day
Over and down
Up by the Viswema route, down by the Jakhama route, as Treks and Trails runs it.
How high you are on each kilometre
- Day 1Viswema → Trekker's Point → DzükouRoad, then about 4 km of stone steps, then the valley rimAbout 13 km🛏️ Dzükou rest house
- Day 2Dzükou → JakhamaSteeper way downAbout 10 km
Stories and nature
Cold water
The Dzükou lily
A pink lily that blooms in May and June, first collected in 1991 and now treated as the same species as the Shirui lily.
Found only here
The Dzükou Valley horned frog, described in 2020, is known only from this area and is critically endangered. Blyth's tragopan, Nagaland's state bird, lives in the forest around.
When to go
Open all year
The valley is open year-round. October to April is the usual season; avoid the June–September rains.
Late Sep–Oct, Mar–Apr
Wildflowers in the valley.
May–Jun
The Dzükou lily in bloom.
Cost
₹5,900 for 2 nights with Treks and Trails. At the valley: registration ₹100, dorm or camping ₹100.
Plan your trip
Getting to Viswema
Viswema and Jakhama are villages about 2.5 km apart on the highway south of Kohima. Indian visitors need a Nagaland Inner Line Permit, from ilp.nagaland.gov.in.
- Kohima🚙 South on the highway
- Viswema🥾 Over the ridge
- Dzükou → Jakhama
Plastic-free
The valley has been plastic-free since 2019; plastic carries a refundable deposit. No camping by the river.
No signal
No electricity or mobile network in the valley; calls only from the watch tower.
Good to know
The small things
Cash, signal, water, permits and help on the way. Checked October 2026; confirm with your operator.
Bring cash
There are no shops or eateries on the trail. Carry cash for the rest house, food and taxis. Muddie Trails
Dimapur to Kohima
Fly to Dimapur or take the train from Guwahati. Kohima is 2–2.5 hours on by bus or shared sumo. Jessie on a Journey
To the trailhead
Shared taxis to Viswema and Jakhama leave from the Networks Travel AOS bus stop in Kohima. From the Viswema village gate, a taxi to Trekker's Point costs ₹1,000–1,500. Walking the 8 km road adds 2–3 hours. Jessie on a Journey
Carry lunch and water
Carry packed food from town and at least 2 litres of water for the climb. Himalayan Dream Treks
Food at the valley
The rest house kitchen cooks veg and non-veg meals once a day, and noodles the rest of the time. A small stall sells biscuits, sweets and noodles. Jessie on a Journey
Water at camp
In summer, water comes from a stream-fed tank at the campsite. In winter, fetch it from a stream 5 minutes away. Jessie on a Journey
Beds go early
A cottage with its own bathroom costs ₹1,500. Blankets and mats are given, and tents can be rented. There is one public toilet. Arrive early, or the beds may be gone. Jessie on a Journey
Weather
Oct–Nov: days 10–20 °C, nights 3–7 °C. Dec–Feb: days 3–15 °C, nights −6 to 0 °C, with snow possible in Jan and Feb. Treks and Trails India
What to pack
Your checklist
Tick items as you pack. Your ticks stay saved on this device.
Clothing
Shoes
Gear
Papers and money
Health
List from Muddie Trails: things to carry.
Who runs it
Choose an operator
We found 5 companies with a Dzükou page in October 2026. Most run it on request, not on fixed dates; Bikat uses a different route, from Khonoma.
Prices are base prices from each operator's own page (October 2026); most add 5% GST. Ratings are what each operator shows, not an independent audit. Names marked † show last season's price or one seen only in a search snippet.