Expedition Naga Hills 2.0 kicks off to promote off-road tourism

KOHIMA — ‘Expedition Naga Hills 2.0’, an off-road journey covering the Naga inhabited areas of Maram, Yankhullen, and Tamei (Senapati), organised by the Nagaland Adventure Club (NAC), began on Saturday and is scheduled to return to Kohima on October 7.

The Director of Tourism, Veyielo Doulo, flagged off the second edition of the expedition at the multi-level parking at Old NST, Kohima, on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion, he said the department is in the process of promoting off-road tourism to make Nagaland an off-road capital.

Acknowledging that off-road adventures are risky as they navigate to the Naga hills, where normal vehicles cannot go, he added that the expedition is not just about adventure but also about bringing tourism potential to the livelihoods of rural areas. He observed and encouraged Naga youth to explore unexplored places.

The event aims to promote off-road tourism in the region, providing a unique opportunity to explore areas beyond the usual tourist paths.

Kevidezo Peter Rutsa, advisor of the NAC, said the concept of off-road tourism began with the inception of the club. The first Expedition Naga Hills was organised in 2013 to explore the lesser-known regions of the Naga Hills in Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Myanmar.

He noted that the club has not been able to go to Myanmar so far and expressed hope that they will undertake an expedition there when the situation improves.

He also observed that outsiders have negative perceptions about the northeastern states and think that the situation in these regions is not good and not safe for travel. Thus, they hope to invite people from around the world to explore the unexplored parts of the hills.

A total of 42 members, including one female, are participating in the expedition that will cover Manipur and Nagaland.

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