Cherrapunji

We welcome you to the Shade of the Clouds ~ Cherrapunji, Meghalaya.

​Located around 60 kilometers from the capital city of Shillong, Cherrapunji is a land of vast natural beauty, majestic waterfalls, pleasant rains and unexplored caves. The drive from Shillong to Cherrapunji takes around 2 hours and is through roads across the mountains of Meghalaya. Cherrapunji is the second wettest place on planet Earth after Mawsynram in Meghalaya, recording an average annual rainfall of 11,727 mm.​

Cherrapunji is a small hill town nestled in the East Khasi Hills district in the Indian State of Meghalaya. A land of pristine streams, undulating waterfalls, lush cover of green mountains, unadulterated landscapes, beautiful sound of unending rainfall, unexplored deep caves, friendly people, delightful food and no to forget the Bio-engineering marvels of the Living Root Bridges, Cherrapunji is a place which should be on the travel list of any person wanting to seek solace in the lap of Mother Nature. Known to be the second wettest place on planet Earth after Mawsynram in Meghalaya, Cherrapunji records an average annual rainfall of 11,777 mm every year. It has been recorded in Cherrapunji, in the year 1974 when Cherrapunji had recorded the highest annual rainfall at any place in this World. Also it was on 16th of June 1995, when Cherrapunji recorded 1563 mm of waterfall in a day making it the highest recorded rainfall at one place in a day. This downpour makes the climate of Cherrapunji always pleasant across the year. This beautiful town is located at a height of 1,300 meters above the mean sea level and is often referred to as ‘Sohra’ meaning the ‘Shade of Clouds’.

As per historical references, Cherrapunji was traditional capital of the Khasi tribes chieftainship and was known as Churra at that time. With the advent of the British in India, Cherrapunji became an important British outpost under the leadership of David Scott who made Cherrapunji the official headquarters of the British Raj in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills. Sohra was the original name of Cherrapunji which was pronounced Churra by the British and eventually evolved into Cherrapunji. The word Cherrapunji means ‘Land of Oranges’. Cherrapunji is inhabited by the Khasi Tribes of Meghalaya from as early as the 16th century.

Meghalaya is a Christian dominated State and so is Cherrapunji where majority of the people practice Christianity as their faith. It was the Welsh Catholic Presbyterian Church which started preaching Christianity here at Cherrapunji and continued to establish many schools and churches as the first missionary. The church built by the Catholic mission at Cherrapunji is a grand structure and has been built on similar lines as that of the Church at Vatican.

The pleasant climate conditions and the vast cover of natural beauty makes Cherrapunji a favored tourist destination and people from across the World come to Cherrapunji across the year. The best time to to admire the waterfalls of Cherrapunji is during the monsoons from June through September when continuous downpour fills these waterfalls rain source and the gushing sound of the waterfalls is a magical experience to witness here at Cherrapunji. What causes the rainfall in Cherrapunji is an interesting phenomenon. The Khasi hills where Cherrapunji is located, erupts suddenly at a height of 4500 m above the mean sea level across the plains of the country of Bangladesh which shares its border with Meghalaya. The town of Cherrapunji is the tall Khasi hills falls on the direct path of the South West Monsoons and these clouds which are rain bearing get funnelled across the deep gorges of Cherrapunji. This in turn leads to the rapid cooling of the upward thrested rain clouds and they start condensing and deluge the town of Cherrapunji.

To plan your Visit to Cherrapunji from Kaziranga National Park please fill the form

This is the major cause of the heavy rainfall at Cherrapunji. Cherrapunji no doubt has achieved this fame of being home to the heaviest rainfall on Earth. This can be well experienced when one visits Cherrapunji and feel the immense quantity of rainfall that keeps pouring across the day and night and often an umbrella doesn’t help here.

Cherrapunji is located at a distance of 60 km from the State capital of Shillong and 150 km from the city of Guwahati that has the nearest accessible Airport and Railway Station. The road conditions are good and hence the drive from Guwahati to Cherrapunji is an amazing one sighting the green mountains and the majestic landscapes of Meghalaya.

Upon reaching Cherrapunji you are sure to be left spellbound by the beautiful landscapes this town has to offer. Cherrapunji has always thrilled nature lovers and enthusiasts from a very long time mostly with its dense terrain, magical clouds, leaping green mountains, varied flora and fauna, the amazing birdlife, the tall grasslands and rich tropical rainforests. These beautiful sceneries along with it being one of the rainiest spots in the World with many tourist attractions like waterfalls, caves and Living root bridges have started drawing the attention of tourists from across the World and Cherrapunji today is becoming a very popular tourist destination in North East India with people from across the World coming to visit Cherrapunji across the year. Tourism at Cherrapunji has now become an attractive mode of income generation for the people here.

The people residing in and around Cherrapunji belong to the Khasi tribe of Meghalaya and are often referred to as Khasia people by the Assamese and Bengali people living around the low adjacent surrounding of Cherrapunji. Further, these Khasi people of Cherrapunji are divided into subclass which are mostly the Shi Kur and Shi Kpoh who have a common ancestor. A major feature of the Khasi tribal heritage is the Matrilineal society where the head of the family in a Khasi household is a lady. This is a very interesting phenomenon where the legacy of the family lineage is taken from the Mother’s side. The mother is the head of the household and takes care of her family and when the parents grow old the responsibility of taking care of them is entrusted to the youngest daughter who also inherits the family property. The children take the surname of their mother and the man goes to live with his wife after marriage. These Khasi people of Meghalaya enjoy a greater share of liberty in life when it comes to their life choices. They are often allowed to marry on their own choice and not dependant on the family choice unlike the other parts of India. Here in Meghalaya there is no system of dowry and the women are treated equally as men and women take up jobs in diverse professions. From running a shop, a business, or working as government officials or politicians, at Meghalaya one can find women handling job roles of various responsibilities that also include teaching and nursing. The women across Meghalaya hold various high level posts in the government offices, political offices, schools, colleges, business houses, etc.

The primary language of Meghalaya as well as Cherrapunji is the Khasi language. An interesting part of the Khasi language is that it doesn’t have any script. But with time, writing down the Khasi language in the Roman script has been received well down the generations and is popular now with newspapers and magazines being published in this mode of writing. From the earlier times when the Christian Missionaries arrived at Cherrapunji and established the first mission, Cherrapunji has become the literary Khasi around the Khasi land. However, one interesting thing to note is that since there is not defined common script, the dialects across the villages in and around Cherrapunji differ. For example, the people in the Nongriat Village speak a slightly different Khasi language than the ones at Tyrna and Shella villages.

In addition to the various tourist attractions at Cherrapunji, one must also visit the local market here at Cherrapunji which is not only a place to buy and sell goods but also a huge social gathering.

Climate of Cherrapunji ~

Cherrapunji has a mild subtropical climate with monsoonal influences. Cherrapunji receives both the southwest and northeast monsoonal winds. These monsoonal winds results in immense rainfall leading to an average annual rainfall of 11,777 mm at Cherrapunji. The temperature at Cherrapunji remain moderate across the year with cold nights during winters. The driest months being from November thru February.

Culture and Demographics of Cherrapunji ~

The Khasi Tribes of Meghalaya are the primary dwellers of Cherrapunji similar to the city of Shillong. At Cherrapunji too, the Khasi folks follow the matrilineal culture where the Mother is the head of the family. As of 2001 India census, Cherrapunji had a population of 10,086. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Cherrapunji has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 74% and female literacy of 74%. 19% of the population is under 6 years of age.

How to Reach Cherrapunji ~

The town of Cherrapunji in Meghalaya is located at a distance of approximately 150 kilometers from the city of Guwahati in Assam (approx 6 hours by road from Guwahati Airport). The distance from the capital city of Meghalaya i.e. Shillong is approx. 60 kilometers. However, the terrain makes the drive slow and it takes approximately 2 hours to reach Cherrapunji from Shillong. Roads conditions are excellent and the view of landscape during the drive is simply breathtaking!

The best option to reach Cherrapunji is to arrive at Guwahati Airport/Railway Station and drive to the Cherrapunji. We arrange your transport from the Airport to the National Park with an experienced local who will guide you with the important facts of the region during the journey.

To plan your Visit to Cherrapunji from Kaziranga National Park please fill the form

Places of Interest at Cherrapunji ~ ​

1| Nohkalikai Falls ~ Cherrapunji

The Nohkalikai Falls is located around 5 km from Cherrapunji town. Nohkalikai Falls is the tallest plunge waterfall in India and the height from which the water falls is 340 m. It is also the third tallest waterfall in India Nohkalikai in the local Khasi language means “Jump of Ka Likai” which is linked to a gruesome story of a local Khasi woman who jumped off the cliff next to the falls. A very beautiful waterfall often covered by the clouds of Meghalaya, the Nohkalikai Falls are fed by rainwater collected on the small plateau at the top of the falls. The waters of Nohkalikai are crystal clear and form a beautiful pool at the bottom. Around the viewpoint, one can find many local shops that sell souvenirs to remind you of your magical trip to Nohkalikai.​

According to legends, in a village called Rangjyrteh, upstream from Nohkalikai Falls, a woman named Likai resided but had to remarry after her husband died. Ka Likai (Ka is the prefix given for the female gender in Khasi) was left with her infant girl with no means of income. So she had to become a porter herself. Her work required her to leave her daughter unattended for long intervals but when she would be at home she would spend most of her time taking care of her infant. Ka Likai, who married a second time, couldn’t pay attention to her second husband. The jealous husband killed the infant and cooked her meat after throwing away her head and bones. When Ka Likai returned home, she saw nobody in the house but except for a meal that had been prepared. She wanted to go look for her daughter but she ate the meat as she was tired from work.

Ka Likai usually had a betel leaf after her meals but she found a severed finger near the place where she usually cut betel nuts and betel leaves. Ka Likai realized what had happened in her absence and went mad with anger and grief and started running as she swung a hatchet in her hand. She ran off the edge of the plateau and the waterfall where she jumped from was named Nohkalikai Falls after her.

2| Seven Sister Falls ~ Cherrapunji​

The Seven Sister Falls is the fourth tallest waterfall in India. Also known as the Mawsmai Falls/Nohsngithiang falls, the Seven Sister Fall is a seven segmented waterfall. The waters at Seven Sister fall from a height of 340 m.​

The falls plunges over the top of limestone cliffs of the Khasi Hills only during the rainy season. In full spate, the segments stretch most of the way along the cliff. The waterfalls get illuminated by the sun and the vibrant colors of the setting sun on the waterfalls makes it beautiful.

The Seven Sister Falls is located at around 2 km from the main market area of Cherrapunji. At the Seven Sister Falls, the water falls from a height of 315 m making it the fourth tallest waterfall in India. The Seven Sister Falls is a segmented waterfall. The majestic Polo Cherrapunjee Resort is located just next to this waterfall and one can get a front view glimpse of the Seven Sister Falls from this Resort.

The Fall plunges over the top of limestone cliffs of the Khasi Hills best viewed during the monsoon season at Meghalaya. In full spate, the segments stretch most of the way along the cliff. The water gets illuminated by the sun and the vibrant colors of the setting sun on the waterfalls makes it all the more beautiful!

3| Living Root Bridges ~ Cherrapunji

​Cherrapunji is famous for its Living Root Bridges. The Khas tribes of Cherrapunji have over several years perfected an art of growing roots of trees (Rubber) into large bridges. This process to grow a Living Root Bridge takes around 15 years and once completed, these bridges last for over 500 years. The Umshiang Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat village near Cherrapunji is one of a kind in the World!

The Umshiang Double Decker Living Root Bridge is an example of the marvels of bio-engineering. The Khasis Tribes of Meghalaya have perfected the art of creating Living Root Bridges using rubber tree roots and betel nut trunks. These Root Bridges take over 10-15 years to grow but last around 500 years and get stronger with time as the roots grow! The Umshiang Double Decker Root Bridge is the only one of its kind in the world and is often referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the Modern World. To reach the Umshiang Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat Village, one has to start trek at Cherrapunji and cross over 3500 steps across hills, and rickety rope pathways to reach this beautiful place.

Across Meghalaya, visitors can find many number of Living Root Bridges. But the grandest among them all is the Umshiang Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat Village. However, due to the steep incline and the flight of 3,500 stairs to reach the Umshiang Root Bridge becomes a challenge for many visitors.

In order for them not to miss out on the Bioengineering marvels of the Living Root Bridges, a set of these bridges have been built near the Tyrna Village which allows a medium level of trek access. These are the Single Decker Living Root Bridges at Tyrna Village. There are a set of two (2) Single Decker Living Root Bridges grown at close proximity to each other. A short hike across a well paved stairway will reach you to these wonders of Mother Nature grown and nurtured by the Khasi Tribes of Meghalaya.

​4| Dainthlen Falls ~ Cherrapunji

​Dainthlen Falls is located a road to the right before your arrival at Cherrapunji. The Dainthlen falls does not see much of a footfall as compared to the Nohkalikai and the Seven Sister Falls and is an ideal place to spend your time at Cherrapunji in calm.

On your visit to Cherrapunji you will spot waterfalls in and around its vicinity. The elevation from the mean sea level and the continuous down pour the year around is the reason for the numerous waterfalls at Cherrapunji. These Waterfalls are a pride of the Meghalaya Monsoons as the glory of these falls are in their prime during the rainy season in Meghalaya.

The Nohkalikai Falls and the Seven Sister Waterfall are the most visited by the tourists of Cherrapunji. The Nohkalikai is the tallest plunge Waterfall in India and the Seven Sisters is the second tallest plunge Waterfall in India.

If you are not interested in visiting the normal touristy places in Cherrapunji, one waterfall that would be an ideal visit is the Dainthlen Falls near Cherrapunji. Not frequented by many, the landscape around the Dainthlen Falls is unadulterated and has a soothing calm ideal for spending the day at leisure.

Just before reaching Cherrapunji, a road to the right, leads to the Dainthlen falls which is located at distance of 5 kms away. Legend speaks that this waterfall derives its name from a Thlen or a snake of gigantic size which dwelt in a cave. The villagers used to frequent the heavenly market of  Langhiang, Kongkhen and had to pass the bridge of the Gods and the cave of the Thlen. Anyone, travelling in even numbers was safe, but in odd numbers one would be devoured by the Thlen. A great Durbar was called for in order to devise a plan to get rid of the snake permanently. It was believed that this snake was butchered here by Uisymroh, a knight of Yore who fed the snake with red hot iron rods which killed it instantly. A grand feast was held and the whole town partook the meal. However, one old lady took a piece of the meat home for her grandchild but kept on forgetting to feed it until one day the Thlen was revived again. Remnants of the tools used for the feast that have turned to stone can be seen even today.

​5| Mawsmai Caves ~ Cherrapunji 

​Meghalaya has many caves within the State many explored and many yet to be explored. The most visited cave at Meghalaya is the Mawsmai cave at Cherrapunji. Located in the heart of the Cherrapunji town, this cave is a vast expansion of natural limestone formations. The Mawsmai cave has an impressive formations of large passages and chambers.

The Mawsmai Caves is located at around 3 km from Cherrapunji market. The Mawsmai Caves is a primary tourist attraction of Cherrapunji and is a major crowd puller that leaves tourists spellbound. These limestone caves have the distinction of being the only caves in Meghalaya that are lit enough to enable tourists to enjoy the natural formations in awe.

Though the caves are long, only a distance of 150 meters is open for tourists, while the other section is closed. The stalactites and stalagmites caves have innumerable forms, shapes and sizes inside leaving one to imagine as many life forms as possible. This magnificent natural wonder is the handiwork of years of natural abrasion and underground water.

The State of Meghalaya has numerous unexplored Caves across. Ranging from the Khasi and the Jaintia Hills to the Garo Hills these Caves are a sight to behold having  numerous stalactites and stalagmites (made of limestone) in the caves in innumerable forms, shapes and sizes. While some of these caves are easily accessible to their summit by walking on foot, others needs to be reached by swimming a distance of over three (3) kilometers to reach the insides of the Cave. While some caves are shorter in length span the others continue upto several kilometers.

Some of the well known Caves of Meghalaya in the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills are ~

• Krem Mawkhyrdop or Krem Mawmluh
• Krem Dam
• Krem Lymput
• Mawsmai Cave
• Krem Liat Prah
• Krem Lubon
• Kotsati – Umlawan Cave System
• Krem Shrieh (Tangnub Monkey Cave)
• Tetengkol Balwakol
• Dangedikol Chiningkrikol
• Korekol

Out of the above the most frequented and easily accessible cave of Meghalaya is the Mawsmai Cave. Located in the heart of the town of Cherrapunji, the Mawsmai Cave is a vast expansion of low passages of the 150m-long natural limestone formation. Located at the village crossing of Cherrapunji, to reach the Mawsmai Caves one passes grasslands surrounded by for­ests, ending in a clearing. From this clearing, a concrete pathway through the jungle leads up to the main cave entrance. This cave is the only cave that is fully lighted. The cave can be divided into two parts (old and new). Of the two, the new cave is yet to be lighted. It has impressive formations of large passages and chambers.

6| Rainbow Falls Cherrapunji, Meghalaya ~

If you were not satisfied that Mother Nature has been kind enough for Cherrapunji with the all of the tourist spots mentioned above, we think that the Rainbow Falls near the Nongriat Village is a place must visit for you! Although the Rainbow Falls doesn’t feature in any record books unlike the Nohkalikai and the Seven Sister Falls but the sheer beauty and the crystal clear water of the Rainbow Falls will enthral any tourist visiting it.

Located near the Nongriat Village where the Umshiang Double Decker Living Bridge is situated, to reach the Rainbow Falls you would need to trek another hours distance from the Double Decker Root Bridge. The path to Rainbow Falls though defined is not cemented and is a mix of alternating ascents and descents as well as crossing two long iron bridges which seem to sway gallantly by the people walking on it. The sheer natural beauty around the Rainbow Falls is sure to captivate the minds of all travellers. It is recommended to reach Rainbow Falls on an early sunny morning if you wish to catch a beautiful rainbow cascading over the powerful force of the falls. This can be achieved by making an overnight halt at the Nongriat Village. When you are at the Rainbow Falls, just breathe and feel the majestic sound and the mist spraying all over you, cooling you off, almost as if like welcoming you and making you feel like you are part of something so grand and magical – a true gift from Mother Nature to mankind!

Hotels, Resorts and Homestays at Cherrapunji ~

​1| Polo Orchid Resort Cherrapunji ~ 

Located on the edge of the cliff of the breathtaking Cherrapunji Valley, overlooking the splendid Seven Sister Waterfalls, this rustic-style star resort is the best hotel in Cherrapunji and has a way of slowing down time to a tranquil tempo. Set amidst acres of lush gardens, Hotel Polo Orchid, Cherrapunji is a showcase for relaxation with tropical-inspired design touches, grand architecture, a sun-drenched balcony, wide shady corridors, and flower lined patios for a memorable stay.

Among the most luxurious properties at Cherrapunji, the Hotel Polo Towers at Cherrapunji is an ideal retreat to pamper yourself during your stay at Cherrapunji. Deluxe rooms cater to you all your comfort needs and the gushing sound of the waters of the Seven Sister Falls just beside it makes it an ideal retreat at Cherrapunji.

Tariff Starts ~ INR 7,000 per day per cottage

2| Sa-I-Mika Resort Cherrapunji ~

The Sa-I-Mika Resort is nestled in the misty hills of Cherrapunji. Sai-I-Mika invites you to enjoy the childhood memories of rain on your face in the monsoons and the chilly yet warm winter sunshine. Sai-I-Mika offers you a unique blend of traditional Khasi hospitality and comfortable lodging as you live as close to nature as can be possible among the creeks, meadows and crags typical of Cherrapunji.

If you want to stay amidst nature at Cherrapunji, then Saimika Resort is the place to be. Cottages designed to reflect the ancient British styles homes with a blend of the local Khasi heritage is what you find at the Saimika Resort. Spread across a huge area overlooking the river that flows across Cherrapunji, Saimika Resort also allows you to savor local Khasi Cuisine and get a glimpse of the rich music scene at Meghalaya when a local band plays here every weekend.

Tariff Starts ~ INR 3,000 per day per cottage

3| Sohra Plaza Homestay Cherrapunji

Sohra Plaza conveniently located on the way to Daiñthlen Falls, 100m from Shillong-Sohra  State  Road. The exclusively designed rooms are stylish, comfortable and fitted with all the amenities and convenience you will require while staying away from home. At Sohra Plaza you will be welcomed by smiling faces and cheerful greetings. Every Staff, whether a Housekeeper, Receptionist or  Waiter will please you with kindness, smiles and good service.

Get to experience the warm hospitality of the Khasi people at the Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji. Run by a local, the owner of Sohra Plaza ensures for your comfort along with his well trained staff and takes care of all your needs for a comfortable stay at Cherrapunji.

Tariff Starts ~ INR 2,500 per day per room

4| Cherrapunji Holiday Resort

A family run nature resort ~ the Cherrapunji Holiday Resort at Laitkynsew Village in Cherrapunji is the nearest comfortable stay option at the vicinity of the Umshiang Double Decker Living Root Bridges. Surrounded by scenic beauty, the Cherrapunji Holiday Resort is a preferred stay option by tourists from across the World. Being a family run business, this place offers you the warmth of staying at a home away from home. The family also runs the Cherrapunji Orange Restaurant just upon your arrival at Cherrapunji, that offers lip smaking South Indian Vegeterian delights at a place where Vegeterian cuisine is not an easily available option.

Tariff Starts ~ INR 4,000 per room per day

5| Coniferous Resort Cherrapunji

Located in the vicinity of the Mawsmai Caves and the Seven Sister Waterfalls the Coniferous Resort at Cherrapunji is a budget stay option. It is located close to the Daily market at Cherrapunji. Warm welcoming staff and hospitality of the team at the Coniferous Resort are their prime TRPs. The resort also has ample parking space if you choose to visit Cherrapunji with your own vehicle.

A budget stay option at Cherrapunji, the Coniferous Resort at Cherrapunji is frequented by tourists around the year. With close proximity to the Cherrapunji market the Coniferous Resort is located at a suitable distance from the major tourist spots of Cherrapunji.

Tariff Starts ~ INR 2,500 per room per day

6| 7 Sister Falls View Inn Cherrapunji

If you are looking for a budget accommodation near the Second Tallest Plunge Waterfall in India then the 7 Sister Falls View Inn is the ideal option for you. Located very near to the Seven Sister Falls aka the Mawsmai Falls, 7 Sister Falls View Inn provides you an option of stay from Standard, Luxury Rooms and Dormitory facilities. With an adjacent Restaurant, they ensure your cup of Hot Coffee is at your disposal to beat the Rainy weather of Cherrapunji.

Tariff Starts ~ INR 2,500 per room per day

7| Cordial Lodge cum Restaurant Cherrapunji

Located ideally at the center point of all the major Tourist attractions of Cherrapunji at Mawsmai, the Cordial Lodge cum Restaurant is another available budget accommodation at Cherrapunji. The famous Mawsmai Caves of Cherrapunji is located very near to the Cordial Lodge cum Restaurant. The other attractions of Cherrapunji i.e. the Nohkalikai Falls and the Seven Sister Falls are also close-by.

Tariff Starts ~ INR 2,500 per room per day

8| Halari Tourist Lodge Cherrapunji

Another Budget Stay option at Cherrapunji is the Halari Tourist Lodge. Located at the Cherrapunji daily market, the Halari Tourist Lodge offers basic amenities for a night halt at Cherrapunji. The Living Root Bridges, Mawsmai Caves, the Nohkalikai Falls and the Seven Sister Falls at close proximity to the Halari Tourist Lodge.

​Tariff Starts ~ INR 2,200 per room per day

How to reach Cherrapunji from Kaziranga National Park –

By Road – Cherrapunji is located at a distance of around 301 kilometers from Kaziranga National Park. It takes around 7 hours by road to reach Cherrapunji from Kaziranga. We operate our Taxi Service to Cherrapunji from Kaziranga National Park. Our well maintained fleet makes your journey from Kaziranga National Park to Cherrapunji a comfortable one.

By Air – Cherrapunji is well connected to the Guwahati Airport by road. We operate taxi service from Guwahati Airport to Cherrapunji.

By Train – The nearest railway station is at Guwahati. We operate taxi service from Guwahati Railway Station to Cherrapunji.

Sample Itinerary for your visit to Cherrapunji – Meghalaya

Day 1 ~ Guwahati – Cherrapunji

Arrive at Guwahati Airport and depart to Cherrapunji. On the way sight the Umiam Lake. At Cherrapunji, visit the Majestic Nohkalikai Falls (India’s tallest plunge waterfall) and spot the exotic view here. Also visit the Seven Sisters Falls and the Mawsmai Caves at Cherrapunji.

Night Stay: Resorts/Cottages at Cherrapunji

Meals Included: NA

Day 2 ~ Cherrapunji – Mawlynnong – Dawki – Shillong

After breakfast enroute to Dawki (Indo-Bangladesh) border and enjoy boating on the clear waters of the Umngot River at Dawki. Later visit to Mawlynnong (Asia’s cleanest Village). At Mawlynnong visit the Living Root Bridges, sight the balancing rocks and take a walk along the Cleanest Village of Asia. Experience the rich culture of the Khasi Tribes of Meghalaya at Mawlynnong. Later depart to Shillong for night halt. At Shillong, visit the Madina Masjid (India’s only Glass Mosque).

Night Stay: Comfortable Hotel/Guest House at Shillong

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3 ~ Shillong – Kaziranga National Park

After Breakfast, do local sight seeing at Shillong City. Visit the Ward’s Lake and the Don-Bosco Museum at Shillong. Later depart to the Kaziranga National Park. On the way spot the majestic Tea Gardens of Assam.

Night Stay: Comfortable Hotel at the Kaziranga National Park

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4 ~ Kaziranga National Park – Kaziranga Orchid Park – Guwahati

Early morning go for a Jeep Safari into the Kaziranga National Park from the Bagodi/Kohora Safari Range at the National Park. Later in the day visit the Kaziranga Orchid and Bio-Diversity Park at Kaziranga National Park. The Kaziranga Orchid and Bio-Diveristy Park is the Largest Orchid Park in India. Depart to Guwahati.

Night Stay: Comfortable Hotel at Guwahati

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 5 ~ Kamakhya Temple – Depart

Early morning visit the holy Kamakhya Temple at Guwahati. After breakfast you will depart to Guwahati Airport for your onward destination. Trip Ends. Bid Adieu!

Meals Included: Breakfast

To plan your Visit to Cherrapunji from Kaziranga National Park please fill the form

Exploring Cherrapunji with our guest from Czech Republic ~

In November 2016, we organized a dedicated and customized tour of Meghalaya and Assam with our guest from Czech Republic – Mr. Michal Khuna. He wanted to explore nature and Cherrapunji had this to offer in abundance for him. We started from Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam to Cherrapunji in the morning and drove across the beautiful roads of Meghalaya to arrive at Cherrapunji by 2 PM. At first, we set out to explore the tallest plunge waterfall in India – the Nohkalikai falls. We arrived at the waterfall parking area at 2.30 PM and Michal was left speechless with the natural beauty and crystal clear waters of the Nohkalikai falls. There were no other tourists around and the calm around the place made it all the more magical. We stood at the viewpoint of the Nohkalikai falls listening to the gushing sound of the falling water that falls from height of 340 m from the summit here in Cherrapunji. The Nohkalikai falls is a plunge waterfall wherein the waters from the various streams and small water bodies reach at the plateau on top of the falls and collect at the place and fall down as a combined waterfall.

We took a short hike around the area of the Nohkalikai fall here in Cherrapunji. There were several small shops around put up by the local women of Cherrapunji that sold fresh produce like pineapples, cucumbers, various local spices brought in from the nearby forests like cinnamon, pepper, bay leaves as well. These shops also sell locally made bamboo and wood crafted souvenirs from around Cherrapunji as well. After exploring the Nohkalikai falls we headed to the Mawsmai cave area in Cherrapunji. One of the most popular tourist attractions of Cherrapunji, the Mawsmai cave is a limestone cave that dates back several thousand years ago. These days only a small stretch of the cave is accessible for tourists but during our time of visit a larger portion of this cave was accessible and we explored deep into the Mawsmai caves at Cherrapunji sighting the various stalactites and stalagmites and the fossils and rock formations as well. We explored the Mawsmai Cave for about an hour and went across the area of the cave and later came out to head to the Seven Sister Falls in Cherrapunji.

The Seven Sister falls at Cherrapunji is a short 10 minute drive from the Mawsmai cave area and is the second most popular waterfall in Cherrapunji. It is also the fourth tallest waterfall in India with the height of the water plying from the summit to the bottom being 315 m. From the viewpoint here we could spot the beautiful valleys of Meghalaya as well and the plains of Bangladesh. The entire place looked amazing and Michal stood there admiring the beauty of the natural wonders of Cherrapunji. At 4 PM we headed to the Saimika Resort in Cherrapunji where our stay was booked. The Saimika resort in Cherrapunji is the most favored destination for halt for travellers to Cherrapunji. The entire area is green and a beautiful stream flows down along the Saimika resort. There are individual cottages for guests built in an ancient British style architecture as well. Their kitchen churns out some of the most flavorful meat recipes here in Cherrapunji. While Michal’s stay was booked at a Deluxe Cottage here, my friend and I stayed at the dormitory here at the Saimika Resort in Cherrapunji. An early dinner was ordered for us that fried rice, chilly pork, fresh salad and tomato chutney. We had our dinner dinner and retired to bed to head onto our trek to the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat village the next day.

We started early for our trek to the Double Decker Root bridge near Cherrapunji at 7 AM. We had a cup of tea and biscuits and started on our drive to Tyrna village. we halted along the way as Michal wanted to click pictures of the nature around him and the various spiders hanging on the trees as well. We reached Tyrna at around 8AM and started on our hike. We wanted to take a guide along but as no one was there we went on our own as we had been to the Double Decker Root Bridge at Nongriat twice before. We started trekking down the flight of 3500 stairs that leads to Nongriat village. Once we finished climbing down the stairs we had to walk straight but instead we took a right to show Michal the set of Single Decker Root bridges here at the Tyrna elaka. We walked for a while and were successful in sighting two root bridges here. We came back to a small village where we bought some refreshments to eat and then continued on our trek to Nongriat here in Cherrapunji. We crossed a set of hanging bridges and finally arrived at Nongriat village at 10 AM. We set out to explore the Double Decker Living Root bridge here and Michal was amazed with the natural beauty of this man made natural marvel. We were the only visitors here today and so we had the place to explore for ourselves. We explored the area around the Double Decker Living Root bridge and headed back on our trek to Cherrapunji.

We arrived back at 12.30 PM and continued on our drive back to Cherrapunji local market. We stopped here for lunch and after lunch we continued to the Arwaah caves here. These prehistoric caves are a few thousand years old and this is a much bigger cave to explore as compared to the Mawsmai cave. We walked inside the Arwah cave at Cherrapunji sighting the varied fossils and the bats inside as well. We came out of the Arwah caves at Cherrapunji at 3 PM and continued to our resort. My friend suggested the we do the extra sight seeing of the Dainthlen falls in Cherrapunji that was around 10 minutes drive from the resort and so we went to explore the Dainthlen falls here in Cherrapunji. A smaller one compared to the Nohkalikai and Seven Sister falls of Cherrapunji still a one with amazing views as well. We sat down here to admire the beautiful nature around and we had tea at a small shop nearby. At 4.30 we returned back to our resort to spend the night and continue our preparations of our next day’s visit to Asia’s Cleanest Village at Mawlynnong in Meghalaya.

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Visit to Cherrapunji – Alternate Adventure Itinerary

Cherrapunji in Meghalaya is a perfect place for adventure seekers and one can go for hikes all across the place admiring the verdant landscapes of Cherrapunji. Cherrapunji is a perfect adventure destination for the thrill seekers and the hike to the Nongriat village continuing up to the Rainbow falls following the Mawshaw Bridge and the trek across the Nohkalikai falls to travel back to Cherrapunji is a good one to get a work out. In this Itinerary we will start our journey from Guwahati airport to travel to the wonderful forest reserves of the Chandubi Reserve Forest where we will spend time at the Chandubi Jungle Camp and undertake a trek across the Forest Reserves of Chandubi that is home to certain rare animal species including the likes of Asiatic Elephants, Bears, Tigers, Hoolock Gibbons, Slow Loris, etc. This is an individual as well as group departure Itinerary and you will be accompanied by local guides who will take you across this adventure journey of Chandubi, Cherrapunji and the final safaris at Kaziranga National Park – the UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its population of the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros. Day 1: Guwahati Airport – Chandubi Arrive at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi airport at Guwahati. Upon arrival you will be welcomed by our representative offering you a warm welcome in traditional Assamese style and from the airport we board our vehicle and travel to the Chandubi Reserve Forest area. One of the very picturesque drives near Guwahati, we will reach the countryside of Assam to be greeted by the pleasant sight of the lush green paddy fields, the backdrop of the tall mountains and the smiling faces of the local people. This are is inhabited by the Rabha people of Assam who are among the various indigenous tribes of Assam who always welcome visitors with a smile on their faces and open arms. We reach the delightful tea garden area of Chandubi and finally the tall canopy of trees welcomes us to the Chandubi Reserve Forest area. The drive will take about an hour and we reach the parking spot near the Chandubi lake where we get down from our vehicles and climb of a country boat (equipped with life jackets) and we cross the pristine Chandubi Lake to reach the Chandubi Jungle Camp and our adventure begins when we check into the jungle cottages of the beautiful and green campus of the Chandubi Jungle Camp. We savour a sumptuous Rabha cuisine lunch here at the Chandubi Jungle Camp that is cooked over the traditional wood fire and is cooked with ingredients that are organic and freshly sourced from the nearby home gardens. After lunch we will be accompanied by a local guide who will take us out on a hike across the pristine forest reserves of Chandubi that is known to be a perfect destination to sight the various resident and migratory birds of Assam. The hike will take is across the local Rabha villages and we get to witness the way of life of the people have allowing us to witness the rural town in Assam as well. We will follow a walking track and begin our hike atop a hill and we admire the beauty of nature around us. The cry of the Hoolock Gibbons, Wild Elephants, chirping of birds and insects will accompany us along our rote and we will take a road of the Chandubi Reserve Forest and come back to the camp by later afternoon and spend our time by the banks of the Chandubi Lake enjoying bird watching or even fishing on the waters here. In the early evening there will be a cultural dance performance by the local Rabha boys and girls who will be dressed in their traditional attires and they will enact a unique dance performance that is generally performed during the harvest festival of the people here./ We will take part in the cooking activities for our dinner as well and assist at the local kitchen at the Camp and get together with the local people and cook a sumptuous Rabha cuisine meal along with them. We savour a traditional dinner at the Chandubi Jungle Camp along with traditional rice wine and retire for the day. Night Halt: Chandubi Jungle Camp Meals Included: NA Day 2: Chandubi – Cherrapunji Early morning we go for a boat ride across the pristine Chandubi Lake that is a naturally formed lagoon created after the great earthquake of 1897 in Assam and it is surrounded by the mountains of Assam and Meghalaya and it harbours some of the unique fish species in the lake. During the winter season, the Chandubi Lake becomes a haven for bird watching as various migratory birds visit Assam during this time and makes the water bodies across the state their home and they feed on the fish and insects in these water bodies. We will board a country boat accompanied by a local boatman who will take us across the Chandubi Lake and we admire the bird species with the backdrop cry of the Hoolock Gibbons of Chandubi. We return back to the Chandubi Jungle Camp and freshen up and have our breakfast and we pack and begin our preparation to bid farewell to Chandubi to begin on our drive to Cherrapunji in Meghalaya. We will take a complete different route to travel to Cherrapunji as the generally preferred route is to drive through Guwahati and Jorabat to reach Nongpoh, Barapani and Shillong and travel further to Cherrapunji. We will beat the traffic at Guwahati and Shillong and instead we will head to Cherrapunji via the West Khasi Hills and we will connect at Upper Shillong and travel to Cherrapunji. This will also provide us the opportunity to visit one of the largest rocks in North East India – the Kyllang rock that is an adventure destination in the West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya. We start on our drive from Chandubi and reach the highway towards the border of Assam and Meghalaya and drive towards the West Khasi Hills area in Meghalaya. The beautiful landscapes of Meghalaya welcome us and we drive towards the area of Upper Shillong and we will take a right diversion from the road to drive towards the Kyllang rock in the West Khasi hills of Meghalaya. We will approach the Kyllang rock and the humongous size of this rock is a real treat to the eyes. We stop our vehicle and ascent the rock surface via a stairway built with stone and carefully we reach the summit of the Kyllang rock and witness a wonderful aerial view of the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. The beautiful forests and the pockets of farmland are a treat to the eyes along with the flowing streams that is present across the area. We spend some time here and later head back to continue on our drive to Upper Shillong. We will cross a busy market area and this is a unique market to view that illustrates a blend of the traditional and modern markets in Shillong. We continue driving and in sometime approach Upper Shillong and we take a right diversion to proceed to Cherrapunji. We will break for lunch at the Soliyana Hut restaurant after crossing Upper Shillong that is a nice place to enjoy a nice meal and it serves delicious Chinese, Indian and local Khasi cuisine. After lunch we continue on our drive to Cherrapunji and in sometime approach the beautiful Mawkdok viewpoint near Cherrapunji that offers pristine valley views in Meghalaya and the place has the option of Zip lining as well and in case you are interested you can go for a zip lining session at the Mawkdok valley on the shorter line or the longer line based on your interest. After you are done we will start back on our drive to arrive at Cherrapunji where we check into our place if halt here at Cherrapunji at the Sohra Plaza homestay. Located at the entrance of Cherrapunji, the Sohra Plaza homestay is an ideal retreat to stay at Cherrapunji as it is an isolated property with not much of building around and you get to stay in calm and privacy. It is a small guest house property with six rooms and a nice restaurant as well that serves Indian, Chinese and local Khasi cuisine of Cherrapunji. The entire East Khasi Hills and West Khasi Hills of Meghalaya are inhabited primarily by the Khasi people of Meghalaya. There are three major tribes of Meghalaya mostly the Khasis, Garos and Jaintias and we will confine ourselves to the Khasi dominated places in this Itinerary. We order our dinner at the Sohra Plaza Homestay and spend our evening by the bonfire. Night Halt: Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji Meals Included: Breakfast Day 3: Cherrapunji – Nongriat Village Today on the first half of the day we explore the popular tourist places of Cherrapunji (also called as Sohra – the shade of the clouds) and later we embark on our trek to the Nongriat village from Cherrapunji where we at first drive to the Tyrna village and start our hike to the Nongriat village from here. We start our day after breakfast and we start on our drive to visit the pristine Wei Sadong falls in Cherrapunji. This waterfall at Cherrapunji is located behind our place of stay and a short drive will take us to this place where we travel to the base of the Wei Sadong falls in Cherrapunji and we discover the natural beauty of this falls and this is a three layered waterfall where the water falls from the top via a stream and settles on the layers and alter drops down to the base. We can travel to the base of the Wei Sadong falls at Cherrapunji and capture stunning images and video of this waterfall. Next up we visit the Dainthlen falls in Cherrapunji that is another popular tourist spot here and is located at a very picturesque location here in Cherrapunji where we can admire the waterfall along with the landscapes. We understand the legend of the Dainthlen falls at Cherrapunji where the a knight had slain a demon to protect the local people of the Khasi community here in Cherrapunji. Next up we drive to the Arwah caves in Cherrapunji that is a pre-historic cave and allows visitors for a perfect caving experience to witness the fossils, stalactites and stalagmites. The state of Meghalaya has over 2500 caves and out of which few hundreds of them has been explored and at Cherrapunji itself there are three caves that are open to public viewing. The longest sandstone cave of Krem Puri is also present in Meghalaya and there is immense opportunity for adventure expeditions with proper infrastructure. We drive to the parking spot of the Arwah caves in Cherrapunji and from there we need to hike for about 500m to reach the cave entrance. This is a wide cave and just at the entrance of this cave in Cherrapunji you can find impressions of fossils on the cave walls. We need to climb down the entrance via a short stairway and we can admire this wide cave that even has a stream flowing along the cave walkway. This cave in Cherrapunji is well lit and you can admire the various stalactites and stalagmites and up to one point there is lighting and a narrow entrance that is dark and if you want you walk across this entrance as well that is a stretch for a little distance inside the Arwah cave in Cherrapunji. We finish our exploration of the Arwah cave in Cherrapunji and continue on our drive to the Seven Sister Falls at Cherrapunji. We will not visit the Nohkalikai falls in Cherrapunji today as we will be exiting on our trek from Nongriat to Cherrapunji crossing the base of the Nohkalikai falls and we can admire the grandeur of India’s tallest plunge waterfall tomorrow. At the Seven Sister falls we admire the cast natural beauty of the place and it is a collection of seven individual waterfalls that fall down from a height of 332m to the ground making it India’s fourth tallest waterfall by height next to the Nohkalikai falls in Cherrapunji. Below the falls if you observe far ahead you see the majestic valleys of Cherrapunji and Meghalaya merge with the plains of Bangladesh and it is a spectacular view to witness if you are a fan of Mother Nature. We spend some time admiring the grandeur of the Seven Sister falls in Cherrapunji and later head to visit the Mawsmai cave in Cherrapunji that is another pre-historic cave that is a prime tourist attraction in Cherrapunji and sees hundreds of visitor’s every day in the prime tourist season. This is a very big cave but only a small area of the cave is open to tourists for exploring but in that area itself one can admire the various fossils and the rock formations along with the stalactites and stalagmites. We begin our exploration of the Mawsmai cave at Cherrapunji and we walk up the entrance and reach the cave mouth where we need to duck and enter the cave and at certain places the entrance is low and so you have to ensure to watch out your steps and your head as well. We walk across the Mawsmai cave in Cherrapunji admiring the grandeur of this pre-historic cave and come out of the cave to be welcomed by a pristine cover of tropical forests of Cherrapunji and we finish our exploration of cave. We board our vehicle and drive towards the market area in Cherrapunji where we have our lunch and start on our drive to the Tyrna village near Cherrapunji. This is a very scenic drive across the verdant landscapes of Cherrapunji and all we see is the beautiful open landscapes and we reach the site of an abandoned cement factory here as the area around Cherrapunji is known to have the presence of limestone rocks that is very good for cement production but due to certain restriction this factory has now been abandoned. We cross this factory to reach the forest roads where we drive slowly admiring the vast natural beauty around to approach the Tyrna village near Cherrapunji. We will be welcomed by our local guide here and the vehicle will drop us at the entrance of the Tyrna village near Cherrapunji and the driver goes back to Cherrapunji and we start on our hike to Nongriat village from Tyrna village near Cherrapunji. Once you start the trek you can feel the immense natural beauty around you with the tropical forests and there is a village here that is very neat and clean and filled with flowers. We will hike down the stairway that takes us deeper into the forest cover and the stairway gets steeper and this when the flight of 3500 stairs starts to Nongriat village from Cherrapunji becomes the adventure trek and we go further down surrounded by the lush cover of tropical forests. All along our hike we will hear the soulful chirping of birds and insects and we feel in awe of Mother Nature here. We walk down the flight of 3500 stairs and in some time reach the level grounds at a beautiful village under the Tyrna Elaka and this village has a wonderful cave and two sets of Single Decker Living Root Bridges as well here in Cherrapunji. We have time in hand and so we will walk towards the right path to explore the cave and the living root bridges of Cherrapunji here before heading back on our trek to Nongriat village. We explore the cave and the living root bridges that can be viewed from up close and we start back on hike to Nongriat. At the village we stop at a shop to have refreshments and rehydrate ourselves post which we continue on our hike to Nongriat village near Cherrapunji. We will reach a hanging bridge that is built with iron wire and ropes and the bridge sways when you walk across it so be careful while crossing this bridge and a crystal clear water stream flows underneath this bridge. Next up the hike begins across a hill and we reach the site of a sacred grove here and a suspension bridge as well and after crossing this bridge we finally arrive at the Nongriat village near Cherrapunji. We will be welcomed to the village by a living root bridge that we cross at first and later reach our homestay at Nongriat village where we check in for the day. You will feel like you are in a different world altogether here as you will find backpackers from all around the World from countries like Germany, France, Australia, Israel, USA, etc. who come to admire the grandeur of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat village near Cherrapunji. We will check into our homestay and mind you this is a basic homestay unlike the place of stay at Cherrapunji and the room is sufficient enough to spend the night and sleep. We take time to freshen up and as it will be already dark we will visit the Double Decker Living Root Bridge the following day when we continue on our hike towards the Mawshaw Bridge and the Rainbow falls and further back to Cherrapunji. We will savour a traditional Khasi cuisine dinner at our homestay and retire for the night. Night Halt: Basic Homestay at Nongriat village Meals Included: Breakfast Day 4: Nongriat – Cherrapunji Today is our day of witnessing one of the Bioengineering wonders of the World – the Umshiang Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat village near Cherrapunji and after admiring this wonderful structure we head on our trek to visit the4 Rainbow falls and the Mawshaw root bridge continuing on our trail to visit the beautiful forest cover of Cherrapunji and we hike across a tough terrain to reach the Nohkalikai falls in Cherrapunji – the tallest plunge waterfall in India. We start after an early breakfast at the homestay at Nongriat village near Cherrapunji and we will buy some ORS and bottled water at a shop near the site of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge and we approach the entrance point of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge where we will purchase our entry tickets and begin our exploration of this Bioengineering marvel. These living Root bridges are unique to the Khasi and Jaintia tribes of Meghalaya who came up with this unique idea of growing bridges instead of building them across the verdant landscapes of Meghalaya. These local people of Cherrapunji and Meghalaya live in remote locations inside the forest pockets and they need to cross several small streams to reach their villages once they come to local markets at the towns and cities to carry out their business activities. In the monsoon season when the rains are heavy and it becomes difficult to cross the streams that are filled with water and also construction of iron bridges are not favourable across these remote locations and so they came up with the unique idea to grow bridges over these streams. These Living Root Bridges are grown with the roots of the Rubber tree and the young rubber roots are trained to grow in one direction by the use of hollowed out areca tree trunks that provide them the requisite direction. Gradually these roots grow across the streams and over the years they become fully grown and they grow strong and capable enough to allow humans to step foot on them and cross over. These are made walk able by putting stones and wooden planks on these roots and these bridges last for around 500 years. There are numerous such Living Root Bridges across Meghalaya and few of them are open to tourists for viewing and the most visited one is the Riwai Living Root Bridge at Mawlynnong (because of its easy accessibility). The Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat village in Cherrapunji along with the longest Living Root Bridge (spanning over 50 metres) at Pynursla are unique sights to behold and both these require good physical health to be able to trek down to the locations where these bridges are located and hence are popular among the youth and the backpackers to Cherrapunji and Meghalaya. The Double Decker Living Root Bridge is a unique sight to behold and is considered to be a wonder in the World and soon this will be a Triple Decker Living Root Bridge as another layer of Living Root Bridge is being grown above the already existing two Living Root Bridges. We will spend time admiring the grandeur this Umshiang Double Decker Living Root Bridge near Cherrapunji and the stream flowing underneath in having clear waters and you can choose to have a plunge in the waters here as well. This stream gives you an amazing opportunity to enjoy a natural fish spa in the waters here and once you dip your feet in the waters here you can feel the fish coming to your feet and biting on your skin. We spend about an hour’s time here at the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat village and later we trek further to visit the Rainbow falls and continue on our trek to Cherrapunji. We start on our hike uphill towards the Rainbow falls near Cherrapunji and along the way we will cross another village and the Mawshaw Living Root Bridge and we will soon arrive at the Rainbow falls near Cherrapunji and you will be left enthralled with the clear waters of the waterfalls and the waters pond that is created once the water pours down from the top. We admire the beauty of the Rainbow falls near Cherrapunji and you can take a swim here if you are interested and gradually begin on our hike back to the top of the Nohkalikai falls at Cherrapunji. On this hike you will be as close to Mother Nature as you can get and the vast greenery all around will make you forget the hustle and bustle of a busy city life and learn to understand the bounties of nature and how nature had planned to provide for everything to the living beings on the planet. Edible fruits and vegetable can be seen growing naturally on the trees and the chirping of the birds and insects from the forest reserves is a treat to the ears. The guide will explain in details about the vegetation around the forest and how the local people make use of these fruits of these forests cook in their meals. The forests are also some to various fauna and in the earlier days people were dependant on hunting from these forests reserves for their meal. We continue on our hike and the sounds of the gushing waters of the Nohkalikai Falls will soon be audible to us and this is an excellent experience as well. We will slowly approach the base of the Nohkalikai falls and begin our ascent across the stairs to reach the top and the grandeur of the Nohkalikai falls from top could be seen. The tallest plunge waterfall in India, the waters of the Nohkalikai falls fall from a height of 340 m to the base. It is called as a plunge waterfall because the water gets collected on the top of the waterfall from the various streams of Cherrapunji and once it gets collected it falls down with the other waterfall where the stream water do collect and falls down directly. The hovering cover of clouds and the occasional rain makes the sight a very pleasant one to experience. We will explore the area around the Nohkalikai falls and there are many small shop setup by the local people who sell fresh produce sourced from the forests of Cherrapunji like cinnamon, raw turmeric, etc. You will also find fresh honey available for purchase the is sourced from the bee hives in the forest of Cherrapunji and various fruits on sale as well and one fruit to try out in the pineapple that is freshly chopped and offered to you with a sprinkle of salt and chilli powder and it is one of the sweetest pineapples you will taste. We admire the area across the Nohkalikai falls and our vehicle will await us here and we will drive towards the traditional market area of Cherrapunji where we will have a late lunch at one of the local restaurants here. We will try some of the local Khasi delicacy food here at a restaurant along with other food and later we will visit the local market area of Cherrapunji where people from the local villages come here to sell their produce. You can find some of the very fresh produce of vegetables and fruits here and choice of meat and fish and we will take a walk across this market area for a while and later retire to the Sohra Plaza Homestay for the night. The next day we will travel to Dawki – the border of India and Bangladesh and Mawlynnong – the Cleanest village in Asia and continue on our drive back to Shillong – the Scotland of the East. Night Halt: Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji Meals Included: Breakfast Day 5: Cherrapunji – Mawlynnong – Dawki – Shillong Today after an early breakfast we begin on our drive to Dawki from Cherrapunji. We cross Cherrapunji and we travel through a short cut to the right before the Mawkdok valley to travel towards Pynursla that is the last decent township before our arrival at Dawki and we admire the verdant landscapes of Meghalaya along our way. Pynursla is home to the longest living root bridge in the World and if you are interested in visiting this longest Living Root Bridge then do let us know and we will make the changes in the Itinerary as desired. We will stop for a tea break at Pynursla market area before we start on our drive to Dawki again. We will reach a landscape area that has some of the very pristine views here in Meghalaya and we keep driving to take a left at Pontong area to go towards Dawki. The roads are narrow but decent to drive on and you get to witness the beauty of nature all around you. Before we reach Dawki another we cross small villages in Meghalaya and these villages are filled with areca nut trees that are a common cash crop to be seen here and are transported to various places in India from Meghalaya. We reach Dawki shortly and we will be welcomed by the Umngot river – a river that is known for its crystal clear waters to an extent that once you see the boats plying on the waters it feel as though the boats are not on water but floating in the air. We will soon reach the boating point at Dawki but at first we head to the border of India and Bangladesh. We cross an old suspension bridge that was built by the British in 1932 and we reach the market area of Dawki (Tamabil) and travel to the border via the highway that connects Shnongpdeng to Jowai in the West Khasi hills. We reach the border area at Dawki and we head towards the border where we seek permission at the BSF Check Gate and then cross over the Indian side to reach no man’s land up to pillar 1275. Here we get to see the side of the Bangladesh border and we click our picture here. We walk back to Indian territory and proceed on our drive towards Dawki boating point where we will undertake a boat ride here for about 45 minutes and the boatman will take you across the Umiam river where you get your first-hand experience of boating on the clear waters of the Umngot river at Dawki. After our boat ride we hit the road again to drive for an hour towards Mawlynnong village via a different route that takes us along the border of India and Bangladesh and here we witness a different topography all together that is more of a tropical humid climate and even the landscape is different as it is mostly on the plains and the weather is warmer along with the vegetation as well and you can see scores of plantations of the betel nut trees and the broom stick trees. Both these plants are of utmost importance to the economy of this area and the place exports it across India and other neighbouring countries as well. Along our drive we will spot two more beautiful waterfalls and we admire the beauty of these waterfalls and finally we arrive at Mawlynnong village. At Mawlynnong we start our exploration first of the Riwai Single Decker Living Root Bridge that as mentioned earlier is the most visited Living Root Bridge across Meghalaya mostly because of its easy accessibility. Just a 10 min walk from the parking spot will take you to the site of the Riwai Single Decker Living Root Bridge and then there aren’t many stairs to cross here as well and we will soon approach the place and this is the widest Living Root Bridge among all the other Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya. The bridge gets visible to us and we walk across the bridge (you are not allowed to halt on the top of the bridge) and we can even walk down in the stream that flows underneath the Living Root Bridge in the winter season when the water in the stream is less. With this we hike back to the top at the parking spot and drive to Mawlynnong – the Cleanest Village in Asia. At Mawlynnong we first have our lunch at a local restaurant that will serve some traditional fire cooked meal that is simple and yet very flavourful because it will be cooked with all natural and organically grown vegetables. They will serve a special chicken dish cooked with sesame seeds, banana flowers, papaya salad and various other offerings. After our sumptuous lunch we take a walk across the cleanest village in Asia and understand how the villagers have strived across the years to achieve this coveted status. This is a small village of around 100 households and the village ensures to keep the premises of the place clean. Each house has a toilet and the waste collected is always segregated and the organic waste is used as manure and the plastic waste sent to sites for recycling. There is an old Cathedral at Mawlynnong that is over 100 years old and we take our time to admire the grandeur of the construction of this old cathedral. We finish exploring the village and we bid farewell to Mawlynnong village to begin our drive to Shillong before making a last stop at the site of the balancing rocks at Mawlynnong village. This is a very unique structure to view where a big boulder rests on a much smaller rock and this structure has stood here since ages. The earlier Khasi people considered this site to be sacred and auspicious one as well because it was beyond belief as to how the rocks maintained their balance and so they considered this place to be sacred and started performing rituals around this place. Over the years these practices have stopped and this balancing rock now serves as a prime tourist destination and we admire the rocks and start on our drive to Shillong – the Scotland of the East. We reach Pynursla and cross the beautiful valleys of Meghalaya to finally reach at the Upper Shillong area. We cross Upper Shillong and gradually approach Shillong city where we will be greeted with traffic and we beat it to travel to the Police Bazar area in Shillong. At Police Bazar we will take a stroll across this vibrant market are of Shillong that is a mix of the traditional and modern markets of Shillong and we get to see various shops and small stalls by the local vendors here in Police Bazar. If you are a street food lover then a visit to the Police Bazar area in Shillong in the evening is a must. We witness a unique betting game of the Shillong Teer here at the various betting shops where the locals bet on certain numbers and the winning number is decided by the traditional Archers who shoot across at dashboards at the Shillong Polo grounds and the number with the highest number of strikes becomes the winning number of the day. We will also visit the Ward’s lake area in Shillong that is a prime tourist attraction in the heart of Shillong city and the place is surrounded by cherry blossom trees all around and we take a short walk across the lake and savour a cup of coffee at the restaurant here. After this we retire to our guest house that is located nearby and call it a day. Night Halt: Guest House at Shillong Meals Included: Breakfast Day 6: Shillong – Kaziranga National Park Today we will bid adieu to Shillong – the Scotland of the East to begin on our drive back to Assam to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kaziranga National Park – Home to the largest population of the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros. We will make a stop at the Don Bosco Museum in Shillong before heading out on our drive towards Barapani and further to Kaziranga National Park. We start our day after breakfast and we check out of the guest house to start on our drive to the Mawlai area at the outskirts of Shillong where the Don Bosco museum is located. One of the finest museums in North East India, the Don Bosco Museum illustrates the rich culture, heritage and traditions of the indigenous people of North East India. We approach the museum and the vehicle drops us at the museum entrance and it goes to the parking area while we begin our exploration of the Don Bosco museum from the ground floor where there is a long corridor leading to the main museum block and this corridor on each side of its walls has on display the pictures of the various indigenous people of North East India dressed in their traditional attires and jewellery and in their local villages. North East India is home to over 200 indigenous tribes and their sub tribes who are spread across the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Agartala. The ancestors of these people migrated from far off lands north of Asia and South East Asia and they had ventured out in search of greener pastures for agriculture and hunting. They entered North East India across Myanmar and settled themselves along the river banks as they found the soil to be very fertile and adept for agricultural purpose and also the virgin forest covers of North East India provided to be a perfect source for hunting of animals. Over the years they started to grow their our farmlands and settled themselves in the region with the sub tribes migrating across the other parts of the region and settling themselves there and this is what made the region to be inhabited with people with Asian looks. Over the years they adapted to the modern way of life and they started to leave the occupation of farming and got engaged in modern services and business. Yet many of these people stayed back in their villages and practiced agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing, handicrafts and handloom weaving as their occupations and keeping their age old traditions alive and these factors can be seen on display here at the Don Bosco Museum in Shillong. At the ground floor there is a souvenir section that has on display and for purchase various traditional items sourced from the artisans of Meghalaya and one can buy these to carry home as a memoir of your visit to Meghalaya. We start our exploration of the Don Bosco Museum and begin exploring one floor after another and we admire the rich traditions and culture of the indigenous people of North East India. There are huge display rooms with model replicas of the indigenous people with their distinct face cuts and body architecture all adorned in their traditional attires and jewellery. There are interactive stations at the entrance of the rooms where you can view videos of these people in their traditional villages and leading their way of life. Certain of the display rooms depict their various tools and equipments used for agriculture, hunting, fishing and weaving of handicrafts and handlooms and we admire these various artefacts and later head on top of the museum where there is a skywalk that provides visitors an opportunity to get an aerial view of Shillong city and with this we wrap up our visit at Don Bosco Museum in Shillong and start on our drive to Kaziranga National Park. We reach the viewpoint at the Barapani area and we stop here to admire the beauty of the Umiam Lake at Barapani – the largest artificial water reservoir in North East India. The crystal clear waters here leaves you spell bound and the sky horizon view is amazing as well. There are options of boating on the lake as well at the Umiam Sports Complex area but in the interest of time we will skip this and instead head on our drive to Kaziranga National Park. We cross Barapani to drive towards Nongpoh and this is a downhill drive and so you can enjoy the drive admiring the beautiful roads and landscapes around you. At Nongpoh we make a stop for tea and refreshments and continue on our drive to enter Assam at Jorabat and proceed on our drive to Jagiroad crossing Sonapur. We drive towards Raha and we stop here at a local shop of handicrafts where we get to witness the various crafts of bamboo and cane on display and purchase here. The artisans of Assam are very well adept in weaving various items from bamboo and cane and they make furniture’s, stools, tables, wall hangings, flower vase, tumblers, fishing traps, musical instruments, etc. out of bamboo and these arts and crafts of Assam are renowned across the World mostly for their finish and durability as well. We admire the handmade bamboo handicrafts and there are miniature models of various items and the most attractive ones are the fish traps and you can buy these as a memoir of your visit Assam and gift these bamboo crafts to your friends and relatives. We soon approach the Nagaon Bypass and here we will stop for lunch at the Anuraag Dhaba that is a favourite stop for food and the place serves a sumptuous Assamese thali with various offerings along with a choice of meat or fish. We savour our lunch at the Anuraag Dhaba and start on our drive again to approach Kaziranga National Park after crossing Koliabor and Jakhlanbandha. The beautiful tea gardens of Assam greet us on our approach to Kaziranga National Park and on the right side are the lush green mountains of the Karbi Anglong Hills. We drive towards the approach of the first range of Kaziranga National Park at Burapahar and this is where jeep safari rides to the interiors of the Kaziranga National Park are conducted. We cross Burapahar to drive towards the Western range of Kaziranga National Park and along the way there is a view point where one can spot the flagship species of Kaziranga National Park – the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros. We stop here and get a chance to catch our first glimpse of the Indian Rhinoceros of Kaziranga National Park. There will also be the presence of the Hog Deers, Asiatic Wild water Buffaloes and various other bird species as well. We admire this beast from a distance today as we will get an opportunity of sighting them up close on our Elephant safari ride the next morning. With this we drive to the Bagori range of Kaziranga National Park where we will visit tomorrow for our elephant ride and we approach the Kohora area of Kaziranga National Park that is the main market area. At Kohora we will first visit the Kaziranga Orchid Park – the largest Orchid park in India. The Kaziranga Orchid Park displays the various indigenous orchid species of Assam and North East India. Across India there are about 1800 varieties of orchids and North East India is home to around 1200 varieties mostly due to the dense vegetation across the forest pockets of the area. The green house at the Kaziranga Orchid Park displays these orchid species that have been sourced from various parts of Assam and North East India. The orchids are well planted in rows and can be easily identified as the scientific and local names are mentioned along each of the species here at the Kaziranga Orchid Park. We explore the green house of the Kaziranga Orchid Park accompanied by an able local guide who explains to us about the various orchid species present here along with the steps and initiatives that are being taken to harbour more species at the park. We wind up our visit at the green house and continue to visit the section of handlooms and handicrafts at the Kaziranga Orchid Park. This section depicts the various artisans weaving on the traditional loom of Assam and also the section of bamboo and cane handicrafts as well. The items of handicrafts kept on display here are not like the ones you will find available in the markets but instead these are very rare and old to find including the various handmade traditional musical instruments of Assam along with the fishing traps used in traditional fishing techniques. We will visit the section of the traditional looms that will give us an idea of how the local weavers make exquisite handlooms with the artistry of their bare hands on these looms that are built with wood and iron. In the weaving process of these handlooms everything is done from scratch from collecting cotton or the silk fibre from the silk worms and these are processed into threads and later woven out into exquisite fabric products of mekhela chadors, stoles, etc. Next up we explore the orchid gallery that displays the pictures of various species of orchids found in North East India and here we are guided by a differentially abled person who moves in a wheel chair and his knowledge about the orchid species is indeed mazing. We proceed further to the rice museum at the Kaziranga Orchid Park that depicts the various rice varieties found across Assam and North East India. Rice is a staple diet in the cuisine of Assam and the eastern part of India and local people prefer to eat rice in all their three meals. So various rice varieties are grown depending on the soil conditions and all these species can be seen here at the Kaziranga Orchid Park. Next up we head to the souvenir display section at the Kaziranga Orchid Park and here there are several items for purchase including homemade pickles, freshly sourced tea and pepper from the gardens around Kaziranga National Park and other souvenirs as well. We explore more of the Kaziranga Orchid Park and finally assemble at the stage area to witness the demonstrations of the various traditional dance performances of Assam including the Bihu dance. Young boys and girls dressed in traditional attires and carrying the traditional musical instruments gather across the stage area of the Kaziranga Orchid Park and they demonstrate two dances viz. the bamboo dance and the colourful Bihu dance of Assam and at the end of the performance the audience is also invited on stage to perform these dances. With this we will wind up our visit at the Kaziranga Orchid Park and head to our place of stay at Kohora area in Kaziranga National Park. As we have an early morning tomorrow and a long one as well as we will drive back to Guwahati airport after our safari we will retire early to bed after dinner. Night Halt: Bon Habi Resort at Kaziranga or Similar Meals Included: Breakfast Day 7: Kaziranga National Park – Guwahati Airport Today our day begins early in the morning when we wake up to go for our Elephant Safari ride (Bagori range for Indian Nationals and Kohora range for Foreign Nationals). We start on our drive to the respective range and at the entrance counters we will collect the passes and proceed on our hour long elephant back ride to sight the varied flora, fauna and avifauna of Kaziranga National Park. The elephant ride takes us up close to the Rhino specie and we can admire them from a close distance. Also as you are on top of an elephant back you can get an aerial view of the forest reserves of Kaziranga National Park. The elephant ride however doesn’t take you deeper into the forest reserves of Kaziranga National Park and for that we will go on our jeep ride to spot more species. We will head to our resort for breakfast and later go for our jeep ride into the interiors of Kaziranga National Park. We will go for the jeep ride at the central range of Kaziranga National Park at Kohora and here we get to witness more number of animals and bird species as well as we will travel deeper into the interiors of Kaziranga National Park. We will spot more rhinos, wild elephants, wild water buffaloes, hog deers, swamp deers, wild boars, jungle fowls, Assamese macaques and if our luck favours us here we might be able to sight the tigers of Kaziranga National Park as well. Our jeep ride will last for about an hour and half and we will come back to our place of stay to freshen up and pack our luggage and board our vehicles for the drive to Guwahati airport. The drive will take us about 5 hours and we will arrive at the Guwahati airport. We will have our lunch on the way and finally arrive at the airport by later afternoon to catch you early evening flight to your onward destination/home. We drop you at the Guwahati airport and thereby our tour of Chandubi, Cherrapunji, Mawlynnong, Dawki, Shillong and Kaziranga National Park comes to a glorious end! Tour ends. Bid Adieu! Night Halt: NA Meals Included: Breakfast

