Shillong Peak: A View from the Top of the World

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see the world from the top? To witness the beauty and diversity of nature, culture, and history in one glance? To feel the thrill and awe of being at the highest point in a region? If you have, then you should definitely visit Shillong Peak, the crown jewel of Meghalaya.

Shillong Peak is not just the highest point in Shillong, but also a place of immense beauty, culture, and history. From its stunning panoramic views of the city, the Himalayas, and the Bangladesh plains, to its sacred and mysterious legends, Shillong Peak is a must-visit for anyone who wants to experience the true essence of Meghalaya.

In this article, we will explore everything you need to know about Shillong Peak, from how to reach it, what to see and do there, what to know before visiting, and where to stay and eat nearby. Whether you are a nature lover, a culture enthusiast, or a history buff, Shillong Peak has something for everyone.

What to See and Do at Shillong Peak

Shillong Peak offers a breathtaking view of the entire city of Shillong, as well as the surrounding hills, valleys, waterfalls, and forests. On a clear day, one can also see the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas and the green plains of Bangladesh. Here are some of the photos and videos of Shillong Peak that will make you want to visit it right away.

But Shillong Peak is not just a viewpoint, it is also a place of culture and history. Shillong Peak is also known as the abode of the patron deity of Shillong, Lei Shyllong, who is worshipped by the local Khasi people. Every year, in the month of April, a ritual called Shad Suk Mynsiem is performed at the U Shulong site at the top of the peak, where the priests offer prayers and sacrifices to the deity. The ritual is a celebration of the harvest and the renewal of life, and is attended by thousands of people from different clans and villages. The ritual is accompanied by music, dance, and feasting, and is a spectacle to behold.

Shillong Peak is also a place of mystery and adventure. According to a legend, there is a secret tunnel that connects Shillong Peak with the Umiam Lake, which is about 15 km away. The tunnel is said to be guarded by a giant snake, and only a few brave souls have dared to enter it.

Shillong Peak is also a place of photography and memories. The peak offers a perfect backdrop for capturing some amazing shots of the city, the mountains, and the sky. You can also take some selfies and group photos with your friends and family, and share them on social media. You can also use the telescope service to get a closer look at the distant landmarks, such as the Shillong Golf Course, the Don Bosco Museum, and the Elephant Falls. You can also enjoy the sunset and the sunrise from the peak, and witness the changing colours of the sky and the landscape.

What to Know Before Visiting Shillong Peak

Before visiting Shillong Peak, there are some things you should know and keep in mind, such as the best time to visit, the weather conditions, the security measures, the dress code, and the etiquette. Here are some useful tips and advice for you:

The best time to visit Shillong Peak is from October to March, when the weather is clear and pleasant, and the visibility is high. You can avoid the monsoon season from June to September, when the peak is often covered by clouds and fog, and the road is slippery and muddy. You can also avoid the summer season from April to May, when the peak is crowded and hot, and the air is polluted.

Where to Stay and Eat Near Shillong Peak

If you want to stay and eat near Shillong Peak, you have plenty of options to choose from, depending on your budget, preference, and taste. Here are some of the best hotels, resorts, homestays, restaurants, cafes, and street food options near Shillong Peak, based on the user feedback and ratings:

Hotels: If you are looking for a comfortable and luxurious stay near Shillong Peak, you can book a room at the Ri Kynjai Resort, which is about 5 km away from the peak.

Resorts: If you are looking for a cozy and affordable stay near Shillong Peak, you can book a cottage at the Orchid Lake Resort, which is about 7 km away from the peak. The resort offers rustic and charming cottages, with views of the Umiam Lake and the gardens.

Homestays: If you are looking for a home away from home near Shillong Peak, you can book a room at the Maple Pine Farm, which is about 9 km away from the peak. The farm offers comfortable and clean rooms, with access to the kitchen, the living room, the library, and the terrace.

Restaurants: If you are looking for a delicious and satisfying meal near Shillong Peak, you can visit the Orange Roots Restaurant, which is about 4 km away from the peak. The restaurant serves a variety of cuisines, such as Indian, Chinese, Continental, and Khasi.

Cafes: If you are looking for a relaxing and refreshing break near Shillong Peak, you can visit the Cafe Shillong Heritage, which is about 6 km away from the peak. The cafe offers a range of beverages, snacks, desserts, and salads, made with organic and local ingredients.

Street Food: If you are looking for a quick and cheap bite near Shillong Peak, you can try the street food stalls near the entrance of the peak. You can find a variety of dishes, such as momos, chowmein, jadoh, dosa, and pakora, made with fresh and spicy ingredients.

Shillong Peak is a place of immense beauty, culture, and history, and a must-visit for anyone who wants to experience the true essence of Meghalaya. So, what are you waiting for? Book your trip to Shillong Peak today and enjoy the view from the top of the world.

