'Chasing Waterfalls' - Trek Route to Half a Dozen Waterfalls in Cherrapunjee/Sohra, Meghalaya

We set out from Shillong in the early hours of the morning, fully prepared and thrilled by the journey ahead. The distance to Sohra from Shillong is about 50 km and takes around one and half to two hours to reach if you are travelling by a vehicle.

On the Shillong-Sohra road after passing Sohrarim, we took a detour at Mawmihthied village to Mawkma village, the starting point of the day’s trek. After a fourteen minute drive from the detour, we arrived at the entrance to our first waterfall called the ‘Mawsawdong Falls’ located at Mawkma village. We got out of the car, grabbed our gear and our trek began.

A concrete footpath conveniently led to the top and foot of Mawsawdong Falls. As we approached the viewpoint at the top, we were pleasantly surprised with our first glimpse of the falls, for there was not just a single waterfall but four, well five (on one extended rock formation), if we are counting the little one as well. We climbed some of the big rocks and jumped across narrow ravines to get a better view of the falls. We met some locals who were deeply engrossed with their fishing activity, we politely gestured at them for a good day and with that we marked our first milestone and continued on our trek down-river.

The path to our next destination is by navigating a sort of goat path which is used by the locals and shepherds. Half an hour later, we heard the rumblings of ‘Janailar Falls’, our second destination. We treaded our way down a narrow cobblestone path which splits into two dirt trails, one leading to the waterfall and one to the river, we took the former path which led to an enormous rock. From the top of this rock, we got a close-up view of the waterfall, so close in fact, that we even felt the foamy spray of water on our skin. From where we stood, we noticed a small cave adjacent to the waterfall. We lingered for a little while and reinvigorated by the sight, we continued on our journey.

We walked the green meadows and followed the nonchalant river downstream with a joyful mood. Forty minutes into our trek, we stood awestruck as the river tumbled down the hillside into a series of mini-waterfalls, three to be exact. This is the majestic ‘Lyngksiar Falls’. A concrete path bifurcated into two directions and guided us where we wanted to go. The first path led to the top of the falls, though we need to mention that walking up the rocky surface of the cliff is quite risky but nevertheless, the pay-off was enormously rewarding.

From the summit, we were able to witness the majesty of the three-tiered Lyngksiar Falls as it drops down forming small pools of water at each level. The second path led to a stairway directly to the base of the waterfall. Here, the water flows tranquilly and we enjoyed ourselves by dipping our feet in the cool and turquoise water. We would have loved to stay longer at this wonderful site but we had a schedule to keep and so we moved on and casted a final look at the spectacular waterfall behind us.

After a long and tiring walk, we arrived at the midway point of our journey, the ‘Wah Umlapieng’ river crossing. From a nearby hillock, we spotted a small concrete moss speckled walk bridge spanning the river. We settled down to have our lunch at the riverbank just below the bridge while taking in the invigorating scenery. Lunch by the riverbank is something everyone needs to experience while visiting Meghalaya – it’s an experience that cannot be described in words. After the brief but pleasurable stop, we set out on the trail across the river which lies snuggly between two open valleys, to our next awaited destination.

We made slow progress and about an hour of walking, we eventually found ourselves at the entry point to ‘Mawsawa Falls’. To reach the falls, we had to walk a short path along a small hill before making a heedful descend down a flight of steps carved right onto the side of the hill. As we got closer to the clearing of the forest, we could hear the familiar and alluring sound of flowing water. We were thrilled as we set foot on an unexpected sandy shore that stretched along the banks of the river. The riverbank is a beautiful place for recreation and the large rocks served as a comfortable and vantage location to sit back and unwind, while the water which is less than waist-level is perfect for a nice swim although this is advised only with local supervision. However, the main attraction was the captivating Mawsawa Falls itself which had its own unique charm that still manages to amaze us.

From there, a little further downstream we arrived at what is possibly the most famous out of all the waterfalls we visited, the ‘Dainthlen Falls’. Apart from being tied to the famous legend of the gigantic serpent (Thlen), the Dainthlen Falls is still a wonder of nature’s beauty in its own right. The legend goes that after the hero, ‘U Suidnoh’ slayed the monster, ‘Thlen’ in its cave, its cold and lifeless body was brought up to the river where the multitude of people from the surroundings villages had gathered to celebrate and feast upon the Thlen’s flesh in order to completely rid this world off its existence. It is said that the rocks on the river still bore the markings and scars left from the thrashing of the serpent’s body as the bladed instruments of the people furiously chopped down its flesh on that fateful day, a long time ago.

From the bridge over the river that leads to the falls, we were treated to the sight of stunning rock formations that covered a vast expanse of the river to the edge of the waterfall. Crossing the river was very tricky and it is not advised to step into the cavernous rock pools found all over the area, though tempting, those rock pools run deep. We followed the river right to the verge of the drop where there is a viewpoint where we were able to witness the full intensity of the raging waterfall as it plummets from the cliff-top down to the rocks below.

Our next waterfall on the list required us to speed up our pace as evening was quickly approaching and we wanted to make it there while there was still some day light. Just down the road after passing Rangjyrteh Historical Site (which we covered on our previous trip) is the entry point to ‘Wei Sawdong Falls’. Right on the side of the road, supported by rocks and thick logs, steps and footholds has been carved onto the ground, creating a steep descending pathway through the thick jungle leading to the waterfall. On the halfway point there was a very flimsy looking viewpoint of the falls and if you are not cautious, it might give way to a fatal drop. We went down the path and came to the base of the falls.

We gazed in awe at the surreal and spectacular Wei Sawdong Falls which also has the special characteristic of being a three-tiered waterfall making it seem like the big brother of sorts to Lyngksiar Falls. Another unique trait of Wei Sawdong is the beautiful linear step-like patterns on the rocks where the white water cascaded benevolently down the rocky steps, giving the effect of many waterfalls rather than just one. And to add to its already astonishing beauty, the pools there were filled with crystal clear bluish waters.

Our journey came to a satisfying conclusion and as we headed back on the road to Shillong readying to close the chapter on this memorable trip, we caught a glimpse of a heartwarming sunset from Dainthlen Falls. The sky radiated orange hues and the clouds were tinged with greyish tones and this image just about ties a bow on this whole exhilarating trip to Sohra.

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