Cherrapunji ~ the Land of Waterfalls and Pristine Landscapes ~

Cherrapunji also called as Sohra (the Shade of Clouds) is the Local Khasi Language is region of great scenic beauty, a panorama of lush undulating hills, heather covered slopes, land of orchids, meandering rivers, waterfalls, caves, sparkling mountains streams, gorges and beautiful ravines.

Cherrapunji is situated at a height of 1,300 meters (4,290 feet) above the mean sea level, and is noted for its enormous rainfall which occurs between June and the middle of October and averages of 1, 143 centimeters (4500 inches). Cherrapunji is considered to be the Second Wettest Place on Planet Earth after Mawsynram in Meghalaya. Cherrapunji is the traditional capital of the Nongkhlaw hima (Khasi tribal chieftainship constituting a petty state) known as Sohra or Churra.

History of Cherrapunji ~

Cherrapunji has a rich historical heritage and was the first British out post in the NorthEast of India. David Scott, the political agent of the East India Company came to the Khasi Hills in 1820s and called it ‘Cherra’ Station and made it the official headquarter of the British Raj in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills.

The Welsh Calvinistic Presbyterian Church started its firm base for Christianity from here. They started their first school at Mawmluh, Mawsmai and Sohra and have their Mission Compound at Nongsawlia with church still exist since its first construction by the first missionary. Adjacent to this heritage building stand stills such as ‘Thomas Jones school Mission and Evangelism formerly known as Cherra Theological College and other bungalows since missionary’s period’.

The Catholic Mission situated at Cherrapunji has dismantled the old shrine and rebuilt the new one on the same place with the same structure of the Church of Vatican City. Ramakrishna Mission whose ideal of serving mankind set foot on these hills having one big school at Cherrapunji and the Ashram is opened for the public especially those Hindu devotees to come and worship.

Cherrapunji Climate and Best time to Visit ~

Cherrapunji has a mild subtropical highland climate with monsoonal influences of India. The city’s yearly rainfall average stands at 11,777 millimetres (463.7 in). Cherrapunji receives both the southwest and northeast monsoonal winds, giving it a single monsoon season. It lies on the windward side of the Khasi Hills, so the resulting orthographic lift enhances precipitation. In the winter months it receives the northeast monsoon showers that travel down the Brahmaputra valley. The driest months are November, December, January and February.

Temperatures average 11.5 °C (52.7 °F) in January and 20.6 °C (69.1 °F) in August, and the annual mean is 17.3 °C (63.1 °F).

Cherrapunji is frequented by tourists from across the World throughout the year. The best time to visit is around the year. However, the onset of monsoons in the Cherrapunji is during the months of July thru September. It pours continuously during that period and it makes an ideal time to witness the grandeur of the Tallest Plunge Waterfalls in India at the Nohkalikai Falls and the Seven Sister Falls. Winters in Cherrapunji are very cold and hence adequate clothing should be carried to stay warm. During the rainy season, rain coats are compulsory to tread along Cherrapunji to visit the Double Decker Living Root Bridges.

Cherrapunji Culture ~

The locals living in and around Cherrapunji are known as Khasis. It is a matrilineal culture. After the wedding, the husband of the youngest daughter goes to live with his wife’s family, who own the property of the family, while others live on their own getting a bit of the share. The children take on the surname of the mother.

Cherrapunji is also famous for its living bridges. Over hundreds of years the people in Cherrapunji have developed techniques for growing roots of trees into large bridges. The process takes 10–15 years and the bridges typically last hundreds of years, the oldest ones in use being over 500 years old.

How to Reach Cherrapunji ~

The town of Cherrapunji in Meghalaya is located at a distance of approximately 150 kilometers from the city of Guwahati in Assam (approx 6 hours by road from Guwahati Airport). The distance from the capital city of Meghalaya i.e. Shillong is aprrox. 60 kilometers. However, the terrain makes the drive slow and it takes approximately 3 hours to reach Cherrapunji from Shillong. Roads conditions are excellent and the view of landscape during the drive is simply breathtaking!

The best option to reach Cherrapunji is to arrive at Guwahati Airport/Railway Station and drive to the Cherrapunji. We arrange your transport from the Airport to the National Park with an experienced local who will guide you with the important facts of the region during the journey.

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So why wait?! Plan your visit to Cherrapunji ~ the Shade of Clouds, the State of Meghalaya, Incredible India!

Contact us: 

EMAIL: info@jungleideas.com

Phone: +91 7086009708

+91 8752960828

Website: www.jungleideas.com

Exploring Cherrapunji ~

Our student group from Chennai who were on an outdoor learning experience across Meghalaya had the opportunity to explore Cherrapunji for 2 days and we will narrate about our visit on this elaborate information about the various popular tourist destinations near Cherrapunji. The Itinerary for this outdoor learning experience was designed as mentioned below: Day 1: Guwahati – Shillong Day 2: Shillong – Mawphlang – David Scott Trek – Cherrapunji Day 3: Cherrapunji local sightseeing Day 4: (Double Decker Root Bridge Trek) Cherrapunji – Nongriat – Cherrapunji Day 5: Cherrapunji – Pynursla (Longest Root Bridge Trek) – Mawlynnong Day 6: Mawlynnong – Shillong Day 7: Shillong – Guwahati The Itinerary was a mix of adventure, landscapes, sight-seeing’s and learning about the Khasi culture of the people of the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya as we can see we have kept more of explorations around Cherrapunji on this Itinerary and even the trek to the Nongriat Village where we would have the opportunity to witness the Bio-Engineering marvel of the Jinkieng Nongriat Double Decker Living Root Bridge here in Meghalaya. At the cleanest village of Mawlynnong we will get to explore the culture and heritage of the Khasi people of Meghalaya and get to savour traditional cuisine and also learn about to live in a homestay as a part of this outdoor learning experience as well. The student group along with their Chaperones arrived at the LGBI airport at Guwahati and from the airport we started on our drive towards Shillong in Meghalaya and breakfast would be served to the group along the way to Nongpoh and until the time we reached Nongpoh we served the group with some light snacks and fruit juice packs and we crossed Guwahati to travel towards Khanapara and further to Burnihat to enter the state of Meghalaya. Meghalaya is one the Seven Sister States of North East India and this is a blessed land when it comes to bounties of nature and the state is home to numerous waterfalls, caves, monoliths, majestic landscapes and valleys, pleasant weather, warm hearted people and the Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya. Cherrapunji was earlier known as the Wettest place on Planet Earth as it recorded the highest rainfall anywhere in the World but it lost this title to another place in Meghalaya called as Mawsynram and Cherrapunji is the Second Wettest place on Earth. We were all travelling together in a 26 seater tempo traveller vehicle and we soon approached the Nongpoh area in Meghalaya and we stopped here for our breakfast at the Excellencia Dhaba. This place at Nongpoh in Meghalaya serves hot and fresh meals to visitors on their way from Guwahati to Shillong. We took about 45 minutes stop here for enjoying our breakfast and after breakfast we started on our drive to travel to Shillong – the Scotland of the East and the state capital of Meghalaya. We soon reached the Barapani area and the beautiful waters of the Umiam Lake welcomed us here and the Umiam Lake is the largest artificial water reservoir in North East India. This lake was commissioned in the year 1960 as a part of the power generation plan and the Umiam Dam was constructed over the lake in 1965 and this dam has allowed this lake to become one of the other top tourist destinations in Meghalaya. Near the Umiam Lake there is a sports complex where visitors can have the option to go for boating, Kayaking, water scooter rides, etc. and there is an island on this lake as well called as the Lumpongdeng Island and this is where guests can also avail the option of staying on the Umiam Lake houseboat. There is also the Orchid lake resort that is operated by the Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and this is one of the very premier stay options around Meghalaya. Overlooking the Umiam Lake at Barapani is the Ri Kynjai – Serenity by the Lake as well that is arguably one of the finest stay options across North East India and this place is indeed the Serenity by the Lake. In the interest of time we did not make a stop at the Umiam Lake and instead we simple admired the crystal clear waters and the beauty of the lake from the vehicle itself and we continued on our drive to Shillong city and we travelled to our place of stay at Shillong at the Laban area. Our accommodation was booked at the Nalgare’s Guest House in Shillong and we soon reached the place and I helped the student group check into their rooms here and the lunch would be served at the ground floor of the Nalgare’s Guest House in Shillong. The place was booked completely for us and so once the group had freshened up we gathered for lunch here and post lunch there was an interactive session with the students where they got to understand about the details of this outdoor learning program and also we understood their expectations from the program. Post our discussion we boarded our vehicles and we started on our drive to the Police Bazar area in Shillong that is the most vibrant market areas of Shillong and here we would allow the group sometime to explore the place on their own and later we would go to explore the Ward’s Lake are in Shillong. The Police Bazar is a beautiful place where one gets to witness the blend of the traditional and the modern World here in Shillong. The Police Bazar is a very beautiful market area where one gets to see the various traditional produce that is brought in by the local farmers and they sell it here. The student group noted a very unique pepper that was put up on sale and they were not aware that it was the Bhut Jolokia (one of the hottest peppers in the World) and so they were really surprised and they screamed in excitement when they came to know what this was. We were to see more of such local produce across the markets of Cherrapunji and we would also have the opportunity to explore the Cherrapunji weekly market as well that will show us the various organic produce that are grown across the villages of the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya. The another noteworthy thing to be seen at the Police Bazar in Shillong is that of the counters of the ancient betting game of Shillong Teer that is basically a gambling game based on shooting of arrows and everyday people come to bet on certain numbers of the day at these counters and in the afternoon at the Polo Grounds in Shillong, this unique traditional archery game is held where the archers shoot at a spinning board that has the numbers of the day and the number with the highest number of hits becomes the winning number of the day and the winner gets an amount much bigger to the bet amount he places. This is the ancient game of Shillong Teer and this gambling game is famous across the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya and one can find such counters across Shillong, Cherrapunji and many other places in this district. We took some time to explore the vibrant market of Police Bazar and later we started on our short hike from the Police Bazar area in Shillong to the Wards Lake because the group wanted to take a hike as the place was very beautiful with the growth of tall pine trees and the cherry blossoms. The hike took us about 15 minutes and we reached the Ward’s Lake area and this would be our last place of exploration for the day because we had to return back to our place of stay before the evening and we entered the premises of the Ward’s Lake that is one of the most prominent tourist locations in Shillong. This Ward’s Lake was commissioned by the then Commissioner of Assam General Ward as he found out that the prisoners of the Central Jail in Shillong were putting on weight without having much work to do and so he ordered them to dig this lake and the lake was named as the Ward’s Lake and this place served as the recreational grounds of the members of the British officials who were posted at the then capital of Assam (combined of all the seven sister states) here at Shillong. Today the Ward’s Lake draws not only tourists to the place but also the various locals who come here for their evening walks and to spend some time in calm. The lake is located in the heart of Shillong city and there is provision for boating on paddle boats here at the Ward’s Lake and also there is a small coffee shop and restaurant as well that served guests with various snacks and coffee. We allowed the students about an hours’ time to explore the Ward’s Lake and later we went back to the Guest House for night halt. Dinner was served at 7PM at the Guest House and everyone gathered for dinner and they had some thought exchange and reflection for the day and later we called it a day. Night Halt: Nalgare’s Guest House in Shillong Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Day 2: Shillong – Mawphlang – Cherrapunji Today was a long day as we would at first travel to Mawphlang and then go for a 16km trek and then travel to Cherrapunji to reach by early evening. We started the day after an early breakfast at 7AM and at 7.30 we left Shillong to travel to Upper Shillong and further to Mawphlang. We reached Mawphlang at around 8.30AM and at first we went to explore the Khasi Hills sacred groves at Mawphlang. At Mawphlang we were welcomes by our local guide who would take us on a short hike across the sacred groves and further accompany us on the David Scott Trek from Mawphlang to Lad Mawphlang. These Khasi Hills sacred grove are sacred forest pockets across Meghalaya that are considered to be sacred by the local Khasi people of Meghalaya and in the olden days various rituals used to be performed inside the forests to appease the Gods for a year of bountiful harvest. The primary occupation of a majority of the population of Meghalaya is agriculture and it is believed that after the proper rituals, God would appear in front of the people in the form of a tiger to represent a year of bountiful harvest or as a snake in case of a famine and so the local people had to prepare themselves accordingly for the coming year. The rituals were performed on sacred stones called as Monoliths and this can be seen inside the forest pockets. The guide told us that no acts of nuisance is to be committed inside these forest pockets including felling of trees for firewood and this has led these forests to harbour some of the most diverse species of flora and fauna and there are many rare species of animals to be found inside the Khasi Hills sacred groves at Mawphlang and many plants as well that are known to have medical properties including ones that can be used to cure cancer. We walked across the place and shortly we came out of the sacred groves and went to visit the Khasi Heritage village at Mawphlang. The model Khasi heritage village at Mawphlang details the culture and traditions of the Khasi people of Meghalaya and there are model houses here and kitchens that depict the Khasi way of living. This Khasi heritage village was built as a part of the festivities of the Monolith festival that was used to be held at Mawphlang earlier and this was a way to depict the culture and traditions of the local people of Meghalaya to the World. The Monolith festival was scheduled to be Meghalaya’s answer tot eh Hornbill Festival of Nagaland but due to certain challenges this festival is no longer held. We walked across the model Khasi heritage village at Mawphlang and later we boarded our vehicles to travel to a local village near Mawphlang from where we would embark on the David Scott Trail trek. This was also the place where our local guide stayed and after everyone used the restrooms we handed everyone the packet lunch and the tetra pack fruit juices and everyone refilled their water bottles and we started on our trek on the David Scott trek while the vehicle left us and headed on their way to Lad Mawphlang were they would pick us up later once the trek ended. We started on our guided trek and this is one of the most pristine trek routes across Meghalaya and this was discovered and established as a trade route by a British Official named as David Scott and hence the name David Scott trail trek and this used to serve as an important trade route across India and Bangladesh where goods from Assam were transported to Sylhet and this used to be a track of mules and the donkeys. We approached the beautiful valley view here and the lush landscapes around was breathtaking and the river Umiam was flowing alongside the valley as well. We started on the trek and crossed the beautiful places led by the guide and along the way we reached a river crossing where we stopped for lunch and then we reached a beautiful local village where we stopped for refreshment’s and finally we completed the trek and came out at the Lad-Mawphlang area. Here we were greeted by the beauty of the Mawkdok Valley and the vehicle was waiting to pick us up and soon we started on our drive to Cherrapunji from Lad-Mawphlang. We soon approached Cherrapunji and we went to check into our place of stay at the Sohra Plaza Homestay area and here we would be staying for the next 3 nights and upon arrival snacks was kept ready for the group and everyone enjoyed their snacks at first of French fries and veg pakoras and later everyone went to freshen up and to assemble for dinner at 7PM at the dining hall of the Sohra Plaza Homestay. Post dinner there was an interactive session across the bonfire and everyone spoke about the reflection for the day and later retired to their rooms to prepare for the next day of exploration of Cherrapunji. Night Halt: Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Evening snacks and Dinner Day 3: Cherrapunji Today we were all set up explore the beautiful sight-seeing locations around Cherrapunji – the land of pristine waterfalls, caves, beautiful landscapes, amazing people and the Living Root Bridges. We gave the students a day of leisure after a hard day of trekking yesterday and we planned to start our day at around 9AM and breakfast was served at 8AM and post breakfast we started on our drive to the Nohkalikai Falls that is located about half an hour drive from the place of stay and this is across the beautiful landscapes of Cherrapunji. The drive would remind a person of the beautiful landscapes of Scotland that we must have either seen in the movies or the television shows and we soon reached the site of the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji. This is the tallest plunge waterfall in India where the waters drop from a height of 340m to the base and the landscapes around the waterfall is completely green and the water forms a green coloured pool at the base. The Nohkalikai Falls in Cherrapunji is called as a plunge waterfall because the waters from the various perennial streams around Cherrapunji come to the top of the plateau of the waterfall and here the waters get collected and they fall down collectively as one waterfall and hence it is called as a plunge waterfall. The place looks absolutely breathtaking and everyone admired the grandeur of the tallest plunge waterfall in India here at Cherrapunji. After everyone clicked their pictures we set out to explore the area across the parking of the Nohkalikai Falls and across the place there are numerous small stalls setup by the local vendors that sell fresh produce that are sourced from the local forests around Cherrapunji like black pepper, cinnamon sticks, home-made pickles, various fruits, etc. and one thing that is a must try is the pineapples of Cherrapunji that are one of the sweetest pineapples one can find. Everyone tried the freshly cut and served pineapples of Cherrapunji and they loved it and few of the student made a purchase of the spices to carry back home and post our exploration of the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji we started on our drive to the next destination for the day viz. the Mawsmai Caves at Cherrapunji and the drive took us around 20 minutes and we approached the site of the Mawsmai caves at Cherrapunji. The Mawsmai cave is pre-historic cave that is opened for public viewing here at Cherrapunji. Meghalaya is home to over 3,000 caves and out of this only around 50% of the caves have been explored and only a few are opened to tourists for public viewing and two of these caves are at Cherrapunji viz. the Mawsmai Cave and the Arwah cave. Another cave opened for exploration is the Tyrna Elaka Ecotourism cave that is again a less frequented one unlike the Mawsmai and Arwah Cave in Cherrapunji. The Krem Puri near Mawsynram in Meghalaya is the longest limestone cave in the World as well and the Mawjymbuin cave at Mawsynram is visited by thousands of devotees every year because of the presence of a natural Shivalinga inside the cave and this becomes a very popular pilgrim destination during the Shivaratri festival. We set out to explore the Mawsmai caves in Cherrapunji and here we had to pay our entrance fees and this source of revenue collection is a way of livelihood of the people of Cherrapunji as tourism as an industry has a lot of potential and along with drawing visitors it draws with them the currency as well and this allows a place to sustain itself. Meghalaya is known for its various tourist destinations and these places have built an entire economy based on tourism and many people are sustaining themselves with the money brought in by the tourists not only here in Cherrapunji but many other locations across Meghalaya and North East India. The Mawsmai Cave in Cherrapunji is a very big cave to explore but only a part of this cave is opened to tourists for exploration and the interiors of the cave are well lit that allows visitors to have a good glimpse of the various rock formations inside the cave and also the fossils along with the stalactites and stalagmites. This cave in Cherrapunji is slightly narrower when compared to the Arwah Cave but still a great place to explore to learn about the pre-historic species that inhabited planet Earth millions of years ago. We entered the cave from one entry and later we started to explore the Mawsmai Cave and we came out of another exit from the cave and this exit took us across a beautiful green cover of forest and we came out after exploring the Mawsmai Cave in Cherrapunji. We explored the landscape around the place for some time and there are benches across the place and we sat there for some time and next up we went to explore the Seven Sister Falls at Cherrapunji. The Seven Sister or the Mawsmai Falls is another very interesting waterfall here in Cherrapunji and this is a segmented waterfall and there are seven distinct falls at the place and hence the name Seven Sister Falls. Unlike the Nohkalikai Falls in Cherrapunji, the waters from the stream on top of the Seven Sister Falls do not at first accumulate and instead they fall off directly from the top and hence this is why this is called as a segmented waterfall. Apart from the beauty of the Seven Sister Falls, visitors can also admire the beautiful view of the landscapes across this falls and there is a valley here and crossing it one can view the plains of Bangladesh as Meghalaya shares a strategic border with Bangladesh. We stood there and admired the grandeur of the Seven Sister Falls at Cherrapunji and we could spot many houses under the valley and we wondered as to how the people come up all the way to access the local market here in Cherrapunji. Next up we went to have our lunch at the Orange Roots Restaurant at Cherrapunji that is located near to our place of stay and we had planned on having South Indian speciality of Dosa for lunch for our group and so we visited this place that is known to serve special vegetarian meals to its guests and the place in Cherrapunji is known to serve delicious South Indian meals as the owner of the place is a retired banker from Tamil Nadu who also runs the Cherrapunji Holiday Resort that is one of the pioneers in the hospitality industry of Cherrapunji and the owner of the place is credited by making tourists aware of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat Village near Cherrapunji. We took our places at the Orange Roots restaurant and this place overlooks the beautiful valley views of Cherrapunji and the food here is served very fresh and one thing you will notice here that all the staff attending to the guests at the tables are women and even the operations are being run by a lady that tells us about the matrilineal structure of the Khasi society of Cherrapunji and Meghalaya. In the matrilineal system, the family lineage is taken from the mother’s side and the head of the household is the lady of the house and she is responsible for the day to day operations of the house and earns the livelihood for the family. The family property is transferred to the youngest unmarried daughter of the family and she is entrusted to take care of her aging parents and unmarried siblings. Even the bridegroom goes to the bride’s house after marriage and this is a very important way of living of the Khasi society. Therefore you will see the various ladies doing most of the jobs and running business establishments across Cherrapunji and Meghalaya and the women folks also hold various high posts in the administration departments and also politics of Meghalaya as well. We enjoyed our lunch here at the Orange Roots restaurant in Cherrapunji and post lunch we went to explore the final destination for the day at the Arwah Caves that is located a short drive away from the restaurant here in Cherrapunji. The Arwah caves is located atop a hill and it is from this hill that one can spot another waterfall of Cherrapunji that is the Wah Kaba Falls and one gets to view the undulating valleys of Cherrapunji from across the viewpoint of the Arwah Cave. We reached the parking spot and everyone got down from the vehicles and we set out to explore another of the pre-historic caves here in Cherrapunji and we made the purchase of our tickets and I hired the services of a local guide to take us inside the Arwah Caves in Cherrapunji and we have to walk for about 600m to reach the entrance of the cave. The pathway is very lush and green and we soon approached the cave and the details of this pre-historic cave are mentioned on huge signage’s that are present just at the entrance of the Arwah Caves in Cherrapunji. We went inside the cave and upon the entrance we could see the fossils of the pre-historic animals on the walls of the cave and later there is a stairway that takes you deeper into the cave. The Arwah Caves in Cherrapunji is a much wider cave when compared to the Mawsmai Cave and there is also a small stream flowing inside of the cave and we walked carefully with our guide leading the way inside the cave. The guide was carrying a powerful torch with him and he stopped at intervals to show us the various rock formations inside the cave and also the fossils along with the stalactites and stalagmites inside the Arwah caves in Cherrapunji. We went further inside this cave and the cave is well lit up to a certain point and post that there is not light and accessibility as well but there is a small passage inside the place that is a narrow pathway and the guide asked if anyone was interested to go inside this pathway and while a few students agreed to go some of us stayed back and the students went and came back shortly. We started on our hike back to the cave entrance that is also the exit of the Arwah Caves in Cherrapunji and soon we were out of the cave and we were out of the cave and we went to spend some time at the viewpoint area and later we returned back to our place of stay at Cherrapunji and evening snacks was served and dinner at 7PM post that the interaction session by the bonfire here at Cherrapunji. Night Halt: Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Evening Snacks and Dinner Day 4: Cherrapunji – Nongriat – Cherrapunji Today is one of the very important day of this educational learning program at Cherrapunji in Meghalaya as we were going to visit one of the wonders of the modern World that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site viz. the Jinkieng Nongriat Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat Village near Cherrapunji. This would be a very interesting Bio-Engineering marvel for the student group to witness and this is to be found nowhere else in the World. We would drive to the Tyrna Village area and here the vehicle would drop us and we would start on our hike to the Nongriat Village from Tyrna and we walk across a flight of steep 3500 stairs and further to reach Nongriat near Cherrapunji. Here we will also have the opportunity of sighting two sets of single decker Living Root Bridge as well. We started our drive early today as we had to return back to Cherrapunji from Nongriat after completing the trek and we left the place of stay at around 7.30AM to drive towards Tyrna Village and we crossed Cherrapunji town to travel to the area of an abandoned cement factory and further towards Tyrna village. The beautiful tranquil forests of Meghalaya welcomed us and we drove towards Tyrna area and we also got to view a beautiful waterfall along the way here at Cherrapunji. We met our local guide on the way who was waiting with our lunch at his brother’s restaurant and we picked him up along with another porter and we drove towards the parking area at Tyrna and we got down and at first we admired the grandeur and natural beauty of this place and later we started on our hike across a beautiful village and the stairway began and the guide led the way to Nongriat from Tyrna Village near Cherrapunji. One very nice thing about the villages not only near Cherrapunji but across the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya is the cleanliness of the villages and the local people take it as an everyday ritual to keep the premises of the village neat and clean and we could see this here and we will further see at Pynursla and at Mawlynnong that has earned the title of being the cleanest village of Asia. The stairs started to get steeper and narrower at the same time and we observed that the entire area is surrounded by lush green forest cover. We kept walking down the stairs and we reached a small shop at the place where we stopped to take rest for a while and here the landscape opens up and we can see the Nongriat Village near Cherrapunji at a distance and a beautiful waterfall as well. We started on the trek again and we walked slowly across the fleet of steep stairs down to the Tyrna Ecotourism Elaka and we soon completed the hike down the stairway and we reached another village here and after taking a short break we followed the guide and he led us to the set of Single Decker Living Root Bridge at the Tyrna Ecotourism Elaka near Cherrapunji. We reached the site of the Root Bridge and everyone was awestruck by the beauty of this naturally grown bridge near Cherrapunji and these bridges are unique to the Khasi and Jaintia people of Meghalaya. The idea of growing bridges and not building them came to the local people who wanted to end their sorrows of the monsoons where they had to cross the streams to go from one village to another to carry out their daily activities. They approached the local authorities to find a solution for them to cross the inundated streams in the monsoon season and as the villages were quite remote, the thought of building bridges across the streams was not a viable and economical option. This was when the Khasi community people realized that if they couldn’t build bridges they could surely grow bridges and they saw that the roots of the rubber trees that are found in abundance across the tropical forests around Cherrapunji and Meghalaya as well could be used to grow such bridges over the streams. These young rubber tree roots are tied up and they are allowed to grow in a particular direction over the water streams and they are provided direction by using hollowed out bamboo trunks or the areca tree trunks and the roots grow across from one side of the stream to another and it taken somewhere between 15 to 20 years for the roots to completely grow strong to allow the bridge over the stream. Once fully grown, the pathway across the bridge is built by placing wooden planks and stones over the root bridge and this complete the root bridge and these root bridges have a lifespan of over 500 years. These root bridges are a unique wonder in the World to view at Cherrapunji that has the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at the Tyrna Elaka. We admired the build of these root bridges and continued further on our trek to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat Village near Cherrapunji. We soon reached a hanging bridge and this is a very interesting bridge that is built using iron ropes and flat metal plates and it sways slightly when people cross the bridge and we planned a strategy to go 3 people at a time over the bridge and we easily managed to cross over this bridge. We approached a sacred grove area and finally we reached the Nongriat Village after crossing another suspension bridge and the various homestays at the Nongriat village near Cherrapunji welcomed us and we could see backpackers from around the World come here at Nongriat village near Cherrapunji to admire the grandeur of the Jinkieng Nongriat Double Decker Living Root Bridge. These backpackers who come to Nongriat near Cherrapunji stay at the place for a few days and they admire the beauty of the place and also explore more of the trek routes that are present across the place. We reached the spot of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge near Cherrapunji and the grandeur of this natural marvel was worth the long trek and we took our time to admire the grandeur of this living root bridge and this is the only unique Double Decker Living Root Bridge in the World and soon to be a triple decker root bridge as the guide showed us that another set of root bridge was being grown on top of this place. There is a provision to swim in the clear water pools of the stream flowing underneath the Double Decker Living Root Bridge and some of the members of the group changed themselves to the swimming clothes and they took time to go for a swim on the waters. The natural fish spa was enjoyed by the other students and after an hour we started on our trek back and we would stop for lunch at a small place nearby the Nongriat village near Cherrapunji. The porter and the guide took a lot of trouble to carry the lunch all the way from Tyrna village to Nongriat and they carried the luggage in their hands itself. The guide took the meal to a small restaurant and by the time we explored the Double Decker Living Root Bridge near Cherrapunji he had warmed the food and kept it ready in a buffet presentation and we were served the food on paper plates and plastic spoons and paper glasses and this turned out like a picnic for us and the food cooked was very simple and yet delicious and we enjoyed our meals and after resting for a while we started on our hike back towards Tyrna village from Nongriat village near Cherrapunji. We crossed the suspension bridge, sacred groves and the hanging bridge and finally we reached the local village where we stopped to hydrate ourselves as the weather in Cherrapunji in the month of September was quite humid. Post this we had to embark on the flight of 3500 stairs and this is the toughest part of this trek and we made a plan to walk slowly and take our time to reach on top at the Tyrna village and we were back to the top at around 2.30PM and we enjoyed our visit to the Double Decker Living Root Bridge near Nongriat village in Cherrapunji. The students were tired after the trek and also as today were the last evening at Cherrapunji we did not plan much and allowed them to rest at the hotel and prepare for the next day. Night Halt: Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Evening Snacks and Dinner Day 5: Cherrapunji – Pynursla – Mawlynnong Today was our final day at Cherrapunji and we would be checking out of our place of stay and drive towards another beautiful village of Pynursla crossing the beautiful valleys of Meghalaya where we will go for another short trek to visit the Longest Living Root Bridge at Pynursla and later we will go the cleanest village of Asia at Mawlynnong. We left Cherrapunji at around 8AM after bidding the members of the homestay a nice farewell for taking such good care of us during our stay here for three nights and we bid farewell to the majestic landscapes and waterfalls of Cherrapunji to begin on our drive to Pynursla. The beautiful Mawkdok Valley greeted us again and we had a grand glimpse of the valley here because the last time we couldn’t see the place properly as we came out at Lad Mawphlang and didn’t take the conventional route to Cherrapunji. We soon crossed the Mawkdok valley and we drove towards the Pynursla area and the entire undulating valleys of Meghalaya were truly mesmerizing. We reached Pynursla in sometime and we took a right diversion from the market area and we drove towards the village from where we would embark on our trek to the longest living root bridge. The vehicle dropped us at the entrance of the village and we met our local guide here who took us to the start point of the trek and here also was a stairway that led to the bottom where the Living Root Bridge is located and the steps here are wider and broader when compared to the ones at the trek from Cherrapunji to Nongriat. We gradually climbed down the stairs and the place is surrounded by the dense tropical forests of Meghalaya and we could hear the chirping of the crickets, insects and birds and we took about 20 minutes to reach the site of the longest living root bridge at Pynursla. This root bridge spans across a distance of more than 50 metres and the place is a less known tourist destination when compared to the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Cherrapunji. There is another root bridge alongside this longest root bridge and at present people are not allowed to walk across the longest living root bridge and to cross over the stream they had to go across the other bridge and the longest root bridge is mostly for the viewing of the tourists. This is another unique root bridge as when compared to the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat near Cherrapunji and we admired the grand build of another of the Bioengineering marvels of the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya. We clicked our pictures and started on our hike back to the top of the village. It took us about 30 minutes to reach the top and we assembled on top to admire the village and the rural life of Pynursla in Meghalaya. As mentioned earlier, the villages of Meghalaya are kept very neat and clean and all the villagers take it as their own responsibility to keep the premises of the place clean and there are dustbins made out of bamboo that are kept in front of each of the village homes and the members of the family keep the premises clean and put the thrash in the bin and this is later collected for disposal by the village community and keeping this in mind we started on our drive to Mawlynnong – the Cleanest Village in Asia. The drive took us about an hour to reach Mawlynnong and we reached the place at around 1PM just in time for lunch and lunch was prepared for us at the local restaurant owned by our local guide who would show us around Mawlynnong village and we took our seats after freshening up and everyone loved the presentation of the food. The food is cooked in a traditional Khasi cuisine that had rice, dal, chicken with sesame seeds, egg curry, papaya sabji, banana flower fry, salad, papad, pickle, etc. After enjoying the lunch everyone was allocated their homestays here at Mawlynnong village and they took their time to freshen up and we assembled back at the restaurant at 3PM and we would at first explore the cleanest village in Asia and later go to the site of the balancing rocks at Mawlynnong village. This village in Meghalaya was first dubbed as the cleanest village in Asia by the Discover India Magazine in 2003 and subsequently a documentary was released on BBC where it showed how the local people of Mawlynnong kept the premises neat and clean and there was a well-planned drainage system and people had toilets at their homes much ahead of the time when the toilet building scheme was introduced in the country. It was then that this place started to attract curious tourists slowly and across the years Mawlynnong has become one of the very famous and visited tourist’s destinations in Meghalaya and North East India after Cherrapunji. The main attraction that makes people come to visit Mawlynnong after their stay at Cherrapunji is because of the presence of the most easily accessible Living Root Bridge of Riwai that is a Single decker living root bridge and it is located just at the short walk of 10 minutes from the main road unlike the ones in Cherrapunji and Pynursla where one has to plan almost an entire day of trek to visit the Root Bridge and come back. The entire village community is based on tourism for a source of revenue generation and people are based on this tourism as a revenue source. Every day the people of the village get ready to welcome hundreds of tourists who come to explore the root bridge and later visit Mawlynnong to have their lunch and also to explore the cleanest village in Asia. Generally people leave Cherrapunji early in the morning to travel to Dawki – the land of the crystal clear waters of the Umngot River where visitors get the opportunity to enjoy clear water boating on the Umngot River and later they go to the border of India and Bangladesh at Dawki and they cross the border of India to reach at Pillar 1275 and then they come back and continue their journey to Mawlynnong from Dawki and the visit the Root Bridge and enjoy their lunch at Mawlynnong Village. Post lunch they travel to their onward destination at Shillong, Cherrapunji or even Guwahati and this way they ensure to make sure that they pay a visit at the major tourist destinations across Meghalaya. We went to explore the Mawlynnong village and we also visited the century old Cathedral here and later we boarded our vehicles to travel to the site of the balancing rocks at Mawlynnong village. This is a very interesting phenomenon where a large boulder rests atop a much smaller boulder. These balancing rocks at Mawlynnong village near Cherrapunji in Meghalaya are a unique natural phenomenon and this structure has been standing like this since long back and even major earthquakes have not been able to cause any damage to the structure. In the olden days, the Khasi ancestors used to consider these rocks to be sacred and various rituals used to be performed to appease the Gods for a year of bountiful harvest and save the people in case of any famine. Today this is however a tourist attraction and every day hundreds of visitors come to witness this unique phenomenon of the balancing rocks at Mawlynnong village near Cherrapunji. The students loved to witness this natural wonder and even though they were school children they got to calculation of science as to how these stone boulders could defy the laws of gravity and they got to place the numbers in equations that told me as to how sharp their minds were. We finished exploring the balancing rocks at Mawlynnong near Cherrapunji and we went back to the restaurant where we would learn about the traditional cooking preparations of the Khasi people of Meghalaya. The kitchen was a traditional one where cooking used to be done over firewood and there were no gas cylinders used for cooking. Though it was a traditional kitchen it was very spacious and the various organic ingredients were to be seen across the place that would be used to prepare the evening dinner. As dinner had to be served at 7.30PM so preparations began as early as 5PM to get everything ready on time. Today evening the chef would prepare a special chicken with banana flower recipe and various other vegetable offerings along with rice and roti and the students divided themselves into smaller groups and they went to the kitchen premises to seen how the food was being prepared over the wood fire and some of them even volunteered to help in the meal preparation be helping the staff to chop vegetables and do the cooking as well that turned out to be a great team building activity as well and the dinner was served to everyone at 7.30PM. While dinner was enjoyed our local guide had explained to the student group about the various attributes of the Khasi tribes and their ancestors and how they are divided into clans and sub clans and their ancient heritage. Everyone listened to him eagerly and the assured us that next day he would take us to visit the Oldest Khasi Hut at Nohwet Village that belonged to his grandparents and also we would explore the Riwai Living Root Bridge that is the widest among all the living root bridges across Meghalaya and Cherrapunji. We savoured our dinner and post dinner we had a session of bonfire and everyone enjoyed marsh mellows and chocolates and later we retired to our rooms for night halt and to prepare for our next day journey back to Shillong and we were on the last leg of this school education program across Cherrapunji and Meghalaya. Night Halt: Homestays at Mawlynnong Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, evening snacks and dinner Day 6: Mawlynnong – Nohwet – Shillong In the morning we gathered everyone at the restaurant and we set out to explore the cleaning activities that are carried out at Mawlynnong village every day in the morning where the members of the house clean the premises and put out the thrash in the bins and later the community people go across the households to collect the thrash and also clean the public areas and they carry the waste to segregate it into degradable and non-degradable waste. While the degradable thrash is used to prepare manure to be put in fields, the non-degradable plastic waste is stored and every once a week a truck will carry this to recycling plants in Shillong that will later be recycled. This is how the people of a village have managed to keep the place clean without having much education unlike the people in cities. Everyone admired how the people of the village worked in synchronization to keep the premises of Mawlynnong clean and later we went to have our breakfast at the restaurant. Post breakfast we packed our luggage and boarded it into the vehicle and we started on our drive to the site of the Riwai Single Decker Living Root Bridge and the vehicle dropped us at the parking spot and we started on our short hike across the place to reach the site of the Riwai Single Decker Living Root Bridge crossing another small and clean village. This trek took us just about 10 minutes and the students thanked that they did not have to work much this time to go to visit the Root Bridge and I must admit that they were real energetic students who gave all the requisite tasks that we had put up on this itinerary without much hurdles. We admired the grandeur of the Riwai Living Root Bridge and this root bridge is the widest among all the root bridges across Meghalaya and being easily accessible, this place draws hundreds of tourists every day. As we were there in the morning so there were not too many people around and so we had the place to ourselves to enjoy. The earlier plan was to trek from the Riwai Root Bridge to go to the Nohwet village. We came back from the Riwai Root Bridge and boarded our vehicle to travel to Nohwet village where we would see the oldest Khasi Hut at Nohwet village. The drive took us around 15 minutes and we reached another beautiful Khasi village and our local guide led the way and he took us to the site of the Oldest Khasi Hut that in fact belonged to him grandparents who passed away a few years back and this hut was transformed as a heritage site among the Khasi society and people come here to witness how the Khasi people lived in the olden days. It resembled the huts we had seen at the Khasi heritage village in Mawphlang but this time we could see the inside of the premises of this hut that was built with mud walls and thatch roof. Our guide showed us around and the explained to the group about the ancient Khasi heritage and lineage and we enjoyed listening to him and post this we went to visit the site of the Nohwet View point that is a huge bamboo tree house that overlooks the beautiful valleys of Meghalaya and the plains of Bangladesh and after admiring this we started on our drive to Shillong. We crossed Mawlynnong and continued on our drive to Pynursla on the same route we had taken when we came from Cherrapunji and we crossed the undulating valleys of the East Khasi Hills to reach Mylliem area near Upper Shillong where we stopped to have our lunch at the Soliyana Huts restaurant that is one of the very popular restaurants on the outskirts of Shillong that serves Indian, Chinese and Khasi traditional dishes. We wanted the group to savour a nice modern lunch as most of the days we were having local food itself and so we had pre-ordered our lunch at the place and we took our seats at the restaurant. We had just one place to explore in Shillong at the Don Bosco Museum before we went out to check into our hotel and so we had time in our hands today. We ordered a Chinese cuisine lunch that had fried rice, momos, noodles, chicken Manchurian and a nice soup and everyone loved the meal after a certain days and post lunch we started on our drive to travel to Shillong city where we went towards the Mawlai area to visit the Don Bosco Museum at Shillong. The Don Bosco museum is one of the finest museums across North East India that illustrates the rich traditions, culture and heritage of the indigenous people of the region. We entered the premises of the Don Bosco Museum and along the walls we could see the well framed pictures of the various indigenous tribes of North East India who were dressed in their traditional attires and they were in their local villages and engaged in some rural activity like handicrafts, handloom weaving, etc. and everyone admired the pictures and we reached the souvenir shop area here at the Don Bosco Museum in Shillong after our visit to Cherrapunji and we planned to come back to the souvenir shop in some time to buy a memoir of the student’s group visit to Meghalaya, Cherrapunji and North East India. The exploration states from two floors below the ground and there are a total of 7 seven floors at the Don Bosco museum with the top floor being a skywalk where we get a nice aerial view of the Mawlai area in Shillong city. Each of these floors at the Don Bosco Museum illustrates one aspect of the indigenous tribes of the region like one floor depicts the various tribes of the place and their traditional attires and other depicts their occupation and daily activities. This is a very modern museum and the use of technology is seen as the lights go out automatically where no one is in the room and comes back automatically on when someone enters the room. Also there are audio visual screens at the entrance of the rooms and in case anyone is interested they can listen to the various aspects about the life, culture, traditions, etc. about the indigenous people of North East India. We went across the museum for about an hour and later we came back to the souvenir shop in smaller groups and the students explored the various offerings here to buy to carry back home as a  memoir of their visit to Cherrapunji and Meghalaya. Some of the students had made a purchase of the various fresh natural spices at Cherrapunji and here they made a purchase of small souvenirs, wall hangings and Meghalaya tea and after this we bid farewell to the Don Bosco Museum to start on our drive back to the guest house in Shillong and we took them across a different route via Shillong city where we go to see the Shillong Golf course, Shillong Polo grounds and we came out across the Janata Bhawan and we reached the Laban area to check into our guest house here. The students took time to freshen up and as today it was the last day of this outdoor leaning educational program, we had allowed the group to have an evening at leisure and dinner would be served at the guest house itself and evening snacks of French fries and pakora was served to them and post this they had a discussion at the guest house. The students thanked us for organizing this tour safely for them and they also thanked the driver for driving them around safely and we all had our dinner at the Guest house and we retied to our rooms to prepare for our drive to Guwahati airport the next morning after our wonderful memory of exploring Cherrapunji and Meghalaya. Night Halt: Nalgare’s Guest House in Shillong Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Evening snacks and Dinner Day 7: Shillong – Guwahati Airport The flight was scheduled to leave the Guwahati airport at noon and so we had to leave from the place early because in case we got stuck at traffic signals at Guwahati we might not be able to reach the airport on time. We started after an early breakfast and at 7.30AM we left Shillong to continue on our drive to Guwahati. We admired the grand waters of the Umiam Lake from the place and we headed towards Nongpoh and further to the Burnihat area and we entered Guwahati city at Khanapara and we headed straight from Khanapara to Basistha Charali, Lokhra and Gorchuk and we continued via Boragan area to finally reach the Guwahati airport at 10AM with around 3 hours left for the flight time. We dropped the student group at the airport thereby ending this fruitful educational program across Cherrapunji and Meghalaya.

