A Memorable Biking Adventure to Meghalaya

Along with 2 other friends, we took a morning flight from Kolkata and reached Guwahati at 11am.

We were starving by the time we came out of the airport and thus headed straight towards a restaurant named "Khorikaa". Located at Kamal C Plaza, G.S. Road, a mouthwatering smell and traditional Assamese decor greeted us as we stepped into the place. We ordered a non veg thaali along with Chicken Khorikaa, and trust me, every single item that they had put in the thaali was heavenly. I was tasting Assamese delicacies for the 1st time and I already fell in love.

On the thaali: Plain rice, Yellow dal, Black Dal, Khar, Bhajji, Veg Anja, Pitika, Kharoli, Kheer.

After this, it was time to pick up our bikes. We had booked 2 Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350X. Once the bikes were ready, off we went riding along NH6. We took 2 breaks in between and reached Shillong at around 6pm.

Shillong is about a 100kms from Guwahati and it took us about 3hrs to reach. You can visit the Umiam lake on the way but since it was quite late (the lake closes by 5pm), we had to let go.

In Shillong, we stayed in Police Bazar, it's the busiest area of the town and is a famous shopping haunt. It's here that you can pick up exquisite Meghalayan handicrafts, spices (I was quite amused by the variety of chillies), gorge on yummy street food (round pork momos are a must try) or even go out clubbing all night if you are in the mood.

The actual trip begins today and it was going to be a long ride to Mawsynram via Mawphlang! We had a filling breakfast at the hotel and left around 9am.

A tip for road trippers to Shillong - be careful of the traffic rules, there are quite a few one ways, restricted roads which can confuse you a little.

Our 1st stop was the Elephant Falls. One often combines Shillong Peak with Elephant Falls since they are in a close proximity.

Timings of Elephant Falls: 9am to 5pm.

Timings of Shillong Peak - 9am to 3.30pm.

To view the main waterfall, you'll have to navigate a steep, slippery flight of about 150 steps. There are 2 more smaller falls on the way, with benches set up at each tier of steps where you can sit and relax. The lush greenery all around and the rippling sound of water creates a dreamy atmosphere.

We spent about half an hour here and then headed to our next stop, the Mawphlang Sacred Grove.

By the time we left, it had already started drizzling. Thus, it was time for our ponchos to be out :-D

As we hit the roads again, the incredible scenic beauty left us speechless. The combination of white cotton like clouds with the vigor of lush green hills is so mesmerizing that you would want to take as many number of pitstops as time permits before the final destination - slurping on hot tasty Maggi acts as an add on wherever you stop.

We reached Mawphlang at about 1pm. Situated in the East Khasi Hills, the Sacred Grove is about 20kms from the Elephant Falls, Shillong and should ideally not take more than 45 -60 mins to reach (considering breaks in between and the weather conditions we went in).

Things to Remember:

1. You cannot enter the Forest without a guide (a Khasi localite would accompany you). Guide Charges - Rs. 300 (for half trek), entry fees - Rs. 20 (additional charges for camera and parking)

2. You cannot pluck/take out anything out of the Forest - the Forest is considered to be sacred and the Khasis believe that if you take away even a leaf from the forest, it will bring bad omen.

3. Timings - 9am to 4.30pm

Now, be ready to get transported into a magical world as you step inside the grove - with deep dense trees, mind - clearing calmness, the untouched beauty is sure to remind you of Avatar's Pandora.

The whole stretch is about 3-4kms. You can either do a half trek (30-40mins) or a full trek (about 90mins). We did a half trek and every minute spent was intriguing. You can easily spot eucalyptus, rudraksh trees and a plethora of wild colourful mushrooms all around. Our guide walked us through the various religious spots, educated us about the medicinal qualities of each plant and helped us understand the significance of each of their rituals. The Khasis believe that the forest is home to their goddess Labasa, however they do not worship any idol. They believe in offering animal sacrifices at designated stone structures set up for praying inside the forest.

Once we were done with the trek, we had a quick lunch at the Khasi village and headed for our final destination for the day - Mawsynram

About 40kms away, it took us almost 1.5hrs to reach Mawsynram. Beautiful tents at a Lake Front Camp was our home for the night. Though we were heavily exhausted, who would miss a chance of kayaking at the camp's lake? We then spent the night playing Uno and gazing at the stars (the sky was so clear it seemed like one could see the entire Galaxy...okay may be this is a lil exaggerated :-p but it was damn clear).

This was the day I was highly looking forward to. On my itinerary I had the Double Decker living root bridge - a challenging trek of 3700 steps.

We munched on butter jam toasts and set off towards Cherrapunjee quite early in the morning.

Note: Mawsynram and Cherrapunjee are 2 parallel routes from Mawphlang. Thus, we had to come back to Mawphlang (actually further down to Nongbet) and then take the other route.

The route is long but the view is breathtaking. It felt like we were driving into the clouds quite literally.

It took us more than 4hrs to reach our hotel at Cherrapunjee (also known as Sohra).

For people who wish to visit the Double Decker Root Bridge, Tyrna is the best place to stay. A couple of resorts are located at a walking distance from the starting point of the root bridge trek.

Another tip for bikers - the road to Tyrna has about 10kms of dangerous rocky patches, be very careful with your riding skills.

