Laitlum Canyon: A Hidden Gem in Meghalaya That Will Take Your Breath Away

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to stand at the edge of the world? Imagine a place where the sky meets the earth, where the clouds embrace the hills, where the sun paints the valleys with golden hues. Welcome to Laitlum Canyon, the end of the world.

Laitlum Canyon is a stunning and adventurous destination in Meghalaya, a state in Northeast India known for its natural beauty and cultural diversity. The name Laitlum means “end of hills” or “end of the world” in Khasi, the local language of Meghalaya. It is aptly named as it offers panoramic views of the hills and valleys that seem to stretch endlessly into the horizon.

Laitlum Canyon is located about 21 km south of Shillong, the capital city of Meghalaya, on the East Khasi Hills. It is easily accessible by road from Shillong or other nearby places. In this article, we will explore everything you need to know about Laitlum Canyon, from its attractions and activities to its best time to visit and how to reach.

Attractions and Activities at Laitlum Canyon

Photo of Laitlum Canyon 1/1 by — (c) Thebetterindia.com

The main attraction of Laitlum Canyon is its viewing point, which is situated at an altitude of about 1,800 meters above sea level. From here, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the hills and valleys that surround Laitlum Canyon. You can also witness the changing colors of the sky and the landscape as the sun rises and sets. On a clear day, you can even see the plains of Bangladesh in the distance.

If you are looking for some adventure, you can try trekking at Laitlum Canyon. There are several trails that lead to different parts of Laitlum Canyon, such as the bamboo bridge, the orchid garden, the waterfall, and the village. The most popular trek is the one that goes down to Rasong, a small village at the bottom of Laitlum Canyon. To reach Rasong, you have to descend a stairway with about 3,000 steps that zigzags along the hillside. The trek is challenging but rewarding, as you get to see the beauty and diversity of nature along the way. You also get to interact with the locals and learn about their culture and lifestyle.

If you want to spend more time at Laitlum Canyon, you can opt for camping. There are several spots where you can pitch your tent and enjoy a night under the stars. Camping at Laitlum Canyon is a great way to experience its tranquility and serenity. You can also enjoy a bonfire and some local delicacies while listening to the sounds of nature.

Also read: A Bird’s Eye View of East Khasi Hills – Laitlum Canyon

Best Time to Visit Laitlum Canyon

The best time to visit Laitlum Canyon is from November to May, when the weather is clear and pleasant. During this period, you can enjoy uninterrupted views of Laitlum Canyon and its surroundings. You can also witness some festivals and events that take place in Meghalaya during this time, such as:

Wangala Festival: A harvest festival celebrated by the Garo tribe in November. It involves dancing, drumming, singing, and feasting.

Nongkrem Dance Festival: A thanksgiving festival celebrated by the Khasi tribe in November or December. It involves rituals, dances, music, and costumes.

Shad Suk Mynsiem: A spring festival celebrated by the Khasi tribe in April. It involves dances, music, food, and flowers.

The monsoon season from June to September is not recommended for visiting Laitlum Canyon, as it receives heavy rainfall and fog. During this period, visibility is low and trekking is risky. However, if you are a fan of rain and mist, you might enjoy the mystical atmosphere that Laitlum Canyon creates during this time.

How to Reach Laitlum Canyon

The easiest way to reach Laitlum Canyon is by road from Shillong. You can hire a taxi, a bus, a bike, or a car from Shillong and drive for about an hour to reach Laitlum Canyon. The road is well-maintained and scenic, passing through green hills and pine forests. The distance from Shillong to Laitlum Canyon is about 21 km.

You can also reach Laitlum Canyon from other nearby places, such as Guwahati, Cherrapunji, Mawlynnong, etc. The distance and transport options vary depending on the place, but the road is generally good and offers scenic views of Meghalaya.

Laitlum Canyon is a hidden gem in Meghalaya that will take your breath away. It is a scenic and adventurous spot that offers panoramic views of the hills and valleys, thrilling treks, and peaceful camping. It is a perfect destination for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and culture enthusiasts.