Exploring Cherrapunji with our guests from Bangalore: In April 2018, we had the opportunity of hosting our guests from Bangalore at Cherrapunji in Meghalaya and Mr Vivek and his family had expressed their interest to explore Assam and Meghalaya with us. Along with Cherrapunji we would take the opportunity to visit some of the other prominent tourist destination like Mawlynnong, Dawki, Shillong, Kaziranga National Park, Majuli Island and also the famed and revered temple shrine of Goddess Kamakhya located atop the Nilachal Hills in Guwahati on the day of their return to Bangalore. It was an itinerary that would span across 8D and 7N and we would have the perfect opportunity to explore some of the most wonderful gifts of nature at Cherrapunji that included the rolling mountains, the lush green valleys, the tall waterfalls, the mysterious caves and off course the grand man grown bio-engineering marvels of the Living Root Bridges at the Nongriat Village near Cherrapunji where we would go to visit the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat near Cherrapunji., We started on our journey to Cherrapunji from the LGBI airport at Guwahati and we would limit our discussion here just to Meghalaya itself as the context is relevant to Cherrapunji. We drove across Guwahati and we reached Khanapara area where we crossed further to travel to Jorabat and here we crossed along the border of Assam and Meghalaya to enter Meghalaya (the Abode of the Clouds) and soon the beautiful landscapes of Meghalaya welcomed us and we continued on our drive across Burnihat to travel to Nongpoh area in Meghalaya. The roads are four lane roads operated by NHAI and so the drive in amazing and we enjoyed the drive to reach Nongpoh where we stopped to have our late breakfast and it was at the Jiva’s veg Restaurant that is one of the most popular restaurants along the Guwahati Shillong road and it serves pure veg cuisine and as our guests were vegetarians they loved to halt here to have their meal. We enjoyed a meal of nice South Indian style breakfast and later we continued on our drive towards Cherrapunji via Shillong and we made our next stop at the Umiam Lake before Shillong that is a very beautiful man-made lake and this is also the largest artificial water reservoir in North East India. The Umiam lake was commissioned as a part of the power generation plant where a dam was built over the Umiam River in 1965 and this served to generate hydro-electricity and today this has become one of the very popular tourist attractions of Meghalaya on the way to Cherrapunji as the Umiam Lake has waters so crystal clear that any visitor on their drive to Shillong and Cherrapunji would love to halt here and get the opportunity to sight the beautiful waters here. There is also a sports complex area by the lake and also one of the very nice resorts operated by MTDC known as the Orchid lake resort is present and staying here is a great experience in itself. We took time to admire the beautiful view of the natural landscapes around Umiam Lake and later we continued back on our drive to Cherrapunji via Shillong wherein we would cross Shillong to travel to Upper Shillong where we would visit the Elephant Falls and continue on our drive to Cherrapunji. The Elephant falls is a very beautiful waterfall in the Upper Shillong area and we crossed Shillong city in sometime as there was no traffic the day being Sunday and also the afternoon time and so we easily crossed Shillong city to drive to Upper Shillong area. Shillong is the capital of Meghalaya and it is often referred to as the Scotland of the East. The British when they first came to Shillong found the landscapes of this place resemble that of Scotland and hence they named the city as the Scotland of the East and the British also declared Shillong as the state capital of then Assam that comprised of all the Seven Sister States combined together. Shillong city is a blend of the modern and the traditional World and you will get to witness this when you drive across the roads of Shillong and the city has a rustic charm to it. It is during the month of November where you get to witness the real beauty of Shillong when the cherry blossoms happen and the entire roads stretching from Shillong to Upper Shillong is filled with the cherry blossoms and it is a delight to witness this. We however travelled in April and so the cherry blossoms were not to be seen. We reached the elephant falls and we set out to explore this beautiful waterfall that is a 3 tiered waterfall that has a narrow part on top and gradually the waterfall tapers out and it becomes much wider when you go to witness the falls at the bottom that is a much grand one. We continued to explore the elephant falls that is called as the elephant falls as time was there was a rock boulder present here that resembled the shape of an elephant’s head and hence the name Elephant falls. This rock was however destroyed in the great earthquake of 1897. We admired the grand natural beauty of this elephant falls and soon we came back on top where there were stalls that allows guests to adorn the traditional Khasi costume and get their pictures clicked and the family’s son was interested in this and so he was allowed to wear this costume for a nominal price and we clicked our pictures and soon we started on our drive to Cherrapunji. Now the roads are not much wide yet in good condition and the traffic volume reduces and we could see the beautiful mountains of Meghalaya all around us and we continued on our drive towards the Mawkdok Valley area that would be our next stop that is a place that offers the grand valley views of Meghalaya and there is also the option of zip-lining here as well. We reached the Mawkdok valley and we admired the vast natural landscapes and this would be our last stop before we reached Cherrapunji and we also had black tea here and later we continued on our drive to Cherrapunji. Cherrapunji aka Sohra is often referred to as the Shade of Clouds and true to its description, the cloud cover ceases to leave the place. Cherrapunji was once the place that was the wettest place on planet Earth because Cherrapunji received the highest amount of rainfall recorded anywhere on Earth and it recently lost this title to another place in Meghalaya called as Mawsynram. We soon reached Cherrapunji and we stopped just at the entrance of the town to have our late lunch at the Orange Roots restaurant that is a pure veg restaurant that is known to serve delicious and hot meals to its guests. This is another restaurant that is known to serve delicious South Indian meals and you will get fresh Dosa cooked and served here. We enjoyed a meal of Dosa and we set out to explore our first sightseeing at Cherrapunji at the Nohkalikai Falls before we called it a day and went to check-in to our place of stay at Cherrapunji at the Sohra plaza Homestay. We drove across the Cherrapunji market area to the Ramakrishna Mission area and here we took a right diversion to travel to the site of the Nohkalikai Falls and the drive is across a beautiful landscape and we reached the parking area of the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji and we soon heard the falling waters of this beautiful waterfall here in Cherrapunji. The Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji is the tallest plunge waterfall in India and it has a height of 340m and it is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Cherrapunji. It is called as a plunge waterfall because the waters of the various perennial streams flowing across Cherrapunji come to the summit of this waterfall where the water gets collected in a plateau and later it falls down as one collective waterfall. The water falls down from the top and later forms a green colour water pool at the bottom and this is due to certain properties of light and the entire area across the waterfall is absolutely breathtaking. We went to the viewpoint area of the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji and here the family took time to click their pictures and also there is a unique folklore attached to the Nohkalikai Falls as the word Nohkalikai means the Leap of Ka Likai and it literally translates to a women jumping to her death from the cliff of this waterfall. This is a folklore associated by the ancient Khasi people of Cherrapunji where it is believed that there was a Khasi woman named as Ka Likai and she has a daughter from here first marriage in the olden times here at Cherrapunji but unfortunately her husband had died and so in order to take care of her growing daughter and also to take care of the responsibility of the household she had to remarry here at Cherrapunji. All went well but her new husband did not like the idea of her daughter from her first marriage and he wanted to get rid of her and so one day when Ka Likai had gone out to work, the husband killed the daughter and cooked her meat for dinner. When Ka Likai had come back from work and as she was very famished and so she quickly ate her dinner (not knowing it was her daughter’s meat she was eating) and after dinner she started looking out for her daughter but unfortunately she couldn’t fine her and even her husband was not ready to give her a proper answer. She went to the kitchen and later she found out her daughter’s fingers were wrapped up in a betel leaf and kept on one side of the kitchen and she was stuck with grief and not knowing what to do she ran out of her house and she came to the cliff of the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji and she jumped to her death here. This is why this waterfall in Cherrapunji is called as the Nohkalikai Falls. It was a gruesome story but then again you forget about the sadness of the tale when you see the lush green surroundings of the place in Cherrapunji. Across the area of the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji we saw various small stalls that are setup by the local Khasi women of Cherrapunji and these stalls sell some of the very fresh produce that are sourced from the forests of Cherrapunji and these include cinnamon sticks, turmeric, pepper, fresh fruits and various homemade pickles and items of décor as well. We tasted the pineapples here as the pineapples looked very inviting and these local women of Cherrapunji freshly cut the pineapples in front of your eyes and they mix it with salt and chilli powder and serve it to us and it was one of the sweetest pineapples we ever had and every one of us loved it and the family even bought some of the spices to be carried back home to Bangalore all the way from Cherrapunji in Meghalaya. The stalls are mostly run by the women folks of Cherrapunji because the Khasi society of Meghalaya follows a matrilineal society where in the family linage is taken from the mother’s side and the head of the household is a woman who is entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of her family including earning a livelihood. Hence when you travel across Shillong and Cherrapunji you will notice that most of the business establishments are run by women and the women also hold various high posts in the administrative and political scenario of Meghalaya as well. The family ancestory is passed on to the youngest daughter in the house and she is entrusted to take care of her aging parents and unmarried siblings. Even after marriage, the bridegroom goes to the house of the bridge and the stays along with the bride’s familu and this is a unique thing to be learnt about the matrilineal society of Cherrapunji and Meghalaya. We spent some time across the area of the Nohkalikai Falls and later we went to check into our hotel at Cherrapunji. Our stay was arranged at the Sohra Plaza Homestay that is located near the Orange Roots restaurant and crossing further the roads lead to the Saimika Resort at Cherrapunji and also two other pristine waterfalls of Cherrapunji viz. the Wei Sawdong Falls and the Dainthlen Falls. The Sohra Plaza is one of the very nice and budget stay accommodation at Cherrapunji and the place is cosy with 6 rooms and a nice restaurant and what makes us prefer this place for stay of our guests is the very good service of the homestay and the beautiful ambiance of the place. Thew next morning we were up early as it was a very special day for us here at Cherrapunji as we would be hiking today to travel from Tyrna village to Nongriat to sight the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Bio-engineering marvel of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat near Cherrapunji. We had our early breakfast at our homestay here at Cherrapunji and we started on our drive from the homestay to the Tyrna village. We crossed the beautiful valleys of Cherrapunji to reach the Cherrapunji market area and as it was early the shops were just opening up and we crossed the market to drive towards the Tyrna area and we crossed an abandoned cement factory on our drive and this indicated that there was presence of abundance of limestone in the Cherrapunji area and therefore the British had setup this big cement factory here but it was later abandoned and even today the factory follows the ancient British routine where a siren is sounded at regular intervals to mark the beginning and end of one particular shift for the workers here at Cherrapunji. We driver past this cement factory in Cherrapunji and soon the roads got narrower, and we had to drive carefully as it was a two way road and other vehicles kept coming from the Tyrna side and also the Sohbar area as well. We crossed the vast valleys of Cherrapunji and we got to see another beautiful waterfall area and soon we reached a sharp U-turn bend and we took this bend to drive towards the Tyrna village area and soon we reached the parking spot where we met up with our local guide here at Cherrapunji named Jerry and he assisted me to park the vehicle and soon we were all set to begin our trek to the Nongriat village from Tyrna to sight the bio-engineering marvel of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge. This trek is of a moderate challenge because there is a fleet of 3500 stairs that need to be crossed in order to reach Nongriat village and while climbing down this stairway is not much of a challenge, climbing back to the tip from Nongriat to Tyrna and further to Cherrapunji is a challenging task because we have to work against gravity. However, we were all excited to be able to sight the Double Decker Living Root Bridge and so we took up this challenge and led by our local guide we started on the trek to Nongriat. At the starting we approached a very beautiful local village, and it is a very neat and clean village filled with flowers and this is one thing that you will notice about the villages of Meghalaya that they are very neat and clean. Tomorrow on this itinerary we will be visiting Mawlynnong from Cherrapunji that is called as the cleanest village in Asia, and this is again another of the very beautiful villages to witness. We crossed the village and soon the stairway starts and at first it is across a flat pathway and there is a beautiful tropical forest to be seen all around and we crossed this forest gradually and all we can hear is the soulful chirping of insects and the birds. Soon we reached a spot where the stairs start to go down and there is a small shop here that sells chips, cakes and packaged water and soft drinks and we stopped here for a while to purchase packaged water and soft drinks and later we started on our hike again. From this spot we can view the Nongriat village on this tour of Cherrapunji and we can get a fair idea as to how long our trek is going to be and also we can see a beautiful waterfall here as well making us understand as to why Cherrapunji is called as the land of waterfalls. The trek down the stairway started and our guide told us to put our foot gradually across the stairs because if we put too much pressure then we might injure our tendons which was not desirable at all. The climb downstairs is not much of a problem and can be accessed easily and we were all anxious as to how tough it would be for us to come back the same stairway but our guide told us that it is not much of a challenge and this maybe to keep our morale going. But then again, the trek back would not seem to be a problem for him as he travels across the same path everyday guiding visitors from all around the World here in Cherrapunji. We could see some few local men walking up the stairway and they were carrying heavy load on their head, and we wondered as to how they managed to carry around so much of weight when were not being able to balance our body weight itself. Even though they were carrying such huge weight and walking up he stairs still they had a smile on their faces and they greeted us and wished us luck on our trek and we thought as to how happy these people from villages around Cherrapunji are because they might not have a lot of money and yet they were rich in their heart. Soon our trek down the stairs ended and we reached a spot where there are two road diversions and while the road straight leads to Nongriat, the road right leads to the Tyrna Elaka Ecotourism area. The guide told us that since we had come all the way and we are having the opportunity in hand to go and sight the Living Root Bridges of Cherrapunji we should not miss out the opportunity to sight these set of single decker Living Root Bridges and not just limit ourselves to sighting the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat near Cherrapunji and so we obliged to his words and we took the right diversion to travel to the Tyrna Ecotourism Elaka and our guide told us there is a cave area here as well and this cave it known to have the presence of bats. However, in the interest of time we did not plan on visiting the cave at the Tyrna Elaka Ecotourism area near Cherrapunji and also we would be going to explore two more caves in the afternoon time and so we just went to sight the set of single decker Living Root Bridges at Tyrna near Cherrapunji. There is a small village present here and we had to pay a nominal entrance fee of INR 10 per person to go and sight the single decker Living Root Bridges and we paid up and the guide took us to the place and after a short hike we reached the site of the Root Bridges. It was a grand moment for us to be able to spot the Living Root Bridges that are unique to Meghalaya and the Double Decker Living Root Bridge is at Nongriat near Cherrapunji is the only Double Decker Living Root Bridges in the World. The set of Single Decker Living Root Bridges near Cherrapunji got visible to us and it was indeed a majestic sight to behold. These Living Root Bridges of Cherrapunji and Meghalaya are a unique man grown bio-engineering marvel wherein these root bridges are not built and instead they are grown. The idea of growing such root bridges came to the local people of Cherrapunji when after repeated talks with the authorities, the local people of Cherrapunji couldn’t come up with a solution to cross the numerous streams and rivulets that are present across the various remote areas of Meghalaya. There are numerous such villages and the local people need to cross the streams and though it is easier to cross the streams in the winter season when the water is less it gets tough to cross these streams in the heavy monsoon season when the water currents are strong and the local people of the various villages remain cut off from the other villages. As these villages are very remotely located so the construction of brick and iron bridges was not feasible across these locations in Cherrapunji and so the local people came up with the ideas to grow bridges if they couldn’t build them and thus came the idea of the Living Root Bridges. The people found out that the roots of the rubber that are found in abundance across the tropical forests of Meghalaya are very strong and they would hold up to the weight of the people crossing over them and so they chose the young roots of the rubber trees and they tied them up and allowed them to grow in a particular direction above the perennial streams here at Cherrapunji. To provide direction to these young roots, they used hollowed out trucks of the areca nut trees and also the bamboo poles and this allowed the young roots to grow over from one end of the stream to another. To grow over completely, the roots would take around 15-20 years and once completely grown, these would last for almost around 500 years. To provide strength and a flat pathway across the root bridges of Cherrapunji, the local people used wooden planks and stones and thus a living rot bridge was ready, and it allowed people to cross over it. The unique thing about the Living Root Bridges of Cherrapunji is that they grow stronger with rains while the conventional bridges that rust away with the amount of rainfall. The structure of these root bridges is amazing as well and the unique mesh like structure that is formed due to the tangling of the roots is a unique thing to view as well. We admired the grandeur of these set of single decker Living Root bridges at Cherrapunji and we continued on our hike back to the village area where we stopped to hydrate ourselves and take a short break as well before we continued on our hike to Nongriat village near Cherrapunji. From now on the trek was across a flat pathway until we were about to the reach the hanging bridge area that is a very daunting task to be carried out here at Cherrapunji. This hanging bridge is built of iron ropes and planks and once you set foot on the bridge it starts to swing and there is a clear water stream that flows underneath this bridge and this makes the scene here absolutely breath-taking. Our guide told us not to worry and nothing would happen to the bridge even though it was swinging once we put our foot on it. But once we put our foot on the hanging bridge and though the bridge swayed but after a little time, we found the experience thrilling and the swinging of the bridge did not bother us much and we loved the idea of being able to walk over a crystal-clear water stream in a very adventurous activity as well. We crossed the bridge and there is an uphill trek again and soon we reached an area of a sacred grove. These sacred groves as mentioned are forest pockets that are revered by the Khasi people of Meghalaya and no acts of nuisance are to be committed across these sacred groves. In the olden days, the local people used to perform various rituals in these sacred groves at Nongriat near Cherrapunji where in they used to worship the Gods to help them have a year of bountiful harvest. If God appeared in front of them in the form of a tiger it would mean a year of good harvest and if God appeared to them in the form of a snake it would mean a year of famine. This was how the local people believed in their harvest rituals and they ensured that no acts of nuisance are to be committed across these sacred groves at Nongriat near Cherrapunji. We crossed this sacred grove and soon we approached another suspension bridge and this is a nice and strong bridge and we crossed it and soon we approached the Nongriat village near Cherrapunji. The beautiful village is like a different World in itself because you will find tourists and backpackers from all around the World come to Nongriat and Cherrapunji to sight the Double Decker Living Root Bridge and there are various local homestays at the place that cater to the needs of the guests and these are budget homestays as well. We walked across the pathway and to approach the Nongriat village we had to cross over a Living Root Bridge as well and we walked past it and soon the various homestays welcomed us and we could see the tourists enjoying their coffee and reading a book. The mobile network connectivity is tough to find here and so you can be rest assured that you will enjoy your stay here at Nongriat with nature and you are not disturbed by the noise of the cell phones ringing all around you. We soon reached the village and we walked across the village to the site of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat in Cherrapunji and we approached a ticket counter where we purchased our tickets to go to see the Living Root Bridge here. The grandeur of the Jinkieng Nongriat Double Decker Living Root Bridge welcomed us here and the sight of this grand bridge was of a great feeling to all of us and though I had visited the place earlier, yet the sight to behold in simply breath-taking. We walked across the Double Decker Living Root Bridge and our local guide showed us that another set of root bridge is being grown over the existing Double Decker Living Root Bridge and soon this will become a triple Decker Living Root Bridge in the World here at Nongriat near Cherrapunji. The bridge has a very beautiful structure and once you step foot on this Double Decker Living Root Bridge you will be in an experience of awe and realize how man can live in harmony with nature and use the vast resources of nature for his comfort. We spent some time across this Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat near Cherrapunji and we could see the tourists enjoy a bath in the crystal-clear water stream that forms a pool underneath the bridge and also we can enjoy a natural fish spa here as well wherein once we put our foot in the waters of the stream, small fishes come and they bit off the dead skin from our feet. The road straight leads to the Rainbow falls that is one of the other beautiful waterfalls of Cherrapunji and this fall has crystal clear blue waters and also various pools are to be found here as well. We were short in time and therefore we did not plan on going further to the rainbow falls as we were left with our sightseeing’s around Cherrapunji as well and we had time just today because the next day we would be travelling to Dawki and Mawlynnong before our return to Cherrapunji. So we decided to wrap up our visit at the Nongriat Village and travel back to Cherrapunji. We were hungry after the long trek and there is a small stall near the Double Decker Living Root Bridge that is owned by a local lady and she cooks amazing Maggi noodles with vegetables and a choice of eggs to customers who come to Nongriat and we ordered ourselves Maggi noodles and black tea and we savoured the bowl of noodles that is cooked over wood fire that imparts a very nice flavour to the boodles and with this we started on our trek back to Tyrna and further to Cherrapunji bidding farewell to the Nongriat village and the Double Decker Living Root Bridge. We crossed the village and the other root bridge, and we walked further to the suspension bridge and the sacred groves and we continued on our trek to the hanging bridge to travel to Cherrapunji. This time we feared less and crossed the hanging bridge easily and we walked towards the village area where we took a break and later, we started on our trek again now across the fleet of 3500 stairs that takes us from the base to the top at the Tyrna village. Our guide advised us that the best approach to access this stairway is not to rush at one go and instead you will need to hike slowly aiming to complete 10 stairs at a go and then take a break to catch your breath and again start on the hike again and we followed his advice and it indeed was a good approach to accessing this fleet of stairs and we soon reached the shop on top where we had stopped on our way to Nongriat and reaching this shop means that the tough part of this trek that is the climb across 3500 stairs is done and now it is a short walk across a flat pathway to reach the parking area at Tyrna village to continue on our drive to Cherrapunji. We thanked our local guide who was of great help to guide us across Nongriat and it was because of him that we had the opportunity to witness the set of Single Decker Living Root Bridges as well and we paid him the requisite guide fees and tips and soon we boarded our vehicles to begin on our drive back to Cherrapunji town. The drive took us about 30 minutes and we had a few sight-seeing left for the day and so we went directly to the Mawsmai Caves area where we would have our lunch and later continue on our exploration of Cherrapunji town at the Mawsmai Caves, Seven Sister Falls and the Arwah Caves at Cherrapunji before we call it a day and head back to our place of stay at Cherrapunji. We soon reached the parking area of the Mawsmai Cave and the area was packed with tourists who had come to explore the natural bounties of Cherrapunji and we parked our vehicle and at first we went to have our lunch at the one of the many eateries that are present at the location of the Mawsmai caves at Cherrapunji. There are many eateries here that serve the Bengali cuisine as a major crowd of tourists coming to Cherrapunji are from West Bengal who prefer to eat the cuisine of their choice and so went to enjoy a veg thali at one of the restaurants and after our lunch we set out to explore the Mawsmai caves at Cherrapunji. The Mawsmai caves is a pre-historic cave and it is also one of the most prominent tourist spots in Cherrapunji and it attracts visitors from all around the World who want to have an experience of witnessing a pre-historic cave and along with it various fossil, stalactites and stalagmites as well here in Cherrapunji. The Mawsmai Caves is one of the two caves in main Cherrapunji town that is opened to tourists for public viewing and even though it is a much larger cave, only a part of it is opened to tourists for exploration for the safety of the tourists itself and this is enough to get an experience of the fossils, stalactites, and stalagmites inside the cave. We went to purchase our tickers at the counter, and we paid a nominal amount for this and we walked across the stairway to reach the cave mouth here in Cherrapunji. We walked inside the cave and here we could spot the fossils on the cave walls and the various rock formations along with the stalactites and stalagmites at the Mawsmai caves in Cherrapunji and it was a fantastic experience for our guests who witnessed a cave for the first time and we waked across the cave admiring the historic formations and it was a fantastic opportunity for us here in Cherrapunji. Next up we went to explore the Seven Sister Falls at Cherrapunji that is located a short drive away from the parking area of the Mawsmai Caves and this is another of the spectacular waterfalls across the Cherrapunji area. The Seven Sister Falls is a segmented waterfall that is called as segmented waterfall because there are seven distinct falls you will notice at this waterfall in Cherrapunji and unlike the Nohkalikai Falls (that is a plunge waterfall) the waters do not get collected at the summit and instead they fall directly from the top from a height of 315m. The Seven Sister falls at Cherrapunji is one among the tallest waterfalls in the country as well. Across the viewpoint of the seven sister falls at Cherrapunji one can get to view the beautiful plains of Bangladesh and this is because Meghalaya shares a strategic border with Bangladesh and also one get to view the beautiful valleys of Cherrapunji here as well. Generally, the seven sister falls remains dry in the winter season this is in the month of December thru February but as we visited in April when the rains had started it was a beautiful sight to view here at Cherrapunji. Next up we went to visit the Arwah Caves in Cherrapunji area that is another of the fantastic caves to be explored in Cherrapunji and this is another of the limestone caves in Meghalaya. The drive to the Arwah caves in Cherrapunji is across a mountain and we took a right diversion from the Sohra-Shella highway, and we drove up the mountain to reach the parking area of the Arwah caves in Cherrapunji. This would be our last sighting of the day and later we would return to our homestay in Cherrapunji as we had another long day ahead of us wherein, we would be travelling to the border of India and Bangladesh at Dawki and visit Mawlynnong – the Cleanest Village in Asia. We parked out vehicle and we setout to explore the Arwah caves and we purchased our tickets and we walked across the pathway to travel to the Arwah Cave mouth, and it is about a 500m hike from the ticket counter to the Arwah caves. The pathway is filled with abundance of forests and that leads you across the top of the Wah Kaba falls in Cherrapunji as well. At the entrance of the Arwah cave at Cherrapunji there are signages that are put up and these elaborate about the cave. The Arwah Cave is a much smaller cave when compared to the Mawsmai Caves here in Cherrapunji and this can be felt once you are about to enter the cave and you will need to climb down a stair that is built of steel to reach the main cave interior. Right upon the entrance, we spotted a large fossil on the cave walls and this was a very unique experience for us to see this here and we walked further in. Though the Arwah Cave in Cherrapunji just like the Mawsmai cave is well lit with light, but these lights allow you to navigate across the cave and do not allow you to see clearly on the cave walls and so you must carry a torch to be able to witness the fossils on the cave walls and also the details of the stalactites and stalagmites on the walls of the Arwah caves at Cherrapunji. We used our flashlights on the mobile phones to have the opportunity to look at the fossils on the cave walls and we could see them, and it was a great experience for us here at Cherrapunji today. The cave is will lit up to a certain point and further on these is nothing much to see and so we walked up to that point and after admiring the various rock formations inside the Arwah caves in Cherrapunji we called it a day and we started on our trek back to the cave entrance that is also the exit unlike the Mawsmai caves at Cherrapunji where the entry and exit are sperate. Once we came out of the cave we took sometime to read the information that was written on the cave walls and post this we started on our walk back to the car parking area and on the way there is a small park like area and from here we get to view the Wah Kaba Falls at Cherrapunji and we took sometime to spend here as well as today was our final sightseeing across Cherrapunji and we admired the lush green surroundings all around us and we came back to the parking and we started on our drive back to the Sohra Plaza Homestay for night halt. In the evening, the homestay owner arranged for a bonfire and the weather in Cherrapunji gets cold in the night all around the year and we enjoyed our time by the bonfire and I took leave from our guests to travel to my homestay where I was staying that was a cheaper alternative and the guests would order their dinner there itself and my dinner was bought to me by the caretaker from the Saimika Resort at Cherrapunji. The next morning as well we had a long day ahead of us wherein, we would leave Cherrapunji to travel to Dawki (the border of India and Bangladesh at first) and later we would travel to Mawlynnong – the Cleanest Village in Asia and come back to Cherrapunji by evening. The following day we would leave Cherrapunji to travel to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kaziranga National Park in Assam. I left my homestay with the vehicle to travel to the Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji where our guests were having their breakfast and post breakfast here we started on our drive to travel to Dawki – the border of India and Bangladesh. We crossed Cherrapunji and travelled towards the Mawkdock Valley area and there is a right road diversion that is a short cut to Pynursla town and the drive is across some of the very beautiful landscapes areas to travel to Dawki and soon we reached a small township and we joined the highway again. The roads are beautiful, and the valleys of Meghalaya welcome you along the way and this is a very nice way to explore the nature all across you. Soon we approached the Pynursla township and here I stopped to refuel the vehicle as there is only one more fuel bunk ahead and is was better to refuel our vehicle here and post this we stopped at the Pynursla market to have tea and we started on our drive to Dawki again. We crossed the Pynursla town and this is the place where the longest Living Root Bridge spanning across 50m is located and this is another trek but we did not have time on this itinerary to attempt this trek and so we continued on our drive to Dawki as we had to reach back to Cherrapunji before evening. We reached a dead end and there are two road diversions at this point and while the right diversion leads us to Mawlynnong, the left goes to Dawki and so we took this left diversion to travel to Dawki and now the road gets a little narrow. The vast forest along the way however do not make the drive dull and soon we started on our downhill drive because Dawki being the border of Meghalaya and Bangladesh is located on a plain and so the weather starts to feel warm as well and soon we approached the boating point at Dawki. Dawki near Cherrapunji in Meghalaya is known as the land of crystal-clear waters of the Umngot River that is known to have a very clear riverbed and the boats plying on the water appear as thought they are floating in the air. The Umngot River is one of the most sought-after tourist destinations across Meghalaya and people visit the place every day in hundreds during the peak season to have the opportunity to go for boating on the crystal-clear waters of the Umngot River at Dawki after their visit to Cherrapunji. At first we planned on going to visit the International border of India and Bangladesh at Dawki and have the opportunity to cross the Indian border to travel to no man’s land. We crossed the boating point at Dawki where many tourist vehicles were parked and as the road are narrow one has to be very careful to approach the road because one small wrong step will land you into a lot of trouble and here are no barricades along this narrow road as well. I had crossed this road many a number of time earlier and so I knew exactly how to maneuver across the road and soon we approached a suspension bridge here at Dawki and this suspension bridge was built in 1932 by the British and even today the bridge is functional and it handles a steady flow of traffic across the place and there are guards here who provide direction to vehicles passing across this bridge and soon we crossed the bridge and reached the other side of the Umngot River at Dawki. We reached another boating point and further we drive to the Tamabil market, and we continued further to reach the border of India and Bangladesh as Dawki. We parked our vehicles and we got down to go to explore the border and we walked towards the office of the BSF where we seeked permission from the officials on duty to cross the border and here we crossed the Indian border to reach the no man’s land at pillar 1275. This is a heavily guarded border and at both sides of the border you will see the BSF soldiers of each country. We admired the border of the two countries and we were allowed to walk up to the pillar 1275 where we clicked our pictures and we came back to the Indian side of the border where we thanked the officials who gave us the opportunity to visit the border and we boarded our vehicles and we stared on our drive back to the boating point at Dawki on this visit across Cherrapunji and we parked our vehicle and one the boatmen whom I knew from earlier welcomed us and he took us to purchase our ticket and we set our for our boat ride experience across the Umngot river at Dawki. The boat ride experience across the Umngot River at Dawki is a very rewarding experience and the crystal-clear waters here is a treat to the eyes because you can clearly see the waterbed that is present below the river and from a distance, it appears as though the boats that are plying on the waters of here are actually floating in the air. The boatman took us on a ride across the Umngot River at Dawki and this boat ride would last for about 45 minutes, and he took us at first under the suspension bridge where there is a small island present and the river was a little dry and there was a small shop in this island that sold some eateries, fish and even beer as well. We took our boat ride and soon we reached the riverbank to board our vehicle and we started on our drive to Mawlynnong from Dawki on this tour of Cherrapunji. We crossed the suspension bridge and the second boating point and soon we continued our drive to Mawlynnong. We had two options to travel to Mawlynnong where we could use the road that we came along and there is another left diversion that is across the border of India and Bangladesh that takes people to Mawlynnong from Dawki as well. As we already came via the other route, we decided to take this route and the road is not good at one part even though we took this route and we continued our drive to Mawlynnong. We were driving across the border of India and Bangladesh and there was a another beautiful waterfall along this way known as the Bophill falls and we soon approached this waterfall and this is a very beautiful waterfall as well and we stopped our car to view the waterfall and the waters of this waterfall is also very clear and we admired the waters here and we could see that the water flows down across a bridge that is across the road and it is a very rewarding experience here. The roads now begin on an uphill drive as we drive away from the plains of Bangladesh to the mountains of Meghalaya and there are the vast tropical forests to be seen along with the growth of areca nut trees and also the broomstick trees and these two are very important crops of the area across Mawlynnong and rich businessmen have emerged with the sale of broom stick and betel nuts because area nuts are quite in demand across North East India and Bangladesh as well. Even across the country, the areca nut is used to produce the various pan masalas that are mixed with flavored tobacco and consumed, and this has allowed the trade of the areca nut to flourish across the region of Mawlynnong along with tourism as well. We soon reached a place where we had to take a left diversion t continue to Mawlynnong village and we continued our drive to Mawlynnong in this tour of Cherrapunji. We soon approached the parking area of the Riwai Single Decker Living Root bridge and we decided to visit the Root Bridge at the end after our exploration of the cleanest village of Asia of Mawlynnong on this tour of Cherrapunji. We were hungry as well and by the time we reached Mawlynnong village it was almost around 1.30PM and so we decided to have our lunch at first at a local restaurant here and later continue on our exploration of Mawlynnong village. There are many restaurants at this place that are known to serve the Bengali cuisine because as mentioned earlier, a lot of the tourist crowd coming to Meghalaya and North East India are from West Bengal and they prefer to eat their own cuisine and so the restaurants across the place specialize in the preparation of the Bengali cuisine that comprise of rice, dal, potato fry, local sabji curry, brinjal fry, chicken curry, fish curry and along with it the people provide local chutney that is prepared with tomato and pickle and also papad as well. We enjoyed a vegetarian thali at a local restaurant in Mawlynnong that was packed with tourists and we met another family who also came from Bangalore and they were exploring Mawlynnong as well. After a short talk with them we finished our lunch and we started on our exploration across Mawlynnong village. Mawlynnong was dubbed as the Cleanest Village in India by the Discover India magazine in 2003 and later the BBC aired a documentary highlighting about the clean practices adopted by the local people in this tinsel village of Mawlynnong. The people have since long known about the hygienic practices and all the households across this village had a toilet in their homes much before the campaign of Swachh Bharat was launched in India by the Hon. Prime Minister of the country Narendra Modi. The flow of tourists to Mawlynnong increased exponentially after the Prime Minister in his weekly talk show of Man ki Bat spoke about Mawlynnong and how the local people here have adopted the various practices to keep this village clean. There are around 100 households across Mawlynnong and a total of around 400 members in the village who are mostly Christians by faith and they hall all strived hard to earn the tag of the Cleanest Village in Asia and also using tourism as a tool to make a regular and steady flow of income across the place. Everyday during the peak tourist season, thousands of visitors come to Mawlynnong to explore the Cleanest Village in Asia and the other two main reasons that make Mawlynnong a very popular tourist attraction among the people is that, generally people stay in Cherrapunji or Shillong and they plan on a day’s outing where they leave Shillong and Cherrapunji early in the morning to at first travel to Dawki and after enjoying their boat ride experience across the clean waters of the Umngot River at Dawki they come to Mawlynnong and as there are no good restaurants on the way so Mawlynnong serves as a perfect halt over destination for lunch and this draws many visitors here and this allows the guests to explore the Cleanest village Asia as well. Another reason being, Mawlynnong is home to the Riwai Single Decker Living Root Bridge and this is the most accessible living root bridge in Meghalaya and the widest as well. When people hear of Meghalaya, they ensure that they would take the opportunity to visit the grand bio-engineering marvel of the living root bridge. Though everyone wants to have the experience to visit the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat but it is not feasible for everyone to go on the trek to Nongriat from Cherrapunji and as the people come on a vacation with their families they prefer to visit the living root bridge of Riwai at Mawlynnong itself which is just a short 10 minute easy walk from the parking area and this way they are able to witness the grandeur of the Root bridges of Meghalaya and this idea in what makes Mawlynnong a very popular tourist attraction in Meghalaya. To accommodate guests at Mawlynnong, the local people have opened their homes to the tourists as homestay and there are several homestays across the place where guests can enjoy their stay with a local family and get to learn about the Khasi heritage and culture here at Mawlynnong as well. We set out to explore the Mawlynnong village and I spoke about how every morning the cleaning procedure starts where the family cleans the premises of their home and keep the thrash in the dustbins that are present across every household and the community centres and later a team comes to collect the garbage and they collect the entire thrash of the village and take it to a ground where the waste is segregated into degradable and non-degradable waste. The degradable waste is used as manure to be used in the agricultural fields and the non-degradable waste mostly plastic is collected and kept and once every week they are loaded on trucks and they are sent to recycling plants in Shillong where the plastic is either recycled or disposed off responsibly. This is the mentality of the people in the village that they understand what is good for nature and what is not and that is why the area across Mawlynnong is lush and green and free of pollution. We took a walk across the village and we saw the local Khasi people of Mawlynnong engaged in their daily activities and we also had the opportunity to witness the unique pitcher plant species that flower across Mawlynnong village and later we went to visit the Balancing rocks at Mawlynnong village that is located at the outskirts of the village. Just like the Living Root Bridge that is a very unique bioengineering marvel to witness in Meghalaya another very interesting thing to see at Mawlynnong are the balancing rocks. In this unique phenomenon we notice that a very large rock boulder rests atop a much smaller rock boulder and this is phenomenon defies the laws of gravity and this structure has been standing like this since long and even major earthquakes have not been able to disrupt this structure and this is why the balancing rocks were the olden days considered to be sacred by the Khasi elderly and various rituals were performed at the site of the balancing rocks to appease the Gods and Goddesses to offer the villagers a year of bountiful harvest. Today however this happens to be a popular tourist attraction and visitors from all around the World come to Mawlynnong to enjoy viewing this wonderful gravity defying phenomenon of the balancing rocks. To witness this place, we had to purchase our entry tickers and these were nominally priced at INR 10 per head. We admired this unique phenomenon of the balancing rocks at Mawlynnong village and later we went to visit the Riwai Single Decker Living Root Bridge at Mawlynnong. Though we already visited the popular living root bridges at the Nongriat and Tyrna areas near Cherrapunji, yet a visit to the Riwai Root Bridge at Mawlynnong is a mandatory see because this is the widest root bridge in the World and also the most easily accessible one and visitors can have the opportunity to admire the grand growth of the roots of this living Root Bridge at Mawlynnong on this tour of Cherrapunji. We reached the parking spot, and this was when we had finished our visit at Mawlynnong, and we bid farewell to Mawlynnong. We started on our hike to the Riwai Root Bridge from the parking spot and there are several small stalls on the way that showcase to you the various traditional crafts of Meghalaya and these stalls sell fresh fruits and cucumbers as well and we crossed the place to reach another clean and beautiful village and the short stairway takes you to the site of the Riwai single decker living root bridge and we paid a nominal amount as the entrance fees and we went to explore the widest living root bridge in the World. This root bridge has a unique texture of the roots that has a habit of adapting its colour with the change in weather. If you visit this root bridge during the winter season it has a light brown colour while in the monsoon season it appears to have a dark brown colour, and this makes it all the more unique apart from being the widest living root bridge in the World. We admired the grand bio-engineering marvel of the Riwai single decker root bridge and we walked across the bridge to reach the other side and the monsoon has not yet started and so we could go to visit the stream at the bottom of the bridge and it would be hard to believe that in the monsoon season that stream is filled with so much water that the water passes over the root bridge but no damage is down to the bridge because as mentioned earlier the roots of these root bridges grow stronger unlike the iron bridges that would rust with more water. We admired the beautiful bio-engineering marvel and we came back to the starting point and the road straight leads to the Nohwet village where there is a bamboo tree house and the oldest Khasi hut at Nohwet. Across the Living Root Bridge at Riwai near Mawlynnong, one can get to sight various spider cobwebs, and these are grand woven cobwebs by equally colorful spider species and these are literally bug sized cobwebs and these add tot eh natural grandeur of the place and we observed the same and finally we decided to call it a day and start on our drive back to Cherrapunji bidding farewell to the Riwai Single Decker Living Root Bridge at Mawlynnong. We came back to the parking area, and we started on our drive bidding farewell to Mawlynnong to continue to Cherrapunji where we would make the night halt and the next day we would travel back to Assam to visit the World Heritage Site of Kaziranga National Park. In case you are not interested to stay in Cherrapunji, and you would want to cut short your journey to Kaziranga National Park by around 2 hours then it is recommended that instead of halting at Cherrapunji you travel to halt at Shillong. This way you can take the same time to travel from Mawlynnong to Shillong just like Mawlynnong to Cherrapunji and the next day you will be at ease to reach Kaziranga National Park because now the journey would take about 5 hours compared to the 7 hours it would take from Cherrapunji to Kaziranga National Park. We chose to halt at Cherrapunji because we did not want to change the hotel just for one night and travelling along with the luggage would have been a problem and so we chose to stay at Cherrapunji itself. If you are interested to make a base and from here you plan to explore the various area of interest then you can also make a base at Shillong as well (this is if you are interested to stay in a busy city environment) and Shillong has a vast number of hotels and properties to chose to halt and from Shillong you can plan to visit the places like Cherrapunji even Nongriat, Dawki and Mawlynnong. One very fine stay that is recommended and this is away from the hustle and bustle of a busy city life is that of the Pine Hill Homestay that is located near the Upper Shillong area and this place is an ideal halt over for guests who want to enjoy their stay away from the hustle and bustle of a busy city life. This is a very beautiful place and apart from stay in clean and neat rooms, guests can also have the option of camping as well. We however decided to halt at Cherrapunji as the landscapes of the place was much more beautiful and purer. Keeping this in mind we drove across the mountains of Mawlynnong area to reach Pynursla and soon again the cloud cover of Meghalaya welcomed us and we reached the point where the clouds were almost all across the road and it got dark as well and now the problem was that the visibility got reduced and the drive at this point of time is a challenge and as I had the experience of driving across these places earlier as well so I knew how the right way to approach this road was and the key is to follow the dividers that are painted on the road and keep the headlamps and the foglamps of the car on. But even with these lights on it becomes a challenge to navigate across the roads and another best way is to follow the back of another vehicle and this way you can follow and navigate the other car and reach to your destination. The cloud cover goes away in some time and we reach the Mawkdock Valley and we crossed over to Cherrapunji and we soon reached Cherrapunji and I dropped our guests at the Sohra Plaza Homestay where they ordered their dinner and began this preparation for the next day journey to Kaziranga National Park and I went back to my homestay where my dinner was brought to my room by the owner of the homestay and I too packed my bag and had two glasses of rum to beat the cold weather of Cherrapunji and after my dinner I went to bed to prepare for the long drive to Kaziranga National Park the following day. The next day I got up early and we were scheduled to begin on our drive to Kaziranga National Park by 8AM to reach by around 3PM and this way we could go to explore the Kaziranga Orchid Park at first and later go to check into our place of stay at Kaziranga National Park. We had our breakfast at the Sohra Plaza Homestay, and I settled the total bill for our guests at the place and we loaded our luggage and we started on our drive to Kaziranga National Park bidding farewell to the land of beautiful waterfall at Cherrapunji and we drove across the beautiful landscapes of Meghalaya to reach Upper Shillong where we got stuck in little traffic and later we continued on our drive to Shillong city and further to Barapani area near the Umiam Lake. We stopped to have tea here and we admired the grand waters of the lake at Barapani for one last time and we drove again towards Nongpoh and further to the border of Assam and Meghalaya. We crossed over to Assam at Jorabat and we took a right diversion that takes us to Kaziranga National Park and Upper Assam, and we drive towards Sonapur area and further towards Jagiroad on this tour of Cherrapunji. The roads are a four-lane highway and so driving across the road is smooth and one gets to enjoy the lush countryside of Assam along this drive as well. We drive admiring the beauty of nature all around us and soon we reached Jagiroad area that was once famous for being home to the HPCL campus that was a big paper mill in the area and it is now defunct and so the operations of paper production do not happen here any longer. Jagiroad is also the place that is home to the largest dry fish market in Asia and it is also the place that hosts the Jonbeel Mela festival in the month of January that is the only barter trade festival that is present in the World, and this is the time when across the three days of the festival, trade doesn’t happen with money and instead the barter trade practice is followed. This is also the time when the king of Morigaon district who is the nominal head of the area comes to visit his subjects and the olden practice of the King’s men coming to collect their taxes can be seen here. I spoke about all this to my guests who loved it a lot and I also told them about the black magic capital of the country that is present in Assam viz. Mayong in the Morigaon district on this tour of Cherrapunji. Mayong is located near the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam, and it is known as the place where the practice of black magic was very much rampant in the olden days and the black magic sorcerers of Mayong were known to achieve great feats like converting man to goat, taming a wild tiger with bare hands, causing harm to other people using a strand of hair or even making an entire army of men disappear as well. Today however, black magic practices have been abolished and are no longer practiced and the remains of the black magic practices are kept at the Mayong museum of black magic that is present close to the entrance of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and the remnants can be seen here. We have planned tours to Cherrapunji in Meghalaya with our guests from abroad where we club their visit with Pobitora and Mayong and the visitors have the firsthand opportunity to witness the practices of black magic here at Mayong. Assam is a place that has lots to offer to tourists apart from its varied flora, fauna and avifauna. The state is home to 7 National Parks and 18 wildlife sanctuaries that has some of the most rare and endemic species of flora, fauna, and avifauna. A tourist hotspot for bird lovers, Assam is a very renowned birding destination and the places like Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park, Nameri National Park and Dibru Saikhowa National Park are very renowned birding destinations along with the Maguri Beel area. We had the opportunity on this tour of Cherrapunji to go and visit Kaziranga National Park and we were on our way from Cherrapunji to Kaziranga National Park and we had crossed Jagiroad to drive towards Raha and further towards Nagaon. We stopped at Nagaon to have our lunch on this tour of Cherrapunji and we stopped at the very popular Anuraag Dhaba that is a very nice restaurant that serves delicious Assamese style cuisine to guests in the form of an authentic Assamese Veg thali and along with it you can order your choice of meat and fish and the places serves hundreds of visitors each day both in the form of tourists travelling to Kaziranga National Park and also the local people of Assam who travel between Upper Assam and Guwahati to attend to their business matters. We enjoyed our sumptuous lunch and post lunch we started on our drive again towards Kaziranga National Park and we crossed the four lane highway at the Nagaon Bypass and from now on the roads were in the process of being built into four lane roads and so we had to drive across a two way lane and this meant that our vehicle speed had to reduce and we drove gradually towards Jakhlabandha area and we crossed Puronigudam, Amoni, Samaguri, Koliabor to reach Jakhlabandha on this tour of Cherrapunji. Our approach to Kaziranga National Park was getting closer and we did not stop at Jakhlabandha, and we went straight to enter Kaziranga National Park at the Burapahar range of the park. The tall mountains of Karbi Anglong welcomed us and we could see the various signages welcoming us to the UNESCO World Heritage site. Gradually the lush green tea gardens of Assam got visible to us and we drove across the beautiful landscapes to cross Burapahar zone to drive towards Bagori zone and here we stopped at a view-point where we caught our first glimpse of the pride of Kaziranga National park and Assam – the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros on this tour of Cherrapunji. Kaziranga is home to the highest population of the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros species anywhere in the World and the park is also home to the big 5 and many other species of flora, fauna and avifauna. There are around 500 species of birds to be found in the park that are both resident and migratory and generally the people who visit North East India ensure to make a stop at the Kaziranga National park to enjoy their wildlife safaris and at the same time they plan their visit to Cherrapunji, Shillong, Tawang, etc. A visit to Kaziranga National Park on your visit to North East India is a must, and you should not miss out on the elephant safari experience here along with the jeep safari rides. We crossed the Bagori range to reach the central range of Kaziranga National Park at Kohora and this is where most of the luxurious and deluxe hotels and resorts are located and we were booked to stay at the Nature Hunt Eco Camp at the Kohora rea and at first we went to visit the Kaziranga Orchid and Biodiversity park on this tour of Cherrapunji that is the largest orchid park in India. We went to purchase our tickets and we were joined by a local guide who would take us on a short tour across the green house of the Kaziranga Orchid Park. This is where all the indigenous orchid species of Assam and North East India are kept on display for the guests who come to Kaziranga National Park and as the North Eastern region is a bio-diversity rich region, out of the 1800 orchid species to be found in India around 1200 of them are to be found in the region itself. The guide took us on a short tour across the green house and here we could see the various orchid species of Assam including the state flower viz. the Foxtail orchid species. The aim of the Orchid Park is to showcase and highlight the varied biodiversity of the region be it in the form of the orchid species, the handicrafts and handloom, the various rice varieties and also the bamboo species that are found across the region. We explored the Kaziranga Orchid Park on this tour of Cherrapunji and we also visited the section of handicrafts and handlooms and here we saw the various bamboo handicrafts of Assam and also we saw the women folks weaving on the traditional looms of Assam as well. Next up we explored the rice museum where we saw the various varieties of rice that are grown across Assam and we took time to explore the souvenir shop where various locally sourced goods are kept on display and sale to guests coming to Kaziranga National Park after their visit to Cherrapunji. Finally we took our seats across the open stage area of the Kaziranga Orchid Park where the various folk dance performances of Assam are held at regular intervals and young boys and girls all dressed in their traditional attires perform the bamboo dance and the Bihu dance of Assam. The Bamboo dance is demonstrated by the Mishing people wherein four boys hold each end of the bamboo pole and they form a mesh like structure and two girls keep hopping in and out of the mesh and this translates to a very nice dance form and post this come the grand Bihu dance of Assam where the local boys and girls around Kaziranga National Park adorn their beautiful Muga silk attires and the boys sing the Bihu songs and play the traditional musical instruments and they play the Dhul, Khul and Pepa and the girls who wear the grand Muga Silk Mekhela Chadors dance to the tune performing brisk movements of the hands and feet and this is what make the Bihu dance so very special to the people of Assam. Post the performance, guests from the crowd are welcomed on stage and they are asked to try out a few steps of the Bihu dance as well and post this we bid farewell to the Kaziranga Orchid Park on this tour of Cherrapunji and we drove to the Nature Hunt Eco Camp at Kaziranga. The Nature Hunt Eco Camp is located a short 5 min drive away from the Kaziranga Orchid Park and we took a right diversion from the road to travel to the place and this has beautiful traditional Assamese style cottages that are built to showcase the tradition of Assam to its guests and visitors can enjoy their stay here in peace and tranquillity surrounded by nature all around and also the place is having a small tea garden within the premises of the camp. Our guest were led to their cottage after a quick check in and I asked the manager to prepare a nice ethnic dinner for our guests and I took leave to check into my place of stay close by and as we had an early morning elephant safari scheduled in the morning at 5AM and so I had to wake up as early as 4AM to prepare myself and travel with my vehicle to pick up our guests from the camp and later drive to the Bagori range of Kaziranga that is around 15 minutes’ drive away from Kohora where the elephant safari rides for Indian guests are scheduled and so I had an early dinner and I retired to bed. The next morning, I went to pick up our guests at the Nature Hunt Eco Camp at Kaziranga and one of the boys at the place would join us to help us with the elephant ride ticket formalities and so I picked up everyone at the camp and we started on our drive to Bagori at Kaziranga on this tour of Cherrapunji and we crossed the Kohora area to drive towards the mountains where a very sacred temple shrine of the Buri Ai Than is present and it is a sacred temple as per the Hindu beliefs and all the drives and motorists who pass across this mountain stretch stop at this temple shrine to seek the blessings of the Goddess to provide them a safe ride. This is because when the roads were not very proper across this place, the stretch across the mountains was prone to landslides and also due to the twist and turns many vehicles used to collide as well. But after the temple shrine was built the cases of accidents have reduced considerable and so people stop to pay their respects here. We did not enter the temple shrine and instead we seeked our blessings from the outside and we continued on our drive towards Bagori and we soon reached the elephant safari booking counter at Bagori. Our tickets for the elephant safari rides for our guests were already booked much priorly but as the allocation of seats happen just a day prior to the visit so we did not get the 6AM slot and instead we got the 5AM slot and yet us was not much of a problem and the boy from the camp led our guests to the checkpoint entry and he assisted them to board the elephant backs and I did not go in and as the elephant ride would last for about an hour and so I parked the vehicle and I went to have tea at the parking area on this tour of Cherrapunji. Our guests completed the elephant safari ride and they came back at around 6AM and we started on our drive back to the camp where they would be going for jeep safari rides at the Central range of Kaziranga National Park after breakfast and on the way we spotted the Capped Langur species of Kaziranga perched atop a tall tree. We enjoyed this view and soon we returned back to our camp, and I dropped our guests at the camp and ordered their breakfast and the jeep driver was informed to come and pick up our guests and post this I came back to my place of stay to catch some sleep as I had to drive to Majuli. The jeep driver took our guests for the jeep safari ride at the Central range of Kaziranga at Kohora and I too got some sleep and post a while I drove back to the Nature Hunt Eco Camp and I had my breakfast there and by the time our guests came back from the safari ride and packed their bags to continue on our drive to Majuli on this tour of Cherrapunji I took time to explore the area around the camp. Our guests came back by around 10.30AM and soon we packed up and we started on our drive to Majuli at 11AM and on this tour of Cherrapunji. I stopped to refuel the vehicle at the NRL petrol bunk a little ahead because the last time I filled the fuel tank was at Cherrapunji itself on the day of leaving Cherrapunji to Kaziranga and so I wanted to refuel the car so that I would reach Majuli, explore and come back again to refuel here. We stopped to have our early lunch at the Numaligarh Dhaba that is a very popular place to stop and eat on this tour of Cherrapunji and the place sees hundreds of guests everyday mostly the travelers from across Upper Assam to Guwahati who halt here and also the tourists who continue on their journey across Kaziranga National Park towards Upper Assam and the various popular tea estates and gardens across Assam and enjoy their stay at the heritage tea garden bungalows of Assam as well and witness the diverse steps involved in the plucking of the Assam tea by the tea garden workers and also how the tea is processed at the factories as well. We enjoyed a nice veg thali at the Numaligarh Dhaba restaurant and post this we continued our drive to the Jorhat area crossing Numaligarh and Dergaon on this tour of Cherrapunji. We reached Jorhat town at around 1PM and we continued our drive across the Jorhat Bypass to travel to the Neemati Ghat where we had to board our ferry vessel to cross the mighty Brahmaputra River to cross Majuli Island and this way we would also get the opportunity to witness the waters of the mighty Brahmaputra River that serves a lifeline for the people of Assam on this tour of Cherrapunji. We boarded our ferry at 2PM as the ferry services happen every hour and so with this, we had to board our vehicles on the ferry as well and we started on our hour long ride across the Brahmaputra Rivet to Majuli Island. We reached the other side of the Island at the Kamalabari Ghat and we soon started on our drive to the main town center of Majuli at Garamur and we went to check into our place of stay of our guests at the La Maison De Ananda that is one of the very nice and traditional properties here in Majuli Island and I asked our guests to freshen up and in the evening we would be going to enjoy the performance of the Sattriya Nritya dance at the Sri Sri Uttar Kamalabari Satra in Majuli Island. This is one among the 8 classical dance forms of India and only the male members of the Satra practice this heritage Sattriya Art and we would be witnessing the same as well. I went to freshen up at my camp and we would go to the Satra by evening. Continuing further on this tour of Cherrapunji we reached Majuli Island and we were all set to go to visit the Sri Sri Uttar Kamalabari Satra in Majuli Island to witness the dance performance of the Sattriya Nritya in Majuli Island. These Satras of Majuli are Neo-Vaishnavite Monasteries that are present that are also present across other places in Assam and these Satras were established by the great Saint reformer of Assam Srimanta Shankardeva, and his disciple Sri Madhabadeva and they preached the teachings of Ek Sarna Ek Dharma that all human beings are alike and are to be treated equally irrespective of caste and creed. The holy Saint reformer Srimanta Shankardeva preached that there is only one God and the sole religious book that one should profess, and practice is that of the Bhagwat Gita and this had led to the rise of the Neo Vaishnavite cult in Assam and he also introduced various traditional crafts and art forms like the mask making, pottery making, fan making, etc. and the present day society of Assam has accredited a lot from the teachings and preaching’s of the Saint reformer. The Sattriya Nritya is a demonstration of the life of Lord Krishna in a dance form that forms a part of the various religious plays that taught people about the life of Lord Krishna. We reached the Satra premises and here we were welcomed by the monks of the Satra who would be demonstrating to us about the Sattriya Nritya at the Majuli on this tour of Cherrapunji and we took our places at the Satra Namghar to witness the dance performance. The Satras across Majuli and Assam as well have a similar build where in the Namghar that is the main prayer hall is located at the center of the Satra, followed by the huts of the monks and the house of the head of the Satra called as the Satradhikar. There are two or three large temple ponds within the premises of the Satra and also a granary, an open stage area and also a museum as well. Shortly the performers took the stage and we enjoyed the performance of the Sattriya Nritya and it was a brilliant performance that was performed in synchronization and with this we thanked the monks of the Satra and after paying the charges for the demonstration we came out of the Satra premises and we travelled back to our place of stay at Majuli on this tour of Cherrapunji and thus ending a long day of exploration of the Kaziranga National Park and Majuli on this tour of Cherrapunji. The next day we would be spending at Majuli itself and we will be exploring the various Neo-Vaishnavite Satras of Majuli Island on this tour of Cherrapunji as well. I wanted our guests to try out the delicious Mishing tribe cuisine of Majuli on this tour of Cherrapunji and so I had ordered for them at a very nice local kitchen in Majuli called as the Risong’s family and the sumptuous Mishing thali that would be prepared for our guests while I would be having my dinner at my camp itself. The owner of the kitchen was known to me from earlier and he took personal attention to my guest and they enjoyed their meal here and post this I went back to my camp to relax after a long day and to prepare for the next days exploration of Majuli Island on this tour of Cherrapunji. The next morning as this tour of Cherrapunji continued, I went to pick up my guests at their place of stay and breakfast was served to us at the place and post breakfast we set out to explore the prominent Neo-Vaishnavite Satras of Majuli Island where at first we went to visit the Sri Sri Auniati Satra in Majuli. It is a very renowned Satra of Assam that is known to host few of the very prominent festivals like the Palnaam and the Raas Leela festival. We travelled to the Sri Sri Auniati Satra in Majuli Island, and we got down from our vehicle and we purchased the items that are necessary to offer our prayers at the Namghar of this Satra on this tour of Cherrapunji and we walked towards the entrance of the Satra and we are to remove our shoes at the entrance and then walk inside the premises of the Satra. Upon entrance we took a right diversion to travel to the Namghar of the Auniati Satra on this tour of Cherrapunji and here we came to known that this Satra was established by an Ahom King who patronized the teachings of the great Saint reformer Srimanta Shankardeva, and he went ahead and built this Satra. We went inside the Namghar of the Satra and right at the entrance we had to light the dias and the incense sticks and the other offerings we had to carry with us inside to offer at the Monikut area. Inside the Namghar of the Auniati Satra, old monks were playing a big drum and they were reciting a hymn in the praise of God and we witnessed this and went to visit the main Monikut area of the Namghar where there were idols of Gods and the Bhagwat Gita planed at the centre. Post this we came out and we explored the huts of the monks of the Auniati Satra and later we went to visit the museum at the Satra on this tour of Cherrapunji that has on display various artefacts from the times of the establishment of the Satra and also various artefacts that belonged to the Satradhikars of the Satra and also the Ahom Kings as well that also included the sword of the brave Ahom General Lachit Borphukan as well. We walked across the museum admiring the grand artefacts on display here and later we came out of the premises of the Sri Sri Auniati Satra in Majuli and next up we went to visit the Samaguri Satra in Majuli on this tour of Cherrapunji that is another of the very renowned Satras of the Majuli and it is known for its ancient art of traditional mask making. The Samaguri Satra is almost 30 minutes’ drive away from the Auniati Satra and we enjoyed the drive across the beautiful countryside of Majuli on this tour of Cherrapunji and we could see the various stilt houses of the Mishing people that are built with bamboo and mortar pillars and these are built on elevated platforms as these places in Majuli are prone to floods and water logging and so the houses are built in this manner. The elevated construction helps the people of Majuli living in the low elevated areas to keep themselves above the flood waters in the monsoon season and we admired the beautiful construction of these houses and we kept driving towards the Samaguri Satra on this tour of Cherrapunji. We soon reached the Samaguri Satra premises and we were welcomed by the various traditional masks that are all built with hands and kept on display and also the sale at the Satra premises and these mask concept was introduced by the great Saint reformer Srimanta Shankardeva as a way to represent the actors of the Bhaonas (religious plays) to look more lifelike and this art form was gradually dying away with time and Dr. Hem Chandra Goswami of the Samaguri Satra realized that he had to do something to preserve this art form and keep it alive. These masks are made entirely with hands using bamboo and a special mud that is dug out from the banks of the Brahmaputra River mixed with cow dung and the final preparation involves painting of the se masks with various organic colours called as the Hengul Heital. On this tour of Cherrapunji, the mask making art of Majuli was truly a highlight because this cant be found anywhere else in the World, and it is practiced only here and visitors from all across the World come to Majuli to catch a glimpse of this art. Generally, in this practice, at first the frame of the mask is prepared using bamboo and these traditional masks of Majuli generally depict the various mythological characters of the Hindu Epics that are narrated to the followers and devotees in the form of plays and so the facial structure of these masks have to resemble that of the various Gods and Goddess an the bamboo frame is used to achieve this. Later on a piece of cloth is wrapped around the bamboo frame and the special mud that is mixed with cow dung is applied all over the structure to provide the final shape and structure of the mask and this is later allowed to dry out in the sun and once the structure is dried up then finally the masks are coloured with colours that are derived organically on these masks and this is what completes the mask and they are ready to be shipped across various parts of the World because of the demand. In the olden times, these masks were mostly made to be adorned by the artists and so they were big face sized masks and the artists used to perform wearing these masks. However, with the flow of tourists increasing to Majuli and many people who come from all over the World after visiting Cherrapunji would love to carry back a mask as a souvenir of their visit to Majuli and so they find it difficult to carry a big mask in their luggage and so Dr. Hemchandra Goswami came up with the concept of miniature masks that were used for the sole purpose of display only and these masks are sold to tourists who pay a nominal price of INR 1000 for these masks and carry it back home along with them and the income generated from this is used to keep this art form alive. We were taken to the main display hall of the Samaguri Satra where a group of foreign tourists were already sitting, and they were learning about the demonstration of these masks in the religious plays called as the Bhaonas after their visit to Cherrapunji and we too enjoyed this a lot and later we bid farewell to the Samaguri Satra in Majuli to travel to the Salmora village. Continuing further on this tour of Cherrapunji, the Salmora village is a unique village where the ancient art form of hand made pottery is practiced and it is a legacy that has been kept alive at the Salmora Village in Majuli and we would take the opportunity to witness this dying art form in person. The pottery making art at the Salmora Village is completely done with hands and the form is practiced mostly by the women folks of the village. What makes this art unique on this tour of Cherrapunji is that there is no involvement of the pottery wheel to make these pots, and everything is done by hands from the start to the end and this too was a highlight for us on this tour of Cherrapunji. We went to witness this art form at the village and a local lady came to us with a special clay that is again dug out from the banks of the Brahmaputra River, and we took our seats at the porch of their village home and interestingly these houses are not built on stilts mostly because this place is not located in a low-lying area and this was a nice thing to view on this tour of Cherrapunji. This generally is a male dominated industry in the other parts of the country but here at the Salmora Village in Majuli, the pottery business is handled by the women folks, and they try to augment the family income with this practice. On this tour of Cherrapunji we admired this art of traditional pottery making and we got to see how the lady of the house mixed the mud with cow dung and she prepared the base to make the pot and how she moulded the mud to get the shape of the pot with her bare hands and she went about making the entire structure of the pot without the use of the pottery wheel and the final product was ready in front of our eyes. This would be later allowed to be dried under the sun and once dried the lady would paint the pot with organically derived colours and after another round of drying out in the sun, the pots would be later put out for drying on a fire blast and this would made the final pot stronger on this tour of Cherrapunji. In the olden days before the advent of the steel and plastic vessels, these pots were in great demand across various parts of the state and people used to store the water, grains, etc. in these utensils and also these were very popular to brew curd and cream and even today these clay pottery is in demand across various parts of the state among the people who prepare curd and cream and so these clay pots are transported to these parts across Assam and put to good use. We admired the clay art in this tour of Cherrapunji and we started on our drive back to our place of stay in Majuli where we savoured our lunch and in the afternoon we set out to explore the local villages of Majuli on this tour of Cherrapunji and we witnessed the daily routine of the local people of Majuli and once thing that was very interesting was witnessing the local women weave on the handlooms and they weave out very colourful attires called as the Gale that is a skirt like wrap adorned by the Mishing women of Majuli Island. After witnessing this we went bank of the River where we enjoyed a glimpse of the sunset of Majuli. Today dinner for everyone would be served at our Camp itself and my friend prepared an elaborate vegetarian meal for our guests, and everyone took their seats by the fire in the traditional Mishing Chang Ghar of Majuli and we savoured our dinner on this final evening at Majuli and the next morning we were to travel to Guwahati continuing this tour of Cherrapunji on its final leg. The next morning, we boarded our ferry and we set on the upstream ride across the Brahmaputra River, and we reached the other side at the Neemati Ghat and we drive towards Jorhat town and we continued on our drive towards Dergaon, Numaligarh to reach Kaziranga National Park where we refuelled our vehicle and we went to have our lunch at Amoni. We reached Guwahati by around 5PM and checked into the hotel for stay of our guests and later on I went back home. The next morning, we went to explore the Umananda temple, the Assam State Museum and we shopped for souvenirs at the Assam Emporium and later we visited the Kamakhya temple and I dropped our guests at the Guwahati airport for their flight to Bangalore. Thus, ending a fruitful tour of Cherrapunji and other destinations across Assam and Meghalaya.

