It is not very often that we hear the name of a place and make an effort to find its meaning. Well, Meghalaya, a beautiful state tucked in North East India is definitely one of the very few places which left me in awe when I heard its the very first time and wondered what it would mean. An abode of clouds, it truly is, justifying the name that it carries. This state in North East India is a destination that every traveler must visit who is on a quest for scenic beauty as well as adventure.
This abode of clouds is a treasure in the North East, well known for its pristine waterfalls, winding roads, cleanest village in Asia and best of landscapes that you’d witness throughout your visit across the state. Meghalaya is a place where time freezes over crystal clear river waters and the heart skips a beat each time you witness a gorgeous waterfall gushing down mightily from sharp cliffs. A trip to Meghalaya will be one of your best experiences and worth your time.
The state is full of hidden spots and offbeat locations and to explore them thoroughly it would take almost a month. But not everyone can spare so much time out of their schedule. And thus, to help people plan their trip to Meghalaya in a short span while not missing out on the best of places in the state, I am chalking out a 7 day travel itinerary for Meghalaya.
HOW TO REACH MEGHALAYA?
Fly to Guwahati in Assam from where you can head to Shillong by road. There are plenty of options when it comes to covering the journey between Guwahati to Shillong. You can reserve a taxi which would ideally take INR 2000 to drop you to your hotel or Police Bazar (the main market area) in Shillong. You can also hop onto a shared cab/sumo from the airport, railway station or Paltan Bazar in Guwahati, which should not cost you more than INR 200. There are buses available too from ISBT, Beltola in Guwahati. The journey would approximately take 3 hours.
Alternatively, you can fly directly to Shillong. There are direct flights from Kolkata to Shillong and you could choose to opt for a connecting flight from any of the major cities.
MEGHALAYA SEVEN DAY TRAVEL ITINERARY
DAY 1 : GUWAHATI TO SHILLONG
Reach Guwahati by train or by air. It’d be convenient for if you could reach Guwahati by 1pm.
Reserve a cab for your transfer to Shillong or hop onto a shared sumo from the airport, railway station or Paltan Bazar in Guwahati.
Travel time : 3 hours
Upon reaching Shillong, you could visit the Police Bazar area, indulge in some street shopping and hit the pubs. Shillong is known for its phenomenal taste in music and for hosting the best rock concerts of the country.
DAY 2 : EXPLORE SHILLONG
Wake up in this picturesque town amidst the hills surrounded with pine trees and relish in some breakfast with a view at your hotel/homestay or head out to a café for breakfast. Post breakfast, leave for a tour of the popular places in the city of Shillong, also famously known as Scotland of the East.
PLACES TO VISIT IN SHILLONG
UMIAM LAKE
Umiam Lake, located 17 kms away from the city, is a scenic place you must visit when you are in Shillong. The calmness of the waters and the vastness of the lake is sure to leave you in awe upon your arrival. Adventure sports like Kayaking and water skiing can be opted for. The water sports are offered by Water Sports Complex between 8 am to 5 pm on all days of the week. You could also experience a boat ride in this lake. If time permits, explore Lumpongdeng Island, located on the other shore of Umiam lake.
WARD’S LAKE
Ward’s Lake is located right in the heart of the city of Shillong. The lake is named after Sir William Ward who had initiated the construction of this artificial water body. The lake is made in the shape of a horse shoe and is surrounded by beautiful gardens. A wooden bridge in the middle of the lake makes the place look splendid. Take a walk through the garden or sit by the lake to enjoy the scenic beauty of the surroundings.
SHILLONG PEAK
A prime tourist spot in the city, Shillong Peak is located at a height of 1965 metres. It offers panoramic views of Shillong and on days the skies are clear, you can even spot the plains of Bangladesh from Shillong Peak.
The entry to Shillong peak is through Airforce Base and hence you’d be required to submit ID proofs to move further. The place could be visited on all days of the week between 9 am to 5 pm.
ELEPHANT FALLS
Originally known as ‘Ka kshaid lai pateng khohsiew’ in Khasi, which means Three Steps Waterfalls, Elephant Waterfalls is a popular tourist spot in Shillong. It is located a short drive away from the Shillong Peak and 12 kms from the city. The crystal clear waters falls down in three steps, out of which the third step is the most beautiful one and is easily accessible for people visiting the waterfall. The plunge pool can be reached by a walk down a staircase.
Elephant Waterfalls could be visited between 10 am to 6 pm on all days of the week. You’d have to pay a nominal entry fee of INR 30 per person.
