Dzukou Valley

Dzukou lies at about 2,450 metres on the Nagaland and Manipur border, and its surface is unusual: dwarf bamboo covers the slopes in a continuous low mat that from a distance reads as cropped grass, rolling over the contours with a stream cutting through the middle. The Dzukou lily, which flowers here in the monsoon months along with rhododendron on the higher ground, was long known by that local name but is the same species as the Shirui lily, Lilium mackliniae. Two routes climb from Viswema and Jakhama, one steeper and shorter, and a rest house and caves in the valley provide the only shelter. A large fire burnt part of the valley in 2020.

History

The name comes from a term shared by the Angami and Mao Naga languages, usually read as "cold water" for the icy stream that runs through the valley all year. The valley is the type locality of the Dzukou Valley horned frog, described in 2020, and its famous seasonal bloom, long known locally as the Dzukou lily, is the same species as the Shirui lily, Lilium mackliniae (Wikipedia, Dzukou Valley).

What you'll find

• The dwarf bamboo - a low continuous mat covering the rolling slopes.
• The Dzukou lily - the monsoon bloom, the same species as the Shirui lily.
• The valley stream - the watercourse cutting the floor, freezing in winter.
• The rest house and caves - the only shelter in the valley.

When to go

June to September for the lily and flowers, though it rains constantly; October to April for clear trekking with the valley brown and cold. Winter nights freeze the stream.

Practical notes

Accommodation is a basic rest house or caves with no facilities; most trekkers carry sleeping bags. Fires are restricted after the 2020 blaze. Both approaches are steep climbs. Permits are required for Nagaland.

Nearby

Kohima lies north; Manipur is south across the ridge.

Key facts