• Polo Orchid Resort Cherrapunji ~ 

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One of the premier and luxury stays at Cherrapunji that is located on a cliff top estate is the Polo Orchid Resort that is located at the Nohsithiang village and the place overlooks the grand Seven Sister Falls here at Cherrapunji. The Polo Orchid Resort at Cherrapunji is the place that speaks of a modern lifestyle and offers its guests one of the best views of landscapes across Cherrapunji. The Polo Orchid Resort at Cherrapunji offer luxury stays in 5 categories of rooms that are the Orchid Rooms, Dew Drop Cottage, Log Hut with plunge pool, Rainforest Suite and Misty Mountain Vila. The Orchid Rooms at this resort is a perfect place to stay for travellers who come to explore the vast undulating valleys of Cherrapunji and also to discover the various breathtaking waterfalls, caves and the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at the Nongriat Village near Cherrapunji. The amenities that can be found in these rooms are AC, high speed Wi-Fi and 2 guests can be accommodated in the Orchid Rooms at the Polo Orchid Resort at Cherrapunji. The rooms have a total area of 150 sq. ft. and have an en-suite bath that has the modern fittings and amenities. Another of the cottage rooms at the Polo Orchid Resort at Cherrapunji is the Dew Drop Cottage that is a perfect blend of the modern architecture and the stay boats of the undulating valleys of Cherrapunji. These Dew Drop cottages at the Polo Orchid Resort at Cherrapunji have a private balcony and one can get to see the breathtaking views of the Seven Sister Falls from these cottages. The cottages are having an area of 320 sq. ft. and can accommodate 3 adults comfortable and these have ACs, private balconies, en-suite bathrooms, double bed, TV, Mini Bar, room heater, laundry service, slippers, arm chair, goodies basket, room service, cubicle shower, wake up call, complimentary breakfast, etc. Another very unique room to halt at the Polo Orchid Resort at Cherrapunji is the log hut with pool that is a concept that is not to be found in any other property across North East India and this log hut is an all wood structure that also has a pool within its premises. The log hut at the Polo Orchid Resort at Cherrapunji is situated on top of a hill and is built entirely with Canadian Spruce wood and the place offers amazing views of the undulating valleys of Cherrapunji and also a very elegant stay experience. The furniture that forms a part of the décor of this room helps to retain the rustic charm of the place. Another very nice suite option at the Polo Orchid Resort in Cherrapunji is the rainforest suite that offers a true blend of luxury and comfort. The rainforest suite has an area of 475 sq. ft. and can easily accommodate 3 guests that overlook the verdant landscapes of Cherrapunji and the suite has a separate room and a Jacuzzi as well. There is a spacious private balcony as well where you can sit and view the undulating valleys of Cherrapunji. Another class of room that is present at the Polo Orchid Resort in Cherrapunji is the misty mountain villa that is one of the best places to stay during your vacation at Cherrapunji and it is a perfect blend of elegance and comfort. The misty mountain villa at the Polo Orchid Resort at Cherrapunji has an area of 550 sq. ft. and these are equipped with a host of facilities like AC, high speed Wi-Fi, private balcony and private plunge pool as well. When it comes to luxury dining at the Polo Orchid Resort at Cherrapunji there are three options of dining one at the Sky grill, the Sohra House and the in room dining facility as well.

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• Sa-I-Mika Resort Cherrapunji ~

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One of the very deluxe and nice properties to halt on your visit to Cherrapunji is the Sa-I-Mika Park and resort that is located at the entrance of Cherrapunji town and one has to take a right diversion from the road and cross the Sohra Plaza Homestay and continue on their drive towards the Dainthlen falls and the Saimika resort is to be found at the left. The Saimika resort is located across the vast undulating valleys of Cherrapunji and this is the perfect place for any guest who wants to enjoy the true beauty of Mother Nature. This place is a true example of how guests can enjoy the calm and serene atmosphere of a hill station reconnecting with nature and also at the same time enjoy their stay in luxury with the rooms offering them all the basic necessities for a comfortable stay. Saimika resort at Cherrapunji is a perfect blend of the unique Khasi hospitality where guests can savour some of the ethnic delights of the Khasi cuisine and explore across the creeks and meadows of Cherrapunji. A small stream flows alongside the resort where you can admire the crystal clear water that join to flow down from the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji. At the Saimika Resort, guests can lie around the well-kept lawn of the place and enjoy the starry skies and listen to the musical sounds of the winds over the vast open mountains across the place. The Saimika resort is the perfect place to walk around, take a hike around the place, play on the sandy banks of the stream and do much more with nature all across. The Saimika resort at Cherrapunji plays its part in responsible tourism as the place tries to reduce the impact of tourism on the beautiful hills and valleys that surround the place by avoiding surplus use of resources meaning there is no TV, telephones or Wi-Fi in the rooms and the place is powered by solar lights. There are 22 beautifully appointed rooms at the Saimika resort and most of these rooms are individual cottages for the guests. These beautiful rooms are spread across two areas of the property namely the stream side view and the valley side view and one gets to admire the grand and beautiful rolling valleys of Cherrapunji from these rooms. The resort has an in-house kitchen and restaurant that serves fresh and organic food to guests that comprises of North India, Chinese and traditional Khasi cuisine. The Saimika resort at Cherrapunji has its own garden and fresh organic vegetables and fruits for meals are sourced from the garden itself.

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• Sohra Plaza Homestay Cherrapunji ~

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One very nice and budget place to stay at Cherrapunji is the Sohra Plaza Homestay that is located just at the right of the entrance of Cherrapunji town and the place offers comfortable rooms at budget prices and the rooms have a double bed and an en-suite bathroom with western toilets, furnishings and a geyser as well. The road that leads further from the Sohra Plaza Homestay takes you towards the Sai Mika Resort at Cherrapunji and further to the Wei Sawdong falls and the Dainthlen Falls at Cherrapunji. This property is visible just when you are about to approach Cherrapunji town before the Orange Roots restaurant and you have to take a right diversion from the highway and the place is located on the left side. Towards the right side of the Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji is another small guest house called as the Escapade Inn that offers four rooms for accommodation of guests and so in case you are coming in a large group then you can book both these places at budget rates and enjoy your vacation around Cherrapunji by staying close to the group. The Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji offers accommodation to its guests across 4 double rooms, 1 triple room and a large guest room that can accommodate around 5 guests. There is a restaurant here as well that serves delightful North India, Chinese and local Khasi traditional dishes as well. The staff members at the Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji are very hard working, polite and eager to help and they ensure that all the needs of the guests are catered and attended to on time. The place overlooks the beautiful verdant landscapes of Cherrapunji and there is a big lawn area across the place where you can enjoy a game or sit by the evening bonfire that is arranged upon request here. The owner of the Sohra Plaza homestay owns another small Inn at Cherrapunji market and in case you are a budget traveller or a backpacker who wants to have an accommodation at budget prices during you stay at Cherrapunji then you can visit this Sohra Plaza Inn at the Cherrapunji market and stay at budget prices as well. The Sohra Plaza homestay has tariffs that start from INR 2,500 per room per night and the menu prices are reasonable as well and your stay here will surely be a very memorable one on your visit to Cherrapunji. There is ample parking area for vehicles here and in case you are coming to the place with a driver then you do not have to worry about the accommodation of the driver as there is a complimentary room for stay of drivers.

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• Cherrapunji Holiday Resort ~ 

One of the pioneers in the hospitality industry of Cherrapunji is the Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort that is located near the Tyrna village and this Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort is a family run nature retreat that has abundant scenic beauty across the place. The proprietors of the Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort have the earnest desire to provide the right ambiance for family holiday in the lap of Mother Nature. The Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort is having twelve well furnished rooms that have vitrified tile flooring and a beautiful ambiance as well. The rooms have an en-suite bathroom that have 24 hours running hot and cold water and the place is having a reliable power source with genset backup and even invertor power as well. The staff members at the Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort are local boys and girls from the neighbouring village who strive to make your stay comfortable and a pleasant one as well. The Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort was started in the year 2000 when there were no accommodations around Cherrapunji area and visitors who wanted to visit Cherrapunji had to stay in Shillong and the MTDC had arrangements for local day tours to Cherrapunji for Shillong via Busses. The idea of opening a resort here at Cherrapunji had come to the owner of the resort who happened to be a banker hailing from Madurai who is married to a local Khasi lady from this village. The idea came to him while he was at Puri on vacation and he realized of the potential to build a resort here in Cherrapunji and the idea of Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort has started. The thought came as a way to promote the area around Laitkynshew that is present around 15km from Cherrapunji and this village has vast abundant natural beauty across the place including the Living Root Bridge, the Double Decker Living Root Bridge and the natural swimming pools as well that became an instant hit with the travellers who came to stay at the Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort. The promoters of the place kept exploring more places of tourist interest around the village and they setup a website to put up the various information and across the years this Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort has become one of the most sought after places to stay here in Cherrapunji. There are four accommodation options at the Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort and these are the standard room, deluxe room, executive room and the premier room that are accompanied with complimentary veg breakfast and veg dinner. The in-house restaurant at the Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort served sumptuous breakfast and buffet dinner as well.

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Coniferous Resort Cherrapunji ~

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Another of the popular stay options at Cherrapunji is the coniferous resort that is located on the way to the Mawsmai cave and Sister Falls at Cherrapunji is the Coniferous Resort that is known to be one of the very nice places to stay at budget prices. The Coniferous Resort at Cherrapunji has well-appointed rooms that are elegantly designed with beautiful interiors and come with comfortable and good quality linen and interiors. The Coniferous Resort has facilities like parking, restaurant, room service, front desk, doctor on call and much more. All the rooms at the Coniferous Resort have all the facilities that offer homelike hospitality. All the rooms have attached bathrooms that have been fitted with modern fixtures and have all the basic amenities and toiletries. You can be rest assured with the service of the resort that make your stay a very pleasant experience. The various room options at the Coniferous Resort in Cherrapunji are standard double room, standard four bedded room, deluxe double bed room, deluxe three bedded room, super deluxe double room, super deluxe four bedded room and executive rooms. Each of the rooms at the Coniferous resort at Cherrapunji have all the modern amenities and it is the endeavour of the management at the Coniferous resort that the guests who come to stay here leave with a bouquetful of memories and a desire to come back to Cherrapunji and stay at the Coniferous Resort again. The various facilities at the rooms at the Coniferous Resort in Cherrapunji are en-suite bathrooms, power backup, intercom, TV, room service, laundry service, etc. The place also has an in-house restaurant and the chef of the place prepares some of the very delicious North Indian, Chinese, Local Khasi and Bengali cuisine and you can allow your taste buds to be pampered when you dine at the Coniferous resort. In case you do not want to step out from the comfort of your room then you can place your order via the intercom and the food will be sent to your room for in-house ding as well. Being located along the road you will not have any problem locating this place because of a huge signage is provided at the entrance that is clearly visible from the road itself. The various places of sight-seeing around Cherrapunji are located close to the resort and as the place is away from the town there is no noise as well and you can enjoy the natural beauty of Cherrapunji all around here.

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  7 Sister Falls View Inn Cherrapunji ~

Another of the very nice places to stay that is located near the Seven Sister Fall in Cherrapunji is the 7 Sister Falls View Inn and as the name suggests the property is located alongside the Seven Sister Falls and the place provides stunning views of the waterfall and the breathtaking landscapes across the place. The 7 Sister Fall View Inn at Cherrapunji provides a contemporary and authentic experience to guess from across the World who come on their vacation to Cherrapunji. The Inn offers various categories of rooms to suit the requirement of the travellers and these rooms range from standard to deluxe categories. The Deluxe categories of rooms at the 7 Sister Falls view inn ay Cherrapunji offers much more space and uninterrupted views of the Seven Sister Falls at Cherrapunji. These rooms are designed to cater to the requirements of friends, families and even official trips and visits to Cherrapunji. There is an in-house restaurant that provides delicious food to the guests and guests can have the option to satisfy their cravings of their taste buds here as well. There is provision for cooking as well and in case you would like to prepare your own food here you will need to inform the management of the 7 Sister Falls View Inn here at Cherrapunji in advance and they will make the arrangements for it at nominal prices. There are the options of staying at the suite rooms and the non-suite rooms here at the 7 Sister Falls View Inn and under both these categories the rooms are divided into Super Deluxe and Standard Deluxe rooms that can accommodate 4 to 5 members in the room. The staff members at the 7 Sister Falls view inn are very hard working and they are mostly the local boys of Cherrapunji who keep running around the place to cater to the needs of the guests and they bring in the food to your rooms in case you opt for in-room dining. The management of the 7 Sister Falls view inn at Cherrapunji focus on the service of fooding and lodging for the guests. The lodging service is where the management strives to provide accommodation to tourists who visit Cherrapunji and also the places nearby and they choose to make a night halt at Cherrapunji. The fooding service is where they provide different cuisines to guests that include North Indian, Chinese, Thai and even Bengali and local Khasi cuisine as well. The 7 Sister Falls view inn also has an open space for camp fire and you need to book this priorly and also BBQ can be arranged on request.

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  Cordial Lodge cum Restaurant Cherrapunji

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Another property that is located near to the Seven Sister Falls along the Cherrapunji – Shella road is the Cordial Lodge that is a newly built place to halt at Cherrapunji that provided nice views of the Seven Sister Falls. The Cordial Lodge is a fairly new property in Cherrapunji that offers big and spacious rooms for the comfortable stay of guests and each of the room here have an en-suite bathroom that provided the amenities like geyser, western toilet, etc. The place is located just opposite to the Seven Sister Falls and the rooms at the Cordial Lodge at Cherrapunji offer adequate space, sofa, table inside the rooms that are provided with fresh towels and clean linen. The rooms have a TV and also Tea/Coffee maker so that you can enjoy the cool weather of Cherrapunji overlooking the grand views of the Seven Sister Falls and sipping your tea/coffee at the same time. There is an in-house restaurant at the place that servers various cuisines like North Indian, Chinese, Bengali and local Khasi cuisine as well and the place also offers room service meaning you can place your food order from the comfort of your room itself. Apart from the Seven Sister Falls, the Cordial Lodge is also located at close proximity to the Mawsmai Cave and the Eco Park at Cherrapunji in Meghalaya. You must try the North Indian cuisine at the restaurant of the Cordial Lodge that is a recommend choice among the travellers here in Cherrapunji. The management at the Cordial Lodge strives to provide the best hospitality to their guests and the staff here is polite and courteous to the guests that make the stay experience here in Cherrapunji much better. The general facilities that guests staying at the Cordial Lodge can avail are travel counter, baggage storage on request, room service, doctor on call, safe deposit at front desk, laundry facility, complimentary newspaper at Lobby, etc. Free Wi-Fi is available across the common areas of the place and even the restaurant as well and the in room facilities available at the Cordial Lodge at Cherrapunji are TV, safe depot lock, big mirror, hot/cold running water, complimentary toiletries, etc. A stay at the Cordial Lodge in recommended on your visit to Cherrapunji if you are a budget traveller and are looking to send some quaint time away from the hustle and bustle of a busy city life. Stay in calm overlooking across the common balcony and admiring the grand beauty of the landscapes around the Seven Sister fall of Cherrapunji.

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• Halari Tourist Lodge Cherrapunji ~

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• Cherrapunji Homestay ~

Another budget place to stay that is located just towards the road to the Sa-I-Mika resort is the Cherrapunji Homestay and this is a budget place to halt on your visit to Cherrapunji that has tariffs starting from INR 1200 per room per night. The place is owned by a local Khasi person who works at the Saimika resort and he had opened this place in the name of his son and there are a total of 3 rooms at the place with the owner staying just next to the place. In case you are a budget traveller or a backpacker who is ready to compromise on modern luxuries on their stay and need a place with basic amenities and clean rooms and bathrooms then this is the place to be on your stay at Cherrapunji. The rooms have twin beds and the bathroom is equipped with a geyser as well. There is a provision for a kitchen that can be used by guests and they can avail the facility of the kitchen to prepare their own meals at nominal prices. In case you are not interest in cooking and would like to order in your meals at your room that you can inform the owner and there is a menu at the room from where you can order and the food will be brought to you and delivered in hot cases from the Saimika resort in Cherrapunji.

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Jiva Resort Cherrapunji ~ 

Coming to another luxurious property for your stay at Cherrapunji it is the Jiva Resort that is often called as one of the best places to stay in Cherrapunji. The Jiva Resort is located at Saitsohpen area near the Kutmadan resort in Cherrapunji. The Jiva Resort is nestled in the heart of the Khasi culture at Cherrapunji and this resort conjures the images of the picturesque clouds that come home to a picturesque heaven here at Cherrapunji. The place around the Jiva resort in Cherrapunji is a heavenly ambiance that boasts of serenity across the place and the rooms at the Jiva resort have a beautiful view of the green hills and lakes of Cherrapunji. Visitors to the Jiva resort can feel the nature at its best and during the day itself they can witness four seasons because at one moment you see the clear sunny skies and the next moment you see the clouds hover across the sky and bring in the sudden showers and you will be enthralled with the scene. The Jiva Resort at Cherrapunji has ten beautiful AC rooms that are also having a heating system to beat the cold weather of Cherrapunji and you should consider staying in the room that is a suite and has a Jacuzzi and a balcony as well.

The staff members of the place hail from Cherrapunji and they are known to have the gentle culture and etiquette that make them offer the most polite and best in class hospitality to guests who choose to stay at the Jiva Resort. Across the place you will find the waterfalls, the little bridges and the canopies and the landscapes across the resort in beautifully done as well. There is also a good place for golf lovers at the Sohra golf range that is located very close to the resort and you can have the opportunity to sharpen your golfing skills at reasonable prices overlooking the undulating valleys of Cherrapunji. In case you are an avid trekker then you have come to the right place here in Cherrapunji as the undulating landscapes of Sohra offer various trekking routes to the travellers here and it can be said that a stay and vacation at the Jivas resort in Cherrapunji is no less than a vacation in Switzerland. When it comes to the dining at the Jiva resort, it can be said that it is one of the most sumptuous spreads that you will enjoy that is churned out of a modern kitchen. From veg to non-veg, the chefs at the Jiva resort in Cherrapunji, churn out a lip smacking cuisine to the delicious deserts as well.

When it comes to the stay options at the Jiva Resort at Cherrapunji there are four categories of rooms at the place namely the Executive Suite (facilities are double bed, Wi-Fi, Breakfast included, flat screen TV, mountain views, room service), Superior Suite (facilities are double bed, Wi-Fi, Breakfast included, flat screen TV, mountain views, room service), Luxury Suite (facilities are double bed, Wi-Fi, Breakfast included, flat screen TV, mountain views, room service) and Presidential Suite (facilities include flat screen TV, private balcony, mountain view, room service, sitting area). Jiva resort is one of the best hotels in Cherrapunji and the resort caters to guests who come to Cherrapunji from all across the World. Jiva resort is located near the prime tourist spots of Cherrapunji and also the Sohra golf reserve as well. The Jiva grill that is the in-house restaurant of the place serves delicious and mouth-watering dishes to all guests who come to enjoy their vacation at Cherrapunji.

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Kutmadan Resort Cherrapunji ~ 

Located just close to the Jiva Resort is the Kutmadan Resort at Cherrapunji that is a three cottage (Five Room) property that is spread across a sprawling campus that is a large plot of land overlooking the beautiful landscapes of Cherrapunji. The place is simple described as the Kutmadan Resort and it offers a front row experience to guests who can witness the undulating landscapes of Cherrapunji and witness the humdrum and epic drama of hovering clouds, whispering winds and heavy rainfall that is what truly describes the natural beauty of Cherrapunji or Sohra (the Shade of the Clouds). The stay experience at the Kutmadan resort will not only take your breath away but at the same time it will change your perspective about how you see this World. The border of Bangladesh and India is visible from the resort itself and the USP of the Kutmadan Resort are great views, great hospitality, friendly staff and delicious meals. This resort is located in a secluded place and this is what makes the stay at this place magical as you are away from the noise and hustle and bustle of a busy city life and as the name literally translates to Kut meaning ‘End’ and Madan meaning land of field in the traditional Khasi language. The food cooked at the place is very delicious and the chef puts in the efforts that you do not miss out on the home experience and so does the manager of the place.

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La Kupar Inn

One of the highly recommended places to stay in Cherrapunji for budget travellers who look out for a clean and neat place with all the basic yet modern facilities and a courteous and polite staff who bring to you food that is cooked with eagerness and love is the La Kupar Inn that is located at the Saitsohpen village along the Sohra-Shella road in lower Cherrapunji. The La Kupar Inn in Cherrapunji is an easily accessible place that is located at the heart of Cherrapunji town overlooking the NIT Meghalaya and the place offers spacious rooms that are a quaint getaway for families and friends. The rooms at the La Kupar Inn have separate balconies where guests can sit out and enjoy the breathtaking view of sunset around Cherrapunji and in case there are clouds in the sky then you can enjoy the pleasant drizzle from the balcony on one of the rainiest places on planet Earth. The La Kupar Inn is a charming and popular hotel that is located in the heart of Cherrapunji town and is 45 km away from Shillong and the place provides easy access to several tourist spots around Cherrapunji, Mawlynnong and Dawki and the place offers spacious rooms that are equipped with all modern amenities and the place has a well-trained and generous staff who always have a smile on their faces to cater to the needs of the guests and hence it assures a comfortable and leisure stay here in Cherrapunji.

The rooms at the La Kupar Inn offer a traditional setup and it is a complete family environment with tall ceilings. The rooms are very well maintained and have period furniture, painting and art as well and it blends completely with the natural environment across the place. The La Kupar Inn at Cherrapunji was built with the law of nature in mind and it is an ideal stay for families, corporates and tourists on vacation. The staff at the La Kupar Inn is a prime USP of the place and they are friendly and prompt in their service. The place endeavours to greet and welcome visitors with a smile to Sohra – the Shade of the Clouds and they aim to provide the guests with an experience that they will remember for a lifetime. Guests who come to the La Kupar Inn at Cherrapunji from the moment they step into the place get to have a sense of relaxation and comfort in the services of the staff of the place. Guests can start their day with a sumptuous breakfast of various offerings at reasonable prices and spend their time in the evenings by the balcony overlooking the sunset and sipping locally brewed tea.