DON BOSCO MUSEUM
Don Bosco Museum in Shillong is a storehouse of traditions and culture. Each floor in the seven storied, hexagonal shaped museum represents the seven sister states of the North East. Here, you could expect to get a glimpse of the multi-cultural lifestyles of the indigenous people of North East India. There are 17 galleries in the museum that displays cultural artefacts and paintings. Visitors can also taste the indigenous cuisines from the food lounge. The museum also attracts students, researchers and academicians who come to avail the research facilities in their specialised library.
The museum is open from 9 am to 5:30 am on all weekdays. It remains closed on Sundays and public holidays. For Indians, the entry fee is INR 100 while students pay INR 50. Foreigners need to pay INR 200 to enter the museum.
End the day with a dinner at one of the recommended restaurants or cafes and prepare to leave for Cherrapunjee the next day.
DAY 3 : SHILLONG TO CHERRAPUJEE (SOHRA)
HOW TO GET THERE?
To reach Cherrapunjee by a private cab, head to Police Bazar.
You can also get to Cherrapunjee by a shared sumo/alto. You’d find these shared vehicles in Bara Bazar. Do keep in mind that Cherrapunjee and Sohra are same places and do not get confused while picking your vehicles.
Travel time : 2 hours
PLACES TO VISIT IN CHERRAPUNJEE
NONKALIKHAI FALLS
Visit Nonkalikhai Falls, the tallest plunge waterfall in India with a height of 350 metres. The tall waterfall, falling straight from a cliff, without a break is a fantastic sight to look at. From outside the entry gate, you can follow a signboard that marks a trail leading to the mouth of the waterfall, take a hike to reach there and even take a swim in the clean green waters.
MAWSMAI CAVES
Formed out of limestore, Mawsmai Cave is a well lit cave located at a distance of 6 kms from Cherrapunjee. You can walk upto 150 metres inside the cave and the rest of the cave is not open for visitors to enter. Upon entering the cave, you’d be able to spot unique flora and fauna, streams and eventually the cave will get narrow and off the reach. Mawsmai Cave is a very popular place of interest and you should definitely not miss it out. You do not need a guide to enter this cave.
ARWAH CAVES
Arwah cave is one of the hidden wonders in Meghalaya. You’d need to take a detour from the main road and cover a muddy path to reach Arwah Caves. There is a beautiful bridge which leads you till the entrance of the cave. Do ask a guide to accompany you to this cave as there are no marked trails, this being a rather offbeat destination. You’d be welcomed by a sharp descent right after you enter the cave, after which your walk will be quite a challenging and adventurous one, followed by crawling through narrow holes and sharp edges. You can expect to spot limestone structures and fossils inside the cave. A visit to Arwah caves would undoubtedly be quite a thrilling one.
After a whole day of exploring Cherrapunjee, get back to your hotel or homestay in Cherrapunjee and preferably sleep early on this day. The next day would involve a lot of walking and a visit to the most awaited and talked about place of the trip.
DAY 4 : CHERRAPUNJEE – TYRNA – NONGRIAT
HOW TO GET THERE?
From the Taxi Stand in Cherrapunjee, book a private cab for Tyrna Village, which would cost you about INR 500.
The taxi would drop you off where the steps for downward hike to Nongriat start.
It is advisable to take a porter if you have heavy backpacks or luggage. A porter will charge you about INR 500 for one way.
Travel Time : Cherrapunjee to Tyrna – 45 minutes; Tyrna to Nongriat (trek) – 2 hours
PLACES TO VISIT IN NONGRIAT
DOUBLE DECKER ROOT BRIDGE
The 2 hour downward hike is going to be a very scenic as well as adventurous one. You’d be crossing many suspension bridges and root bridges along the forest trail. The Double Decker root bridge would be the highlight of your trip to Meghalaya and is without a doubt one of the 5 Reasons to Visit Shillong. Sit by the Double Decker root bridge and soak in the raw beauty of nature; this place will exceed your expectations in all possible means.
WATERFALL AND POOLS
You can opt to hire a guide to take you around the village. The Rainbow Waterfall is a gorgeous waterfall, which is a short hike away from the village. Ask your guide to take you to natural pools in the village. Most of these pools are not traceable and is only known to the locals. Hence, you would not find any resource on the internet about these and this is what Nongriat is all about – discovering beautiful spots by yourself.
Spend the night in a homestay and engage in conversations with the locals around bonfire. This too is an experience in itself.
