The Animal Kingdom of Kaziranga and Halfway to Heaven - Meghalaya

Kaziranga National Park is a wildlife conservation park which is one of the world heritage sites by UNESCO. It is located in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam, India. This national park is renowned for its special conservation of one horned rhinos. The National is spread over 430 sq.km

After spending our night at Aaranya Guest Lodge, we started our much awaited safari to Kaziranga National Park at 8:00 in the morning.

The beautiful meadows of the National park makes you forget the rat race of big cities and thriving wildlife in the forest area makes you feel excited..!!

Shillong, called as 'Scotland of The East', the capital of Meghalaya, is the only hill station in the country that is accessible from all sides. With beautiful roads, crystal clear lakes, mesmerizing waterfalls and impressive mountains, there are several picturesque places to visit in Shillong.

How To Reach?

Shillong is about a 100 Kms ride from Guwahati and despite being a hilly area, the roads are pretty wide and smooth. You can easily get a shared cab. Regular bus service is also available.

If you are okay with missing out on the beautiful drive this route has to offer, you can take a direct flight to Shillong(yes, there's an airport too)

Where to stay?

Police Bazar is the center of the city and there are hotels for every budget, the tariff goes up to two or three times during peak seasons. I would strongly recommend to make your hotel bookings in advance.

There are many home-stays too for those who seek different and original.

No matter where you stay, the hospitality the people extend is amazing.

What To See?

With a fine touch of western culture, Shillong has a very young feel to it. It is also famous as 'The Rock Capital of India'. Many music events and concerts keep on happening throughout the year. But the key reason why people visit Shillong is its natural beauty.

The Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians is a Cathedral in Shillong, Meghalaya. It is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Shillong and serves as the seat of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Shillong.

It is an artificial lake but at heart of the city. With gardens all around, it offers boating and fountain shows for a relax evening. You can also enjoy morning/evening jog :):)

The much awaited destination of our trip, the cleanest village of Asia. The village lives to its title and to be very honest I have never seen a village or a place so clean and beautiful. Now I will let the pictures do some talking :P

Another amazing thing that Meghalaya is famous for is the Root Bridges which can be found on the way to Mawlynnong.

Meghalaya known as 'Scotland of the East' has few hidden gems to to keep you on your toes. Some are so remote that they can only be reachable after trekking through forest and large rocks. Famous for its waterfalls, Meghalaya did not disappoint us on that too.

The best part is that you can swim in the waterfall.

Meghalaya was one of my bucket-list destinations after I covered Northern part of the country. There was never a dull moment in the entire journey. I explored some beautiful and unknown places and increased my portfolio of memories with this trip.

Itinerary

Origin - Delhi → Guwahati → Kaziranga

It will take you approx 6 hours to reach the National Park

Day 1 - Jeep Safari (approx 2hrs) and leave for Shillong after lunch

Day 2 - Shillong Sightseeing (You have to bargain for cab fares as they always quote more). Look to cab drivers who are experienced.

Day 3 - Leave for Mawlynnong and Root bridge early in the morning and come back to Shillong by night.

Day 4 - Shillong→ Cheerapunji (Waterfalls)→ Shillong

Day 5 - All good things come to end. Its a wrap and time to go back home.

Until next time..

Happy travelling and keep exploring.. !!

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