The La Kupar Inn is located atop a quaint hillock near the main market area of Cherrapunji and it has a prime and central location as well that has a hospital, market and other prominent landmarks of Cherrapunji. Tourists who would like to enjoy the local scenes of Cherrapunji can easily do so by staying comfortably at the La Kupar Inn. Apart from the various sightseeing’s around the place, the La Kupar Inn can also arrange for various trekking and adventure tours to prominent tourist hubs around Cherrapunji and they can even arrange for local guides to assist tourists to admire the beauty of the place as well. The La Kupar Inn has two accommodation options for the stay of guests and these are double bedded rooms and twin bedded rooms and both these rooms are spacious and have an attached bath and balcony as well. Apart from nice stay, the facilities offered at the La Kupar Inn in Cherrapunji are Wi-Fi, Live Music, private parties, outdoor activities, camp fire, restaurant, tour guide hire, trekking, etc.

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Nalgree Homestay Cherrapunji

If you are looking out for a budget place to stay in Cherrapunji that offers you clean and decent stay then one place is the Nalgree Homestay in Cherrapunji that is located a little ahead from the main market area in Cherrapunji along the Sohra-Shella road and this is located before the Coniferous resort in Cherrapunji and the place offers 4 rooms to stay for guests and the place also has an in-house restaurant. The place is located just off the road and it is clearly visible from the roadside and apart from decent stay, the place also has an in-house restaurant that serves delicious meals to guests at budget rates. The rooms at the Nalgree Homestay in Cherrapunji are neat and clean and can easily accommodate two guests with provisions for an extra mattress but as the room size is small it recommend a good stay for 3 guests and there in an en-suite bathroom with each room that provides all the modern amenities. Also the place has a badminton and volley ball court as well and once you are done sightseeing around Cherrapunji you can unwind in the evening over a game of badminton here. The Nalgree Homestay offers accommodation to guests and also has a balcony and terrace as well. This place is suited for small groups of families and friends who can book the entire place for the comfortable stay and you will pay a total amount for these four rooms for a night halt and it is what you will pay for just one room at an ultra-luxury resort. The Nalgree Homestay here in Cherrapunji offers a terrace, parking facility, family rooms, pets are allowed, free Wi-Fi, non-smoking rooms, etc. and the restaurant provides delicious food that are of North Indian, Chinese and Bengali cuisine and the starters are a must try especially the prawns fry. The owners of the place offer another budget accommodation called as the Nalgree Guest House that is located conveniently across the main market area of Cherrapunji.

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San-Nael-La Resort Cherrapunji

Another prime property that has been setup near the Nalgree Homestay and the Coniferous Resort in Cherrapunji along the Sohra-Shella road near NIT Meghalaya at Saitsophen is the San-Nael-La resort that provides luxury accommodation to guests at budget prices. The San-Nael-La resort strives to make your stay at Cherrapunji an enjoyable and memorable one. The place is run by a team of people who have been engaged in the hospitality industry since a long time and they strive to offer best services at budget prices. The place is very popular for its restaurant and is a perfect destination for conferences and parties in Cherrapunji.

The three categories of rooms present at the San-Neal-La resort at Cherrapunji are the Executive, Deluxe and Semi-Deluxe categories. The semi-deluxe rooms at the San-Neal-La resort in Cherrapunji are located at the ground floor and each of these rooms are furnished with queen sized twin beds and the rooms are spacious and are well appointed with modern amenities and attached bath. The other amenities that are present are TV, coffee/tea maker and Wi-Fi connectivity. The deluxe category rooms are located on the first floor of this resort in Cherrapunji and these rooms are furnished with twin beds, the executive category of rooms at the San-Neal-La resort in Cherrapunji are 2 in number and while one is located on the ground floor, the second is on the second floor and each of these executive rooms are furnished with single bed each – 2 no’s (2×1 single bed 3 feet x 6 feet and also can be joined is requested). The various other facilities that guests can avail at the San-Neal-La resort in Cherrapunji are complimentary breakfast, free parking, travel assistance, local guide, dressing glass in each room, in-house restaurant, CCTV surveillance for security, laundry service, Mini Park for children, running hot and cold water, 24×7 reception, etc.

In today’s present scenario due to COVID19 where hygiene is of prime importance, the San-Neal-La Resort at Cherrapunji has adopted various measures to help fight the spread of the virus and they focus on hygiene and safety of guests as their top most priority. The rooms are sanitized before check-in, guest screening, social distancing at common places, contactless check in, hand sanitizers available at common areas, hotel staff screening, payment made by electronic mode, etc. to keep the safety of guests as a prime priority. The restaurant at the San-Neal-La resort is a prime USP of the place that draws various tourists who come to tickle their taste buds and the food items are appreciated by the young as well as the adults. San-Neal-La resort restaurant strives to offer the best delicacy of food and beverages to guests coming in and the ambiance of the place is grand as well. The restaurant at the resort serves Indian, Chinese and local Khasi cuisine of Cherrapunji and the ambiance is very nice and the service is quick at the same time. Guests coming to Cherrapunji who want to experience a very nice stay and food on their vacation can surely choose to halt at the San-Neal-La resort to have a memorable experience on their visit to Cherrapunji.

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Labana Hotel and Resort Cherrapunji

This property is a fairly new property in Cherrapunji that had started operations in the year 2019 and the best part about this hotel in the location and it is located right at the Cherrapunji town market and this is what makes it an ideal place to have accessibility to all the major tourist attractions near to Cherrapunji. The Labana Hotel is a 2 star category hotel that comprises of 10 rooms in total and there is free parking available on site for guests and it is just a stone throw away from the Cherrapunji local market that allows you to have access to the market and shop for provisions. The location is top notch and one can get the beautiful view of the Wah Kaba Falls of Cherrapunji from this hotel and also the three headed rock right from the room itself that are the ones with balcony. The hotel is located on the Shillong-Sohra road and it also has an in-house restaurant that offers delicious cuisines to its guests. The staff members at the Hotel Labana are very welcoming and they promptly respond to the requirements of the guests. This is a budget prices hotel in Cherrapunji and it is best to choose the rooms that have a balcony and this allows you to have uninterrupted views of the majestic landscapes of Cherrapunji.

The rooms at the Hotel Labana in Cherrapunji are clean and neat and have all the basic and requisite facilities for the price that you are paying. The bathroom has a shower with hot water geyser available to beat the cold weather of Cherrapunji. The Hotel Labana is located just 600 feet away from the Nongswalia Church and the Krem Phyket is also 600 feet away from the hotel. The rooms at the Labana Hotel come with complimentary breakfast and guests can go to have their breakfast at the rooftop restaurant at the Hotel called as the 7 troop pool stop. In case you do not want to eat the hotel then no problem because being conveniently located near the market area of Cherrapunji, there are various other restaurants where you can eat your food as well. The other facilities that guests at the Labana Hotel in Cherrapunji can avail are free parking, laundry service, room service, car rental, restaurant, TV, food and drinks, etc. There are 3 categories of rooms at the Hotel Labana in Cherrapunji and these rooms are the deluxe executive rooms, Super deluxe double rooms and the Deluxe double rooms. A very decent budget hotel in Cherrapunji with welcoming staff and a stay at the Labana Hotel is recommended on your visit to Cherrapunji.

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Nalgre Guest House Cherrapunji

Another budget stay guest house that is located near the Cherrapunji main market along the Shillong-Sohra highway is the Nalgre guest house that is a small budget property with around 8 rooms that overlooks the beautiful valleys of Cherrapunji and the Wah Kaba falls. The Labana Hotel and Resort in Cherrapunji is located on top near the market and the Nalgre guest house is located down along the road and both of these properties provide beautiful views of the Wah-Kaba falls in Cherrapunji. The Nalgre guest house also has an in-house restaurant that is known to serve delicious North Indian, Chinese and Bengali cuisine dishes to guests and the owners of the place even own the Nalgree Homestay at Cherrapunji and the Nalgre Guest House in Shillong. If you are not looking out for ultra-modern luxury to stay during your visit to Cherrapunji and you are content to stay in a place that is neat and clean with spacious rooms that have a nice King size bed with clean linen and good service and delicious food and all the above facilities at budget prices then a stay at the Nalgre guest House in Cherrapunji is highly recommended.

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D-Cloud Guest House Cherrapunji

Another of the budget stay in Cherrapunji that is known to have great reviews from it guests mostly because of the warm and eager hospitality of the owner (Yai) is the D-Cloud Guest House that is located opposite to the Fire and Emergency station at Cherrapunji at Saitsophen along the Sohra-Shella road. The D-Cloud Guest House is an ideal halt over at Cherrapunji for budget travellers and backpackers who want neat and clean rooms to stay and nice and clean washrooms and they do not look out for the modern amenities. The owner of the place (Yai) takes personal attention to all his guess and he provides delicious home cooked meals and bonfire for the chilly evening in Cherrapunji and he also plays the guitar and ensures that you do not a dull evening on your visit to Cherrapunji. The place might not have all the luxury amenities in a high start hotel but the owner makes it up with his smile, hospitality and eagerness to make your stay a pleasant one. One thing to be mentioned is that the place has three rooms and one common bathroom to be shared among these rooms and this is where you need to makes a choice for the stay here at the D-Cloud Guesthouse in Cherrapunji. Considered to be a very popular place for backpackers and budget travellers to Cherrapunji you can also take this place in case you are a small group of 10 members and keep the entire place to yourself during you stay in Cherrapunji. Enjoy delicious locally prepared Khasi traditional meals and enjoy your evenings by the bonfire at the D-Cloud Guest house in Cherrapunji.

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Crescent Hotel Cherrapunji

Another hotel that is located at the prime area of the Sohra market in Cherrapunji is the Crescent Hotel. This hotel is set in an idyllic ambiance that is located on a hill top and the rooms of the Hotel (with balcony) offer great views of the Wah Kaba falls in Cherrapunji. The Crescent Hotel in Cherrapunji is a very ideal way to enjoy the vacation in Cherrapunji and as the place is located at the main market area so it is located conveniently from most of the tourist spots across Cherrapunji. The Crescent Hotel is another of the top hotels in Cherrapunji that has great reviews from the guests (on Trip Advisor) and guests appreciate the hospitality that is offered to them by the manager and staff of the hotel here. The staffs at the Crescent Hotel in Cherrapunji are known to be very supportive and cordial and the place also has an in-house restaurant that serves delicious food to the guests. The Crescent Hotel is a perfect way to experience the pleasant atmosphere of Sohra (Cherrapunji) and the hotel is a short drive away from the Nohkalikai Falls, Arwah Caves, Mawsmai Cave and the Seven Sister Falls in Cherrapunji. The two other prime waterfalls of the Dainthlen Falls and the Wei Sawdong falls are also located conveniently to the Crescent Hotel in Cherrapunji.

The various facilities and amenities offered to guests here are free breakfast, restaurant, children area, car hire, baggage storage, laundry service, fireplace, room service, etc. There are two categories of rooms at the Crescent Hotel and one is the Crescent Room and the other is the Sunshine room. A truly rewarding stay on your visit to Cherrapunji, the Crescent Hotel lives up to the expectation with clean and neat rooms and the place us known for its restaurant and Chef Sanjeev who serves our some of the very delicious lip-smacking dishes.

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Smoky Falls Mae Fi Resort Cherrapunji

Located at the Tyrna area on the way to Nongriat, a visit to Cherrapunji is considered to be incomplete if you do not go for the trek to Nongriat village to sight the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat near Cherrapunji. And if you want to stay close to Nongriat then this is the ideal resort to halt because at Nongriat you will only find the basic homestays. The Smoky Falls Mae Fi Resort is located in a very picturesque surrounding that is across the overlooking gorges, mountains and numerous waterfalls. The place is bounded on its sides by the gentle slopes and the resort is spread across an area of 2 acres of land and the entire landscape is very scenic.

The resort near Cherrapunji experiences one of the most beautiful weather conditions as it is located amidst the tropical forests of Meghalaya and the monsoon season is the best time to visit the place to witness the rainfall of Cherrapunji. At present, the Smoky Falls Mae Fi resort near Cherrapunji has 12 rooms and apart from the rooms, there is a viewpoint, an in-house restaurant, small children’s play area, parking area and swimming pool as well. The entire view from around the resort is very scenic and guests can spend their evenings here listening to the sounds of the river flowing, birds chirping and the insects as well. At present there are 12 rooms for the comfortable stay of guests here at the Smoky Falls Mae Fi resorts near Cherrapunji and these rooms are categorized into standard cottage, family cottage and Attic styled cottages. The standard cottages is a quiet retreat for the guests here at the Mae-Fi resort in Cherrapunji and these cottages feature a queen size bed and a balcony that offers great views of the landscapes around Tyrna near Cherrapunji. The family cottages are a quiet stay to spend time in calm with your family and these cottages have a queen sized bed and an attic room with your name on it.

The attic styled cottages at the Smoky falls Mae Fi resort near Cherrapunji are located on top of a hill within the campus premises and guests can experience living in an A-styled cottage that has an attic room for 2 and a queen sized bed. This resort is located at the Mankhaw area of Tyrna village and it is around 15km away from the main market of Cherrapunji (Sohra Bazar) and visitors planning to come here need to take the scenic route from Cherrapunji to Tyrna and take a sharp U-bend to Tyrna. The in-house restaurant at this resort serves some of the very delicious cuisine for its guests and guests can trickle their taste buds to the cuisine from around the World here. The resort offers ample parking space for the vehicles of its guests and this is one last thing you need to worry about. The resort near Cherrapunji offers a children’s playground area as well so that your kids do not feel left out on the vacation and they get to enjoy their time here as well. The resort is pet friendly as well and your pets are completely safe in a safe compound that is well gated. The Smoky Falls Mae Fi resort is one of the top rated locations at Tyrna near Cherrapunji.

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Serene Homestay – Nongriat Village

When you are visiting Cherrapunji and you are planning to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at the Nongriat Village near Cherrapunji then it is always recommended that you travel to Tyrna from Cherrapunji and embark on you trek to Nongriat village and also take the opportunity to halt at a homestay at Nongriat and enjoy the true beauty of nature around the place and then come back to Cherrapunji. In case you do not have much time on your itinerary then you can choose to even come back to Cherrapunji from Nongriat after simple exploring the Double Decker Living Root Bridge. The place around Nongriat has many other places on interest to explore and the first is the Tyrna Ecotourism Elaka that has the set of two single decker living root bridges and also the cave that is present here. Also tourists visiting Nongriat can explore the Root Bridge and the following day also go to explore the Mawshaw bridge and the rainbow falls and they can trek all the way and come back to Cherrapunji near the Nohkalikai Falls area. So in order to be able to explore more of the places around Nongriat you will need to take adequate rest because the trek from Tyrna to Nongriat wears you down and to take care of your needs there are several homestays around the Nongriat area.

One place that is worth mentioning is the Serene Homestay that is located just at the entrance of the Nongriat village and it is very close to the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat near Cherrapunji. The serene homestay is a palace that offers you basic facilities and it allows you to get some rest in a calm environment before you set out to explore the bounties of nature at Nongriat near Cherrapunji. Serene Homestay is owned and you are hosted here by Mr Byron and his family who have been welcoming guests to Nongriat sine many years and this place is ideally suited for backpackers and solo travellers who come from all across the World to visit Nongriat. Mr Byron is a very hospitable person who pays personal to all the guests and the only thing you have to do is to stick to the schedule of the day because the dinner is served at a regular time here and it is not an A la Carte where you can order as per your convenience. One thing you can enjoy throughout the day is maggi noodles. Black tea and fruits and the place offer a dorm as well and also double rooms for the stay at nominal prices. The rooms are prices at around INR 400 for a stay at the dorm and INR 600 for the room but one thing to note is that the rooms do not have attached bathrooms and instead the toilet and bath are shared for all.

The Serene Homestay is located on top of the Nongriat village and you will need to access a stairway to reach the place that further goes on to the Double Decker Root Bridge. The place overlooks the vast undulating tropical forests of Meghalaya and Cherrapunji and you will be staying in the heart of Nature here at the Serene Homestay at Nongriat. These places are truly cut off from the modern World and you might not have regular electricity and mobile connectivity here and finding internet is surely a challenge and it is a perfect time for guests to unwind from a modern life and instead stay with the bounties of nature on their visit to Nongriat. Basic facilities are available at the homestays around Nongriat near Cherrapunji and these are fair enough to allow you to rest after a day of living trek. In case you are a gadget freak and cannot think of staying a minute without having access to the internet then a stay at Nongriat is surely not recommended for you and it is better that you stay at Cherrapunji at one of the deluxe hotels or resorts and access the trek to the Double Decker Root Bridge in a day to come back to Cherrapunji by late afternoon (ensure to start the trek early in the morning).

Adjacent to the Serene Homestay at Nongriat is the Nongriat Guest House that is managed by Challi and his family and this is another of the basic stay rest houses at Nongriat that offers visitors a comfortable stay experience and delightful meals. The Nongriat Guest House offers clean and neat stay but you are to give up on modern luxuries on your stay here and be limited to nature. There is lack of television and internet meaning that you are cut off from the rest of the World and are limited to the bounties of nature across Nongriat. The Nongriat Guest house near Cherrapunji doesn’t have a fan nor a heater meaning that the weather of the place remains favourable across the year. The bathrooms do not have taps fitted and instead you will need to fill the buckets from a nearby hand pump and take it along with you reminding you of a perfect village experience. The food served at the Nongriat Guest House is basic and simple and you will enjoy porridge, maggi, eggs, rice, dal, vegetables and a meat curry and the special Khasi style rice called as Jadoh. One thing you can be rest assured of at the Nongriat Guest House is the unlimited supply of maggi noodles and tea that can be ordered at any time during the day at very nominal prices to keep you going throughout the day.

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Nongriat Homestay – Nongriat

Another place to stay at Nongriat is the Nongriat Homestay that is a recommend place to stay by the travellers who come to Nongriat. Self-declared to be one of the best homestays around Nongriat, this place is located after you cross the Double Decker Root Bridge and this is a community run place and the income generated from the homestay is invested back to the community and also in the maintenances of the root bridges of Nongriat. At the Nongriat Homestay there are 4 double bedded rooms that are having Indian style toilets and common area for dining. The trek to the rainbow falls starts from outside the homestay. The Nongriat Homestay is hosted by locals of Nongriat and they are simple people who are possessive about the nature around their village and they do not hesitate to go out of their way to make your stay a very pleasant and comfortable one. The various activities that can be enjoyed around the place are nature walks, trekking, star gazing, book reading, swimming in natural pools, etc. When it comes to the meals that are simple and home cooked and you can enjoy porridge, bread omelette, maggi for breakfast and rice, dal, vegetables and salad for dinner. If you crave for non-veg food then you can place in your request the dry prior and it will be cooked for you.

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Arnes Wooden Hut – Nongriat – Cherrapunji

The Arnes Wooden Hut is located right at the entrance of the Nongriat village and this is a very unique wooden hut that offers complete comfortable stay to its visitors who come to enjoy the picturesque view of nature at Nongriat all across them. The owners of the place are very concerned about the nature across the place and they have ensured to put up signage’s across the place where they discourage people and tourists coming to Nongriat from Cherrapunji to avoid carrying plastic water bottles as there is a huge problem of plastic at Nongriat and they encourage guests to drink water from the pipes that are present across the Nongriat village and this is a very tasty water to drink as well. The rooms are basic yet comfortable and have all the amenities that you will need to have a comfortable night stay. The place serves delicious food to its guests and you can enjoy sumptuous maggi noodles across the day along with eggs and tea. This place serves Italian style coffee to its guests and this speaks about the crowd that come to Nongriat from all across the World and they prefer to drink coffee and spend time amidst nature at the place.

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Greenland Homestay – Tyrna – Cherrapunji

Another of the nice places to stay at Tyrna right at the start of the trek to Nongriat in the Greenland Homestay that is located at Surok Tyrna near Cherrapunji. This is located near the parking spot and so in case you are coming to Cherrapunji with your vehicle you can stop here and check into the Greenland Homestay at Tyrna near Cherrapunji. The owner of the place is a young and dynamic person who always keeps running about the place to cater to the requirements of the guests and the place has provisions for hosting 8 guests at a time. The place has shared toilets and bath and the bathrooms are quite neat and clean. The Greenland Homestay serves simple yet delicious food to its guests and you need to inform the owner priorly about your eating plans and the meal will be prepared and kept ready for you. The place is located in a very scenic location and then you can get to see the fleet of 3500 stairs that will take you to the Nongriat village from Tyrna. The added advantage of the Greenland Homestay is that you can come here to visit along with your family as well and for this you can book a room. The owner of the place makes arrangements for hot water for your bathing and washing needs as well.

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Wetland Homestay – Cherrapunji

Another nice homestay option to stay in Cherrapunji is the Wetland Homestay that is located on the Sohra Shella highway and this place is known to be a budget homestay with basic facilities and a very nice restaurant at Cherrapunji. The place is located near the Mawsmai Caves and the Seven Sister Falls and the vast scenic landscapes around the valleys of Cherrapunji across this place make it worth a stay at the Wetland Homestay. The owner of his homestay is a local from Cherrapunji and he is very well aware of the tourist places here at Cherrapunji and in case you are not going to visit Cherrapunji on a well-planned itinerary he can help you to figure out a quick plan and also arrange for guides to help you see around the place. The rooms are very neat and clean and they have attached bath and toilet and the service of the staff at the Wetland Homestay in Cherrapunji is much appreciated and you will surely enjoy your stay here. The food menu is not very elaborate but you can be rest assured to find delicious home cooked meals at the place that is prepared with fresh organic ingredients that are brought from the local market at Cherrapunji and the prices are a little higher when compared to the other homestay options at Cherrapunji.

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JMS Lodge – Cherrapunji

The JMS Lodge is another of the budget stay options near Cherrapunji that is locate around 2 km away from the main Cherrapunji town and the place is located on the Mawkisyiem-Sohra road at Lower Sohra at Cherrapunji in Meghalaya. The owner of the place Jade is a very eager and hospitable host who looks out for all the requirements and needs of the people who come to stay at the JMS Lodge and the location of the place is perfect. It is an ideal halt over place near Cherrapunji if you are planning to go for the trek to the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat and the owner can even arrange for your transportation from this place to the Tyrna village area. The owner is also a very good guitar player and he plays music for his guests in the evening that adds to the charm of the stay at the place. The place will take care of your needs for hot water that is a must during the winter season and you can even have the option of bonfire at an additional cost and the owner plays the guitar to spend a calm and peaceful evening overlooking the landscapes of Cherrapunji. The place has a restaurant that serves delicious home cooked meals and you will enjoy the food at the JMS Lodge in Cherrapunji for sure.

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Aisha Guest House – Cherrapunji

In the recent times the flow of tourists to Cherrapunji and North East India have gone up considerably (pre COVID times) and even after the successful vaccination drives, the number of tourists coming to Cherrapunji and Meghalaya are expected to increase especially when it comes to backpackers and they go to visit the grandeur of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat. In the past decade when tourism was still nascent across Meghalaya and North East India, there were only a few accommodation options around Cherrapunji and the first one was the Cherrapunji Holiday Resort. Gradually places like the Saimika Resort, Nalgare’s Guest House and the Coniferous Resort came up to accommodate guests who came to explore the bounties of nature around Cherrapunji especially the pleasant weather, the waterfalls, the caves and the Living Root Bridges and the numbers started to increase every year and with the advent of internet and 4G this number has spared up exponentially and the new age bloggers and vloggers come from all across the World to visit Cherrapunji and they are budget travellers as they visit many more states at a time and they look out for affordable and clean stays and basic amenities and they do not look out for luxurius as it is seeked by the vacation travellers who come along with their families.

To cater to the needs of such guests who come in fair numbers various homestays and guest houses have come up in and around Cherrapunji and these offer budget stays and one such stay is the Aisha Guest house that is located at the Khlieshshnong area and it is a walk able distance from the main market area of Cherrapunji. The Aisha guest house at Cherrapunji offers 8 rooms with attached bathrooms and it also offers a waterfall view as well and also the plus point is that there is accommodation facility for drivers as well. The owner of the place Phiban who provides excellent service to its guests and also they offer home cooked meals on their menu and it offers discounted rates to their guests in the off season. The rooms are very clean and hygienic along with the bathrooms that are regularly sanitized. The plus point of this place are the guest house staff who are very friendly and polite and they are always eager to help their guests and they provide you with suggestions to look around the place. As stay at the Aisha guest house in Cherrapunji is highly recommended to visitors who come to Cherrapunji to enjoy their vacation.

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Rani Homestay – Cherrapunji

Another of the new budget properties that is present in Cherrapunji near the Cherrapunji market area is the Rani Homestay. This homestay is located along the Sohra-Shella road and it is about 1km away from the market area and the place offers lodging only facility at present to their guests and the fooding is to come up shortly. But since you will be travelling to Cherrapunji on your vehicles and so fooding is not a problem because the market with restaurants is just a km away and in case you do not want to go for dinner you can buy your food here and the courteous staff will get the food warm for you. Coming to the prices you are going to pay for your pleasant stay at the Rani Homestay in Cherrapunji, the Non-availability of fooding is surely not a concern at all. The Rani Homestay offers double rooms with attached bath for guests and there is also a dorm facility here that can accommodate a large group of guests and the place is nominally priced. The staff here is polite and courteous and you will be well attended to by them. The garden of caves waterfall is located very close to the place and this is one of the very beautiful waterfalls across Cherrapunji here.

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Goshen Homestay Cherrapunji

If you are looking to stay at a budget place around Cherrapunji that has one of the most scenic views of the valleys of Cherrapunji the place to be is the Goshen Homestay that is located along the way to the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji. The owners of the homestay take personnel attention to their guests and the owners soon take care of all the meals of the guests coming to stay here. The place offers breathtaking views of the waterfall on one side and the ridge on the other side. The place is away from the main town and therefore you will not hear the hustle, noise and honking of cars and vehicles. It is a very nice and cozy place to stay and the owner of lady of the place prepares the food with her own hands and serves it to the guests with warmth and love that makes the simple home cooked food very delicious. The place gets chilly in the winter evenings and the owners arrange for bonfire for the guests to help their keep warm and the beauty of the landscapes across the place here in Cherrapunji will make your stay worthwhile at the Goshen Homestay in Cherrapunji.

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Royal View Resort – Tyrna – Cherrapunji

Located at the Lumsohphie area near the Tyrna village at Cherrapunji is the Royal View Resort that is present in one of the most magnificent gorge areas between Cherrapunji and Mawsynram. The Royal view Resort at Tyrna area near Cherrapunji offers grand nature views to its guests and the place is located amidst the green hills and mountains and the spectacular waterfalls of Cherrapunji in Meghalaya. The resort is located at the start of the trek to Nongriat village and the Double Decker Living Root Bridge and also the Rainbow Falls and the natural pools near Nongriat. The Royal View Resort offers accommodation in deluxe rooms that offer a comfortable space, a flat screen TV with DTH, a fan, private bathroom and toiletries in the bathroom and a shower as well. The Royal View Resort at Tyrna near Cherrapunji offers delicious Indian and Chinese cuisine meals to their guests and also complimentary breakfast as well. The resort offers a good parking space that is safely guarded with CCTV cameras. The resort is very well maintained and the staffs here are extremely polite and helpful and they cater to all the needs of the guests here. Hot water is made available to guests here at the Royal View Resort as well.

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Shalom Guest House – Cherrapunji

Another of the budget friendly and comfortable stays around Cherrapunji is the Shalom Guest House that is located at the Saitsophen area in Cherrapunji and the place is recommended as very good by guests who stay here and the guest house is located along the Sohra-Shella road but do not be surprised from the outside because the place is not very fancy and it is mostly a house that has been converted to a guest house but you will not miss out on the comfort and service at the Shalom Guest House here because the owner and staff of the place are very helpful and eager to help. The rooms are spacious and very neat and clean and have attached bathroom facilities and you will find it to be a home away from home. The staffs here at the Shalom Guest House in Cherrapunji is very helpful and they will provide you with all the requisite needs to make your stay a comfortable and pleasant one. The place is pocket friendly and prices start at INR 1500 for which you get to enjoy a stat in clean and spacious rooms and also the bathrooms are attached and they have a western toilet and hot water geyser facility as well. Enjoy home cooked meals at the Shalom Guest House in Cherrapunji as well.

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Pumpkin Vibgyor Guest House – Cherrapunji

Another of the new stay options that provides deluxe stay options to guests at Cherrapunji at budget prices is the Pumpkin Vibgyor Guest House that overlooks the beautiful lush green valleys of Meghalaya and it is located along the State Highway No. 5 at Cherrapunji. The decor of this Guest House is very beautiful and the rooms are well maintained and appointed. The place offers double bedded rooms for its guests with attached bathroom that has a western toilet, shower, toiletries, hot water geyser, etc. The rooms are spacious and elegant and they have a mirror, dressing table, double bed, TV, fan, tea/coffee maker, etc. The staff at the Pumpkin Vibgyor guest house at Cherrapunji is very courteous and cooperative and they will welcome you with a smile to their guest house and look after your needs during your stay here. They are always eager to guide you about the local sightseeing places around Cherrapunji and they ensure to arrange for local guides who will show you across the place. The food served at the Pumpkin Vibgyor Guest House is very delicious and it is home cooked meals and you will enjoy you pleasant stay here.

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Pateng Homestay – Cherrapunji

One of the top rated Homestay properties at Cherrapunji is the Pateng Homestay that is run by a lady owner who actually is an old lady but you will be delighted to see her activeness during your visit to Cherrapunji. The Pateng Homestay is located near the Cherrapunji taxi stand and the place is a very neat and clean homestay property to choose to halt on your visit to Cherrapunji. The place has three rooms our of which one is a double room and the other two are triple rooms and the rooms are very nominally priced as the double room tariffs are only INR 1000 and the triple room tariff is INR 1500. The owner lady along with her staff members keep running around asking guests about their meal preferences and in case they need anything more to make their stay here comfortable and the guest here love this about the Pateng Homestay that they recommend it to be a very good property. The rooms are very well maintained and you will not fine one spot in the rooms even though it is a fairly old property here at Cherrapunji and the owner has taken every care herself to ensure the guests to the Pateng Homestay at Cherrapunji have a very memorable stay experience.

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Alohi Ghar NG Eco – Cherrapunji

Located along the Sohra-Shella road at Cherrapunji is another new resort that has come up and it is called as the Alohi Ghar NG Eco – Cherrapunji (Alohi Ghar – meaning Guest’s house) that is a good stay option for overall sight-seeing, recreation, dining and getting around near Cherrapunji. The check in time at this Eco resort is 2PM and check out time is at 11AM. Room prices at the Alohi Ghar NG Eco starts at INR 2500 per room per night and this included complimentary breakfast. The place has a front desk, room service and even laundry service and the staff at this property in Cherrapunji are very polite and courteous. The restaurant serves some of the most delightful meals you can find and this place is renowned for its Assamese cuisine speciality that makes it a favoured destination for visitors from Assam who come over on weekends. This place has 4 double bedded rooms and 2 four bedded rooms so in case you are coming in a group you can book the place to yourself and enjoy your stay here in privacy and there is a nature spring nearby that provides amazing views.

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Café Cherrapunji

A very beautiful place to stay on the route to Cherrapunji is Café Cherrapunji that is a heritage British building that has now been converted to a deluxe stay. The Café Cherrapunji is not an actual café but it is a place to halt as well and the rustic charm of the rooms at the café is what makes the view here absolutely brilliant. The place is well maintained and the view is aesthetic and authentic at the same time. The Café Cherrapunji boasts of neat and clean room that are priced at a good point when it comes to the facility being offered and the place offers very beat and clean bathrooms that are equipped with the cottages and luxury tents. The food and service at Café Cherrapunji is absolutely brilliant and this is a very nice place to halt on your way to Cherrapunji. The Dylum viewpoint and the Zip Lining along the Mawkdok valley are located nearby. There are four suite rooms and two tent rooms at the Café Cherrapunji and you will have to get the bookings done directly at the place. The vintage look of the place is what adds to the rustic charm of the place and in case you want to click pictures you are sure to capture some of the most amazing clicks here.

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Laiaiker Inn – Cherrapunji

A convenient place to halt at Cherrapunji that is located along the state highway very close to the Cherrapunji market is the Laiaiker Inn that is a deluxe place to stay and offers rooms with prices starting at INR 5,500 per room per night. The owner of the Laiaiker Inn Mr Kennedy is a very jovial person who is always running around to help his guests and make their stay very pleasant and comfortable. The place speaks of clean and cosy rooms with very hygienic bathrooms for your comfortable stay and a restaurant that serve the very fresh, green and delicious food at Cherrapunji. The Laiaiker Inn at Cherrapunji has very grand rooms for its guests who are charmed with the place and the highly supportive staff who look out for all the needs of their guests and the place offers free parking for guests, room service and laundry and the food menu here is limited but the options available are cooked very fresh and has a home cooked meal flavour. A stay at the Laiaiker Inn near Cherrapunji market area is highly recommended for guests who come to explore Cherrapunji and it has vast natural beauty of waterfalls, caves and the Living Root Bridges of Cherrapunji.

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Lakeway Inn – Cherrapunji

Coming to a budget stay option on your visit to Cherrapunji and at the same time you do not want to miss out on the grand views of the lush landscapes around Cherrapunji then a recommended stay is the Lakeway Inn that is located near the Mawsmai area in Cherrapunji. The rooms at the Lakeway Inn are spacious and quite neat and clean to make your stay a very pleasant one and the rooms accompany a bathroom a well that have the bath and western toilets and even shower facility and hot water geyser that is a necessity in the cold weather of Cherrapunji. The staff members of the place are very courteous and polite and they are always eager to help you in your pleasant stay experience. The surroundings around the Lakeway Inn at Cherrapunji are absolutely spectacular that will make you want to go out for a hike across the place and you can inform the owner of the place or even the caretaker who can make arrangements to hire a guide for you to go to look about the surroundings and enjoy a beautiful day of hike across the pristine forests of Cherrapunji nearby the Lakeway Inn. Also present is the Mawsmai Cave nearby that is a pre-historic cave and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Cherrapunji town.

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Gracia Homestay – Cherrapunji

With the North Eastern part of India gaining prominence in the tourism circuit of the country and more and more young travellers coming to the region to explore the place and to keep up with the flow of tourists and to provide clean and nice accommodation options to guests, various homestays have come up across the Cherrapunji area and one nice example of such a homestay is the Gracia family homestay that is located near the market area of Cherrapunji and it provides clean and neat accommodation facility to their guests accompanied by delicious home cooked meals as well. The Gracia Homestay offers four rooms to its guests that have a double occupancy with attached toilets and these rooms have clean and neat linen that provides a very pleasant stay experience to its guests. The staff members are very courteous and they welcome you with a smile and soon as you come to the place and they take care of all your needs to make your stay comfortable on your visit to Cherrapunji. They will take the order for your meals and they bring in the ingredients fresh from the local market and they will prepare the most amazing and delicious meals for you here at the Gracia Homestay in Cherrapunji.

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Four Siblings Homestay – Cherrapunji

Located at the Mawsmai Caves road at Cherrapunji is another of the budget homestays at Cherrapunji that offers deluxe accommodation at price ranges starting at INR 2000 per room per night. If you want to stay at a location that is far off from the hustle and bustle of a town and you want quiet time to spend admiring the nature all around you then the Four Siblings Homestay in the right place for you. There is a caretaker and a cook here at the homestay along with the owners family as well to help you with your stay here at Cherrapunji and the food is prepared at the homestay itself and after your long day of exploring Cherrapunji at the various waterfalls, caves, landscapes and the Double Decker Living Root bridge at Cherrapunji you can be rest assured that the hot meals will await you at the Four Siblings Homestay at Cherrapunji. The food menu is not elaborate but the food prepared is rest assured very fresh and hygienic and it can be enjoyed with the local delicacies of the Khasi cuisine that is prepared at the Four Siblings Homestay. Ensure to tell the cook about your meal preference before you move out to explore around Cherrapunji so that he can get the fresh ingredients from the market and cook the meal for you.

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Sulawado Resort – Cherrapunji

Another of the very nice resorts at Cherrapunji is the Sulawado resort that is located at the Nongthymmai area of Cherrapunji in Meghalaya. The place is situated right before the valley of the Seven Sister Falls and therefore it provides grand views of the valleys of Cherrapunji from across the rooms. The resort has room categories for various travellers like solo travellers, honeymoon couples, business travellers and family as well. The family rooms are quite large and have a king size bed and also a single bed that is big enough to easily accommodate a family of four and so you do not need to book two rooms for your family and instead stay together in one room on your vacation here at Cherrapunji. The Sulawado resort has a big reception area where you can complete your check in formalities and the well trained staffs of the resort are very courteous who help you to your room and also guide you to explore around Cherrapunji. The resort has an in-house restaurant that serves very delicious meals to its guests and this is a plus point at the resort and many guests who come to Cherrapunji and do not get the opportunity to halt here ensure to visit the restaurant and savour delicious meals at affordable prices.

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Oyo Hill Top Castle – Cherrapunji

The Hill Top Castle at Cherrapunji is located near the Don Bosco shrine at the Lumipak area in Cherrapunji and this is under the operations of Oyo Rooms and you can get your bookings done at this hotel in Cherrapunji via Oyo room app. This is a budget priced accommodation with room tariffs starting from INR 2500 and the place provides some of the most scenic valley views around Cherrapunji. The various amenities that are offered to guests at the Oyo Hilltop castle in Cherrapunji are TV, King Sized Bed, TV, Wi-F9, kitchen, power back-up., hot water geyser, CCTV facility, room heater, reception, 24/7 check-in, daily housekeeping, attached bathroom, microwave, in house restaurant, etc. and the staff of the place being under the Oyo brand are very well trained and courteous and they cater to your needs at the place. The In-house restaurant is one of the very nice places at the area around Cherrapunji and the best part is the prices because the breakfast is proceed at INR 50 and the thali meals are priced at only INR 200 per thali that has various offerings and you will surely enjoy your meal at the Oyo Hill top castle at Cherrapunji.

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Five Pearls Homestay – Cherrapunji

If you are looking out for a cheap and decent stay at Cherrapunji then look no more and go to visit the Five Pearls Homestay that offers neat and clean accommodation with basic facilities that are fat enough to enjoy a night or twos halt at Cherrapunji. The Five Pearls Homestay in Cherrapunji is located just across the market area and you can easily access the place and find your stay here and the place costs about INR 750 per person for a night and so in case you are a budget traveller or a backpacker then this is the right place for you to visit. The owner of the place lives close by and the caretaker caters to your stay requirement at the Four Pearls Homestay in Cherrapunji. A pleasant stay experience is guaranteed here at budget prices that also provide you the vast scenic beauty of nature from across the place. The place doesn’t have power backup and so you will need to be prepared for power cuts in the evening time here and the owner provides candles in the rooms to be used during such events. Also there is no restaurant in-house and this is not a problem because a lot of restaurants are present nearby and one has to buy and bring the meals to eat in the room. Be advised that the markets close early as 7PM and so you need to get the food much before that to your room to avoid any inconvenience.

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Hiraba Homestay – Cherrapunji

Another budget stay property in Cherrapunji is the Hiraba Homestay that is located at the Mawkisyiem area at Sohra in Cherrapunji. This is one of the very recommended homestays in Cherrapunji from the travellers who come here from all across the World and what they recommend is the location of the place along with the hospitality of the owner and staff who take care of the needs of the guests and even though they do not have an in-house restaurant they will get you the hot and fresh food from a small restaurant nearby that specially caters to the guests at the Hiraba Homestay in Cherrapunji. The owner is a local Khasi lady and she is well aware of the locations in Cherrapunji and she guides you to explore around these places. The Hiraba homestay campus is a very authentic and organic place to stay as it has a lot of trees all around and also a well maintained garden and a pond as well.

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Traveller’s Cottage – Cherrapunji

The Traveller’s Cottage at Cherrapunji is located just after you cross the Cherrapunji market area and this is located a little ahead of the wine store in Cherrapunji and here you will need to climb on a slope and there is a motorable path that will take you to the place. The Traveller’s Cottage is just off the road and you will get to see the vast landscapes and valley views around Cherrapunji from this place and also the grand view of the Wah Kaba Falls as well. The Traveller’s Cottage at Cherrapunji is mostly a homestay like property with four rooms and this being a small property you can be rest assured that the service you will get here is personalized and the owners of the Traveller’s Cottage at Cherrapunji themselves cater to the requirements of the guests who come to Cherrapunji. The rooms are spacious, neat and clean and the owners will provide you with all the basic necessity to make your stay comfortable. The rooms have an attached bath and toilet and this allows you to have the requisite privacy on your stay and the place also serve delicious home cooked meals to their guests and in case you want to eat out there are restaurants at the market that are a short walk away.

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Gabi Homestay – Cherrapunji

Another new homestay that has come up for budget travellers to Cherrapunji is the Gabi Homestay that is located near the Cherrapunji market area and it is along the way to the Seven Sister Falls in Cherrapunji. In case you do not like staying in a modern day Hotel or Resort and want to get to experience the stay with the local people of a place learning about their tradition and culture and also savour the traditional cuisine of the place then the Gabi Homestay is the right place for you to halt on your visit to Cherrapunji as you will not only enjoy a comfortable stay here but also you will get to interact with the local Khasi people here and get to understand the Khasi legacy and about the various clans that were present among the Khasi society in the olden days. Get to learn about the matrilineal society of the Khasi people of Meghalaya and the how the family lineage is taken from the Mother’s side and the family ancestry is passed on to the youngest daughter in the family. The place will also serve you fresh home cooked food and the food is prepared with ingredients that are sourced directly from the farms and also the owners of the homestay have their own garden and they even rear their own poultry for meat. A stay at the Gabi homestay in Cherrapunji is surely a rewarding experience.

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Bynnud Homestay – Cherrapunji

Another of the very nice homestay properties to halt on our visit to Cherrapunji is the Bynnud Homestay cum Lodge that is located at the Lumswer area at Pdengshnong area in Cherrapunji. The place is located atop a small terrain area and there is a nice staircase to access the Bynnud homestay at Cherrapunji. The owner of the place who is a respected old lady in the area here at Cherrapunji had opened up her home so that guess can find a decent place to halt at Cherrapunji at very affordable prices and home cooked meals and the place ensures that you do not miss your home on your visit to Cherrapunji. This is a beautiful homestay that provides deluxe rooms and amazing food to its guests and the view from the terrace area here is absolutely breathtaking. What travellers recommend about the Bynnud Homestay in Cherrapunji is the amazing hospitality of the owner lady of the place and the home cooked meals that is prepared again by the lady herself and she will take time to tell you stories about how Cherrapunji was once the wettest place in planet Earth and how the British had come here to establish the cement factory that was built as Cherrapunji area has a lot of limestone to be found.

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Abode of the Clouds Resort – Cherrapunji

Another of the fairly new properties that has come up in Cherrapunji is the Abode of the Clouds resort that is located a little ahead of the parking area of the Seven Sister Falls and one gets to view the vast undulating valleys of Cherrapunji from the Abode of the Clouds Resort at Cherrapunji. The place is located at the edge of a valley and this allows you to have breathtaking views of the landscapes and the border of India and Bangladesh. The Abode of the Clouds Resort at Cherrapunji has independent cottages that are built at distances from each other so that it provides privacy to all its guests who come to stay here. The staff at the resort in Cherrapunji is very friendly people who will take care of all your needs and this is what makes the service at the Abode of the Clouds Resort at Cherrapunji very fantastic and amazing. The food served here is absolutely fresh and organic and you are sure to love this about the Abode of the Clouds Resort at Cherrapunji. As the resort is newly built all the amenities of the rooms are brand new and you will love this as well and the beauty of nature all around is that makes it more desirable. The cellular reception is weak and so you might face a little problem with the internet connectivity here.

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Happy Holiday Homestay – Cherrapunji

The name of this homestay is true to its description and a stay at the Happy Holiday Homestay at Cherrapunji is sure to make your holiday at Cherrapunji very happy. With budget priced rooms with all the basic amenities available to make your stay comfortable, the Happy Holiday Homestay is one of the much recommended homestays in Cherrapunji and the guest love the hospitality of this place. There are not many rooms at the Happy Holiday Homestay and this is what allows the owners and the caretaker to provide individual attention to their guests and they will ensure that you have a pleasant stay experience here in Cherrapunji on your visit. The owners have extended their kitchen to the guests and they prepare some fabulous home cooked meals to their guest and the fresh vegetables from the market along with meat is brought in every day to be cooked and served as delicious meals to their guests. Even bonfire is arranged at the Happy Holiday Homestay for its guests and this is good to beat the chilly weather of Cherrapunji. The hospitality of the owner and staff of the Happy Holiday Homestay in Cherrapunji is very much appreciable and a stay is recommended here on your visit to Cherrapunji.

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Nisibon Nongrum Homestay Nature Ally – Cherrapunji

Looking for a budget homestay at Cherrapunji where you do not need to shell out a fortune and at the same time you get to enjoy a neat and decent stay with home cooked meals that overlooks the verdant landscapes of Cherrapunji then one very nice place to stay is the Nisibon Nongrum Homestay Nature Ally. The owners of the place have ensured to keep the place close to nature and there are tall trees all around and the campus of this homestay makes your stay amidst nature an ideal retreat. Guests who come here at Cherrapunji can enjoy the soulful chirping of the birds and insects and not the loud honking of the horns like in a city environment. The homestay is located close to the Cherrapunji market area and so you will find all the daily need items close to the homestay itself. The place serve delicious home cooked hygienic meals to its guests but in case you want to savour the delicious local Khasi cuisine of Cherrapunji then you can visit the market restaurants that serve the most delightful local and Chinese cuisine. Do try the special rice called as the Jadoh that is cooked with rice and either pig or chicken blood and it is absolutely delicious.

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Osbert Lodge – Cherrapunji

Another of the budget places to stay in Cherrapunji is the Osbert Lodge that is located along the road and guests will have a very comfortable and pleasant stay at the place. You will enjoy a good, neat and clean stay experience here. The staff and owner of the Osbert Lodge at Cherrapunji are very polite and courteous and the location being close to the Seven Sister Falls one can enjoy very scenic views as well. The Osbert Lodge has n added advantage that in case you are travelling in a big group and have booked the place for yourself the owner of the place allows you to use the kitchen and cook your own food and this is at a nominal additional cost. The price of stay is budget and you can expect all the basic facilities available here at the Osbert lodge in Cherrapunji. The place also offers home cooked delicious meals to their guests and in case you are not planning on cooking here you can inform the caretaker of the place who will go to the market area to get fresh vegetable and meat and prepare a wonderful dinner for you and you can have the dinner enjoying the cast scenic beauty across the place.

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MR Lodge – Cherrapunji

Another of the very clean and neat places of stay in Cherrapunji on your visit a very budget prices is the MR Lodge located along the Sohra-Shella road and this is also a very scenic location as well. The grand valley views of Cherrapunji greet you once you come to the MR Lodge and this is a small place with a few rooms that are equipped with all the basic facilities to make your stay at Cherrapunji very comfortable. The rooms have a double bed, a table, chairs, charging point, tea/coffee maker, a large mirror, attached bathroom with shower and western toilets and for the price you pay for your stay at the MR Lodge in Cherrapunji you will find more amenities to enjoy your stay. The place offer delicious home cooked meals to their guests at additional costs and you will definitely love the amazing flavours of the food that is cooked by the owner’s family at their kitchen. The best thing about the food is that it is cooked over firewood and this imparts a unique smoky flavour to the meals and the vegetables are roasted over fire and mashed along with onions, chilly and coriander and it tastes amazing.

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Osbert Lodge – Cherrapunji

Another of the budget places to stay in Cherrapunji is the Osbert Lodge that is located along the road and guests will have a very comfortable and pleasant stay at the place. You will enjoy a good, neat and clean stay experience here. The staff and owner of the Osbert Lodge at Cherrapunji are very polite and courteous and the location being close to the Seven Sister Falls one can enjoy very scenic views as well. The Osbert Lodge has n added advantage that in case you are travelling in a big group and have booked the place for yourself the owner of the place allows you to use the kitchen and cook your own food and this is at a nominal additional cost. The price of stay is budget and you can expect all the basic facilities available here at the Osbert lodge in Cherrapunji. The place also offers home cooked delicious meals to their guests and in case you are not planning on cooking here you can inform the caretaker of the place who will go to the market area to get fresh vegetable and meat and prepare a wonderful dinner for you and you can have the dinner enjoying the cast scenic beauty across the place.

