Welcome to Meghalaya! The land of rolling hills and gushing waterfalls hidden behind a veil of brooding clouds Meghalaya is blessed with some of the most spectacular and intriguing natural wonders in the northeast. Our Mesmerizing Meghalaya Tour takes you to the heart of the Abode of Clouds to discover these hidden gems for yourself. Visit Mawlynnong, touted as the cleanest village in Asia and learn about the ethos of conservation practised by its inhabitants. Our tour takes you on a trek across a fascinating ‘double- decker’ root bridge near Nongriat, where roots of fig trees have been trained to form a natural bridge at a height of 2400 ft. over a stream. Be amazed by the natural stalagmite and stalactite formations inside the Mausmai Caves near Cherrapunji. Discover the botanical wonders of the Mawphlang Sacred Grove where over 450 species of rare plants and herbs thrive in their natural habitat. For those who enjoy adventure, there’s rappelling down the mountain at Elephant Falls. Discover the intriguing legends behind Dianthlen and Nohkalikai Falls and explore the quaint town of Shillong that has held on to its old world charm. Spend a night in the wettest place on Earth- Cherrapunji and take in the vibrant hustle- bustle of the local market day. This is an immersive tour that takes you across the farthest reaches of Meghalaya for an unforgettable experience.
Best time to visit: October to April
Please Note: The Umshiang root bridge is a challenging trek and is recommended for seasoned trekkers and those with good physical fitness. This trek is not recommended for children under 18 years of age.
Rappelling at Elephant Falls is recommended for those with good physical fitness.
Visit to Cherrapunji Market is subject to travel date. The market is held once every eight days and may or may not coincide with the day of the tour.
What is included in the tour
- Hotel accommodation in Shillong
- Hotel accommodation in Cherrapunji
- All meals as specified in itinerary
- Airport transfers to and from Guwahati
- All local transport in luxury sedan/SUV
What is NOT included in the tour
- Boating charges at Umiam Lake
- Rappelling charges at Elephant Falls
- Any meal not specified in itinerary
- Air travel
- Personal expenses like alcohol, shopping, medication etc
- Discover fascinating stalagmite/stalactite formations inside Mausmai Caves
- Try trekking on a unique double decker root bridge in Nongriat
- Explore the botanical wonders of the Mawphlang Sacred Groves
- Learn the ethos of conservation at Mawlynnong village
- Discover the fascinating legends behind Dianthlen, Nohkalikai waterfalls
- Try rappelling at Elephant Falls
- Arrive at Guwahati in Assam where our staff will meet you at the airport. From here, we will drive to Shillong in a luxury sedan/SUV. The drive takes us along a scenic route along NH 40 over a distance of 122 km that we cover in 3 hours. Wet towels and complimentary mineral water bottles are provided for your comfort.
- En route, we will stop at Umiam Lake, a reservoir commonly known as Barapani Lake and a popular tourist destination in Meghalaya. Located in the hills, just 15 km from Shillong, Barapani Lake offers some great options for water sports like boating, kayaking etc. If you’re not too exhausted from your journey, you could enjoy one of these activities for a nominal fee. Otherwise, enjoy an al fresco lunch by the water, soaking in the beauty of the surroundings.
- After this we continue our onward journey to Shillong and check into our hotel in the early evening. You can take the rest of the day to spend at leisure.
- You can explore the local markets and walk down to the city centre of this quaint hill town or just relax at the hotel and have a good rest after the day’s journey. The day ends with dinner at the hotel after which you can retire to your rooms for the night.
- Today we have an early breakfast at the hotel and then set off for Cherrapunji located about 54 kilometres away. The drive to the wettest place on earth takes about 1 hour, 40 minutes across hilly slopes and a rugged terrain. This is a beautiful route with several gorges along the way and gushing waterfalls dotted across the valley. En route we will stop to see two famous falls in the area- Nohkalikai and Dainthlen. Nohkalikai Falls located just 5 kilometres from Cherrapunji is touted as the fourth largest waterfall in the world. Find out the macabre legend behind Nohkalikai, curiously translated as the ‘Leap of Likai’.
- We move from one intriguing legend to another at Dianthlen. The fall derives its name from a legendary thlen or serpent of gargantuan size. This snake is believed to have dwelt in an adjoining cave, terrorizing villagers. The monster was finally slain by putting an end to its reign of terror. Natural rock carvings on the cave walls depict this story and bear testimony to its veracity.
