The Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO) has announced new directives for trekkers visiting Dzükou Valley, effective October 1, 2025.
According to SAYO, it will be mandatory for all trekkers to be accompanied by a SAYO-registered local guide, while trekking will be strictly prohibited after 3:00 PM – either towards or from Dzükou Valley.
SAYO stated that the measures were necessitated by the increasing number of incidents involving trekkers who lost their way or got stranded while attempting the trail without guides. On several occasions, volunteers had to carry out rescue operations “late at night or in the early morning, incurring considerable expense and risk,” the organisation said.
The new guidelines include:
– All trekkers must engage the services of a local guide before entering Dzükou Valley
– Trekking after 3:00 PM shall be strictly prohibited
– Defaulters will be penalized as per rules, and SAYO will not be held liable for any risk incurred
SAYO urged visitors to cooperate with the directives “for their own safety and for the preservation of Dzükou Valley.
The notification was signed by Zasitsolie Beio, President of SAYO, and Keneisel Tetso, General Secretary.