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MR Lodge – Cherrapunji

Another of the very clean and neat places of stay in Cherrapunji on your visit a very budget prices is the MR Lodge located along the Sohra-Shella road and this is also a very scenic location as well. The grand valley views of Cherrapunji greet you once you come to the MR Lodge and this is a small place with a few rooms that are equipped with all the basic facilities to make your stay at Cherrapunji very comfortable. The rooms have a double bed, a table, chairs, charging point, tea/coffee maker, a large mirror, attached bathroom with shower and western toilets and for the price you pay for your stay at the MR Lodge in Cherrapunji you will find more amenities to enjoy your stay. The place offer delicious home cooked meals to their guests at additional costs and you will definitely love the amazing flavours of the food that is cooked by the owner’s family at their kitchen. The best thing about the food is that it is cooked over firewood and this imparts a unique smoky flavour to the meals and the vegetables are roasted over fire and mashed along with onions, chilly and coriander and it tastes amazing.

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Serenity Traveller’s Inn

This accommodation in Cherrapunji is located along the Nohkalikai Falls road and it is a fairly new property that caters to the stay of guests to Cherrapunji. The place has a very scenic landscape view and there is a lake in the background of the Serenity Traveller’s Inn at Cherrapunji. There are four rooms at the Serenity Traveller’s Inn at Cherrapunji and the rooms here have an attached bathroom and are very clean and tidy. The place is located at a secluded location that offers you a view of the hillocks of Cherrapunji from all side. The Serenity Traveller’s Inn at Cherrapunji is true to its name because the place offers a very scenic location and there are lodging and fooding facilities both available here. The owner of the place is Mitchel who owns a prized vintage jeep vehicle that is kept parked at the entrance of the Serenity Travellers Inn at Cherrapunji and he looks after to all your requirements so that you have a pleasant stay experience here at Cherrapunji.

Kynjai Homestay – Cherrapunji

A very new homestay property that has come up at Mawlynnong village right at the entrance of the village is the Kynjai Homestay that is a beautiful home of the owner that has been opened up to guests at budget prices for the comfortable stay of guests coming to the Cleanest Village in Asia at Mawlynnong. The Kynjai Homestay has prices starting at INR 1000 per room and the rooms are big enough to accommodate 4 guests in one room as there are two double beds and all together a group of 8 members to enjoy their stay at this homestay in Mawlynnong as there are two rooms next to each other on the first floor and the bathroom is common for these two rooms and the bathroom has a western toilet, shower facility, hot water geyser and basic toiletries available. The rooms are very neat and clean with comfortable double beds that have clean bed sheets and blankets on the bed. To avoid the problem of mosquitoes and insects the beds have provisions for mosquito nets and you can enjoy your meals at the Kynjai Homestay at Mawlynnong as well.

Bell’s Bigxa Homestay – Cherrapunji

Located at the Mawkisyiem area near to the market at Cherrapunji the Bell’s Bigxa Homestay is located among the most magnificent valley views of Cherrapunji. This homestay at Mawkisyiem area in Cherrapunji offers grand nature views to its guests and the place is located amidst green hills and mountains and the view of a spectacular waterfall of Cherrapunji in Meghalaya as well. The homestay is located near the Nongsawlia Presbyterian church at Cherrapunji and it has a restaurant that provides breakfast and meals. The homestay offers accommodation in basic rooms that offer a comfortable space, a flat screen TV with DTH, a fan, private bathroom and toiletries in the bathroom and a shower as well. The Bell’s Bigxa Homestay at Cherrapunji offers delicious Indian and Chinese cuisine meals to its guests and also nice breakfast as well. The homestay also offers a good parking space that is safely guarded with CCTV cameras. The Homestay is very well maintained and the staff here is helpful and polite and they attend to all the needs of their guests. Hot water is also available here for your needs.

Pumpkin Latara Homestay – Cherrapunji

Another of the budget friendly and comfortable stay in Cherrapunji is the Pumpkin Latara Homestay that is located at the Khliehshnong area in Cherrapunji and the homestay is recommended very good by guests who stay here. The Pumkin Latara Homestay is located along the Shella road but do not be surprised from the outside because the place is not very fancy and it is mostly a home of a local person that has now been converted to a homestay here in Cherrapunji but you will not miss out of the comfort and service at the Pumpkin Latara homestay because the owner and staff of the place are very helpful and eager to help. The rooms are spacious and very neat and clean and have attached bathroom facility and you will find it to be very a home away from home. The staff here at the Pumpkin Latara homestay in Cherrapunji are very helpful and they will provide you all the requisite needs to make your stay a comfortable and pleasant one. The place is pocket friendly and prices start at INR 2000 per room for which you get to enjoy a stay in clean and spacious rooms and also the bathroom are attached and they have a western toilet and hot water geyser facility as well. Enjoy home cooked meals at the Pumpkin Latara homestay at Cherrapunji as well.

Five Pearls Homestay – Cherrapunji

Another of the new budget homestay properties that is present in Cherrapunji near the Cherrapunji market area is the Five Pearls Homestay. This homestay is located along the Sohra-Shella Road at Saitsophen and it is about 2km away from the market area and the place offers lodging only facility at present to its guests and the fooding is due to come up shortly. But mostly you would be travelling to Cherrapunji on your vehicles and so fooding is not a problem because the market with restaurants is just 2km away and in case you do not want to go for dinner you can buy your food earlier and bring it to the place and the staff will get the food warm for you. Coming to the prices you are going to pay for your pleasant stay at the Five Pearls Homestay in Cherrapunji, the non-availability of fooding is surely not a problem at all. The Five Pearls Homestay offers double rooms with attached bath for guests and there is also a dorm facility here the can accommodate a large group of guests and the place is nominally prices. The staffs here are polite and courteous and you will be well attended to by them. The Garden of Caves waterfall is located close by to the place and this is one of the very beautiful waterfalls across Cherrapunji area.

Royal View Resort – Cherrapunji

In the recent times the flow of tourists to Cherrapunji and North East India has gone up considerably and the numbers are expected to grow further. In the past decade when tourism was still nascent across Meghalaya, there were only a few accommodation options around Cherrapunji and this number has now gone up fairly to cater to the stay requirements of guests at Cherrapunji who come here to enjoy the pleasant weather, the waterfalls, the caves and the Living Root Bridges. To cater to the stay requirements of tourists who come to Cherrapunji and they travel further to Tyrna to access the Nongriat Village a new good property has come up at the Tyrna area and this is the Royal View Resort that is located at the Lumsohpia area at Tyrna. The Royal View Resort is located across a magnificent gorger between Cherrapunji and Mawsynram and the place provides a magnificent sight of the vast green landscapes of Cherrapunji that include a tall waterfall, green mountains and the geyser across these mountains. At the Royal View Resort at Cherrapunji, you can enjoy accommodation in comfortable rooms that are having a flat screen TV with DTH, fan, private bathroom with shower and complimentary toiletries. There is free Wi-Fi facility and the room tariffs include complimentary breakfast and at the restaurant you can enjoy delicious Indian and Chinese cuisine meals. The staff at the place is local residents of Tyrna and this resort has come as a boon to them to provide them employment and they are very eager and hardworking staff who keep running and taking care of the requirements of the guests here at Cherrapunji.

IBankordor Jungle Resort – Cherrapunji

If you are looking for a stay in a budget place around Cherrapunji that has one of the most scenic views of the valleys of Cherrapunji then the place to be is the IBankordor Jungle Resort that is located at the Mawlutuin village at Cherrapunji. The owners of the place take personnel attention to their guests and they take care of all your meals as well. The place offers breathtaking views of the waterfall on one side and the ridge on the other side. The place is away from the main town are and therefore you will not hear the hustle and bustle and the honking of cars and vehicles. It is a very nice view and amazing place to stay and the owners of the place prepares food in their kitchen and serve it to guests with warmth and love that make the simple home cooked food very delicious. The place gets chilly in the winter evenings and the owners even arrange for bonfire for their guests to help them to keep warm and the beauty of landscapes across the place here in Cherrapunji will make your stay worthwhile at the IBankordor Jungle Resort at Cherrapunji.

Cherrapunji Sunrise Guest House

The Cherrapunji Sunrise Guest House is another budget stay option at Cherrapunji that is located around 2km away from the main Cherrapunji town and the place is located on the Sohra Shella road at lower Sohra at Cherrapunji. The owner of the place Risa is a very eager and hospitable host who looks out for all the requirements and meals of the guests who come to stay at the Cherrapunji Sunrise Guest House and the location of the place is perfect. It is an ideal halt over place near Cherrapunji if you are planning to go for the trek to the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat and the owner can even arrange for your transportation from this place to the Tyrna village area. The owner is also a very good host and she cooks food for her guests in the evening that adds to the charm of stay at the place. The place will take care of your hot water need that is a mist in the winter season and you will even have the option of bonfire at an additional cost and you can enjoy a calm and peaceful stay overlooking the landscapes of Cherrapunji. The place serves home cooked meals and you will surely enjoy the food and your stay at the Cherrapunji Sunrise Guest House in Cherrapunji.

Pumpkin Happy Holiday Homestay – Cherrapunji

Another of the very nice places to stay that is located near the Wei Sawdong Falls at Cherrapunji in Meghalaya is the Pumpkin Happy Holiday Homestay and as the name suggests, the property is ideal for halt for your happy holiday here at Cherrapunji and the place provides stunning views of the natural landscapes all across. The Pumpkin Happy Holiday Homestay in Cherrapunji provides a contemporary and authentic experience to guests from all across the World who come on their vacation to Cherrapunji. The homestay offers various types of rooms to suit the budget requirements of the travellers and these rooms range from standard to deluxe category. The deluxe category of rooms at the Pumpkin Happy Holiday Homestay at Cherrapunji offers much more spacious and uninterrupted view of the landscapes at Cherrapunji. These rooms are designed to cater to the requirements of friends, families and even official trips and visits to Cherrapunji. There is in-house restaurants that provide delicious food to the guests and guests can have the option to satisfy the cravings of their taste buds as well. There is provision for cooking as well and in case you would like to prepare your own food here you will need to inform the management of the Pumpkin Happy Holiday Homestay here at Cherrapunji.

Delight Homestay – Cherrapunji

One of the very amazing places to halt on your visit to Cherrapunji is the Delight Homestay that is owned by a local Khasi family who are an elderly couple and they have opened up their house near Tyrna in Cherrapunji to guests who come here to enjoy the views of the landscapes of Tyrna near Cherrapunji and the various natural wonders across the place. The Delight Homestay is an independent house and the owners of the place stay on the ground floor and the first floor is rented out to the guests and the place offers stay in rooms that are having all the basic amenities. The place offers you home cooked meals and you get to experience the real taste of the cuisine of Meghalaya where you get to eat the Jadoh, steam chicken and the must try veggies as well. The rooms are quite big and spacious and there are two double beds that can accommodate 4 guests comfortable and the bathroom is very clean and hygienic with western toilets, shower and hot water geyser. The Delight Homestay at Cherrapunji offers another room on the first floor that is a double occupancy room and the owner of the place can even speak English as well.

Green Valley Lodge – Cherrapunji

Another property that is located near to the Seven Sister Falls along the Cherrapunji Sohra Shell road is the Green Valley lodge that is a newly built place to halt at Cherrapunji that provides nice views of the Seven Sister Falls. The Green Valley lodge is a family lodge in Cherrapunji that offers big and spacious rooms for the comfortable stay of guests and each of the rooms here have an en-suite bathroom that provide the amenities like toiletries, western toilets, etc. The place is located close to the Seven Sister Falls in Cherrapunji and the rooms at the Green Valley lodge at Cherrapunji offers adequate space, chairs, table inside the rooms that are provided with fresh towels and clean linen. The rooms have a TV and also tea/coffee maker so that you can enjoy the cool weather of Cherrapunji overlooking the grand views of the Seven Sister Falls sipping your tea/coffee. There is an in-house restaurant at the place that serves various cuisines as well and the place also offers room service so that you can enjoy the food from the comfort of your room itself. Apart from the Seven Sister Falls, the Green Valley lodge is also located at close proximity to the Mawsmai Caves and the Eco Park at Cherrapunji as well.

Breiancy Holiday Inn – Cherrapunji

Another of the new property to come up in Cherrapunji that hosts guests from all around the World is the Breiancy Holiday Inn and this place is located at the Sohra-Laitkynsen road in Cherrapunji. The place is secluded and can be accessed via your phone and the Breiancy Holiday Inn looks over the beautiful mountains and valleys of Cherrapunji. There are four rooms at the Breiancy Holiday Inn and these rooms offer accommodation for two people and three people as well and the place is budget priced at INR 2500 for double occupancy and INR 3000 for triple occupancy. As the place is secluded, you will have complete privacy and you can enjoy the bonfire and starters and also have home cooked meals at the place. One thing to be mentioned is that is once you are inside the place you will not have internet connectivity and so you will be cut off from the rest of the World during your stay and enjoy the true bounties of nature on your stay here at the Breiancy Holiday Inn. The staff here are very supportive and they take great care of their guests on their visit to Cherrapunji.

Cindy Homestay – Cherrapunji

The Cindy Homestay is a very beautiful and secluded property at Cherrapunji that is located at the Narai Kaphor area and even though the place is at a secluded location amidst the beautiful landscapes of Cherrapunji, yet it is only a short walk away from the main market area of Cherrapunji. The owners of the place are great hosts and they take care of all the needs of the guests from providing a neat and clean stay and also home cooked meals that is very delicious. The rooms at the Cindy Homestay at Cherrapunji are spotless and there are all the basic amenities to make your stay comfortable and pleasant here at Cherrapunji. The bathrooms are very neat and clean and they have the western toilets and the basic toiletries. The homestay is reasonable priced and the hosts are very warm and you need to inform the owners of the place of your plans for dinner priorly so that they can buy the fresh groceries and vegetables from the market nearby at Cherrapunji and take their time to cook an amazing meal for you here at the Cindy Homestay at Cherrapunji.

Lankawet – the Retreat – Cherrapunji

The Lankawet – the retreat is a very beautiful and secluded property near (on the way to Cherrapunji) that is located at the Pynursla – Dawki road and although the place is at a secluded location amidst the beautiful landscapes of Cherrapunji, yet it is only a short drive away from the Pynursla market area. The owner of the place Victor is a great host and he takes care of all the needs of the guests from providing a neat and clean stay and also home cooked meals that are very delicious. The rooms at the Lankawet – the retreat are spotless and there are all the basic amenities to make your stay comfortable and pleasant near Cherrapunji. The bathrooms are very neat and clean and they have the western toilets and the basic toiletries. The retreat is reasonably priced and the host is very warm and you need to inform the owner priorly of your plans for dinner so that he can arrange for the fresh ingredients from the nearby market and cook you an amazing meal.

Shabin Guest House – Cherrapunji

The Shabin Guest House is a very beautiful and secluded property at Cherrapunji that is located at the Mawsmai area along the Sohra-Shella at Cherrapunji and indeed the place is at a secluded location amidst the beautiful landscapes of Cherrapunji, yet it is only a short drive away from the main Cherrapunji market area. The place is located near the Mawsmai cave area at Cherrapunji and the owner of the place Jerry is a great host and he takes care of all the needs of the guest from providing a clean and neat stay and also home cooked meals that is very delicious. The rooms at the Shabin Guest House are spotless and there are all the basic amenities to make your stay comfortable and pleasant here at Cherrapunji. The bathrooms are very neat and clean and they have the western toilet and the basic toiletries. The homestay is reasonable priced and the homestay owner is very warm and you need to inform the owner priorly of your plans to eat dinner so that he can buy fresh groceries and vegetables from the market nearby at Cherrapunji and take time to cook an amazing meal for you here at the Shabin Guest House at Cherrapunji.

Laitkynsew Resort – Cherrapunji

One of the very new properties that has come up at Cherrapunji is the Laitkynsew Resort that is located around 15 km away from the main town centre at Cherrapunji but the place is located across a beautiful and picturesque landscape area. The rooms at the Laitkynsew Resort (total 6 nos) are very spacious and the rooms on the first floor have a balcony as well. The Laitkynsew Resort at Cherrapunji offers stay to gue3sts in beautiful rooms at very reasonable costs as well. Even though the place is located a little far away from the main town centre of Cherrapunji, yet you will not miss out on a town life because of the lovely natural ambiance across the place. The rooms are well maintained and kept very neat and clean by the hard working staff of the Laitkynsew Resort at Cherrapunji who are always smiling and are very flexible to cater to the needs of the guests. You can get to enjoy the views of the plains if Bangladesh from the Laitkynsew Resort at Cherrapunji and the food is home cooked and fresh and you will enjoy your peaceful stay here for sure.

Eco Park Guest House – Cherrapunji

Located at the Eco park area of Cherrapunji that is close to the Mawsmai Caves area along the Sohra Shella highway is the Eco Park Guest House at Cherrapunji that is a very nice and budget place to stay on your visit to Cherrapunji. The rooms at the Eco Park Guest House at Cherrapunji are very neat and clean and the rooms have an attached bath and toilet that has a western toilet, toiletries and hot water geyser facility. The food at the Eco Park Guest House at Cherrapunji is amazing and it is much cheaper when compared to the local restaurants nearby and there is a huge Eco Park at the premises of the place as well. The manager of the place Mr. Joy takes utmost care of the guests coming to the Eco Park Guest House at Cherrapunji. Visitors can enjoy their time across the vast area of the Eco Park and this is a very beautiful location to spend your vacation. The area is well guarded with a border fence and you can walk up to the area to enjoy vast valley views of Meghalaya and this is what makes the stay ever more pleasant and enjoyable at the Eco Park Guest House at Cherrapunji.

Sulawado Resort – Cherrapunji

One of the other fairly new property that has come up at Cherrapunji is the Sulawado Resort that is located about 15km away from the main town centre at Cherrapunji but the place is located across a beautiful and picturesque green landscape area. The rooms at the Sulawado Resort (total of 6 rooms) are very spacious and the rooms on the first floor have a balcony as well. The Sulwado resort at Cherrapunji offers stay to guests in beautiful rooms at very reasonable costs as well. Even though the place is located a little far away from the main town centre of Cherrapunji, yet you will not miss out on a town life because of the lovely natural ambiance across the place. The rooms are well maintained and kept very neat and clean by the hard working staff of the Sulawado Resort at Cherrapunji who are always smiling and are very flexible to cater to the needs of the guests. You can get to enjoy the views of the plains of Bangladesh from the Sulawado Resort at Cherrapunji and the food is home cooked and fresh and you will enjoy your perfect stay here for sure.

Nisibon Nongrum Homestay Nature Ally – Cherrapunji

Located at the Mawsmai area of Cherrapunji that is close to the Mawsmai cave area of the Sohra Shella highway is the Nisibon Nongrum Homestay Nature Ally at Cherrapunji that is a very nice and budget place to stay on your visit to Cherrapunji. The rooms at the Nisibon Nongrum Homestay Nature Ally at Cherrapunji are very neat and clean and the rooms have an attached bath and toilet that has a western toilet, toiletries and hot water geyser facility. The food of the Nisibon Nongrum Homestay Nature Ally at Cherrapunji is amazing and it is much cheaper when compared to the local restaurants nearby and there is a huge open ground area near the place as well. The caretaker of the place takes utmost care of the guests coming to the Nisibon Nongrum Homestay Nature Ally at Cherrapunji guests can enjoy their time across the vast area of the ground and this is a very beautiful location to spend your vacation. The area is well guarded with fences and you can wake up to the soulful chirping of the birds here at the Nisibon Nongrum Homestay Nature Ally at Cherrapunji. The views of the beautiful valleys of Meghalaya make your stay here more pleasant and enjoyable at the Nisibon Nongrum Homestay Nature Ally at Cherrapunji.

Cherish Guest House – Cherrapunji

Another of the new property to come up in Cherrapunji that hosts guests from all across the country is the Cherish Guest House and this place is located at the Sohra-Shella road in Cherrapunji. The place is secluded and can be accessed via your phone and the Cherish Guest House looks over the beautiful mountains and valleys of Cherrapunji. There are four rooms at the Cherish Guest House and these rooms offer accommodation for two people and three people as well and the place is budget priced at INR 2000 for double occupancy and INR 2500 for triple occupancy. As the place is secluded you will have complete privacy and you can enjoy the bonfire and starters and also home cooked meals at the place. One thing to be mentioned is that is once you reach inside the place you will not have internet connectivity and so you will be cut off from the World and you will enjoy the true bounties of nature on your stay here at the Cherish Guest House in Cherrapunji. The staff here are very supportive and they take great care of their guests on their visit to Cherrapunji.

Heritage Lodge – Cherrapunji

One of the very new properties that has come up at Cherrapunji is the Heritage Lodge that is located a little away from the main town centre of Cherrapunji but the place is located across a beautiful and picturesque green landscape area. The rooms at the Heritage Lodge (total of 6 rooms) are very spacious and the rooms on the first floor have a balcony as well. The Heritage Lodge at Cherrapunji offers stay to guests in beautiful rooms at very reasonable costs as well. Even though the place is located a little away from the main town centre at Cherrapunji, yet you will not miss out in a town life because of the lovely natural ambiance across the place. The rooms are well maintained and kept very neat and clean by the hard working staff of the Heritage Lodge at Cherrapunji who are always smiling and are very flexible to cater to the needs of the guests. You can get to enjoy the views of the plains of Bangladesh from the Heritage Lodge at Cherrapunji and the food is home cooked and fresh and you will enjoy your perfect stay here at Cherrapunji.

Wetland Homestay – Cherrapunji

The Wetland Homestay is another of the budget stay options near Cherrapunji that is located around 2km away from the main Cherrapunji town and the place is located on the Shella-Sohra road at lower Sohra area at Cherrapunji. The owner of the place is a very eager and hospitable host who looks out for all the requirements of the guests here and their needs and the people who come to stay at the Wetland Homestay enjoy this and also the location of the homestay that is perfect overlooking the vast valleys of Cherrapunji in Meghalaya. It is an ideal halt over place near Cherrapunji if you are planning to go for the Root Bridge trek at Nongriat and the owner can even arrange for your transportation from this place to the Tyrna village area. The owner is a very good host and he even cooks for his guests in the evening that adds to the charm of the stay at the place. The place will take care of your needs for hot water that is a must during the winter season and you will even have the option of bonfire at an additional cost and the owner joins you with this guitar to spend a calm and peaceful evening overlooking the landscapes of Cherrapunji. The place has a restaurant that serves delicious home cooked meals and you will enjoy the food of the Wetland Homestay at Cherrapunji for sure.

The Wetland Homestay at Cherrapunji is a budget priced accommodation and it is a good place to stay for college crowds and backpackers who travel on a budget across various places and they look out for clean and neat stays that do not have too much luxury. The Wetland Homestay at Cherrapunji offers rooms that can accommodate 2 people, 4 people and 6 people and so when you are travelling in a group this proves to be economical place to halt in Cherrapunji. But the owners are a little wise as well because they have adjusted the stay prices with the food price and the food here is slightly expensive when compared to the other homestays in the area and with the less proximity of restaurants especially in the evening time you are bound to have your meals at the Wetland Homestay in Cherrapunji. Though the place is a very nice place to stay and enjoy on your vacation at Cherrapunji nut one thing to be mentioned is that the power backup is not present and so you must be prepared for power cuts especially if you are visiting during the rainy season at Cherrapunji. The staff at the Wetland Homestay in Cherrapunji is very cooperative and they take care of all the needs of the guests.

Melody Residency – Cherrapunji

Another of the nice stay options on budget prices in Cherrapunji is the Melody Residency that is located along the market area in Cherrapunji called as the Dukan Road and being a budget stay it provides guests with all the basic facilities and a very nice restaurant at the Cherrapunji. The rooms at the Melody Residency at Cherrapunji are very clean and tidy and you’ll find all the basic amenities here. The rooms are very nice and cosy but only one room has a TV and this is not a problem as you will be spending most of your time sightseeing across Cherrapunji. Food is served at the Melody Residency at Cherrapunji and the food is just like home cooked meals.  The owner Mr Nickson and his wife along with their 3 kids all are ready to tend to all your needs with a smile. Wake up to a beautiful view of hills and the area is one of the best places to go on a Morning walk. The rooms at the Melody Residency at Cherrapunji are very neat and clean and they have an attached bath and toilet and the service of the staff at the Melody Residency in Cherrapunji is very appreciate and you will surely enjoy your stay here. The food menu is not very elaborate but you can be rest assured to find delicious home cooked needs at the place that is prepared with fresh organic ingredients that are brought from the local market at Cherrapunji and the prices are a little higher when compared to other homestay options at Cherrapunji.

Day 1 ~ Guwahati and Cherrapunji

Arrive at Guwahati Airport and depart to Cherrapunji. On the way sight the Umiam Lake. At Cherrapunji, visit the Majestic Nohkalikai Falls (India’s tallest plunge waterfall) and spot the exotic view here. Also visit the Seven Sisters Falls and the Mawsmai Caves at Cherrapunji.

Night Stay: Resorts/Cottages at Cherrapunji

Meals Included: NA

Day 2 ~ Cherrapunji, Mawlynnong, Dawki and Shillong

After breakfast enroute to Dawki (Indo-Bangladesh) border and enjoy boating on the clear waters of the Umngot River at Dawki. Later visit to Mawlynnong (Asia’s cleanest Village). At Mawlynnong visit the Living Root Bridges, sight the balancing rocks and take a walk along the Cleanest Village of Asia. Experience the rich culture of the Khasi Tribes of Meghalaya at Mawlynnong. Later depart to Shillong for night halt. At Shillong, visit the Madina Masjid (India’s only Glass Mosque).

Night Stay: Homestay/Hotel at Shillong

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3 ~ Shillong – the Scotland of the East and Guwahati

Today we will spend the first half of the day sightseeing at Shillong City. Visit the Ward’s Lake, Shillong Peak, Elephant Falls and Don Bosco Museum. Depart to Guwahati.

Night Stay: Comfortable Hotel at Guwahati

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4 ~ Kamakhya Temple and Guwahati Airport

Morning visit the Holy Maa Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati. The Kamakhya Temple ‘the Temple of the Bleeding Goddess’ is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas and is one of the holiest temple shrines in India. Offer your worship to Goddess Kamakhya. After breakfast, depart to Guwahati Airport for your onward destination. Tour Ends. Bid Adieu!

Meals Included: Breakfast

• To know more about Mawlynnong Village: Click Here

• To know more about Shillong City: Click Here

• To know more about the Kamakhya Temple: Click Here

Detailed Itinerary ~

Day 1: Guwahati – Cherrapunji

Arrive early morning at the LGBI airport in Guwahati and upon arrival you will be welcomed by our representative offering you a warm welcome in traditional Assamese style. From the airport board your comfortable vehicles and we start on our drive to Cherrapunji in Meghalaya. We will take the route via Deepor Beel that is a very pristine lake near Guwahati city and is also a Ramsar Site and is renowned for the presence of numerous birds both migratory and resident during the winters. The Deepor Beel Lake is going to become one of the very popular tourist attractions near Guwahati as the place is being developed as a renowned bird watching site of Assam and also boating facility for tourists will be provided here as well. At present we will notice the local fishermen plying their country boats on the waters of the Deepor Beel and fishing and the catch is brought and sold at the roadside and these are tasty freshwater fish. We will continue on our drive and we will cross the Garchuk and Lokhra areas in Guwahati to travel towards Khanapara and we soon cross Assam to enter Meghalaya and travel towards Burnihat and further to Nongpoh. At Nongpoh we will stop to have our breakfast at the Jivas veg restaurant that is one of the most popular eateries along the place.

The Jivas Veg is a renowned restaurant at Nongpoh and this will be evident when you take your places at the restaurant and it is having many other customers and the place is known to serve delicious, nutritious and hygienic vegetarian dishes of various cuisines like South India, North Indian, Chinese and Continental and we will order our breakfast here and we will savour our breakfast overlooking the beautiful valleys of Meghalaya and post breakfast we will start on our drive to Shillong from Nongpoh. After sometime we will reach the Barapani area near Shillong and here we will get to witness the crystal clear waters of the Umiam Lake. We will travel to the viewpoint area that is present alongside the highway and from here we get to admire the crystal clear waters of the Umiam Lake. This is the largest artificial water reservoir in North East Indi and the waters of the lake are used for hydro power generation. The Dam on the Umiam River was commissioned in 1965 and the hydro power project is below the dam and now apart from hydro power generation, the Umiam Lake is a renowned tourist destination in Meghalaya. The waters of the lake appear to be crystal clear blue in colour due to the sky reflection and this is what attracts the tourists to this lake at Barapani.

There is a water sports complex area near the Umiam Lake and various activities like boating, kayaking, water scooter rides, etc. are conducted on the Umiam Lake under strict supervision and also there is a very beautiful resort near the water sports complex called as the Orchid Lake resort is also present here where guests can enjoy their stay alongside the waters of the Umiam Lake and enjoy their weekend or vacation. In the Lake there is also an island and this is called as the Lumpongdeng Island and there is a beautiful boathouse stay present here as well and in case you want to enjoy your stay in peace and calm then you can choose to halt here. Also present at Barapani is the Ri Kynjai – Serenity by the Lake that is one of the finest properties to halt on your visit to Meghalaya and in case you are planning to stay viewing the waters of the Umiam Lake and you are not a budget traveller then you can surely choose to stay at the Ri Kynjai – Serenity by the Lake. We will admire the crystal clear waters of the Umiam Lake and later we continue on our drive to enter the city of Shillong – the State capital of Meghalaya often referred to as the Scotland of the East. Shillong city is a blend of the traditional and the modern World and you will see this once we are crossing the city to travel towards Upper Shillong.

The dominant community inhabiting Shillong and the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya are the Khasi people of Meghalaya and they have a matrilineal society where in the family lineage is taken from the Mother’s side and the head of the household is a woman and she is responsible for looking after the daily proceedings of the household including earning for the household and this is why you will notice that most of the shops and business establishments are run by the women folks and they even hold respective positions in the state administration jobs and politics as well. The family inheritance is passed on to the youngest daughter of the house and she is entrusted with the responsibility to look after the aged parents and unmarried siblings as well. This is a unique culture to be witnessed only in Meghalaya and we will cross Shillong to continue on our drive to Upper Shillong and further towards Cherrapunji. We will do our sightseeing’s of Shillong city on the third day of the tour before heading back to Guwahati. We will reach the beautiful valley views of Meghalaya and now the roads are empty and the drive is very scenic at the same time and we will soon approach the Mawkdok Valley area that offers breathtaking views of the lush green valleys of Meghalaya and we will admire the grand views here and later we continue on our drive to reach Cherrapunji by afternoon and we stop for lunch at the Orange Roots restaurant in Cherrapunji.

This is a very nice vegetarian restaurant again just at the outskirts of Cherrapunji town and we will love the feel of the weather once we get down from our vehicles and look across the place. Our place of stay viz. the Sohra Plaza Homestay is located alongside the restaurant and we will not check in now and at first we will complete the sightseeing across Cherrapunji and later come to check into our place of stay in the interest of time because we have a very short duration in this itinerary and we are exploring more places in the stipulated amount of time. We will savour a nice veg cuisine lunch at the Orange Roots Restaurant and here also you will notice that the entire operations are being run by women folks from stewards to manager of the place.  Next up we will go to explore the sightseeing destinations of Cherrapunji where at first we will go to explore the tallest plunge waterfall in India at the Nohkalikai Falls. The drive from Cherrapunji town to the site of the Nohkalikai Falls is one of the very scenic drives across North East India and in case it is drizzling, you will get a feel of driving across the mountains of Scotland and we will soon approach the site of the Nohkalikai Falls and we will get to hear the gushing sound of this waterfall and the Nohkalikai Falls has a height of 340m and the view of this waterfall looks absolutely grand.

This is called as a plunge waterfall because the various perennial streams flowing across Cherrapunji come to the summit of the Nohkalikai Falls and the waters of these steams get collected in the plateau that is present on top here and later the water falls down cumulatively as one fall and therefore this is a plunge waterfall. We will take some time to admire the grandeur of the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji and later we will go to explore across the place that has various local women setting up stalls that sell some of the very fresh organic produce that are sourced from the forests around Cherrapunji and these include fresh cinnamon sticks, black pepper, turmeric, various fruits especially the pineapples that is a must try here in the season because the pineapples of Cherrapunji are one of the sweetest pineapples you will ever eat that is cut fresh and served with salt and chilli powder. We will take a walk across the place and also there are a few souvenir shops here as well that sell locally produced as well as well and in case you are interested you can quickly go through the store and make a purchase of your choice. We next move on to visit out next destination for the day where we get to explore the Mawsmai Caves along the Sohra-Shella road and it will be a short drive from the Nohkalikai Falls to the Mawsmai Cave area.

The state of Meghalaya being a mountain state is home to around 3500 caves and out of which around 1500 have been explored and at Cherrapunji there are two popular caves that are opened to tourists for public viewing viz. one is the Mawsmai Cave and the other is the Arwah Cave that we will visit as well. We will purchase our tickets and we will go in to explore the Mawsmai caves that are a prehistoric cave and a good site to see the fossils and the stalactites and stalagmites. We will walk across the cave and observe the various rock formations inside the walls of the Mawsmai cave in Cherrapunji and later we will come out of from the exit and although the Mawsmai cave is a very big cave only a part of this cave is opened for tourists and also well-lit and we will admire the vast green landscapes around the cave and next we go to visit the Seven Sister Falls in Cherrapunji that is said to be the fourth tallest waterfall in the country with the waters falling from a height of around 315m. The Seven Sister Falls is also called as the Mawsmai Falls and there are seven distinct falls you will see here that are independent from each other and unlike the Nohkalikai Falls this is not a plunge waterfall.  

The valley view around the Seven Sister Falls is absolutely breathtaking and you can also see the border of Bangladesh from the place and the plains of the place as well. We will admire the grand beauty of the place and later we will go to explore the final stop for the day at the Arwah Caves that is another of the very popular places to visit in Cherrapunji. The Arwah Caves is a pre-historic cave and we will go in to explore the cave and we will notice that it is a much wider cave when compared to the Mawsmai cave and there is a small stream flowing inside the cave as well. We keep moving in to the cave and we notice more of the fossils and stalactites and stalagmites and we will soon come of the interiors of the cave and we go to check in to our place of stay at Cherrapunji at the Sohra Plaza Homestay that is a very nice place to stay in Cherrapunji and the place is located along the highway and is a very quaint environment. The evening snacks will be served and we will spend the evening by the bonfire and have a sumptuous dinner and prepares on our next day of exploration.

Night Halt: Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 2: Cherrapunji – Dawki – Mawlynnong – Shillong

Today is the second day of this tour and again today as well we have a tight schedule ahead of us where we are travelling to Dawki from Cherrapunji in the early morning. We will have our breakfast at the Sohra Plaza Homestay and we start on our drive to Dawki from Cherrapunji at around 7.45AM and we hit the road and enjoy the lovely morning weather of Cherrapunji. We will take a shorter route from Cherrapunji by taking a right diversion and we travel towards Pynursla area in Meghalaya. We will witness the beautiful growth of pine trees and rhododendron trees across the place and this is a less habited place and so we mostly see nature around us and we drive towards Pynursla. The valley views of Meghalaya on this route is absolutely stunning and you many also see the clouds on the roads that make it all the more beautiful. We will soon reach Pynursla and here we make a stop to refuel our vehicles and this is the last decent available petrol bunk and post this we continue on our drive towards the road end where there are two diversions. The diversion left takes us to Dawki and the right diversion takes us to Mawlynnong and as we are travelling from Cherrapunji to Dawki we will take the left diversion and continue on our drive to Dawki.

The roads are good but start to get narrower but with the natural beauty around the place we do not miss this change. We will soon start on our drive downhill and we approach the border of India and Bangladesh and as we are approaching the plains, the weather gradually starts to get hot and humid but still a pleasant one and soon we reach the boating point at the Umngot River in Dawki and we will see many tourists vehicles lined up along the place as this is where visitors coming to Dawki take the opportunity to go for their boating experience on the crystal clear waters of the Umngot River at Dawki. The Umngot River has waters so crystal clear and transparent that you can easily spot the river bed and the boats that are plying on the waters of this river appear to be floating in air due to this transparency and this is what makes boating on the Umngot River at Dawki a very rewarding experience. We will come back for our boating experience but at first we will go to the border of India and Bangladesh at Dawki. We will get down from our vehicles and we will go to the office of the BSF where we will seek the permission to cross the Indian side of the border. We will cross the border to reach the no man’s land at Pillar 1275 and here we will see the border of Bangladesh and the various signage’s that welcome us to each country respectively.

This is a very important trade route across these two countries and people from Meghalaya send across truckloads of betel nut, broom sticks, coal and limestone as trade to Bangladesh. We will spend some time clicking our pictures here and later we come back to Indian Territory and thank the officials of BSF to board our vehicle and travel to the Dawki boating point. We will hire the services of a boat or two based on our group size and we will go for a 45 minute long boat ride across the Umngot River where we will touch the crystal clear waters and come from under the suspension bridge that was built by the British in 1932 and this will complete our boat ride at Dawki and we board our vehicles to travel to Mawlynnong – the Cleanest Village in Asia. We will take another route to Mawlynnong where we will drive across the border of India and Bangladesh and we will see steel fences built all across to demarcate the territory of the country and we will witness another beautiful waterfall here called as the Bophill falls and we click our pictures here to continue on our drive to Mawlynnong village. At Mawlynnong we will at first go to visit the Riwai Single Decker Living Root Bridge at Mawlynnong that is a prime tourist attraction of this place.

These living root bridges are unique to Meghalaya and are grown by the indigenous Khasi and Jaintia communities of Meghalaya to provide accessibility to remote villages especially during the monsoon season when the streams flows with abundant water and it crossing them becomes difficult. Building of iron and steel bridges across these remote places is not a feasible idea and therefore the local people thought that why not grow bridges if they couldn’t build them. So they found that the roots of the rubber tree that are found in abundance across these tropical forests of Meghalaya are ideally suited to grow these bridges and they used to ties the young roots to allow them to grow across the perennial streams and to provide direction to these roots they used the hollowed out trunks of the areca nut and bamboo trees and the roots would take around 15-20 years to grow from one end of t the stream to another and once fully grown the pathway across the bridge would be made walk able by using wooden planks and stones and once fully grown one such root bridge would last for over 500 years and the best advantage of these root bridges is that they grow stronger with rains and these root bridges are unique to Meghalaya and today we wil have the opportunity to witness one such root bridge.

There are several such root bridges across the East Khasi and West Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya but most of these are present across very remote locations and to reach these bridges one has to plan a long day of trekking and this is another reason why the Riwai Living Root Bridge is very popular among the tourists coming to Meghalaya as it just takes a short 10 min walking distance from the car parking area to reach the site of the bridge and we will go to admire these unique bio-engineering marvels of the Khasi tribes of Meghalaya. The place will be filled with tourists and we will get to admire the Riwai Living Root Bridge and this is the widest among all the root bridges of Meghalaya. The two other very polar root bridges among the tourists are the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat village near Cherrapunji and the other is the Longest Living Root Bridge at Pynursla. After our visit at the Riwai Living Root Bridge we will continue on our drive to Mawlynnong village and here we will stop for lunch at a local restaurant that is owned by our local guide who post lunch will quickly take us on a short tour of Mawlynnong village. The lunch we will have will be a simple Khasi cuisine lunch where we will have rice, dal, salad, tomato chutney, potato sabji, papaya sabji, chicken with sesame seeds, etc. and post our lunch our local guide will take us on a stroll across the village and we will understand as to how the local people have been able to earn the tag of being the cleanest village in Asia.

The title was awarded to the village in the year 2003 by the Discover India Magazine and later BBC has aired a documentary on television and since then this place became a renowned tourist destination in Meghalaya. But what draws a majority of the tourists to Mawlynnong is the Riwai Single Decker Living Root Bridge as this is the most easily accessible living root bridge and also this is the perfect place for lunch on the way from Cherrapunji to Dawki and the guests come to Mawlynong to have their lunch and later continue on their drive back to either Cherrapunji or Shillong. The guide will tell us about the cleaning practices adopted in Mawlynnong village by the local community members where each and every household contributes towards keeping the premises of the village clean. Everyday this tinsel village welcomes hundreds of tourists who bring along with them a lot of plastic waste and these needs to be handled responsibly to avoid pollution and environmental degradation. This is where every morning, the members of the household get up and they clean the premises around their houses and they put the thrash in a dustbin that is present along each of the households and later the community team comes and they collect the waste and they segregate it into degradable and non-degradable waste.

The degradable waste is used as compost/manure to power the local gardens and the non-degradable waste mostly plastic and scrap iron are collected and once in a week it is sent in trucks to Shillong city where the waste is responsibly recycled. The same ritual is carried out in the evening as well and this is how Mawlynnong has been able to live up to its tag of being the cleanest village in Asia. We will also go to visit the 100 year old cathedral that is present in the village and after taking a stroll across Mawlynnong village we will bid farewell to continue on our drive to Shillong and at the outskirts of the village we will make a quick stop to view the balancing rocks at Mawlynnong village. These balancing rocks at Mawlynnong village are a unique phenomenon where a very large rock boulder rests atop a much smaller rock boulder defying the laws of gravity and this structure has been standing tall this way since very long and in the olden days, the local Khasi people considered this to be a sacred site and they used to perform many rituals to appease the Gods and Goddesses. Today however they are a very popular tourist destination and visitors are simple enthralled when they see this unique phenomenon and try to figure out the reason for this phenomenon. We ill take a quick look here and we head on to Shillong city.

We will cross Mawlynnong to travel towards Pynursla and again the grand valley views of Meghalaya will welcome us and we will see the deep valleys and gorges of Meghalaya from the well protected roads and we cross Pynursla to travel towards Upper Shillong area. We will reach Shillong by later afternoon and as it was a long day we will simply head to our place of stay in Shillong keep our day of exploration for tomorrow and today we just go to visit the Madina Masjid – India’s only Glass Mosque at the Laban area in Shillong. The majority of the population of Shillong follow Christianity as their faith and a small population belong to the Hindu community, Islam and Sikh as well. The Muslim community of Shillong had built this glass mosque here and this is India’s only glass mosque and the place looks very beautiful in the evening when it gets illuminated with green lights and we will admire the Madina Masjid and later we go to check into our place of Stay in Shillong at the Sunrise Guest House that is a beautiful villa turned guest house at the Laban area in Shillong. We will enjoy out evening snacks and tea and later dinner will be served to us at the Guest House and we will end our long day and prepare for our next day of visit where we will explore Shillong and later travel to Guwahati city.

Night Halt: Sunrise Guest House in Shillong

Meals Included: breakfast and Dinner

Day 3: Shillong – Guwahati

Today we have a quick breakfast and we check out of the Guest house to explore two places in Upper Shillong where at first we will go to visit the Shillong peak and later we explore the elephant falls and later come back to Shillong city to explore the wards lake, police bazar and after exploring the Don Bosco museum in Shillong we will head on our drive back to Guwahati. We will leave our hotel at the Laban area in Shillong and we set out on our drive to Upper Shillong on the roads to Cherrapunji and we must have already seen the signage’s while travelling on our way to Cherrapunji the site of the Elephant Falls and the Shillong Peak. In the morning hours there is not much traffic on the roads and so we will quickly reach the site of the Elephant falls and we will get to visit this popular tourist place in Shillong. The elephant falls is a three staged waterfall and this falls under the category of the cascading waterfall where one fall is on the top level, the second one in the middle and the much wider and grand falls is located at the third level where the water accumulates and flows out to a nearby stream. This waterfall was discovered by the British and was called as the Elephant Falls because of the presence of a huge rock that was shaped in the form of an elephant head and this rock was however destroyed in the great earthquake of 1897 and the name continues to be called as the elephant falls. We will explore this beautiful waterfall in Upper Shillong and next we continue on our drive to the Shillong peak area that is located in the Indian Air Force campus under the Eastern Air Command. We will drive across a hill and once we reach on top that is a place where we will get to see a lot of cultivation of potatoes, carrots, cabbage and coriander leaves.

Shillong has a colder climate and this being the highest point in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya this has a cooler climate and hence it allows the farmers to grow these vegetables and the produce is supplied across the markets of Shillong and Guwahati. We will soon reach the Air Force base and here we will need to produce our ID verification to the authorities and they will let us pass through the security gate and we go to visit the Shillong peak area. As mentioned this is the highest point in the East Khasi Hills and the Shillong Peak provides a nice aerial view of the Shillong city. We will go here and admire the beauty of Shillong city from the Shillong Peak (Scotland of the East) and there are telescopes available on rent as well and after sometime we continue on our drive back to Shillong where at first we go to visit the Ward’s lake area in Shillong. The people of Shillong will soon start to come from their homes to travel to the town centre where most of the government offices are located and so we might experience some traffic and we soon reach the Police Bazar area in Shillong near the Raj Bhawan area and we go to explore the Ward’s Lake in Shillong.

The Ward’s Lake is a very beautiful Lake campus located in the heart of Shillong city and visitors find this as a place to relax and unwind in the evening where there is provision for boating on the lake and a café where you can savour evening snacks and coffee as well. The Ward’s Lake was commissioned to be dug out by the then Commissioner of Assam (General Ward) who found out that the prisoners of the Central Jail in Shillong were putting on weight without having much work to do and these prisoners had dug out the Ward’s Lake and this place served as the recreational place for the officers and their families of the British Raj and today this is a prime tourist attraction in Shillong. We will take a stroll after entering the gate of this Ward’s Lake and we will come out to visit the Police Bazar area that is a vibrant market area in Shillong and the Police Bazar offers a beautiful blend of the traditional and the modern Worlds. At the Police Bazar area you will find all the traditional Kirana Shops on one side of the street while the high ride malls on the other side and this is a perfect way to explore the marker area. At the entrance of the market you will see the local traders of Shillong come from the various villages and they bring along with them the various fresh produce that is sourced directly from the fields and the view is quite vibrant.

We will witness one unique betting game here at the Police Bazar called as the Shillong Teer wherein everyday a traditional game of archery is held at the Polo Grounds in Shillong and the loal people bet on certain numbers of the day. In the game of archery, the archers aim at a rotating board that has the numbers of the day pasted on it and the number that receives the maximum number of arrow hits is declared as the winning number of the day and the people betting on this number win an amount much higher to the bet they place. There are various such shops across the Police Bazar area where the local people come and place their bets and we will be able to see this here. We wind up our visit at the Police Bazar area and next we will travel via Shillong city where we will see the Shillong Polo Grounds and the Shillong Golf course to continue on our visit to the Don Bosco Museum in Shillong. The landscape around Shillong will remind you of Scotland and hence the British after coming here had named the place as the Scotland of the East. The Don Bosco museum is one of the finest museums across North East India and the place displays and showcases the life, culture, traditions and the way of living of the indigenous communities of North East India. The region is home to over 200 tribes and their sub-tribes and these local people have inhabited the region since times immemorial.

The Don Bosco Museum is present at the Mawlai area in Shillong and it is spread across seven floors with two floors below the ground and the top floor is a skywalk from where visitors can get a nice aerial view of the Mawlai area in Shillong and each of these floors here depicts one aspect about the tribes of the North East India. If one floor speaks about the attires of the people, another tells about the occupation of these people and another about their various ancient customs and practices. This is a very beautifully designed museum that has all the modern technologies placed and the lights of the rooms are automatic wherein they go out automatically when a person steps in the room. There are audio visual displays at the entrance of the each room and in case you are interested you can watch these videos that keep playing and tell you more about the life and customs of the indigenous people of North East India. When we enter the museum, there is a passage way that has on its walls various well-framed pictures of the local people all adorned in their traditional attires and they are dwelling in their local villages and also at the ground floor is a souvenir shop that sell the local produce that are made by the local Khasi people of Meghalaya and we will spend some time here for you to buy a souvenir of your visit to Cherrapunji and Meghalaya. Post our visit at the Don Bosco museum we will bid farewell to the city of Shillong (Scotland of the East) and we continue on our drive towards Barapani.

We will reach the viewpoint of the Umiam Lake again and we will simple admire the grand clear waters of the lake in the interest of time and we will continue on our drive to the Nongpoh area where we will stop for out lunch at the Jiva’s veg restaurant and we will savour a nice South Indian cuisine meal for lunch and post lunch we will continue on our drive to Guwahati and we will cross Burnihat and Khanapara to reach Guwahati city. We will not have much time on our hands and so we will go to visit one important temple near our place of stay at the Basistha temple that is a very old temple shrine that is dedicated to Lord Shiva. There is an ashram here as well and it is believed that it was built by the great sage Basistha and this ashram is called as the Basistha Ashram.