Post lunch, we were on our way towards the Double Decker root bridge. Meghalaya is home to several living root bridges. These are natural wonders which get formed by tangled roots of rubber trees and around 11 such functional bridges (it takes about 15yrs for a new root bridge to be strong enough so people can walk on it) can be found in the Cherrapunjee area. The Double Decker is the most famous one.

3700 steps one way! It's said to be one of the most difficult treks for people who are not avid trekkers.

Took us almost 2hrs to reach the Double Decker. There are 2-3 more bridges in between. 1 is at 1500 steps which is the longest single root bridge, the others are made of iron cable and supported by bamboo here and there.

We were greeted by several villagers and co-trekkers on our way who would encourage us. We stopped in between to admire the beauty of the flora all around and the turquoise blue water flowing underneath the bridges.

As we reached the endpoint we were thoroughly worn out but what we saw in front was so utterly gorgeous that it was worth embracing the difficult path.

We sat there for sometime, clicked a lot of pictures, freshened up and now it was time to head back.

You can also go further up to the Rainbow falls, another 2hrs trek from here which is said to be even more beautiful. We couldn't however cover since it was getting quite late in the evening.

The return journey was strennous. The never ending stairway added to our pains. I was pausing every now and then to catch my breath, my husband energised me cracking jokes all along and delivering encouraging speeches. The guide was also very enthusiastic and supportive.

We finally reached Tyrna covering almost 6kms in total. I never imagined I could make it to the end point and back. But after completion the feeling was truly divineee and so damn accomplishing.

A few points to remember:

1. Do take the bamboo sticks they offer at the starting point - it helps you especially while coming back

2. It might feel that your legs are trembling in the beginning. It's quite natural and your body would get used to once you climb down a bit. Don't freak out.

3. Do keep a check on the time. It gets quite dark after 5pm. Though the region is quite safe

4. If you are not a regular trekker, do consider taking a guide. He would help in navigation, carry the bagpacks if required, carry light and music to assist after sunset and also give you additional encouragement

5. Munch on snacks in between and drink lime soda. Avoid soft drinks or juices. It'll make you feel heavy and sleepy.

6. Charges - Entry Fee - Rs. 10, stick cost - Rs. 20, Guide cost - Rs. 700 to 1000

Next on our list was a little offbeat destination - Shnongpedeng. It's 90km from Cherrapunjee/Shillong (equidistant). Dawki is on the way. One can also cover

Mawlynnong - Asia's cleanest village in between.

We crossed Dawki in the afternoon - the place was super cramped and crowded. We were thronged by agents who would stop our bikes and keep persuading for a boat ride on the dawki river. There's just 1 narrow bridge connecting the banks of the river and be it cars or trucks, all use the same bridge, crossing one at a time. We were lucky to be on bikes - it was convenient and time - saving.

Dawki is definitely over-rated and was a clear disappointed.

The road to Shnongpedeng was another dangerous trail. But when we reached, the sight of the Umngot river was surreal. The place is very close to the Bangladesh border and is a perfect location for camping. One can either stay in camps or at one of the few available homestays.

We had already booked our camps at the spot and was ready for an adventurous night.

Apart from boating on the pristine water, there are several other sports available at Shnongpedeng - Kayaking, cliff jumping, snorkelling, river rafting to name a few.

This was the final day for us in Meghalaya.

We started very early in the morning as we wanted to cover the places we had missed in Shillong while heading back to Guwahati.

Our first stop in Shillong was Shillong Peak. At an altitude of 1,965m, this peak is the highest point in Meghalaya and offers an enchanting view of the Shillong town.

Note: Riders, remember to carry 2 photo IDs. Since this area is under defence, you need to submit your driving license as a security and show another photo ID to enter the peak. All others would need just 1 ID proof.

We spent about an hour here and then rode towards Umiam lake.

The cloudy sky blended with the beautiful hilly terrains and the vast scintillating lake was a savouring treat to the eyes. One can also indulge in an array of water sports like speed boats, water scooter, water bus, row boats, paddle boats etc. We opted for the speed boat - such a thrilling experience!

As we started our final journey towards Guwahati, it started pouring cats and dogs and we experienced for the first time in the entire trip duration what a road trip should feel like in the wettest state of India - a ride worth remembering.

We at last reached our hotel at about 5 in the evening, drenched to the bone, tired and exhausted.

It was time to say goodbye and we were homebound by a 3.30pm flight. Thus ended an enriching trip to the "Scotland of the East", an adventure that would be etched in our memories for years to come.

Things we carried :

- A rucksack and a bag-pack - ropes to tie them to the bikes

- Rain coats (or disposable ponchos). Also keep covers for the bags

- clothes. Try to keep it to the minimum so you can travel light

- Gloves and Shoes (pick up waterproof ones)

- Jackets/sweatshirts. It gets quite windy and cold in the evening

- Mobile rain cover and holder. Helps in navigation

- Glares and other required accessories

- Toiletries and minimal cosmetics - Sunscreen and Moisturizer are must haves

- Towel and bedsheet (I am quite skeptical of bedsheets provided in camps)

- Comb

- Umbrella. For short walks.

- Sanitizer

- Mousquito Repellent

- Essential medicines and sanitary pads

- Mobile Charger

- Enough cash. Atms are a bit scarce as you go interior.

- 2 photo ID cards

- Extra packets. I know plastics are not environment friendly but it helps in carrying when clothes get wet in the rain.

#RoadTrip #Meghalaya #Biketrip