So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and head to Laitlum Canyon, the end of the world. You will not regret it.

Also read: The Edge of the World- Laitlum Grand Canyon

Have you ever been to Laitlum Canyon? Share your experience with us in the comments below.

Laitlum Canyon Reviews

NyxMo

110 Followers

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We had booked a bus from Guwahati to Shillong running under Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) via Goibibo. Fare for 3 people was around 500 INR for the bus leaving Guwahati at 7.15 am from Khanapara bus stop. The bus was a little late and we started our journey towards Shillong at 7.30 am. The bus was in okay condition but not at par our expectations. Asexpected, there was heavy traffic right after Umiam i.e. Barapani till Rhino Point Shillong, which made us impossible to reach the destination at the right time. We reached Police Bazar around 12 noon owing to the traffic conditions. From there, we booked a cab to our stay at Mawroh. The distance was around 6.3 kms and the cab fare was 170 INR. We had booked Sha ri Loum, a home stay through Goibibo, for one night. After freshening up, the staff of our homestay booked us a cab for a trip to Laitlum which is around 30 kms from our homestay. We left for Laitlum at 12.45 pm and, the weather started to get more misty and cold. At some point, the road was not even visible with blasting headlights. As we took the turn towards Laitlum, the clouds and mists started clearing up and the green meadows were in sight.. The meadows overlooking the Canyons were open with few trees on it, and, the wind was mad and cold. We purchased Lemon tea and Jhalmuri(light spicy snacks) from the local women vendors selling their stuff, to fend ourselves from the crisp cold crazy breeze that was not stopping anytime soon. (Don't forget your winter wraps if visiting Laitlum) There werepeoplefor pre-wedding shoots, groups of youngsters, people with picnic tables set, and some locals enjoying their weekend drink with a view, not to forget about the cutest of local dogs everywhere. We enjoyed the view for a while and then descended down to one of the 3 view points made by natural rocks. Man, it was gorgeous. The view, the ambience, the marvellous creation of Nature at her best. After taking in as much as we could, we headed towards the local eateries by the side of the meadow. We ordered 3 bowls of Maggi and poached eggs sunny side up. It was tasty as heck and cost us 180 INR. We warmed ourselves up using the small coal furnace of the stall, which was complementary with the food. Spending around 3 hours in Laitlum, we had our cab waiting to take us back to Shillong. We decided to drop in at the Dylan's cafe near the RBI, Shillong and end the cab trip. The total fare for the trip to Laitlum cost us 1500 INR( 500 INR pp) We ordered some Cappuccino and Hot chocolate to beat the cold from the Laitlum wind, with some sides as well. The bill for 2 Cappuccinos, one hot chocolate, 1 plate of ghost pepper chicken wings with potato wedges and chicken cheese nachos was 1076 INR. From Dylan's cafe,as the day was ending, we hired a cab to Police Bazar whichcostus 100 INR. In and around Police Bazar, we bought some cheap collectibles, clothing at sale for 50 INR per piece, and some beer for the night. (4 Mahou cans+ 2 Budweiser pints = 590 INR) For dinner, we had ordered two chicken fried rice at Barbecue Chinese Restaurant costing us 400 INR. We took a return cab from Police bazaar to our stay at Sha ri Loum(Mawroh). The fare was 200 INR. The night was beautiful at Sha ri loum. They have the most helpful staff and they attended to each of our needs. If you visit Shillong, the stay at Sha ri loum is a must if you prefer the aesthetic of a modern Khasi Homestay with pine greens as the view and no chaos except a few loud crickets.