This temple shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva and it was built by an Ahom King of Assam. The temple on top that follows the unique Ahom temple architecture is the temple dedicated to Lords Shiva and there is another newer temple built alongside that is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. The place behind the Basistha temple is considered to be very auspicious as this is the confluence of three primary and important rivers and these three rivers merge here and flows as one river across Guwahati city as the Basistha and later the Bharalu River. We will step in to explore the main temple shrine of the Basistha temple and here we will seek blessings of Lord Shiva and post our Darshan at the temple we will go to check into our place of stay at the Beltola area in Guwahati. We will check into our hotel and the evening you will be free to explore the market area on your own and either you can have your dinner outside at one of the many restaurants across the place or you can also have it at the restaurant at the hotel that is a very nice multi-cuisne restaurant. Tomorrow is the last day of this tour where we will go to explore the holy temple shrine of Goddess Kamakhya and post our lunch we will drop you at the Guwahati airport ending our short 4D/3N tour of Cherrapunji and Meghalaya.

Night Halt: Hotel Tokyo Tower at Beltola

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 4: Kamakhya temple – Guwahati airport

Today we will start our day in the morning and we will have a quick breakfast at the Hotel and we will start our drive from the Beltola area to Maligaon and as it will be in the morning hours so we will take the route from within Guwahati city as there will be less traffic on the roads. Along our way we will see the Umananda Island and the Umananda temple and this temple is also dedicated to Lord Shiva and the Umananda Island is the smallest inhabited River Island in the World located in the middle of the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati. The mighty Brahmaputra flows along the city of Guwahati and we will observe this on our drive across Fancy Bazar towards the Kamakhya gate area and we will soon begin our ascent to the top of the Nilachal Hills where the Kamakhya temple shrine is located. We will get a nice aerial view of the Guwahati city from atop the Nilachal Hills and we will soon reach the parking area of the Kamakhya temple where we will meet with our Panda who will assist us with the Darshan of the temple. The Kamakhya temple is one among the 51 Shakti Peethas and it is the most revered temple shrine in North East India dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya. It is also one among the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas and 4 Adi Shakti Peethas of the Indian Subcontinent.

It is believed that Goddess Sati’s womb fell atop the Nilachal Hills when Lord Shiva was carrying here mutilated body in his arms and performing the Tandava Nritya. The holy temple shrine is considered to be the temple of the bleeding Goddess and every year in the month of Asad (June) it is believed that the Goddess menstruates and this is the time when the temple hosts the grand Ambubachi Mela festival. This Ambubachi Mela festival is often referred to as the Eastern Mahakumbh and it draws devotees from all across the country and abroad as well and on this first three days of the festival, the temple doors are closed to the devotees and only on the fourth day, the temple door reopens and devotees rush to visit the inner sanctum of the Kamakhya temple to seek the blessings of the Goddess. The temple shrine is believed to have been built by Lord Kamdeva with help from Lord Vishwakarma and it was rebuilt by the Kings of the Pala dynasty. The temple was again rebuilt by the Koch Kings and later again was invaded and destroyed by a Muslim invader to be finally rebuilt to its present structure by the Ahom Kings of Assam. We will approach the temple and we go in to the inner sanctum of the temple where we will see that there is no idol of the Goddess that is worshipped and instead there is a stone shaped in the form of a Yoni (Vulva) that is fed continuously by an underground stream of water and our Darshan will complete once we touch the holy water and sprinkle it on our head. With our Darshan at the Kamakhya temple over we will start on our drive to the LGBI airport at Guwahati and we will drop you at the airport for your flight to your onward destinations thereby ending this eventful tour of Cherrapunji, Meghalaya and Guwahati. Tour Ends! Bid Adieu!

Day 1 ~ Guwahati and Cherrapunji

Arrive at Guwahati Airport and transfer to the Kamakhya Temple. The Kamakhya Temple ‘the Temple of the Bleeding Goddess’ is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas and is one of the holiest temple shrines in India. Offer your worship to Goddess Kamakhya and Later depart to Cherrapunji. On the way sight the Umiam Lake. At Cherrapunji, visit the Majestic Nohkalikai Falls (India’s tallest plunge waterfall) and spot the exotic view here. Also visit the Seven Sisters Falls and the Mawsmai Caves at Cherrapunji.

Night Stay: Resorts/Cottages at Cherrapunji

Meals Included: NA

Day 2 ~ Cherrapunji, Mawlynnong, Dawki and Shillong

After breakfast enroute to Dawki (Indo-Bangladesh) border and enjoy boating on the clear waters of the Umngot River at Dawki. Later visit to Mawlynnong (Asia’s cleanest Village). At Mawlynnong visit the Living Root Bridges, sight the balancing rocks and take a walk along the Cleanest Village of Asia. Experience the rich culture of the Khasi Tribes of Meghalaya at Mawlynnong. Later depart to Shillong for night halt. At Shillong, visit the Madina Masjid (India’s only Glass Mosque).

Night Stay: Homestay/Hotel at Shillong

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3 ~ Shillong – the Scotland of the East

Today we will spend the day sightseeing at Shillong City. Visit the Ward’s Lake, Shillong Peak, Elephant Falls and Don Bosco Museum. Evening free to visit the Police Bazaar at Shillong.

Night Stay: Homestay/Hotel at Shillong

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4 ~ Shillong and Kaziranga National Park

After breakfast, enroute to the Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Sight the majestic Tea Gardens on your way to Kaziranga National Park. Evening visit a retail outlet at Kaziranga and shop for exclusive Assam Tea.

Night Stay: Hotel Landmark Woods at Kaziranga National Park

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 5 ~ Kaziranga National Park and Jorhat

Early morning enjoy a thrilling Jeep Safari into the National Park of Kaziranga. Spot exotic species of Flora and Fauna during your Safari! Later we will visit the Kaziranga Orchid Park that is host to over 300 varieties of Orchid species of North East India. Depart to the town of Jorhat (the Tea Capital of the World). We will visit the Swargadeo Chaolung Sui-ka-Pha Samanway Kshetra and pay our tribute to the founder of the Ahom Dynasty of Assam.

Night Stay: MD Continental Jorhat

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 6:  Majuli Island and Jorhat

Today we will embark on our journey to the World’s Largest Inhabited River Island of Majuli. We will cross the mighty Brahmaputra aboard a river ferry to reach Majuli. The Abode of the Neo Vaishnavite Cult of Assam, at Majuli we will visit the ancient Satras here. Also learn about the lost art of traditional Mask making at Majuli. Return to Jorhat for night halt. Evening visit the Jorhat Market and shop for exclusive and indigenous Silks of Assam.

Night Stay: MD Continental Jorhat

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 7: Sivasagar and Dibrugarh Airport

After breakfast depart to Sivasagar (the capital of the Ahom Kingdom). We will visit the Talatal Ghar and Rang Ghar at Sivasagar and witness the Architectural Grandeurs of the Ahom Dynasty. Also will visit the Sivadol at Sivasagar. Later depart to the Dibrugarh Airport for your onward destination. Tour Ends. Bid Adieu!

Meals Included: Breakfast

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• To know more about the Kamakhya Temple: Click Here

• To know more about Mawlynnong Village: Click Here

• To know more about Shillong City: Click Here

• To know more about the Kaziranga National Park: Click Here

• To know more about the Kaziranga Orchid Park: Click Here

• To know more about Majuli River Island: Click Here

• To know more about the Rang Ghar: Click Here

• To know more about the Talatal Ghar: Click Here

Detailed Itinerary ~

Day 1: Guwahati – Cherrapunji

Arrive early at the LGBI airport at Guwahati and upon arrival you will be welcomed by our representative offering you a warm welcome in traditional Assamese style and from the airport we will board our comfortable vehicles and start on our drive to the Nilachal Hills in Guwahati where the holy temple shrine of Goddess Kamakhya is located and we will cross the Jalukbari flyover area to enter Guwahati city. We will cross Adabari and Maligaon areas to reach the Kamakhya Gate and we start on our ascent atop the Nilachal Hills where we will reach the parking spot of the Kamakhya temple. Here we will meet our Panda (Pujari) who will assist us with our temple Darshan and we will start to climb the stairway that takes us to the top where the temple shrine is located. We will need to open our shoes and enter the temple complex and here we will be welcomed by a fascinating architecture of the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati. This temple is one among the 51 Shakti Peethas, 18 Maha Shakti Peethas and 4 Adi Shakti Peethas of the Indian Subcontinent.

It is believed that when Goddess Sati (wife of Lord Shiva), unable to hear the rebukes that were being hurled at Lord Shiva by her father jumped into the fire (Yagna) and immolated herself and when Lord Shiva came to know about this he got so angry that he came to pick up her body from the fire and he started performing the Tandava Nritya and the entire Universe started reverberating and he also started flying across the Universe carrying the corpse of Goddess Sati in his hands. To pacify Lord Shiva and bring the universe to a stable state, Lord Vishnu used his Sudarshan Chakra and this chopped Goddess Sati’s body into 51 pieces and Lord Shiva still did not stop and he kept travelling across the World and slowly each body part started to fall down on the Earth and it fell atop a mountain or a hill and over the years various temple shrines were built across each of these mountains and these came to be known as the Shakti Peethas. At the Nilachal hills, it is believed that Goddess Sati’s womb had fallen ad hence this temple shrine is called as the temple of the bleeding Goddess and every year in the month of June (Asad) it is believed that the Goddess menstruates and the Kamakhya temple hosts the grand Ambubachi Mela festival that is often referred to as the Eastern Mahakumbh that draws lakhs of devotees and holy Sadhus from across India and abroad as well. The Kamakhya temple celebrates the spirit of womanhood and the ability of a mother to give birth to a new life.

As per Hindu mythology, it is believed that the Kamakhya temple was built by Lord Kamdeva (Hindu God of Love) with the assistance of Lord Vishwakarma (the God of Machinery) and later the stairway from the plains to the top of the hill was built by Narakasur. As per archaeological studies, the first instance of this temple being built was under the reign of the Pala Dynasty who had ruled over Assam and later as the temple had fallen into ruins, the Koch Kings had taken up the task to rebuild the temple shrine. It was again invaded and destroyed by a Muslim invader and it was during the time of the Ahom Kings of Assam that is Kings who had learnt about the various acts of Shakti and Tantra that were practiced here at the Kamakhya temple that they were so intrigued that they decided to convert to Hinduism and they took up the task of rebuilding the Kamakhya temple into its present form and this temple follows the Ahom temple architecture and it is one of the grandest temple architectures across Eastern India and the stone sculptures of the Gods and Goddesses on the temple walls will simple leave you intrigued. We will at first go to cleanse our feet and hands at the temple pond and later we will purchase our VIP pass to enter the inner sanctum of the Kamakhya temple.

There are two entry point or ways to enter the main temple dome and later the inner sanctum (Garbhagriha) of the Kamakhya temple and one is the general queue where devotees line up from as early as 5AM in the morning and this is a long queue that will take you to the inner sanctum while there is another way to enter the temple with the VIP Pass that is purchased for INR 501 and to be be paid at the temple office that will provide you this pass and you can bypass the long queue to enter the temple dome and the inner sanctum. These two queues however merge at the main temple dome entrance and even when you are on the VIP pass you will need to wait for a while ot complete your temple Darshan. Many people consider that visiting the Maa Kamakhya temple is a type of penance and so even though they are able to afford the VIP pass but still they choose the general queue to enter the temple dome and they wait in line to be able to enter the temple shrine and this becomes a whole first half of the day and as per the customs you are to visit the temple inner sanctum on an empty stomach and so they come and queue up early in the morning while fasting and they go to eat their breakfast at one of the many eateries that are present around the temple complex of the Kamakhya temple.

We will not adhere to the strict rules and we are mostly visiting the temple shrine as tourists to admire the grand architecture and to learn about the mysteries associated with the temple and we will soon approach to temple dome to here we will enter the man temple shrine and the place gets completely dark and it is illuminated with the burning lamps and the incense sticks. The temple shrine inside provides a different vibe and you get a feel of certain magic inside of you and this is because the Kamakhya temple is associated with the cult of Shakti and Tantra. In the olden days, the black magic sorcerers used to consider Goddess Kamakhya as a source of power that provided them with the ability to perform their feats of black magic and so they revered Goddess Kamakhya and this temple shrine and they used to perform various sacrifices both animal and human to appease the Goddess. The cult of Shakti and Tantra was what had influenced the Ahom Kings of Assam who decided to convert to Hinduism and they became devout followers of Goddess Kamakhya and Lord Shiva and they went on to build several temple shrines across Assam including the Dirgheshwari temple at North Guwahati that is considered to be another of the Shakti Peethas and it is believed that Goddess Sati’s right thigh had fallen atop the Sitachal Hills where this temple shrine is located. The Dirgheshwari temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga and it is considered as a temple shrine that prevails over evil and even at this temple shrine animal sacrifice is performed especially during the Durga Puja festival. It is said that your Darshan at the Kamakhya temple is complete only when you pay a visit at the Dirgheshwari temple and also the Hayagriva Madhava temple at Hajo. We will not have time on this itinerary to visit the other two temple shrine and so we will complete our Darshan at the Kamakhya temple and we will enter the inner sanctum of the Kamakhya temple and we will see that there is no idol of the Goddess present here and instead there is a stone here shaped on the form of a Yoni (Vulva) that symbolizes that the womb of Goddess Sati is preserved at the inner sanctum and an underground stream continuously feeds this stone and we will touch the holy water here and sprinkle it on top of our forehead that will complete our visit at the Inner Sanctum of the Kamakhya temple.

The Panda will assist us with the further Darshan of the Kamakhya temple wherein we will need to break a coconut at the altar outside of the temple dome and later light the dia and the incense sticks and we will have to go about the temple complex for five rounds. There is a place behind the temple where animal sacrifice (goat) is performed and we will avoid visiting this place and simply admire the grandeur of the temple architecture and the temple walls are adorned with beautiful sculptures of Gods and Goddesses made up of stone. There is a model of the Nilachal Hills located here and apart from the Kamakhya temple there are numerous other temple shrines that are present atop the hills all dating back to 10^th century. On top of the temple main dome you will find that the top of the dome is plated with pure gold and this was donated to the Kamakhya temple by the Hon. Chairman of Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani and this adds to the glory of the Kamakhya temple as well. We will step out of the main temple complex and we will collect our shoes and we go to have our breakfast at a nice restaurant that is located near the temple and post our breakfast we will start on our drive and we continue on our drive to Cherrapunji crossing Guwahati city via the Khanapara area.

We will soon enter the State of Meghalaya from Assam and we will see big cement factories in operation at the Burnihat areas and also along the road there is a vibrant market area here that sells some of the freshest produce that are of organic vegetables and fruits that are sourced from the local villages across the place. We will admire the natural colours of the greens from the road itself and next up we head on our drive to the Nongpoh area in Meghalaya en-route to Shillong and we will not stop here in the interest of time and we will drive directly towards the Barapani area where we will make a atop at the view point area of the Umiam Lake. The Umiam lake is the largest artificial water reservoir in North East India and this lake was formed after a Dam was built on the Umiam River in 1965 for the provision of hydro power generation and today this is one of the very popular tourist attractions near Shillong and is visited by hundreds of visitors every day in the tourist season. We will stop at the view point to admire the crystal clear waters of the Umiam Lake and we will also see the various locals setting up small stalls around the place and they sell various snacks and tea and we will take this opportunity to have black tea and to stretch our legs after a long drive before we continue on our drive to Cherrapunji.

The Umiam Lake has a water sports complex at the banks of the lake and from the top we will see tourists going for boating and other adventure activities on the waters of the Lake and a very beautiful resort called as the Orchid Lake resort is also present alongside the lake. An island has also been formed naturally on this lake and this is called as the Lumpongdeng Island and there is a provision for a houseboat stay experience here as well. We will spend some time across the Umiam Lake and later we start on our drive to Cherrapunji via Shillong city. Shillong aka the Scotland of the East is the state capital of Meghalaya and also the district headquarters of the East Khasi hills district in Meghalaya. Shillong is a perfect blend of the traditional and the modern Worlds and the British when they had come here found that the landscapes of the place resembles that of Scotland and hence they named Shillong as the Scotland of the East. We will drive across the busy roads of Shillong and the entire place will remind you a colonial era glimpse and soon we cross the Bara Bazar area – the largest market in North East India and we continue on our drive to Upper Shillong area where we will stop for lunch at the Soliyana Hits restaurant near Mylliem.

The Soliyana huts is a very popular restaurant on the outskirts of Shillong and the place serves delicious Chinese, North India and Local Khasi cuisine and we will order our lunch here and it is recommended that you try out the Chinese dishes here and we will savour our lunch here and post lunch we continue on our drive to Cherrapunji. On the way we will get to see the lush green valleys of Meghalaya and the state being a mountain state offers splendid valley views and waterfalls as well. We will soon approach a road diversion and while the road towards the left takes you to Dawki and Mawlynnong, the straight road leads to Cherrapunji and we will head straight on our drive to the Mawkdok Valley and this is the place that offers grand views of the valley and all around you will see vast stretch of mountains that are filled abundantly with the tropical forests of Meghalaya. We will get down from our vehicles here and admire the grand valley and soon after this we will head on our drive to Cherrapunji and in some time we will approach Cherrapunji and we set out to explore our first sight-seeing at Cherrapunji at the Nohkalikai Falls – India’s tallest plunge waterfall.

The place around the Nohkalikai Falls is absolutely a stunning landscape view and visitors are left enthralled due to the beauty of the place and we will enjoy the beauty of Cherrapunji here on your visit. Another thing to visit around the Nohkalikai falls are the various souvenir shops around the place and these shops sell produce that are made by the local artisans of Cherrapunji and some of the souvenirs are imported as well. When you visit these stalls you will be left enthralled with the beauty of these handmade souvenirs and in case you are interested you can make a purchase of these souvenirs on your visit to Cherrapunji. Another thing noteworthy to be mentioned at the area around the Nohkalikai falls is the trek that takes you to the foot of the waterfalls and this trek route continues further to the Nongriat village where the Double Decker Living Root Bridge near Cherrapunji is present. This is not a well-defined trek route but in case you are an adventure junkie you can approach this trek as well. Although the trek route is present from the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji it is recommended that you approach this trek from the Nongriat village itself where you can hire the services of a local guide and he will guide you again on this route where you will cross the Mawshaw bridge and the beautiful rainbow falls at Cherrapunji and alter you will come out from the area behind the Nohkalikai Falls.

This trek is to be attempted only during the dry season of winters and it is best avoided to go on this trek in the monsoon season as the trek route gets muddy and slippery at the same time. Another place to go to explore near the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji is the Sohra heritage village that is located on the approach to the Nohkalikai Falls and this place aims to illustrate the history of the Khasi heritage and also the history of Cherrapunji area as well. You can have a glimpse of the various traditional Khasi huts and savour delicious Khasi tribe cuisine at the heritage village and also get to witness the Khasi traditional attire that is adorned by the local men and women. Another place to visit near the Nohkalikai Falls in the summit that has now been turned into a tourist attraction and you can take the opportunity to go to the plateau that is on the top of the waterfall and here you can see how the waters from the perennial streams around Cherrapunji come and get accumulated and they fall down collectively and you get an aerial glimpse of the Nohkalikai Falls here at Cherrapunji.

The Saimika Resort is one of the most sought after properties in Cherrapunji and the place is spread across a sprawling campus and it overlooks a beautiful valley viewpoint and behind the area of the resort is a small stream flowing by. The cottages are built with stone slabs and it has a unique rustic charm to it and the owners of this place in Cherrapunji want their guests to stay close to nature as much as possible and they has used minimal use of appliances in the rooms to keep the carbon footprint low. These cottages at the Saimika Resort are very elegant and they have a unique appeal to it and we will go to check into our cottages here and freshen up and we will come out to the lounge area and enjoy our evening snacks and tea and in the evening we will spend time by the bonfire. In case we are here on a Saturday evening we will get to enjoy a live band performance as well. Our dinner will be served at the lounge are itself and we will savour a delightful Khasi cuisine dinner to welcome us to Cherrapunji and Meghalaya and we will return to our rooms for night halt.

Night Halt: Saimika Resort at Cherrapunji

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 2: Cherrapunji – Dawki – Mawlynnong

Today we will travel from Cherrapunji to Dawki in the morning but we will at first do some more sight-seeing around Cherrapunji where we will go to visit two other beautiful waterfalls that are present behind our place of stay at the Saimika resort in Cherrapunji at the Wei Sawdong and the Dainthlen Falls. We will start in the morning from our resort to the Wei Sawdong falls and this is another of the very beautiful waterfalls in Cherrapunji and this is a three layered waterfall that has a middle plateau and the waters roll down from the top fall and they get settles at the middle at first and later they fall down to the base forming a crystal clear pool and we can go down to the base of this falls and it is an easy trek and we will have some of the most beautiful images of the Wei Sawdong falls in Cherrapunji. We spend some time here and later we go to visit the Dainthlen falls at Cherrapunji that is located in one of the very picturesque locations here and this place is well known for the shooting of the various regional movies and music videos. This is again a waterfall that falls down along the edge of a cliff and the most unique thing about the place in Cherrapunji is the rock bed on the approach of this waterfall and the rocks appear in the shape of utensils that we used to cook dinner.

This waterfall in Cherrapunji too has a unique folklore attached to it and we will get to read this at the signage at the entrance of the Dainthlen falls that states that his area was earlier habited by a demon who used to cause immense harm to people who used to travel across in groups of odd numbers to the market area to conduct their business activities. The demon however did not cause much harm to the group that used to have even number of people. But the people often missed out on the count and sometime they had to travel alone as well and so the demon would harm them. Then a knight was called upon to slay the demon and this knight came to the demon in an odd group and just when the demon was about to eat him he fed the demon with hot stones and this is believed to have killed the demon. A huge fast was organized and the meat of the demon has to be completely eaten up at the spot itself so that it didn’t come back to life again and everyone was instructed to finish the meat at the site of this waterfall in Cherrapunji and not to carry the meal to their homes. However one old lady did not pay heed to this advice and she carried some of the meat to feed her grandson at home and it is believed that the legend of the demon lived on to this date.

The utensils that were used to cook the feast were even left at the site of this waterfall in Cherrapunji and it is believed that these utensils in course of time had turned into stones here. We will admire the beautiful landscapes across the Dainthlen Falls at Cherrapunji and we will go back to our resort to quickly have our breakfast and check out of the place and begin on our drive to Dawki. We bid farewell to Cherrapunji and we will take a short cut via a right diversion to travel to Pynursla area in Meghalaya crossing some of the very pristine forest areas that is filled with pine trees and rhododendrons and we reach another beautiful valley of Meghalaya to finally approach Pynursla town. Our vehicles will quickly refuel at the fuel bunk here and then we start on our drive again to Dawki. We will soon approach a road diversion and we take a left diversion to travel towards Dawki and we will cross some of the beautiful local villages of Meghalaya here. The roads start to get narrower but the beauty of nature all around compensates for this and we soon begin our drive downhill towards the plains of Bangladesh and the weather starts to feel warmer and we will reach the Dawki boating point where we will see the tourist vehicles all lined up.

The tourists who come to Dawki take the opportunity of going on a boat ride from this point on the crystal clear waters of the Umngot River at Dawki. We will at first go to visit the border of India and Bangladesh at Dawki and we cross a suspension bridge built in 1932 by the British to approach the Tamabil market and further towards the border of India and Bangladesh at Dawki. We will step down from our vehicles and we will go to the office of the BSF personnel to seek permission to allow us to visit the border and once we have the permission we will cross Indian side of the territory to travel to no man’s land at pillar 1275 and on each side we will see the welcome signage’s to the respective country. The border of Bangladesh gets visible to us and we will admire the place and later we come back to Indian Territory and we start on our drive to the boating point at Dawki. The Umngot river is a very renowned destination of North East India mostly because it has waters so crystal clear that one can easily see the rock bed under the surface and also when the boats ply on these waters it appears as though the boats are floating in the air.

The boatman will take us on a 45 minute long boat ride where we will float on the clear waters of the Umngot River at Dawki and we will witness the crystal clear waters and go from under the suspension bridge and also make a quick stop at an island as well. We will get to see the various local fishermen from both the countries come to fish on the waters of this river and post our boating session; we will board our vehicles to continue on our drive to Mawlynnong. This time we will take a different route along the border of India and Bangladesh and we will get to witness the border fence here that demarcates the land and territory of both these countries and we will go to visit another beautiful waterfall along this area called as the Bophill falls and the waters of this fall look absolutely breathtaking and it flows from under a bridge on the road. We will admire this waterfall and continue on our drive to Mawlynnong. Our lunch we will be a little later and so we will have some snacks along the way and we will reach Mawlynnong village by around 2.30PM and at first we will go to have our lunch at a local restaurant here and we will enjoy a delicious home cooked meal of rice, dal, sabji, potato fry, chicken curry, salad, tomato chutney, etc.

Post our lunch we will set out to explore the cleanest village of Asia of Mawlynnong. Mawlynnong was given the title of the cleanest village of Asia by the Discover India magazine in 2003 and later a documentary was aired by BBC that provided fame to the village and gradually it became an important tourist destination of Meghalaya. Another reason for Mawlynnong being popular on the tourist circuit is the presence of the most easily accessible living root bridge of Riwai near the village and it is only a short 10 minute walk from the parking lot to the site of the root bridge. These root bridges are unique bioengineering marvels that are grown by the Khasi and Jaintia communities of Meghalaya and they are not to be found anywhere in the World especially the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat. This is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site but in this itinerary we will not have time to visit Nongriat and instead the next morning we will have the opportunity to visit the widest living root bridge of Riwai at Mawlynnong. The other root bridges are located at very remote locations and this need almost a day’s time and trek to go and visit and to make a visit to the Riwai Root Bridge only a short hike is needed and so visitors prefer to visit this root bridge.

Tourists come to visit this Riwai Single Decker Living Root Bridge in large numbers and this is what makes Mawlynnong a very popular destination to be visited after your visit to Cherrapunji and Dawki and continuing further to Shillong. At first we go to witness a very unique natural phenomenon of the balancing rocks here at Mawlynnong village and these rocks are a pride of Mawlynnong where a very large rock boulder rests atop a much smaller rock boulder and this structure has been standing like this since several hundred years and even major earthquakes have not been able to disrupt this structure. We will go to witness this unique gravity defying phenomenon and this will be of real interest to people who love to see the various bounties of nature. This place was earlier considered to be a sacred site by the Khasi ancestors and the local people used to perform sacred rituals along this structure in able order to appease the Gods and Goddess to greet them a year of bountiful harvest. We will admire this unique phenomenon of the balancing rocks near Mawlynnong and later we will come back to the village and check into over homestay here at Mawlynnong village. The place is heavily dependent on tourism as it source of income and enjoy tourists come to visit Mawlynnong and while some leave after their lunch, many of the tourists stay back to enjoy an evening with the Khasi folks of Mawlynnong and understand their tradition and visitors at one of their homestays.

We will get ourselves comfortable in their basic homestays that are neat and clean and later we will come out to explore and the cleanest village in Asia. Mawlynnong is a small village around 100 households and the people of the village have always taken it as a ritual to keep the premises of the village clean. Every day the residents of the household wake up and they ensure that the premises around the house are kept clean and the waste dumped in the bamboo dustbins that are placed outside each house and later the members of the village community come and they collect the waste and they segregate it into organic and non-degradable waster and while the organic waste is used as manure to be used in the vegetable fields, the non-degradable water mostly plastic is collected and once in a week they are sent out to Shillong in trucks to be recycled or disposed of responsibly. We will take a walk across the village and we will observe the various cleaning activities that the people of Mawlynnong engage in and you will find dust bins at regular intervals across the village.

We take some time to explore the beautiful tinsel village and we will also go to visit a very old cathedral that was built 120 years ago during the time of the British and this is one of the very remarkable structures you will witness here. In the evening we will go to the restaurant where there will be a bonfire arranged for us and we will also try our hands in traditional cooking at the kitchen and we will enjoy a sumptuous dinner here at the restaurant and later we return to our homestay for night halt.

Night Halt: Homestays at Mawlynnong

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 3: Mawlynnong – Shillong

Today is our day of witnessing the beauty of the Riwai Living Root Bridge at Nongriat and post our visit we will continue on our drive to Shillong – the Scotland of the East and the state capital of Meghalaya. We will have an early breakfast and we start on our drive to the parking area of the root bridge and here we will start on a short hike to the Riwai Living Root Bridge that is the widest among all the Root Bridges and also the most visited one as well as mentioned earlier. It is a short 10 minute walk from the parking spot to the place and the stairs are broad and easily accessible as well. We will soon reach the place and the grand bioengineering marvel will welcome us and we will be asked to purchase our entry tickets here and we will admire the grandeur of the Riwai Living Root Bridge. It is best to visit the place in the mornings because the tourists do not come during this time and so you can have the place to explore for yourself and we can see how the roots of the tree are allowed to grow in one particular direction above the perennial stream and this grows over the stream completely in about 20 years and lasts for about 500 years. The pathway across the root bridge is built with stones and wooden planks and as many visitors came to walk over the bridge each day so the villagers have come up with a unique idea to allow the guests to cross over the bridge once and later return via another bamboo bridge that is built alongside the root bridge and this way they have managed to balance the weight on the bridge and help preserve the lasting of the bridge. The pathway across the root bridge goes across to the Nohwet village but in the interest of time we will not be able to visit this place and instead we head on our drive to Shillong.

We will bid farewell to Mawlynnong and we continue on our drive towards Pynursla crossing the beautiful valleys of Meghalaya. We will cross Pynursla and head towards the Upper Shillong area and along the way the breathtaking landscapes of Meghalaya well accompany us. We will soon approach the Upper Shillong area and we go to visit the Shillong peak area that is a very nice place to witness the aerial view of Shillong city from the highest point of the East Khasi Hills and as this is an Air Force area and we will need to pass through security to enter and we admire the grand view of the Shillong city from this place. Next up we will go to visit the Elephant falls that is another popular tourist attraction in Shillong at this place is named after a rock that was in the shape of an elephant head but this rock was destroyed in the great earthquake of 1897. The elephant falls is a 3 tiered waterfall that has one level on top, the second in the middle and the third and the most grand falls at the bottom level and once you get at the bottom you will get to admire the grand view of this falls and we will click our pictures and later we will continue on our visit to the Don Bosco museum in Shillong that is one of the finest museums across North East India.

The Don Bosco Museum has an in-house restaurant where we will have some snacks and after exploring the museum we will go to have our lunch at the Police Bazar area in Shillong. The Don Bosco museum in Shillong is spread across 7 floors and it is one of the very detailed museum about the life and traditions of the indigenous people of North East India and each floor depicts one aspect of the life of the people here and how that have preserved their traditions and customs across the years and passed it on across the generations. We will take about an hours’ time to explore the Don Bosco museum and the exploration starts from 2 floors below the ground and it culminates on the top floor where there is a sky walk from where we will get an aerial glimpse of the Mawlai area in Shillong. We will come back to the ground floor where there is a souvenir shop and here we get to witness the various local produce in the form of handicrafts, handlooms, spices, tea, etc. that are on display and sale and post our exploration of the Don Bosco museum we will proceed on our drive to the Police Bazar area and we will cross the Shillong Golf course and the Polo grounds in Shillong to reach the Police Bazar area in Shillong.

The Police Bazar is one of the very vibrant market areas of Shillong and this is a blend of the traditional and the modern market because the place has on one side the old Kirana stores and the high rise malls on the other side. The market structure and build reminds you of the colonial era charm and at the front of the market you will see the various local vendors come and setup their small stalls and they sell the fresh produce that are brought in from the nearby villages. We will take some time to explore the Police Bazar market and we will later have our lunch at the Centre Point Hotel that is located at the heart of Shillong city and is a very sought after deluxe stay option in Shillong. We savour a traditional Chinese cuisine lunch at the restaurant and later we go to visit the stalls that place a bet on the Shillong Teer. This is one of the very old betting games of Shillong where the bets are places on certain numbers of the day and every day in the afternoon a game of archery is held at the Polo Grounds and the archers with their traditional bows and arrow take an aim at a rotating board. The numbers on the board that receives the maximum number of hits is declared as the winning number of the day and the winners (people who place a bet on that number) win an amount much higher than the bet amount they place on.

This is a very popular gambling game in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya and you will see numerous small stalls that are setup that take and place bets from the local people. We will see these shops at the Police Bazar area and next up we will go to explore the Wards lake area in Shillong that is a very popular tourist attraction in the heart of Shillong city. The Wards lake is located near the Police Bazar and is a short walk away and we will take this hike across the beautiful cover of pine trees and we will purchase our entry tickets and we will set on to explore the Wards lake. The lake was commissioned to be dig out by the then Commissioner of Assam, General Ward who found out that the prisoners of the Central Jail of Assam located in Shillong were putting on weight without having much work to do and so they were ordered to dig out this lake and this went on to become the recreational grounds of the British officials and their families who were posted in Shillong and today it is the most favoured destination that not only tourists but also the local people of Shillong who come to the Wards Lake every day to catch up with their fitness and exercise regime.

The Wards lake has boating facility as well and there is also a beautiful bridge across the lake and a snacks bar where you can grab a bite to eat or sip on your favourite tea/coffee. We will take a walk across the lake and later we will board our vehicles to continue on our drive to the Laban area in Shillong where our guest house is present and we will make a final stop at India’s only Glass mosque – the Madina masjid before we check into our guest house. The dominant population of Shillong follows Christianity as their faith but a small portion of the population also practices Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism. The Muslim community of Shillong came up with a unique idea to build a glass mosque to offer their prayers and this became the only Glass mosque in India and the place gets illuminated in the evening that makes it look absolutely grand to look and we will admire the Madina Masjid and later we will go to check into our place of stay at the Sunrise guest house in Shillong. Evening snacks and tea will be served at the Guest House followed by our dinner and this place is a beautiful villa turned into a guest house.

Night Halt: Sunrise Guest House in Shillong

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 4: Shillong – Kaziranga National Park

Today we will bid farewell to the Scotland of the East at Shillong and start on our drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kaziranga National Park in Assam that is a famed and renowned place for having the highest population of the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros anywhere in the World.  We will have an early breakfast and we check out of the guest house and continue on our drive towards Barapani area crossing to Nongpoh and we will stop at Nongpoh to refuel our vehicles and we continue on our drive to Burnihat area and further to Jorabat where we will enter Assam and continue on our drive to Sonapur. We will cross Sonapur and Khetri and reach Jagiroad where we will cross Jagiroad and drive further towards Raha and alter we reach Nagaon area where we will stop for our lunch at the Anuraag Dhaba that is one of the very nice restaurants along the road and the place serves delicious Assamese thali cuisine and we will enjoy our meal here and continue further on our drive to the Kaziranga National Park and we will reach Jakhlabandha and finally approach Kaziranga where at first we will go to check into our place of stay at the Dhanashree Resort and later we will go to visit the Kaziranga Orchid Park – the largest orchid park in India.

The Kaziranga Orchid Park aims to preserve and protect the indigenous orchid species of Assam and North East India. North East India is home to around 1200 out of the 1800 orchid species to be found across India and this speaks highly of the vast biodiversity of the region and we will witness this at the Kaziranga Orchid Park. At first we will go to visit the greenhouse area of the Park that illustrates the beautiful orchid species and the orchids are arranged in a beautiful manner and you can see the scientific names of each of the flowering orchid species at the green house. In the place right outside of the green house we will see the flowering state flower of Assam viz. the foxtail orchid species or the Kopou ful. We will explore the area across the green house of the Kaziranga Orchid park and we will be accompanied by a local guide here who will tell us more about the orchid species to be found here. Next up we will go to explore the section of handicrafts and handlooms and the people of Assam are very well adept in weaving of various types of furniture, household items and fishing traps with bamboo and can and we will see the various hand-woven arts of bamboo out up on display here. Bamboo is a poor man’s timber and across the villages of Assam you will see that bamboo is used for various purposes like building houses, fences around houses, small bridges over streams and even used in culinary delights like the bamboo shoot that is used in various preparations in the kitchen.

We will also get to see the various local women weaving on the traditional looms and it is said that when Mahatma Gandhi has visited Assam and he saw the local women weaving on the looms he had commented that the Assamese women can weave wonders on their loom and this is seen here at the weaving section where you will see the women sitting across the wooden looms and they weave out some of the most exquisite materials completely by hands including the Gamusa of Assam. We will go to visit the section of monument gallery where we will get to see well framed large sized pictures of the various monuments that were built across North East India by the various ruling dynasties including the ones that were built by the Ahom Kings of Sivasagar. We will be visiting Sivasagar on this itinerary and so we will get to see the monument in real during our visit there. We will further go to explore the orchid photo galley that displays many more pictures of the orchids of India and this section is guided by a especially abled person.

We continue further on our exploration where we will visit the section of souvenirs and this place displays and sells the various local produce that are sourced from the nearby villages and tea gardens and you will get to see the various local herbal medicines, tea, whole black pepper, etc. These products are brought in from the local people and they are packaged here and sold to the various guests who come to visit Kaziranga National Park and the Kaziranga Orchid Park everyday along the season time and the sale of the proceedings in provided back to the people and the community and this helps them with an augmented income as well. We will take our place at the open stage area where at regular intervals the various folk dances of Assam are performed and displayed to guests and the local boys and girls all dressed up on their traditional attires take place on the stage area and they perform the traditional bamboo dance of the Mishing tribe when four boys hold each end of the bamboo pole and they form a mesh like structure and they swing it an a rhythmic movement and the girls jump in and out of this mesh performing a dance form. Next up we will witness the grand Bihu dance of Assam and later on guests from the audience are called upon to shake their legs as well and with this we will wind up our visit at the Kaziranga Orchid park and travel back to our place of stay at Kaziranga National Park at the Dhanashree Resort.

This is one of the very beautiful and budget priced resorts in Kaziranga National Park and the place boasts of having independent cottages, independent villas and even deluxe rooms for the comfortable stay of guests at Kaziranga National Park and we will have independent cottages booked for us here and these will be located nearby to each other so that you can have primary and at the same time you do not feel left out from your group. In the evening, there will be bonfire and the traditional Jhumur dance of the tea garden tribes of Assam (based on availability/arranged on the open grounds of the resort). Dinner will be served at the restaurant of the Dhanashree Resort and it will be an elaborate preparation of the traditional Assamese meal that is cooked with various fresh herbs and vegetables and a choice of meat and fish and we will enjoy the Assamese thali and later return to our room as we have a day of early morning safari scheduled and later a jeep safari before we proceed on our drive to Jorhat in Upper Assam.

Night Halt: Dhanashree Resort at Kaziranga National Park

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 5: Kaziranga Safari – Jorhat

Today is our day of jungle safari inside the forest reserves of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kaziranga National Park and we will be going for two safari rides inside the park. In the early morning slot we will be going for our elephant safari ride at the Western Range of Kaziranga National Park at Bagori at 6AM and so we have to ensure to reach the place by 5.45AM and so we will get up by 5AM and get ready quickly to reach the safari point. We will be handed out passed and we go into the safari range at the elephant back boarding point and the mahout will guide us how to climb the back of the elephant and we will go for our hour long safari ride into the forest interiors of the western range of Kaziranga National Park at Bagori and the elephant safari ride is a nice way to explore the varied flora and fauna of Kaziranga National Park because you will get an aerial view of the park from the elephant back and also the elephant is a huge animal and so other animals are scared to come close to it and you will get close up views of the rhinos here at Kaziranga National Park. The Mahout will provide direction to the elephant to move about and you will enjoy your safari ride by 6.45AM you will come out of the forest reserves.

After our elephant safari ride we will come back to our resort to have our breakfast and we will go for our jeep safari ride at the Central range of Kaziranga National Park at Kohora and the jeeps will pick us up and our resort and we will go for another hour and half long safari ride into the forests of Kaziranga National Park. The Kohora range is a very popular range among the tourists to Kaziranga National Park because this is the nearest range to most of the prominent hotels and resorts across Kaziranga and so the guests prefer to go for their safari rides at this place and also there are various sightings of the Rhino, Tigers, Wild Buffalo and the Elephant herd here. We will go for our thrilling jeep safari inside the forest interiors on our jeep safari accompanied by a naturalist cum guide who will help us sight and identify the various animals and birds that we will see on our safari ride and we will enjoy our safari at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kaziranga National Park and we will come out of the forest and the jeep will drop us back at our resort and we will freshen up and pack our luggage and start on our drive to Jorhat in Upper Assam. We will have lunch on the way at Numaligarh Dhaba and we drive further to Jorhat.

At the outskirts of Jorhat we will make a stop at the Swargadeo Sukapha Samanway Kshetra that is a tribute to the founder of the Ahom dynasty viz. the Great King Sukapha. It is a memorial cum museum site set across a sprawling area and we will go to explore the legacy of the Ahoms here at the Sukapha Samanway Kshetra. At the centre of the area there is a huge statue of the great founder and towards the left there is a big museum that illustrates the history and traditions of the Ahom people of Assam. We will be visiting Sivasagar – the ex-capital of the Ahom Kingdom and we will witness the great monuments and temples that were built by the Ahom Kings here and so this place will provide us a brief about the history of the Ahoms of Assam who had migrated in the 1200s and Sukapha went on to establish the Ahom Kingdom. The museum will show us how the Ahoms practice their traditions and culture and also how the royal proceedings were held. It was during the Ahoms that the Buranjis were introduced and these were the first records of history that were written in Assam or also the chronicles. The museum also has a display are and various ancient weapons that were used in warfare by the Ahom army and the floor on top is very interesting as well.

The top floor depicts the members of the various indigenous tribes of Assam and as we have seen at the Don Bosco museum but this museum is more focussed on the tribal people of Assam like the Mishings, Bodo, Karbi, Rabha, Singpho, Tai Phake, Kuki and the Tai Khamti people and the indigenous people are depicted using various models and these are adorned with the traditional attires and also depict how they lead their life in a village. We will get an insight into the Mishing people of Assam who inhabit Majuli Island and as we are going to travel to Majuli tomorrow we will get to know more about the Mishing people of Majuli. We will wrap up our visit at the museum and we go to check into our place of stay at Jorhat and after quickly checking in we will go to visit the Dhekiakhowa Bornamghor near Jorhat that is a very famous Namghar shrine in Assam and it is home to the Oldest burning Oil lamp in the World. The Dhekiakhowa Bornamghor was established by the disciple (Madhavadeva) of the great Saint reformer of Assam (Srimanta Shankardeva) and he had lit a lamp here in the 1400s and asked the villagers never to allow the light of the lamp to go out and this lamp was refuelled continuously and even today it is being done and hence it is the oldest burning oil lamp in the World (awarded by the Limca Book of records).

We will explore this beautiful Namghar near Jorhat and later we will come back to town. In the evening we will visit the nearby market and to make a purchase of a souvenir of the grand silks of Assam here at Jorhat for you to carry back home. The silk varieties of Assam viz. Muga, Eri and Paat are renowned across the World and the Muga silk is one of the grandest silk varieties you will find and witness and this is one of the most prized possession of any Assamese women and she will preserve the silk attire to be worn only in a very special occasion like marriage. This silk emporium at Jorhat bring in these silk Mekhela Chadors from various parts of Assam and these are hand woven and the ones from Suwalkuchi (the largest silk weaving village in the World near Guwahati) is one of the grandest among all. We will make our purchase here at the market and later we will return back to our hotel for night halt and dinner will be served at the Hotel’s restaurant itself and this is one of the very nice vegetarian restaurants in town and we will savour a delicious South Indian cuisine for dinner.

Night Halt: Hotel MDs Continental at Jorhat

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 6: Jorhat – Majuli Island

Today we set out to explore the mysteries of the largest river Island in the World of Majuli that is located amidst the mighty Brahmaputra River in Assam and Majuli is the hub of the Neo-Vaishnavite cult of Assam. The Island is home to various indigenous tribes of Assam with the Mishing community being the most dominant tribe of the Island along with Sonowal Kachari, Deori and non-tribal people. Being the hub of the Neo Vaishnavite cult of Assam, Majuli Island is known to be the cradle of the Sattriya Cult of Assam and various Neo-Vaishnavite Satras are present across the Island. We will need to start early and so we will have an early breakfast and we start on our drive from Jorhat to the Neemati Ghat where we will need to board on ferry to travel to Majuli Island at the Kamalabari Ghat. These are big ferry vessels that operate across the Brahmaputra River and so we will take our vehicle along with us on this boat and we start on our ride across the Brahmaputra River of Assam. We will reach the other banks of the River at the Kamalabari Ghat at around 8.30AM and we set out to explore Majuli Island where at first we will go to visit the Auniati Satra in Majuli Island

These Neo Vaishnavite Satras practice and preach the teachings of the great Saint reformer of Assam Srimanta Shankardeva and young boys enter these Satras at a very early age and they spend their life dedicated in the name of God. The Satras of Majuli Island follow the principle of Ek Sarna and consider Lord Krishna to be the supreme God and they follow the teachings of the Bhagwad Gita and at the main prayer hall of these Satras a Bhagwad Gita is kept at the centre and worshipped. The Satras follow a similar build structure wherein the main prayer hall or the Namghar is located at the centre of the Satra, followed by the huts of the monks, the House of the Satradhikar, an open auditorium, granary, library, museum and two or three large temple ponds and the same can be seen at the Auniati Satra in Majuli Island. We will take time to explore the Satra where at first we will visit the main Namghar where we will witness the daily prayers and also the Monikut that is a part of the Namghar followed by the hut of the monks and finally the museum of the Satra that preserves several ancient relics from the times of the introduction of the Neo Vaishnavite movement and also the Ahom Kingdom as well.

The various ancient artefacts that are displayed at this museum of the Auniati Satra are cymbals made of bell metal, Dhol, Khol, Robe of the Ahom Kings, ivory chairs, ivory sandals, ivory sticks, ivory chess boards, sword of the brave Ahom General Lachit Borphukan, etc. and we will observe this here at the museum and later we bid farewell to the Auniati Satra to travel to the Samaguri Satra in Majuli Island that is renowned as the mask making Satra of Majuli Island. This is a short 20 minute drive from Auniati Satra and we will cross the beautiful countryside of Majuli where we will witness the traditional Chang Ghars (Stilt Homes) of the Mishing people of Majuli that are bamboo houses that are built on an elevated platform to keep them safe from the floors mats during the annual floods of Majuli where the waters of the rivers flood the place and the family stays on top of this water in Chang Ghars. We will witness the local people weaving on the looms and we continue on our drive to the Samaguri Satra where we will be welcomed at the Satra by the various traditional handmade masks of Majuli. This mask making art was introduced by the Srimanta Shankardeva as he felt that the followers could be able to relate more with the traditional plays if they found the artists resemble the mythological characters in the plays and what better than allowing the artist to adorn a mask and then perform on the stage.

This legacy of traditional mask making is kept alive by Dr. Hemchandra Goswami at the Samaguri Satra in Majuli Island and we will take this opportunity to witness how these traditional masks are made. At first the frame of the mask is built using bamboo and then a thin cloth is wrapped across this structure and later a special clay mixed with cow dung is smeared across this structure to provide the shape of the face of the mythological character on this mask and it is allowed to be dried under the sun and finally organic colours are applied on these masks and after a final round of drying, these masks are ready to be used and they are sent to various Satras from the Bhaona performance. Today these masks are in demand across the World and they have found a place is the various Govt. offices of Assam and even the Buckingham Palace as well. We will witness how these masks are used on the traditional performances and this will be displayed to us by Dr. Hemchandra Goswami himself and with this we will bid farewell to the Samaguri Satra in Majuli Island.

We will next go to visit the Salmora village that is renowned as a place where the ancient and heritage art of traditional pottery making is still practiced. This is where no pottery wheel is used to make these earthen pots and instead the usage is completely of the hands and the interesting thing about the village is that the pottery making is done by the women folks and not the men folks of the village. We will reach the Salmora Village and we will go to the house of a local family who will demonstrate to us this art form and the clay used to make these pots are brought in from the deep banks of the Brahmaputra River and later it is mixed with cow dung and later the pots are made entirely with bare hands. These pots were earlier in great demand across the North Eastern region of the country but with the advent of the steel and plastic ware the demand has declined considerably but patrons still prefer to use these pots especially to brew curd and cream from milk and also to store water in the hot summer season. Once the pots are made these are allowed to dry out in the sun and once again over wood fire and once the pot gets hard and are ready to be used the artists apply a special organic colour on the pot and these are ready to be transported in ferry boats across various parts of Assam.

