2N / 3D
5N / 6D
Hills & Nature
Meghalaya
Meghalaya — Abode of Clouds
Package ID: TG-IN-001356
Shillong · Cherrapunji · Dawki — Meghalaya — literally the "abode of clouds" — done as a loop out of Guwahati through Shillong, the waterfall country at Cherrapunji, the astonishingly clear Umngot river at Dawki, and the living-root bridges the Khasi hills are famous for. It is a wetter, greener, more offbeat corner of India, and we're straight about what that means: the root-bridge treks are genuinely strenuous, the best river clarity is in the drier months, and hill roads are slow. Come for cascades, caves and a landscape that still feels unhurried.
Package IDTG-IN-001356
Duration5N / 6D
StartsGuwahati
EndsGuwahati
Best seasonOctober to April
Ideal forNature lovers · families · waterfalls & offbeat travellers
- Duration
- 5N / 6D
- Cities
- Shillong, Cherrapunji (Sohra), Dawki, Mawlynnong
- States
- Meghalaya
- Distance
- ~450 km hill roads
- Start → End
- Guwahati → Guwahati
- Transport
- Private car (hill-driven)
- Hotels
- 3★ / 4★ hill hotels & resorts
- Meals
- Breakfast & dinner (MAP)
- Best season
- October to April
- Ideal for
- Nature lovers · families · waterfalls & offbeat travellers
Day by day
Complete itinerary
Tap any day to expand. Drive distances and times are realistic approximations, stated up front and traffic-dependent — never hidden.
Day 1 Guwahati → ShillongGuwahati → Shillong
- Route
- Guwahati → Shillong
- Distance
- ~100 km
- Travel time
- ~3h30m (approx.)
- Mode
- Private car via Umiam Lake
- Depart
- On arrival
- Arrive
- Afternoon
- Alternative
- Umiam (Barapani) Lake photo stop
- Meet at Guwahati & drive to Shillong
- Umiam Lake viewpoint
- Check-in & Police Bazaar evening
From Assam's plains up into the Khasi hills, breaking at the wide Umiam Lake. Shillong, the old "Scotland of the East," is the base for the next days; the afternoon settles you in around the buzzing Police Bazaar. An easy first day after the flight.
✓ Umiam Lake✓ Police Bazaar
🛏 Overnight: Shillong
Day 2 Shillong sightseeingElephant Falls → peak
- Elephant Falls
- Shillong Peak viewpoint
- Ward's Lake & the Botanical Garden
- Don Bosco Museum of indigenous cultures
- Café-hopping & local Khasi cuisine
A full Shillong day. Elephant Falls and Shillong Peak give you the setting; the excellent Don Bosco museum is the best single introduction to the north-east's indigenous cultures anywhere. Shillong is also a genuine music-and-café town, so the evening is deliberately unhurried.
✓ Elephant Falls✓ Shillong Peak✓ Don Bosco Museum✓ Ward's Lake
🛏 Overnight: Shillong
Day 3 Shillong → CherrapunjiSohra waterfalls
- Route
- Shillong → Cherrapunji (Sohra)
- Distance
- ~55 km
- Travel time
- ~2 hrs (approx.)
- Mode
- Private car
- Depart
- 09:00 AM
- Arrive
- 11:00 AM
- Alternative
- Waterfall & cave stops en route
- Depart for Sohra
- Nohkalikai Falls — India's tallest plunge waterfall
- Mawsmai limestone caves
- Seven Sisters Falls & Arwah caves
- Eco-park viewpoints
Into the waterfall country of Sohra (Cherrapunji), among the wettest places on earth. Nohkalikai, plunging over 300 m, is the headline; the Mawsmai caves and the Seven Sisters cascade fill a day that is essentially a procession of water and limestone. In the drier season the falls are gentler but the views far clearer.
✓ Nohkalikai Falls✓ Mawsmai caves✓ Seven Sisters Falls
🛏 Overnight: Cherrapunji
Day 4 Living root bridge trekNongriat double-decker
- Drive to Tyrna & begin the descent
- Trek down to the Nongriat double-decker living root bridge (~3,000+ steps)
- Rest at the bridge & natural pools
- The strenuous climb back up
- Return & rest
The trip's signature — and its most demanding day, which we will not soften. The double-decker living-root bridge at Nongriat, grown over generations from rubber-tree roots, is reached by a descent of well over three thousand steep steps, and the climb back is genuinely hard on the legs and lungs. It is unforgettable for those who are fit for it; we'll honestly help you judge whether it suits your party, and offer the easier single-decker bridge at Mawlynnong as an alternative.
✓ Nongriat double-decker bridge✓ Jungle trek✓ Natural pools
🛏 Overnight: Cherrapunji
Day 5 Dawki & MawlynnongUmngot river → cleanest village
- Route
- Cherrapunji → Dawki & Mawlynnong → Shillong
- Distance
- ~180 km loop
- Travel time
- ~5–6 hrs driving (approx.)