Praveena Bavanari

29 Followers

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Being a traveler, I always crave for road less traveled to avoid tourists and rat races. After stayed in Meghalaya for a week’s long time, visiting and trekking many destinations, there comes the final destination to least explored place, Laitlum Canyon. This was one perfect closure to my journey in Meghalaya as one can always experience the calmness and serenity in road less traveled. The Laitlum Canyon – End of East Khasi Hills Here are some details about Laitlum Canyon: 1. Located around 20+ km from Shillong and 8km from Smit village 2. Mode of transport: Hire a vehicle (approx charge 1000-1500 INR) or Bus to Smit Village or trek (round trek takes 4-5 hours) 3. Accommodation: One can opt a stay in smit village 4. Food: Experience authentic local food at smit village, on the way to Canyon. Black Tea or simple snacks can be purchased at canyon. There were well laid steps with fence initially and later on it takes the rocky and uneven rocks to descend. The trial to descend and ascend are same. The other attraction during the trek is the sight of locals taking the same path carrying the load on their back. At Laitlum Canyon, one can see the breath taking view of wide spread meadows and stairways that snake down the valley. Just with a 5 minute descend, we spotted a small room at the edge. It is equipped with a motor and a rope way passing to the other side of valley. To our surprise, it is used to transport the provisions to village (Rasom) down the valley. It is a sight worth watching, the pulley and motor are vary basic but functions far beyond expectation. “You don’t need a therapist, if you can submerge your soul in Natures beauty”.Yes, Nature is the healer. One such beauty is ‘Laitlum Canyon’ with lush green meadows carpeting the area as an Amphitheater and sight of conjoining east khasi hills forming a valley. The view is worth the experience and anyone can simply get lost in the serenity of this landscape. Don’t miss on this place while planning a visit to Meghalaya Quick history of Khasi tribe: Khasi tribe is the largest ethnic group in the state and they speak Khasi language (no script). One unique feature of Khasi tribe is they follow matrilineal system of descent and inheritance. The youngest girl of the family will hold the major share in the assests. PS respect Nature and its resources and it will always leaves youawstuck! Straight from my heart – Payback to Nature in whatever way you can and don’t leave trash on trialsKeep traveling, keep learning and leave footprints everywhere! This is originally published on my personal blog: http://praveenabavanari.com/2019/09/04/a-birds-eye-view-of-east-khasi-hills-laitlum-canyon/

baishali tamuly

76 Followers

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Woooowhh!! LAITLUM CANYON (a walk on the way to touch the SKY);is the perfect spot to spend your day in enjoying greenery, cliff and smooth wind of Meghalaya that will touch your inner-peace and refresh your mind. On edge of the Greenery Mountain, while lifting up your hands towards the clouds that will drive you into it and can feel the romance of mountains and clouds in depth. And also looking to the sky and mountains, one can witness the wonderful speedy morphing of the clouds in shapes of beard old man, a parade of elephants or a sleuth of bears. We were enjoying the heavenly beauty of Laitlum Canyon. Sudden morphing of white smoky clouds on the mountain to grayish black which led to creep-down the valley as dark as the twilight falls. In simple, the breath-taking heavenly beauty of Laitlum will certainly leave you awestruck. We realised that the amount of time spent in Laitlum will never be enough to enjoy its beauty.

Rohit Kumar Gupta

172 Followers

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On next morning our journey to laitlum, it was so much fun exploring these places in the north-eastern part of our country in Shillong, Meghalaya. Perched in east khasi Hills of Shillong, Laitlum canyonis a little -mawsmai haunt of the mountaneous state of Meghalaya. At laitlum one can see are breathtaking gorges and steep winding stairways that snake their way down to the lush valley. Instagram:-https://www.instagram.com/p/B4ZOlZtlOnh/?igshid=1xtbedrlc6pb1 Facebook:-https://www.facebook.com/rohit.tura

Nishtha Nath

17.3k Followers

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3. Laitlum Canyon, Meghalaya Laitlum, which means "end of the village" or "end of the hills" in Khasi, is one of the world's natural wonders and is located 45 kilometers from Shillong, the state's capital. From here, visitors can see the city inside a valley and the rivers that cross it. The only way to get to this peak is by climbing 3000 winding steps with mountains and a valley on either side.