Shillong Peak Reviews

pooja

174 Followers

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Can you name all north east states of India without using Google? Being a traveler, I always wanted to explore the unexplored places and people. Meghalaya is perfect for that. Although I found shillong more commercialized and busy city. On the other hand cherrapunji is true heaven and satisfy the meaning of meghalaya – “the land of clouds” . Fresh air , low network, super friendly people, lots of homestays and all about natural beauty. After talking to so many people there, I came to know the best part of this state is here women are the roots and men demands for gender equality. After marriage the man has to leave his house and stay with the woman. Also the child keeps his mother’s surname. Homestays, restaurants are mostly owned by women here. You will surely enjoy their stories once you visit there. Here’s the itinerary: Day-1 We (me and my friend) took a early morning flight from Mumbai to guwahati. From guwahati airport you can take either direct cab or shared cab. We took a shared cab – which is 500 per person. Direct cab will take 2000. They will drop you to the police bazar. Luckily we already booked a hotel near police bazar. Police bazar is the most crowded area but if you haven’t already planned your journey, this place can help you with that. Here you will find plenty of taxi drivers, travel guides, shopping market etc. We also booked our next day cab from here. Guwahati to Shillong will take 4 hours. We reached Shillong around 2-2:30 in the afternoon. Took a nap and we hit the road around 4. We went to Ward’s lake, which is quite ok. Café Shillong is the best place to eat. The food is super delicious. We tried Momos and Thukpa here. Day-2 We stared around 7 in the morning. Via elephant falls – we went to Mawlynnong – Dawki – shnongpdeng - Cherrapunji. Mawlynnong is the cleanest village of Asia. Their roads and gardens are super clean. On the way towards Mawlynnong, there comes one single root bridge. For every falls , bridges – one has to climb stairs or do little or more trekking. Even for Dawki, it got one of the cleanest river of India and also the river shares the border with Bangladesh. Following our taxi driver's instructions, we went little more far and did our boat riding in shnongpdeng. He said Dawki is more crowded place, and shnongpdeng is more quite place also the boat riding is cheap here. And he is absolutely right. shnongpdeng was so quite and so beautiful that we didn’t want to leave this place even we knew we were getting late. We paid 3200 bucks for this trip. Sunset time for Cherrapunji is 5:15-5:30 pm. And we reached there around 7:30-8 pm. That was too dark already. After a long day you just wanted to lay down in a bed. That’s why I had booked my home stay already with MMT. But guess what, finally when we got the home stay we booked,the owner told us they never take any bookings from MMT. And all Chaos started. At the end we got refund, and a new hotel, MMT got lot of complaints, and the owner and our driver got lot of respect because they helped us to get new location (cheaper). Day- 3. This day was dedicated to Cherrapunji . Today also we booked taxi with the same driver and this day cost was 2500. We went to Dainthlen water falls, Weisawdong water falls, Arwah caves , mawsmai caves, Nohkalikai water falls, seven sisters water falls , eco park. Among all these Weisawdong is the must visit place. Clean blue water and this place is in between jungle, 10 -15min trekking we need to do for this one. The way towards Arwah caves is spectacular. Lots of clouds and the whole city view. Eco park first we refuse to go because it’s a 'Park'. But the driver insist us to go there as the Bangladesh view is amazing from there. And yes you can see that in the picture. Day -4 Today is the day why we actually planned for meghalaya. The double decker living root bridge. The spectacular beauty with natural Jacuzzi. Approximately 3000+ steps we have to climb down to see this amazing beauty. I would recommend not take too much of luggage with you. But keep plenty of water, chewing gum, and napkin. There are also home stays over there if you want to stay in between the nature. There are people at the starting of trek who can carry your luggage if you want. Guide is something I won’t recommend, the route is not that difficult and you will find many people whom you can ask for the directions. We took 1.5 hrs to get down and 2.5 hrs to climb up. We booked a taxi with the help of our home stay lady, they took 600 RS for pickup and drop. Finally our journey ended here with lot of memories and happy faces. Recommend stay at cherrapunji – Sunrise guest house, do your bookings from Airbnb or booking.com

Sanghita Nandi

372 Followers

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The next stop was the Shillong Peak- the highest point of Shillong and of the whole Meghalaya. As it is inside the IAF area, our vehicle was stopped and checked at the entrance and we were asked to declare our cameras. All these securities are due to the presence of an IAF radar station in the premises. Again from this point one can get a panoramic view of the hill city. There were pine trees all around and the view from the peak was breathtaking. When we went back to our hotel, we ordered hot wonton soup and momos for lunch. One thing you should never miss if you come down to Shillong is their momos, dimsums or dumplings, whatever you call it, as they are undoubtedly one of the best of its kind that you can get in India.

Restless Exploration

4 Followers

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Lying in the centre of Shillong city, the Ward's Lake(entry fee, 5/-), an artificial lake surrounded by a prolific green garden, is a major tourist attraction around which the entire city has been planned. In the middle of Ward's Lake is a small bridge created to enable the visitors to have a panoramic view of the entire lake or feed the tiny fishes floating around in the water (puffed rice is available at the entrance of the lake for feeding the fishes) There was park adjoining Lake where people were enjoying picnic, children were playing and experiencing boating.

Meru

74 Followers

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From a higher perspective : Mesmerizing view from the Shillong Peak, U Lum Shyllong The next place in the itinerary was the Shillong Peak. Called "U lum Shyllong"in the colloquial language, the peak offers a bird's-eye view of the picturesque valley. At a distance of 10 kms from the main city, this is the very spot where I fell in love with the city. They've installed big telescopes here to view the valley through different angles.

Prasanth

131 Followers

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Next day we drove to Shillong View Point which is a famous tourist attraction. Here is a word of caution. Google maps shows the location properly but the route was misleading. Since we were on one side of city, maps showed shortest route which happened to be a restricted Defence access. We followed that route only to be asked to go back.