- Mode
- Private car
- Depart
- 08:00 AM
- Arrive
- Evening
- Alternative
- Long but scenic border-country loop
- Drive to Dawki on the Bangladesh border
- Umngot river boat ride — glass-clear water in season
- Mawlynnong — "Asia's cleanest village" & a single-decker root bridge
- Riwai bridge & the sky-view point
- Drive to Shillong
A long but rewarding border-country day. The Umngot at Dawki runs so clear in the dry months that boats appear to float on air; nearby Mawlynnong, famously spotless, has an easy single-decker root bridge that gives a taste of Nongriat without the punishing descent. A lot of driving, honestly stated, for two genuine highlights.
✓ Umngot river (Dawki)✓ Mawlynnong village✓ Riwai root bridge
🛏 Overnight: Shillong
Day 6 Shillong → DepartureShillong → Guwahati
- Route
- Shillong → Guwahati Airport (GAU)
- Distance
- ~125 km
- Travel time
- ~4 hrs (approx.)
- Mode
- Private car
- Depart
- Early
- Arrive
- —
- Alternative
- Early start advised
- Breakfast & depart for Guwahati
- Transfer to the airport for your onward flight
Back down to Guwahati and the airport — around four hours including the run to the airport on the far side of the city, so we start early. A last stretch through the hills before the plains.
✓ Descent to Guwahati✓ Airport transfer
Where you stay
Hotels
| Destination | Nights | Category | Meal plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shillong | 3 | 3★ / 4★ | Breakfast + dinner |
| Cherrapunji | 2 | 3★ / resort | Breakfast + dinner |
Specific hotels are confirmed against your dates and budget at quotation — we never claim a named property is included unless your package explicitly specifies it.
Meals
What's included, day by day
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 · Guwahati → Shillong | — | Optional | Optional |
| Day 2 · Shillong sightseeing | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
| Day 3 · Shillong → Cherrapunji | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
| Day 4 · Living root bridge trek | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
| Day 5 · Dawki & Mawlynnong | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
| Day 6 · Shillong → Departure | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
✓ Included · Optional add-on · — not included. Meal plan (CP / MAP / AP) is configurable per booking.
Inclusions
What's in the price
- ✓Accommodation on twin sharing
- ✓Breakfast & dinner (MAP)
- ✓All transfers & sightseeing by private hill-driven car
- ✓Toll, parking & driver allowance
- ✓Applicable taxes (GST)
Exclusions
Not included
- ✕Flights
- ✕Boat rides, cave, waterfall & activity entry fees
- ✕Root-bridge trek guide / local charges
- ✕Lunches & personal expenses
- ✕Travel insurance
- ✕Anything not listed under inclusions
Good to know
Important information
- •The Nongriat double-decker root-bridge trek is strenuous — 3,000+ steep steps down and back up. We help you judge fitness and offer the easy Mawlynnong bridge as an alternative.
- •Umngot river clarity at Dawki is best in the drier months (roughly Nov–Apr); in and just after the monsoon the water is high and muddy.
- •Meghalaya is one of the wettest regions on earth — carry rain gear even in the drier season; leeches are common on monsoon treks.
- •Hill roads are slow and the Dawki/Mawlynnong loop is a long driving day; early starts help.
- •Dawki sits on the Bangladesh border — carry a government photo ID.
Who is this for
Ideal travellers
👨👩👧Family
💑Honeymoon
👴Seniors
👥Friends
🏢Corporate
🧳Solo
Make it yours
Customize this trip
Change hotel category · add or remove nights · extend the route · upgrade transport · add flights, activities, meals or travel insurance. This is the default; almost everything is configurable.
Pricing
Starting from
Figures on enquiry · priced for your dates
On enquiry / per person · twin sharing
We price the real configuration — your exact party, dates, hotel category and inclusions — rather than publish an average that changes the moment you ask.
| Occupancy | Price / person |
|---|---|
| Single occupancy | — |
| Double / twin sharing (per person) | — |
| Triple sharing (per person) | — |
| Child with bed | — |
| Child without bed | — |
Price varies with travel dates, hotel availability, season, number of travellers and selected inclusions. The occupancy grid above is the live structure; figures populate from configurable pricing fields — never hard-coded.
Questions
Package FAQs
How hard is the living-root-bridge trek?
Genuinely hard: over three thousand steep steps down to Nongriat and the same back up, with no shortcut. It is magical for the reasonably fit, but not for everyone — we'll be honest about your party and offer the easy single-decker bridge at Mawlynnong instead.
Will the Dawki river really be crystal clear?
In the dry months (roughly November–April), yes — famously so. During and just after the monsoon it runs high and silty. We'll tell you what to expect for your dates rather than show you a photo from the wrong season.
Is it a good family trip?
Yes, with the trek treated as optional. The waterfalls, caves, Dawki boat ride and Mawlynnong are all family-friendly; only Nongriat demands real fitness.
When should we go?
October–April is the drier, clearer window and the best for river and views. The monsoon is spectacularly green but very wet, with leeches and occasional road issues.
Are flights included?
No — flights to Guwahati are booked separately for your dates. We can add them to the quote on request.
How do I get a price?
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