Tucked up in the remote hills of Nagaland in northeast India, India Exotica’s Helsa Morung Retreat reveals a side of India that few people beyond the region have ever seen.
One of South Asia’s least explored regions, Nagaland is famed as the retreat of India’s last headhunters, warriors of the Konyak tribe who practiced their ancient tradition until the 1960s. Some of the last headhunters are still alive, the respected elders of villages not far from Helsa Morung.
Remote and rustic, the lodge offers a rare and unforgettable gateway into this ancient world, not so much a destination but a journey through time, tradition and the untouched wilderness.
Simple, honest and rooted in the land, Helsa Morung features five cottages and 12 safari-style tents set against a backdrop of rainforest hillsides. Basic yet comfortable, each unit comes with ensuite toilets and running hot and cold water. What they may lack in frills, the cottages and tents more than makes up for with an atmosphere of authenticity, serenity and raw adventure.