DAY 5 : NONGRIAT – CHERRAPUNJEE – DAWKI – MAWLYNNONG
HOW TO GET THERE?
On this day, you’d be required to trek back to Tyrna from Nongriat. The trek can get quite tiring. Again, it is advisable to hire a porter if you are not comfortable to walk with your luggage. It could take anywhere between 3 to 4 hours to reach back to Tyrna depending on your pace and fitness.
From Tyrna, book a cab till Cherrapunjee or hop onto a shared cab.
Book a taxi to take you to Dawki and then drop you at Mawlynnong. This would cost you between INR 2500-3000.
It is usually difficult to find a taxi in Mawlynnong for sightseeing or heading to Dawki and hence this is the most feasible way to include both the places in your itinerary.
Travel Time : Cherrapunjee to Dawki – 2.5 hours; Dawki to Mawlynnong – 1 hour
WHAT TO DO IN DAWKI?
Dawki, a tiny hamlet in the border of India and Bangladesh is famous for its crystal clear river waters, views of Bangladesh plains and boat rides. Upon reaching, you’d feel as if you’ve arrived at a place where time has frozen. The calmness of the river, the beauty of the hills and the plains of Bangladesh visible at a faraway distance, would make you fall in love with the place at once. Do not miss out on taking a boat ride over the waters of Umngot river. If the Double Decker root bridge trek is the main highlight of your trip, the boat ride at Dawki is definitely going to be the second best experience!
After spending a couple of hours in Dawki, head over to Mawlynnong and spend the night in one of the bamboo cottages in the village.
DAY 6 : EXPLORE MAWLYNNONG & TRANSFER TO SHILLONG
This day would be dedicated in exploring the Asia’s Cleanest Village, a sleepy town, full of soul.
PLACES TO VISIT IN MAWLYNNONG
Mawlynnong is a quiet retreat that you will never regret going to. Tourism has evolved in this village on the principles of eco tourism. You’d spot thatched khasi huts along the way, bamboo dustbins all throughout the village and every house containing beautiful gardens adorned with pretty flowers.
LIVING ROOT BRIDGE
Visit the single root bridge in Mawlynnong. If you think that after visiting the Double Decker root bridge in Nongriat, this would not be worth your time, then you are absolutely mistaken. All the living root bridges in Meghalaya are unique in their own way and totally worth your time. Hike to this bridge in Mawlynnong to encounter nature’s wonders coupled with age old traditions.
BALANCING ROCK
In the outskirts of the village, there is a huge rock which is naturally balanced on another smaller rock. This has now become a popular place for visitors. It is said that the rock has stayed in the same position for centuries and also has some religious significance among the Khasi Tribe. Stop over at this place to have a look at the mysterious phenomena.
BANGLADESH VIEW POINT
Head over to the Bangladesh Viewpoint to have a panoramic view of the plains of Bangladesh. Reaching this place involves a hike, so decide for yourself whether you’d want to visit this place or not.
Try to cover these places by 12pm so that you could have a quick lunch and head back to Shillong the same day.
Travel Time : Mawlynnong to Shillong – 2 hours
Spend the night in Shillong.
DAY 7 : SHILLONG TO GUWAHATI
Start from Shillong post breakfast, by 7 am so that you reach Guwahati by 11am.
Travel Time: Shillong to Guwahati – 3 hours
It’s preferable to have your flight booked post 3pm. Else, it becomes a rush and you wouldn’t want to take a risk for sure.
Fly out of Guwahati with a box full of memories.
' fill='%23359391'%3e %3cpath d='M46.1538462%2c43.5714286 L41.5%2c50 L36.8461538%2c43.5714286 L36.8670256%2c43.5714286 C36.3173077%2c42.7142857 36%2c41.6851429 36%2c40.5714286 C36%2c37.4854286 38.4535641%2c35 41.5%2c35 C44.5464359%2c35 47%2c37.4854286 47%2c40.5714286 C47%2c41.6851429 46.6826923%2c42.7142857 46.1329744%2c43.5714286 L46.1538462%2c43.5714286 Z M41.4294872%2c39 C40.6150641%2c39 39.9487179%2c39.675 39.9487179%2c40.5 C39.9487179%2c41.325 40.6150641%2c42 41.4294872%2c42 C42.2439103%2c42 42.9102564%2c41.325 42.9102564%2c40.5 C42.9102564%2c39.675 42.2439103%2c39 41.4294872%2c39 L41.4294872%2c39 Z' id='Location-white'%3e%3c/path%3e %3c/g%3e %3c/svg%3e)