- We stop for a quick lunch at a local restaurant and then move on the famous Mausmai Caves filled with stalagmite and stalactite formations in various shapes. The height of the cave walls change from one spot to the next. In some parts, they are as high as 40 ft, while in others you have to bend or even crawl to move forward. It’s fascinating to see how water dripping from the cave roofs has created these unique rock formations over the centuries.
- After a full day’s excursion visiting each of these sites, we reach our hotel in Cherrapunji in the evening. Have an early dinner and then retire to your rooms for the night.
- Today will be spent sightseeing in and around Cherrap unji. After an early breakfast at the hotel, we set off to see the famous living root bridges of Cherrapunji. Tribal Khasi villagers have trained the roots of living rubber fig-trees to form natural bridges over streams. These natural root bridges provide a more sustainable alternative to the more common wooden bridges which get damaged during monsoons. We will visit an incredible “double-decker” bridge, ‘Umshiang’ in Nongriat village, known as the Holy Grail of root bridges. This is a real treat for those who enjoy trekking. With a descent of 2400 ft. and duration of 3 kilometres (one way), this trek should be attempted by seasoned trekkers and those with good physical fitness. For those who prefer a less robust outing, you can enjoy the beauty of the locale and the fascinating engineering of this natural wonder.
- From Nongriat, we pay a quick visit to Nongsawlia Presbyterian Church, the oldest church in Cherrapunji. We stop for lunch at a local restaurant. After this, depending on what day of the week it is, we make our way to the local market. There are two types of market days in Cherrapunji- the Iewbah or big market and Iewrit or small market. Iewbah is held once in every eight days and has people from across the state piling into town from morning to night. The colourful market sells everything from livestock to jewellery and is an excellent way of experiencing local flavours. In the evening we drive back to Shillong and check into our hotel for the night
- The first stop on our itinerary today is Mawlynnong village, said to be the cleanest village in Asia. So have an early breakfast and freshen up before setting off! Mawlynnong is located about 78 kilometres from Shillong and the drive takes about 2 hours, 30 minutes. Take your time to explore the village and understand the ethos of conservation practised by its 500 odd residents. Every road in the village has a bin made of bamboo that is used for waste disposal and this waste is then used as fertilizer. Villagers are committed to plant more trees to keep the forests thriving and to give back to the environment. Mawlynnong also presents some interesting features like the living root bridge in Riwai and a strange formation of a boulder balanced on top a smaller rock. It also offers some great shots for photographers.
- From Mawlynnong, we make our way to Dawki. Hot packed lunch will be served on the way. The Umngot River in Dawki situated between India and Bangladesh is a major tourist hotspot. You can try boating in Umngot River for a small fee and enjoy stunning views of the surrounding landscape. After the day’s excursion we return to Shillong where you are free to spend the evening at leisure. Take a stroll around the town or relax at the hotel.
- Our trip continues today with a visit to some of the best known landmarks in and around Shillong. After bre akfast at the hotel, we head to the famous Mawphlang Groves situated about 25 kilometres from Shillong. Mawphlang is one of the most celebrated groves in Meghalaya and home to over 450 species of rare plants and herbs, many with rich medicinal qualities. This is a treasure trove for botanists and is believed to be over 1000 years old. We take our time to explore the grove and then make our way to the Elephant Falls. This is a beautiful three-tiered waterfall offering some great water sports. Try rappelling down the face of the falls balancing on slippery rocks while being strapped to a harness. The falls stand at a height of just 40 ft. making it ideal for first timers. If you prefer to opt out of rappelling, you could the scenic views of the surrounding greenery and the foamy pool below. From here, we make our way to Shillong Peak, stopping for lunch on the way. Shillong Peak is the highest point in Shillong. At an elevation of 6449 ft., Shillong Peak is one of the most popular tourist spots in the city and offers spectacular views of the surrounding hills and the adjoining Bangladesh plains. After spending some time here, we will visit a curious local attraction. Archery Stakes combines archery and gambling and is held daily (except Sundays) in an open field. Archers of all ages between 12 and 70 participate in the sport where they line up to shoot arrows at a common target and a lottery determines the winning arrow. You could even try your hand at it yourself! After an exciting time at the Archery Stakes we return to the hotel in the evening for your last night of the tour.
- On the last day of the tour, we have an early breakfast at the hotel and then drive back to Guwahati. It’s fascinating to see the landscape changing from winding slopes to greener plains. Shillong is a quaint hill town with distant echoes of its colonial past. Reflect on the adventures of the last few days and all the memories you’ve made on the last leg of the trip. We arrive in Guwahati in the afternoon, where our car will drop you off at the airport and you can continue your onward journey.