We will admire this art form here at the Salmora Village in Majuli Island and later on we continue on our drive towards the Garamur area of Majuli where we will go to have our lunch at an ethnic Mishing restaurant and we will enjoy a grand Mishing thali lunch at the restaurant and post our lunch we will come back to the Kamalabari Ghat area to board our ferry to travel back to Jorhat. The last ferry is at 3.30PM and so we have to ensure to reach before time to catch the ferry or else our itinerary schedule will be lost. The ferry ride back takes longer and so by the time we reach Jorhat it will be almost evening and so we will return back to our hotel for night halt.

Night Halt: Hotel MDs Continental at Jorhat

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 7: Jorhat – Sivasagar – Dibrugarh

Today is the final leg of our tour and we will leave Jorhat in the early morning to travel to Sivasagar – the land of the mighty Ahom Kings of Assam. At Sivasagar we will go to visit the Talatal Ghar Fort and the Rang Ghar monument and later we also visit the Siva Doul temple and we will drive to the Mohanbari airport at Dibrugarh. We will drop you off at the airport for your flight to yout onward destination. Tour Ends! Bid Adieu!

Day 1 ~ The Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary ~ Home to the Highest Population density of One Horned Indian Rhinoceros

Arrive at Guwahati Airport. On arrival you will be received by our representative at the airport offering a warm welcome in traditional Assamese style. From the Airport drive to the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary to spot the One Horned Rhinoceros of Assam, an endangered Rhino breed indigenous to Assam. The Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary has the highest population density of One Horned Rhinoceros anywhere in the World. Also, visit the Mayong Museum. Mayong is the famous land of black magic in India. Although black magic is no longer practiced, you will find relics in the museum showcasing these practices that were prevalent earlier.

Night Stay: Maibong Eco Resort at Pobitora or similar (1 Deluxe Cottage)

Meals Included: NA

Day 2 ~ Pobitora & Cherrapunji ~ Umiam Lake, Nohkalikai Falls, Mawsmai Caves, Seven Sister Falls

Early morning go for a thrilling Jeep Safari/Elephant Safari into the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. Spend your time near the Eco Resort and spot some rare Bird species at Pobitora. After Breakfast, depart to Cherrapunji. The roads are good, so enjoy the lovely drive through the lush green hills. Upon arrival at Meghalaya visit the Umiam Lake. The largest artificial water reservoir of North East India, the Umiam Lake is scenic because of its pristine clear and blue waters. Arrive at Cherrapunji and visit the Nohkalikai Falls ~ India’s Tallest Plunge Waterfall. If time and weather conditions permit, visit the Mawsmai Caves and the Seven Sister Falls ~ India’s Second Tallest Plunge Waterfall.

Night Stay: Saimika Resort/Sohra Plaza at Cherrapunji (1 Deluxe Cottage)

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3 ~ Cherrapunji ~ Double Decker Living Root Bridge (Trek Duration ~ 5 – 6 HRS)

Today after breakfast, we kick start the Double Decker Living Root Bridge Trek at Nongriat Village near Cherrapunji. Duration of trek is 5 – 6 hours. We will also spot the Single Decker Living Root Bridge at Cherrapunji.

Highlights of the Trek:

• These Living Root Bridges (Single and Double Decker) are one of the most unique bridges in the world. They are grown by the ancient tribes of the Khasi hills
• Pools with pristine blue water
• Cross Hanging Bridge
• Picturesque Views

After the trek we’ll have lunch at the Local Market at Cherrapunji and savor Ethnic Khasi Delicacies and Cuisine. Later visit the Dainthlen Falls and wrap up for the day.

Night Stay: Saimika Resort/Sohra Plaza at Cherrapunji (1 Deluxe Cottage)

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4 ~ Pynursla ~ Longest Living Root Bridge (Trek Duration ~ 2 HRS)

Today after breakfast, we’ll drive to Pynursla. From there we kick start our trek to the Longest Living Root Bridge accessible in the East Khasi Hills at Pynursla (Organised by Jungleideas only).

Highlights of the Trek:

• Longest Living Root Bridge
• Virgin Wilderness
• Picturesque Views
• Jungle Hike

Arrive a Mawlynnong ~ the Cleanest Village in Asia. At Mawlynnong, visit the village and take a view of the Country of Bangladesh from a Watch Tower. Evening get a glimpse of a traditional Khasi Tribes way of life including their cooking traditions. Savor traditional Khasi cuisine with the Khasi Tribes of Mawlynnong.

Night Stay: Harud Wahduid (Brookside) Homestay at Mawlynnong

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 5 ~ Mawlynnong & Dawki (Border of India and Bangladesh)

Today, our day starts in the beautiful village of Mawlynnong, settled in the wilderness of East Khasi Hills. Morning after breakfast we visit the Living Root Bridge of Mawlynnong. You spend the day simply enjoying the nature of the place. Get your camera out, make notes of the place, read a book or anything that unwinds you.

For Sightseeing, Options are:

• Asia’s cleanest village
• Balancing Rock
• Village Walks

We get back to our base for lunch. Take your time for yourself, making notes, checking the picture or getting some more sleep. Then we‘ll go out for Dawki site seeing.

Dawki Sight Seeing Options:

• Clear Water Boating on the Umngot River at Dawki
• Bangaldesh Border at Tamabil

Night Stay: Harud Wahduid (Brookside) Homestay at Mawlynnong

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 6 ~ Mawphlang (Khasi Hills Sacred Groves) and Guwahati

Depart from Mawlynnong Village to the Khasi Hills Sacred Groves at Mawphlang. Breakfast on the way at Pynursla at a Restaurant overlooking the lush green Hills of Meghalaya overlooking the plains of Bangladesh. Arrive at Mawphlang. The word ‘maw’ means ‘stone’, ‘maw phlang’ means ‘grassy stone’, and is one of many settlements in the Khasi hills named after Monoliths. Mawphlang is the site of one of the Khasi Hills sacred groves. Khasi Heritage Village- located at the Mawphlang is considered to be the hub of Khasi culture and host to the Monolith Festival of Mawphlang every year in March.Visit the Sacred Groves at Mawphlang. Depart to Guwahati.

Night Stay: Hotel NEZone at Guwahati

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 7 ~ Umananda Island, Treasured Wheels Museum and Chandubi Lake

After an early Breakfast we will visit the Umananda River Island in Guwahati. Umananda is the smallest inhabited River Island in the World famous for its population of the highly endangered primate species of the Golden Langur to be found anywhere in the World. Later we will visit the Treasured Wheels Museum at Sonapur near Guwahati. This museum has on display many Vintage Cars, Motorcycles and other artifacts from the Era of the World War II. After lunch we will depart to the Chandubi Lake near Guwahati. This Lake is a prime tourist attraction near Guwahati and was formed during the earthquake of 1897 in Assam. On your way spot the exotic Tea Gardens of Assam and the rural life of the villages in Assam. At Chandubi spend an evening with the Rabha Tribes of Assam learning their way of life and savoring traditional tribal cuisine.

Night Stay:  Tents at the Chandubi Jungle Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 8 ~ Chandubi Lake and Depart from Guwahati Airport

Morning take an adventurous Boat ride on the Chandubi Lake. Enjoy a tour of Bedazzled Birdwatching near the Chandubi Lake. A prime water reservoir for Migratory Birds during winter, don’t forget to capture images of exotic bird species here. We will take you on a tour of Tea Gardens near Chandubi and you will experience the art of Tea Plucking here. Later we will drop you at the Guwahati Airport for your onward destination. Tour Ends. Bid Adieu!

Meals Included: Breakfast

• To know more about the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary: Click Here

• To know more about the Living Root Bridges: Click Here

• To know more about Mawlynnong: Click Here

• To know more about Mawphlang: Click Here

• To know more about the Umananda Island: Click Here

• To know more about the Treasured Wheels Museum: Click Here

• To know more about the Chandubi Lake: Click Here

Detailed Itinerary for your visit:

Day 1: Guwahati – Kamakhya Temple – Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary

Arrive at the LGBI airport at Guwahati and upon arrival you will be welcomed by our representative offering you a warm welcome in traditional Assamese style and from the airport board your comfortable vehicles to begin on your drive towards Guwahati city to visit the Holy temple shrine of Goddess Kamakhya at the Kamakhya temple. This temple shrine is located atop the Nilachal Hills in Guwahati and it is considered to be the holiest temple shrine in North East India. The Kamakhya temple is one among the 51 Shakti Peethas, 18 Maha Shakti Peethas and 4 Adi Shakti Peethas in the Indian Sub-Continent and it is believed as per the Hindu mythology that Goddess Sati’s womb had fallen atop the Nilachal Hills when Lord Shiva was carrying her severed body in his arms across the Universe performing the Tandav Nritya. This temple shrine is known as the temple of the bleeding Goddess because every year in the month of Asad (June) it is believed that the Goddess menstruates and the waters of the Brahmaputra River turns red. This call for a big and grand celebration of the Ambubachi Mela that is often called as the Eastern Mahakumbh that draws lakhs of devotees and holy Sadhus to the temple shrine from all across the country and the World as well.

The Kamakhya temple celebrates the spirit of womanhood and the ability of a woman to give birth to a new life and therefore this temple is visited by hundreds of devotees every day that might have some problem in conceiving and they come to seek the blessings of the Goddess to bless them with a baby. In the olden days, the temple shrine was associated with the cult of Shakti and Tantra and the Black magic sorcerers who were known to live around the area of Mayong near Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary used to perform several rituals to appeased the Goddess and to attain supernatural powers that would allow them to achieve various feats with their black magic powers. Animal sacrifices and human sacrifice were known to have been performed in the olden days at the premises of the temple in order to appease the Goddess. Though the practice of human sacrifice has been abolished long back, the practice of animal sacrifice especially goat continues to happen at the Kamakhya temple. It is believed that this temple was built originally by Lord Kamdeva (Hindu God of Love) with assistance from Lord Vishwakarma and the stairway to the temple top was built by Narakasur. The latest studies by archaeology reveal that that it was the Pala dynasty who is accredited to have built the temple structure and the Koch Kings had rebuilt the temple shrine when it had fallen into ruins with a bar of gold across each of the pillars of the Kamakhya temple.

It was however to be destroyed again by a Muslim invader and it was only after the great Ahom Kings has learnt about the practices and rituals of Shakti and Tantra that prevailed at the Kamakhya temple that they had decided to convert to Hinduism and they rebuilt the temple shrine to its present form and structure and hence the structure of this temple follows an Ahom temple architecture. Today you can also see the temple dome is covered in pure gold and this was donated by the Hon. Chairman of Reliance Industries Mr Mukesh Ambani here at the Kamakhya temple. We will reach the parking premises of the Kamakhya temple where we will be welcomed by a temple priest who will take us for the Darshan of the Kamakhya temple and we start our climb across the fleet of stairs that take us to the main temple shrine. We need to remove our footwear and go to the temple pond to cleanse our hands and feet and we will approach the temple entrance on the VIP pass that will be provided to us by the temple priest. There are two approaches to enter the inner sanctum of the Kamakhya temple viz. one is the general queue where people queue up as early as 5AM in the morning to have an opportunity to go inside the inner sanctum and seek the blessings of the Goddess.

One queue is the general queue where people wait in line to visit the inner sanctum of the Kamakhya temple to complete their Darshan and seek the blessings of the Goddess while the other is the special queue where visitors need to purchase a VIP Pass for INR 501 per person and this allows the devotees to directly enter the temple at the main temple dome and they need to join the queue to go inside the inner sanctum of the Kamakhya temple. We will admire the grand build of the Kamakhya temple and also the beautiful rock cut sculptures that are present on the temple walls. The inner sanctum of the temple doesn’t have any idol of the Goddess and instead there is a stone shaped in the form of a Yoni (Vulva) that is fed continuously by an underground stream and our Darshan at the temple will complete when we touch the holy water and sprinkle it on top of our head and we will also be provided with a red cloth that is believed to have been soaked in the blood of the Goddess and this cloth is to be tied in front of your house to ward off any evil. With this we will complete our Darshan and the priest will ask us to do five rounds around the temple and later offer us the Prasad and we will be asked to break a coconut at the alter outside and light the incense sticks and this will finish our Darshan at the Kamakhya temple.

Post our Darshan at the temple we will board our vehicles again and begin on our drive to Guwahati city via the National Highway and we will have lunch at the Lokhra area and then we drive towards the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary via Borbari and Narengi area in Guwahati. We will cross Panikheti and drive towards Chandrapur area and we cross a beautiful river to drive towards Burha Mayong area that was earlier renowned for being home to the various black magic sorcerers who lived around the place and they practiced their Sadhana across the dense forests of the village. When we approach Burha Mayong we will have a different feeling inside us that will tell us this place indeed has some magical charm to it and there are huge natural rock formations alongside the road and the tall growth of the trees across the place. We cross Burha Mayong and the entire place is filled with the vast agricultural lands and we continue on our drive to Pobitora. We soon approach Pobitora and here we will go to check into our place of stay at the Maibong Eco Resort at Pobitora and this is one of the very first resorts that had started to accommodate guests and there are beautiful cottages here for the comfortable stay of guests.

The owner of the place will welcome us to the Maibong Eco Resort at Pobitora and we will be allocated our cottages here and by the time we finish freshening up it will be almost late afternoon and we will not have time to explore outside and so we will spend time across the lawn area of the resort and also go to visit the bird observatory site at the premises of the resort where we can get to see the various bird species of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. Pobitora is often referred to as the Bharatpur of the East as there is a diverse wildlife across the place and the place becomes a haven for bird lovers in the winters when bird species from around the World even from as far as Siberia and North America migrate to spend their time in the winters and these species of birds can be spotted here along with the great Indian Hornbill bird species. The owner of the place had specifically built this bird observatory site because he himself is an avid bird lover and every day he puts out food at the bamboo pallets that are places at the observatory site and bird species come here to feed on this and visitors are allowed to sit at the observatory site and there are provisions for binoculars as well. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is renowned for its healthy population of the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros and the place is home to the highest population density of the One Horned Rhinoceros anywhere in the World.

Apart from the Rhino the other animals to be found inside the forest reserves of this wildlife sanctuary are Asiatic Wild Water Buffalo, Elephants, Leopards, Wild boars, Hog Deer, Assamese macaques, etc. In the evening we will enjoy tea and light snacks and dinner will be served early as we will have an early morning elephant safari slot scheduled at 6.30AM and so we will retire to bed early. Dinner will be a traditional Assamese cuisine and the place has a small pond behind the area of the restaurant where the owners rear fish and the fish curry that is cooked here along with various organic ingredients uses the fish caught fresh from the pond and hence the curry tastes amazing.

Night Halt: Maibong Eco Resort at Pobitora

Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Pobitora – Cherrapunji

Today in the morning we will have our elephant safari scheduled into the forest reserves of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and so we will go to the elephant ride point at Pobitora and we will collect our elephant safari passes at the forest office at Pobitora and we will walk to take our seats on the backs of these trained domesticated elephants. The Elephant Safari ride is a perfect way to explore the forest reserves of Pobitora, Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park in Assam where visitors are taken on elephant backs across the wilderness of the forests and one can get to spot the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros from up close at this place and this allows visitors to capture beautiful pictures of this wild beast. The elephants are well taken care of by their mahouts and they take you on an hour long safari ride inside the park and drop you back at the ride start point.

Post our elephant safari ride we will come back to our resort to have our breakfast and next up our jeep safari vehicles will pick us up from the resort and we will go for our thrilling jeep safari ride inside the forests interiors of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. The jeep safari ride is a good way to cover more grounds inside the forest reserves of Pobitora and this takes guests to witness more of the flora, fauna and avifauna of the place. The jeep ride will take us deep into the forest and we will admire many of the grand bird species of Pobitora and get to witness more of the animals like Rhinos, Water Buffaloes, Wild Boars, Jungle Fowls, Hog Deer, etc. Our jeep safari ride will last for about an hour and half and post this we will come back to our resort to pack up and check out and we will go to visit the Mayong museum of black magic.

As mentioned earlier, the Mayong area was renowned for its practices of black magic and the various black magic sorcerers lived around the place and they used to perform various feats of magic like turning a man into goat, taming a wild tiger, causing harm to another person on request of a person by using a stand of hair or a piece of cloth and feats mightier like making an entire army of men disappear. The practices of black magic have been abolished and these remnants are now preserved at the Mayong museum of black magic and we will go to explore the place. Even though black magic was abolished, the practice of white magic along with various herbally derived medicines is still practiced by the sorcerers of Mayong and this is called as the white magic and this magic powers is solely used to cure people of the various ailments that they suffer and these Bezes of Mayong a treated with great respect by the villagers of Mayong who still believe in the art of curing of ailments using these herbs and magic and even today in case the local people suffer from any ailments they do not go to the local hospital at first and instead they will go to visit the houses of such white magic sorcerers here at Mayong village. We will go to explore this museum and we will observe the various relics used in black magic in the olden days.

Upon entrance to the museum we will see a model of the sorcerers of Mayong surrounding a wild tiger and chanting magical words and the tiger appears to have been tamed by them. Next there are well framed pictures that depict the sorcerers practicing white magic and also the rituals about the practices of magic at Mayong can be seen. One thing to observe is that the Morigaon district where Mayong is located is still under the rule of a King who is a nominal head and he presides over the daily matters of the people of Mayong and people consider the King to be their nominal head and they come to him with various problems looking for a solution. The King of Mayong presides over various religious ceremonies and traditional festivals that are held at Morigaon including the only barter trade festival in the World – the Jonbeel Mela that is held every year in the month of January. Next up we will see the various ancient black magic scriptures that were written on the barks of a tree called as Sachipat and though the black magic practices have been abolished, the scriptures remain present at the Mayong museum of black magic. The area across Mayong is a paradise for all archaeology lovers as many ancient temples and various monuments built by the empires who ruled across Assam can be found here and we will observe some of these relics at this museum as well.

Post our exploration of the Mayong museum of black magic we will continue on our drive to Meghalaya where we will cross Morigaon from a behind route across the beautiful tea gardens of Assam and we hit the highway to reach Sonapur and we will enter the state of Meghalaya at Jorabat and the beautiful rolling hills of the state with the undulating valleys will welcome us and we continue on our drive to Cherrapunji via Shillong – the Capital of Meghalaya. We approach Nongpoh and here we stop for tea and later we continue on our drive to Barapani area where we will admire the grand waters of the Umiam Lake and further drive to Shillong. We make a stop at the viewpoint of the Umiam Lake that is the largest artificial water reservoir in North East India and this place was started as a source of power generation in the year 1960 and a Dam was built over it in the year 1965 and today the crystal clear waters of the Lake have become a very important tourist destination of Meghalaya with visitors from all around the World coming here to admire the beautiful place. There is a water sports complex at the Umiam Lake where guests can enjoy various adventure activities like boat riding, water scooter riding, kayaking, etc.

There is a very nice resort located by the Umiam Lake called as the Orchid Lake resort as well. One of the grandest Hotel properties of North East India viz. the Ri Kynjai is located near the Umiam Lake and in case you are visiting the place then you should try to halt at the Ri Kynjai for sure. We will not go the waters of the Umiam lake in the interest of time and instead we will view the waters from the viewpoint and later we continue on our drive to Shillong City – the Scotland of the East. Shilling is the capital city of Meghalaya and the place is a perfect blend of the traditional and modern Worlds. The British when they first came to the place they observed that the landscape of this place resembled the landscapes of Scotland and hence they called the place as the Scotland of the East. We will cross the busy streets of Shillong to travel to the Rhino Point and continue further on our drive to Upper Shillong and further to the Mylliem area where we can make a stop for lunch at the Soliyana Huts restaurant. This is one of the very nice restaurants located on the outskirts of Shillong that serves Indian, Chinese and traditional Khasi cuisine and the place overlooks a beautiful valley and we will take our seats for lunch and we enjoy a nice Chinese cuisine lunch and post lunch we will continue on our drive to Cherrapunji.

The roads are good and the landscape views are beautiful and so you can admire the beauty of the landscapes and you we will soon approach Mawkdok Valley that is one of the very beautiful valley view points of Meghalaya and we will admire the view here and soon we will approach Cherrapunji or Sohra – the Shade of the clouds. The mesmerizing beauty of Cherrapunji will leave you spell bound and we will go on our drive to the Nohkalikai Falls – the tallest plunge waterfall in India and the drive will be across one of the very beautiful landscapes that will remind you of the landscapes of Scotland and we will reach the site of the Nohkalikai Falls where we will be welcomed by the sounds of the gushing waters that fall from a height of 340m. The Nohkalikai Falls in Cherrapunji is a plunge waterfall from where the waters drop down from a height of 340m to the ground and at first the waters from the various perennial streams get collected on the summit and fall down collectively as one falls to form a green colour water pool at the bottom and the entire view of the landscape is absolutely breathtaking. The sound of the gushing waters is indeed a pleasant one to the ears of a guest and we will admire the beauty of the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji. Across the place we will find the local ladies of Cherrapunji setup small stalls and they sell the fresh produce that are sourced from across the forests of Cherrapunji and these items include fresh fruits, black pepper, fresh cinnamon, fresh turmeric, etc. and these are some of the purest forms of ingredients you will find.

One thing noteworthy to try here is the pineapples that are served fresh mixed with salt and chilli powder and it is the very sweetest pineapples you will have. We will explore the area across the Nohkalikai Falls and later we go to visit the Arwah caves in Cherrapunji that is one of the very renowned caves in Cherrapunji and we will need to walk to the cave entrance from the parking spot and we will reach the cave entrance. The Arwah Caves is a pre-historic cave in Cherrapunji and this place has several fossils, stalactites, stalagmites and the various rock formations across the place. This is a pre-historic cave when compared to the Mawsmai cave in Cherrapunji and there is also a small stream flowing inside the cave area as well and we will set out to explore the Arwah caves here that are having fossils on the cave walls and we will be able to observe them. We go deeper into the cave and we will see the rock formations and the stalactites and stalagmites and the cave is well lit to a certain point and after admiring this pre-historic cave we will come out of the premises.

There is a beautiful viewpoint area near the Arwah Cave and we will take some time to sit here and where there is a children’s park as well and this place offers grand views of the Wah Kaba falls in Cherrapunji that is located just alongside the viewpoint and we will spend some time at this view point and later we will go to check into our place of stay at Cherrapunji at the Sohra Plaza Homestay that is a short 10 minute drive from the parking area of Arwah Caves in Cherrapunji. The Sohra Plaza homestay is one of the very nice budget hotels in Cherrapunji that offers deluxe stay and delicious food to its guests and it is located just along the road and we will go to check into our rooms here. There are a total of 6 rooms at the place that can accommodate around 16 guests and the place is sufficiently big for our group sixe and the best thing about this place is the top notch service that is taken care by the manager girl at the hotel. We will be served evening snacks of veg pakora and French fries at the Sohra plaza and you can enjoy the calm and peaceful atmosphere of Cherrapunji here. Evening bonfire will be arranged to beat the chilly weather and we will enjoy a sumptuous traditional Khasi cuisine dinner today at the Sohra Plaza Homestay.

Night Halt: Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 3: Cherrapunji – Nongriat – Cherrapunji

Today is our day of going to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Double Decker Living Root Bridge at the Nongriat Village and we will need to stat our day early as we have to complete a 5 hour trek and come back to our place of stay at Cherrapunji and also complete the other places of sightseeing as well. We will have our early breakfast and we will leave our hotel at around 7.45AM to drive towards the Cherrapunji town and further towards Tyrna village and we will cross a very old abandoned cement factory on the way. The road starts to get narrower and the beautiful tropical forests of Meghalaya welcome us and the only sounds we will hear are the sounds of the chirping insects and birds. There is a beautiful waterfall we will sight along the way and we will reach a sharp U-turn to take us to the Tyrna village. We will soon approach the parking area of the Tyrna village and here we will be welcomed by our local guide who will take us on our trek to the Nongriat village and we start on our hike to visit one of the eight wonders of the modern World.

The beautiful flower garden of the Tyrna village will welcome us to be followed by the dense cover of tall trees and the chirping of insects will be heard. We will be walking across a fleet of 3500 stairs that is the most challenging part of this trek and at first the climb is down so it’s not much of a problem and it becomes a challenge to climb back but it can be done with little endurance and right technique. These Living Root Bridges are indigenous to the Khasi and Jaintia tribes of Meghalaya and these bridges are grown and not built that makes it a unique bioengineering marvel. In the remote area of the East Khasi and West Jaintia hills of Meghalaya is is not possible to construct brick and mortar bridges because the locations are quite remote and with the amount of rainfall Meghalaya receives, these bridges will need constant repairs that did not seem like a viable solution. But there are numerous remote villages across these places and these are separated by small rivers and perennial streams that need to be crossed to have access across these villages. During the winter months when the rivers and streams run with less water, crossing them is not a problem but it becomes a great challenge in the monsoon season when the rivers flow with full force and the villagers thought that they had to find a feasible solution to this problem of theirs and they came up with this unique idea.

Instead of building bridges they came up with the idea of growing them and as these places are abundant with floral diversity, they found that the roots of the rubber trees would be very feasible to grow these root bridges and so they used the young roots of the rubber tree and allowed them to grow in a particular direction by tying these roots and they used hollowed out bamboo trunks or even areca tree trunks to allow these roots to grow in a particular direction and these roots will take about 15-20 years to grow completely from one end of the stream to another thereby forming a bridge like structure and later the villagers would put wooden planks and stones on top of this to make it navigable. The root bridges when fully grow last for almost around 500 years and the best thing about these bridges sis that these grow stronger with rainfall. There are various such root bridges across Meghalaya and the most popular ones are the Double Decker Root Bridge at Nongriat, Single Decker Living Root Bridges of Tyrna Ecotourism Eleka, the longest Living Root Bridge at Pynursla and the widest single decker living root bridge of Riwai near Mawlynnong village. We will continue on our hike across the place and we approach the fleet of stairs and gradually we will reach the base in sometime.

Here we go at first in the right direction to visit the set of single decker root bridges at the Tyrna village and this is a short walk from the place and we soon approach these beautiful bioengineering marvels that are a treat to the eyes if you want to see how man lives in harmony with nature and uses the resources of nature in a manner that protects the environment and at the same time towards the benefit of human kind as well. We will admire the set of single decker living root bridges at Tyrna near Cherrapunji and next we continue on our trek back to the Nongriat village. We will cross stop at the small village here to refresh and hydrate ourselves and continue on our trek where we will need to cross a hanging bridge and we will reach a sacred grove area and then another suspension bridge and finally we will approach the Nongriat village near Cherrapunji. The beautiful local homestays of Nongriat will welcomes us and we will cross a smaller living root bridge to access Nongriat and we will see almost the entire World here because backpackers from across the World come to the Nongriat village near Cherrapunji to stay here and admire the grandeur of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge.

We will cross this village and we will reach the site of the Double Decker Root Bridge near Cherrapunji where we will need to purchase our entry tickets and we set to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site of a bioengineering marvel at Cherrapunji viz. the Jinkieng Nongriat Double Decker Root Bridge. The view of the beauty of this man grown bridge is sure to enthral any visitor who knows about the way these bridges are grown and one can’t even thing that such a bridge would appear to look so grand. This is the only Double Decker Root Bridge in the World and also soon to be a triple decker root bridge as well because another set of bridge is being grown over the existing root bridge. The route further takes visitors to another small village and the Mawshaw bridge continuing further to the rainbow falls near Cherrapunji and one can hike further and come out from behind the area of the Nohkalikai Falls as well. We will not have much time on this itinerary to go for this trek and we will limit our visit to the Double Decker Root Bridge at Nongriat near Cherrapunji. We will witness the crystal clear water stream that flows underneath the bridge and in case you are interested you can take a swim in this stream a well.

We can also enjoy a natural fish spa because when you sit with your feet inside the water of the stream you will see the fish come and bite off the dead skin from around your toes. There is a small local shop near the Double Decker Root Bridge and this is where you can savour some of the most delightful maggi noodles and egg omelette recipes because the lady of the shop prepares the food over wood fire that imparts a smoky flavour to the noodles and she adds certain vegetables that makes it all the more delicious. We will have our food and tea and in some time we continue on our trek back to the Tyrna village. The hike becomes gradually tough as it mostly upwards now and we will soon reach the flight of 3500 stairs that takes us to the top and we will need to make a strategy to climb 10 stairs at a go and take a break and then start on our climb again and this way we will be able to walk through the stairs easily and we go to reach the top at the Tyrna village and this complete our trek to the Nongriat village from Cherrapunji. We will board our vehicles and we will travel back to Cherrapunji town to have our lunch at the local market and later we will go to explore the Mawsmai caves and the Seven Sister Falls at Cherrapunji.

Our group members must be tired after the long trek and therefore we will keep the visit short at the Mawsmai caves and the Seven Sister Falls. We will soon approach the beautiful surroundings and landscapes of the area across the Mawsmai caves in Cherrapunji and we will get down from our vehicles to go to explore this pre-historic cave that is the most popular cave among the tourists at Cherrapunji. As mentioned, Meghalaya is home to around 3500 caves and out of this only about 50% of the caves have been explored and only a few of these are opened to tourists for exploration. Two of the popular caves are here at Cherrapunji namely the Arwah cave and the Mawsmai cave. We will need to purchase the entry tickets at the counter of the Mawsmai caves and we will go in to explore this pre-historic cave and we will be welcomed by the various rock formations at the entrance of the cave. The Mawsmai cave at Cherrapunji is a much bigger cave but only a part of it is opened to tourists for exploration and that portion is well lit as well and we will cross the cave entrance towards the exit that is located behind the cave and we admire the various fossils, stalactites and stalagmites and we will come out of the interiors of the Mawsmai caves at Cherrapunji and soon we will board our vehicles and travel to the site of the Seven Sister falls at Cherrapunji and this is another of the very beautiful waterfalls.

The Seven Sister Falls or the Mawsmai fall is a cascade waterfall and not a plunge waterfall meaning the waters from the various streams do not come and accumulate on the plateau of top of this waterfall in Cherrapunji but instead they fall down directly that makes it look like individual and distinct waterfalls. The Seven Sister Falls is the fourth tallest waterfall in India with a height of around 315m and the landscapes around the waterfall are absolutely breathtaking. Located alongside this waterfall is the only 5 Star property of Meghalaya viz. the Polo Orchid Resort that offers luxurious stay options to guests here at Cherrapunji. In case you are not a budget traveller and do not mind to spend your money to enjoy the luxuries of life then you can stay at the Polo Orchid Resort at Cherrapunji and at the same time enjoy a pampered stay and at the same time overlooking the vast undulating valleys of Meghalaya. Get to savour delicious cuisine at the Open Grill and Bar or even at the Sohra restaurant at the place and this is a very relaxing stay options at Cherrapunji and North East India as well. With this we will wind up our visit for the day and we head back to the Sohra Plaza Homestay for night halt and dinner.

Night Halt: Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 4: Cherrapunji – Pynursla – Mawlynnong

Today is our final day at Cherrapunji and we will bid farewell to the land of pristine waterfalls, caves, loving people, undulating valleys and the Living Root Bridges to continue on our drive across the verdant landscapes of Meghalaya to continue on our drive across the verdant landscapes of Meghalaya to travel to Pynursla at first where we will visit the Longest Living Bridge at Pynursla and later we travel to Mawlynnong – the Cleanest Village in Asia. We will start our day after breakfast and we bid farewell to the staff members of the Sohra Plaza Homestay and we will start on our drive to Pynursla across the beautiful landscapes of Cherrapunji. We will take a right diversion from the road and travel towards the Pynursla area and this road is across a beautiful forest area that is covered with tall growth of pine trees and the rhododendron trees and we will find occasional human habitation and soon we approach a small town and we hit the highway again and travel towards Pynursla. The landscapes you will see will surely remind you of the beautiful landscapes of Europe and at one point in time we will see the cloud cover the road carefully and we drive across it and head towards Pynursla that is the last decent township and our vehicles will stop to refill at the petrol station here and post this we will continue on our drive towards a village from where we will embark on our short trek to travel to the site of the longest living root bridge at Pynursla in Meghalaya.

We will embark on our short trek to the site of the longest living root bridge at Pynursla in Meghalaya from this village. We will approach this village and you will be surprised as to how neat and clean this village is. One thing about the villages of Meghalaya is that the villagers have a great sense of cleanliness and they try to keep the premises of the village very neat and clean and the same you must have observed across the Tyrna and Nongriat villages and the same here as well and Mawlynnong is known to be the Cleanest village in Asia where we are travelling next and it is good to see that such people across the villages have such a good civic sense as well. The villagers get up in the morning and they clean up the premises of their houses and put the garbage in dustbins that are made of bamboo and kept across each and every household and later people from the community come to collect the garbage and they dispose it off responsible. We will meet our local guide at the place and we will start on our hike to the site of the longest living root bridge at Pynursla. The stairs in this trek are much wider and there is a guard rail that goes completely down to the site unlike the trek to Nongriat from Cherrapunji. We will take about 20 minutes to reach the site of the longest root bridge and the view of this root bridge is absolutely grand.

The longest root bridge spans across a length of 50m and at present visitors are not allowed to walk across the bridge and this bridge Is mostly for viewing for tourists. Instead to cross the stream there is another living root bridge located just alongside the longest root bridge and you will see the local people cross over this bridge and we will catch and good glimpse of the longest root bridge from this place. We will admire the grand architecture of later on we will begin on our hike back to the top where we will take time to explore the local village and learn about how the local Khasi people of Meghalaya in the village make a living and how they are dependent on agriculture, handicrafts and handlooms as the way to generate a source of livelihood. With the presence of this root bridge now, they also expect a good number of tourists to come and thereby they will have an additional source of revenue generation from tourism as well. We will bid farewell to this village near Pynursla and we begin on our drive to Mawlynnong. We will reach the road diversion and the road to the right leads to Mawlynnong and the road to the left leads to Dawki and as we will be travelling to Dawki tomorrow so we will go instead to Mawlynnong with the right diversion and we will see the dense growth of the broomstick tree and the areca nut trees all around the this is a very pristine forest cover that we will be crossing on the way.

We will approach a bridge and then we continue on our drive to Mawlynnong to reach the place at around 1.30PM in time for lunch. We will step out of our vehicles and we will go to a local restaurant that is present at the parking premise of the Mawlynnong village and this is owned by our local guide at Mawlynnong who will show us around the place as well and we will take our seats here to enjoy a delicious ethnic Khasi cuisine lunch that will have various offerings for us like rice, roti, dal, chicken with sesame seeds, papaya with organic herbs, banana flower with potato, salad, pickle, tomato chutney, salad, etc. and we will enjoy a sumptuous lunch at this restaurant at Mawlynnong village. Post lunch we will go to our rooms where we will take some time to freshen up and we will set out to explore the balancing rocks at Mawlynnong village and this is one of the very unique phenomenon you will observe on your visit where a much larger stone boulder is resting atop of another much smaller boulder and we will observe this unique phenomenon here. These balancing rocks at Mawlynnong village were earlier considered to be a sacred site and various rituals were performed by the Khasi elderly people at this site in order to appease the Gods and Goddess to grant them a good harvest for the year.

Today however, these rocks are a tourist site only and everyday hundreds of tourists come to admire the grand rock formation at Mawlynnong village. We too will admire the grand rock formation and later we will come back to the Mawlynnong village where we will go to visit the century old Cathedral at Mawlynnong village and we will also get to see the cleanliness activities of the people of Mawlynnong village. The place is primarily earning on tourists as its primary source of income and we will observe this as we see the tourists exploring the place. Everyday hundreds of tourists come to visit Mawlynnong village and the people of the village get to work in the mornings to keep the premises of the village neat and clean and at first the household members clean up the house and the surroundings and they put the waste in the dust bins that are kept out across the homestays and later the community people come and collect the thrash and they take it to segregate at first and they make the degradable and non-degradable products on one side and the degradable waste is used to prepare manure and the non-degradable waster is collected and once in a week it is sent out to recycling plants in Shillong to be recycled.

Such activities have led to Mawlynnong being awarded the tag of being the cleanest village in Asia and this coveted title was awarded to the place by the Discover India Magazine in 2003 and later the BBC aired a documentary about the place and people started to make a notice about Mawlynnong and this become a very important tourist spot in Meghalaya and this has become a very important tourist spot in Meghalaya. Another reason why people come in very large numbers to Mawlynnong is the presence of the Riwai Single Decker Living Root Bridge. The various other root bridges that are present across the East Khasi Hills in Meghalaya are located at remote location and it needs a fair amount of trekking to reach the site of these root bridge and it almost takes about half a day to explore these root bridges while the Riwai Root Bridge at Mawlynnong is located just about a short hike of 10 minutes away from the parking spot and so the visitors find it easy to visit the bridge and witnessing the Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya is a once in a lifetime opportunity and so people ensure to visit Mawlynong to catch a glimpse of the this bridge as well. Also this place serves as a perfect stop over place for lunch because tourists start their day in the morning and they leave either from Shillong or Cherrapunji and come to Dawki and later they leave travel back to Cherrapunji or Shillong.

The arrival of tourists means the arrival of a lot of disposable plastic bottles and also wrappers of chips and chocolates and this all are to be recycled accordingly to keep the promises of the people of Mawlynong and so every evening once the tourists leave the village, the community members get together and take up the cleaning activities to get rid of their thrash and later they will again start the activities in the morning. This way Mawlynnong has been able to keep up to its tag of being the Cleanest Village in Asia and the place has even found place in the weekly talks of the Hon. Prime Minister of India – Narendra Modiji where he had stressed about the need of Swaach Bharat and a need to build toilets across every household in the country and this was like a boon for Mawlynnong as more number of tourists had started to visit the place along with Cherrapunji as well. With this it will be almost evening and we will have time to go to the restaurant where we will learn about the various aspects of the Khasi tribes and the ancient culture and clans from our local guide who will tell us more about Mawlynnong and the Khasi heritage hut at Nohwet village that belonged to his grandparents. We will also have the opportunity to witness a traditional cooking style of the Khasi people of Meghalaya and the kitchen staff will show us how they prepare the food traditionally over wood fire.

We will go into the kitchen and see how the kitchen has been designed in a traditional way to facilitate cooking over wood fire and this is needed as there are many people who come to eat and cooking has to be done in bulk quantity here. Also the supply of LPG cylinders to the village is note a regular occurrence and so the people need to be dependent on wood fire to power their fuel needs and with the amount of forests all across the place, there is no worry of finding a dead tree whose wood can be used to fuel this need. We will notice how the fresh organic vegetables are brought in from the village and they will have some of the finest natural colours and we will get to see this as to how the organic ingredients are chopped and mixed and later prepared into a hearty and healthy meal and we will be serve our meal at the restaurant and we will enjoy our dinner at Mawlynnong village. Post dinner we will spend some time by the bonfire and our local guide will tell us more about the place for the coming day where in the morning we will go to Dawki and later we come back to Mawlynnong and later we will retire to bed.

Night Halt: Homestay at Mawlynnong

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 5: Mawlynnong – Dawki – Mawlynnong

Today we will start on our drive to Dawki after breakfast and we will take a different route and not via the highway and we will be able to view two more beautiful waterfalls on this way as well and we will be travelling along the border of India and Bangladesh on this was as well. Our local guide will tell us more about the place and we continue on our drive to reach the Bophill Falls that is a beautiful waterfall and we get down here to admire the natural beauty of this waterfall and we will click our pictures here and later on travel to Dawki. We will reach Dawki and here we will be welcomed by the crystal clear waters of the Umngot River at Dawki and various tourists vehicles will be lined up here where visitors take the opportunity to go for boating on the crystal clear waters. At first we will travel to the border of India and Bangladesh at Dawki and here we will get down from the vehicles and walk towards the office of the Border Security Forces (BSF) where we will seek our permission and we will later cross the border of Indian territory to travel to no man’s land at Pillar 1275 and we will notice the border of Bangladesh and we will spend some time here and later come back again to Indian territory.

Post this wonderful experience of crossing the border of India and strolling on no man’s land we will go for our hour long thrilling boating experience over the crystal clear waters of the Umngot river at Dawki. We will hire the services of a boat and the boatman will take us for a round to an island under the very old suspension bridge (built by the British in 1935) here at Dawki and we will enjoy the crystal clear waters of the Umngot River. The waters of the Umngot River have a clear bed and we can notice the pebbles and stones that are clearly visible to the eyes and also when you see the boats plying from a distance it will appear as though these are floating in the air and not in water because of the transparency of the river bed and we will also see the local people fishing on the waters here and they have a unique traditional method of fishing here. After our boating experience at Dawki we will start on our drive back to Mawlynnong and we will soon reach back to Mawlynnong and at first we will go to have our lunch at the restaurant and post lunch we will go to explore the Nohwet Village where we will go to the site of the oldest Khasi Hut at Nohwet Village that belonged to the grandparents of our local guide and this today is a heritage hut to be viewed.

Upon looking at the hut at first we will be surprised as to how a family would fit inside one hut but once you see around you will notice that the hut has ample space and there was everything inside the one room that included the living room and the kitchen. Post this we will go to explore the Nohwet Sky View Point that is a bamboo tree house that overlooks the undulating valleys of Meghalaya and the plains of Bangladesh as well. This will end our visit at the Nohwet village and we will go for a short hike from the Nohwet village to the site of the Riwai Single Decker Living Root Bridge and this is a beautiful area across the virgin forests of Meghalaya. We will soon cross this village and we will reach the site of the Riwai Single Decker Living Root Bridge and this is the widest root bridge in the World and also the most visited one as well because as mentioned earlier this is the most easily accessible living root bridge that is just around 10 minutes’ walk away from the parking spot and so visitors in hundreds come every day to visit this root bridge of Riwai and it will be evident when we come to the bridge and there will be the presence of many visitors at the place. With this we will wind up our visit for the day and we will travel back to Mawlynnong village for night halt and to prepare on our next day to travel to Guwahati via Shillong.

Night Halt: Homestay at Mawlynnong

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 6: Mawlynnong – Shillong – Guwahati

Today is our final day at the Cleanest Village in Asia at Mawlynnong and we will have an early breakfast and start on our drive to Shillong city via Pynursla and we cross the beautiful landscapes of Meghalaya. The breakfast will be light and we will again stop for on our way after Pynursla at a nice restaurant to have our breakfast and post this we will continue on our drive to Shillong. We will approach Upper Shillong and here we will make a stop to go to explore the Elephant Falls that is a very popular waterfall near Shillong that is a three tiered waterfall. It is named as the Elephant Falls because when the British had discovered this falls, there was a huge rock boulder here that resembled the head of an elephant and hence the name Elephant Falls. This rock was however destroyed by the great earthquake of 1897. We will walk across the stairway where we will see the first fall on top to be followed by the second in the middle and the third and the most grand falls at the base. We will wind up our visit at the Elephant falls and we will go to explore Shillong city at the Police Bazar area that is one of the very vibrant markets of the city and is a blend of the modern and traditional World.

On one side of the Police Bazar you will note all the traditional stores that have been here since long and on the other side there are the high rise mall that are frequented by the youth of Shillong city. We will next go to explore the Ward’s Lake in Shillong and this is a very attractive and popular tourist spot in the heart of Shillong city. The Wards lake was commissioned by the then Commissioner of Assam General Ward who had found that the prisoners of the Central Jail in Shillong were putting on weight without having much work to do and so he ordered them to dig out this Lake that went on to become a recreational area for the British officials and their families and it was named as the Wards Lake. We will admire the beauty of the lake and continue on our drive to visit the Don Bosco museum at Mawlai area in Shillong. The Don Bosco museum is one of the finest museums in North East India that illustrates the rich culture, heritage and traditions of the indigenous people of North East India. The region is home to around 200 tribes and sub-tribes who have lived across the region since times immemorial and they have passed on their ancient rituals and practices across the generations. This had made them to follow certain special activities like weaving of handicrafts and handlooms and we will notice this here at the Don Bosco museum on Shillong.

The Don Bosco museum is spread across 7 floors and the exploration starts with two level below the ground and then we keep exploring further on top and each of these floors represent one aspect about the life of the indigenous people of North East India and these include the traditional attires of the people, the traditional occupation of the people and how they farm and raise animals as a livelihood and also how they fish as well. There is also one section that depicts the various handicrafts and handloom work of these people. If you travel across the villages of North East India you will still find that the men and women wear clothes that are woven completely by hands and they put in a lot of work and art into the design of these handlooms that makes them very grand. Each and every tribe have different attire and they are woven in separate traditional looms today these handlooms of the local people of North East India are in huge demand across the World as well. We will notice this at the Don Bosco Museum at Shillong and later we will go on top of the place where there is a skywalk and we get a beautiful aerial view of the Mawlai Area in Shillong and we will come back to the ground floor are where there is a nice souvenir shop that has on display and also available for purchase various indigenous crafts and goods of the people of Meghalaya and here we will take some time to walk across the place and make a purchase of your memoir of visit to Cherrapunji and Meghalaya. With this we will wind up our visit at the Don Bosco Museum in Shillong and continue on our drive to Guwahati city via Nongpoh. We will stop at Nongpoh for lunch at the Jivas veg restaurant that is one of the most popular eateries across the stretch of highway and the place serves vegetarian meals of various cuisines that make it very popular and we will enjoy our lunch here and continue on our drive to Guwahati city. We will reach the Khanapara area and later we will drive towards the Guwahati city to reach the Beltola area where we will take time to check into our Hotel. Evening will be free for you to go and explore the market area in Guwahati and make a purchase of the various silk and handlooms of Assam at the emporiums at GS Road in Guwahati. Dinner will be served at the Hotel or in case you want to eat out then do let us know and we will plan accordingly and we will prepare for our tryst with nature the next day when we explore the Umananda temple, the treasured wheels museum and the Basistha temple and later we go to explore the Chandubi lake area near Guwahati.

Night Halt: Hotel Tokyo Tower

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 7: Guwahati – Chandubi Lake

Today is our day of exploration of Guwahati city at the Umananda temple located at the smallest river island in the World and later we go to visit the Treasured wheels museum at Sonapur. We start after our breakfast and we drive to the Uzaan Bazar area where we will board the ferry to travel to the Umananda Island crossing the Brahmaputra River. The Umananda Island was referred to as the Peacock Island by the British and this is the smallest inhabited River Island in the World and also home to the Umananda temple that was built by an Ahom King and this temple shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva. As per Hindu mythology, it is believed that Lord Shiva used to stay in this island with Goddess Parvati and he used to spend his time in meditation at the Umananda Island. It so happened that one day Lord Kamdeva has to convey a very important message to Lord Shiva from the other Gods and as Lord Shiva was in deep meditation, Lord Kamdeva tried to disturb him in his meditation to convey the urgent message and to this Lord Shiva got so furious that he opened his third eye and burnt Lord Kamdeva into ashes and therefore the hillock that is present on the Umananda Island came to be known as the Bhasmachal Hills. Earlier there used to be a significant population of the very rare and endangered Golden Langur primate species to be found on this Island but they are no longer to be found.

We will offer our prayers at the Umananda temple and later we will board the ferry again to come back to Uzaan Bazar area and we will start on our drive to the Sonapur area near Guwahati where we will go to visit the treasured wheels museum that is a vintage museum that has a collection of vintage motorbikes and motorcars from the bygone era. This museum was a single person’s work as he had a passion of collecting these cars and motorbikes and he had spent his entire life’s savings to build this museum and today he has received the recognition from the people of Assam and this is one of the very popular museums around Guwahati city. We will go in to explore the treasured wheels museum and we will see the various vintage vehicles and bikes and also there are various other vintage objects like gramophones, cycles, etc. and this will be a truly rewarding experience for us to visit this museum and after exploring the museum we will come back to the Basistha area in Guwahati where we will go to visit the Basistha temple that is anther of the temple shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva and it is a very old temple shrine as well. After exploring the temple we will have our lunch and start on our drive to the Chandubi Lake area near Guwahati.

We will cross the Lokhra and Gorchuk area and we will make a stop at the North Eastern Handicraft and Handloom Development Corporation office where we will get to witness the various handicrafts and handlooms that are woven from the people across Assam and some parts of North East India as well. We must have seen these products already but they were focussed mostly from Meghalaya and now we will get to see a wider picture when we explore this museum and also get to witness the traditional weaving in front of our eyes and how the local women weave on these looms to create some of the finest items of handlooms of Assam like the Gamusa and the Mekhela Chadors. This development corporation is under the Ministry of Doner and therefore there aim to showcase the handicrafts and handlooms of the various 8 states of North East India. There is a big display cum sale area here and all the various handicrafts and handlooms are kept on display here and we will explore the place for a while where you will see the various handicrafts made with all the natural materials like bamboo, jute, cane, water hyacinth, wood, etc. and in case you are interested you can make a purchase as well. The handlooms are one of the grandest items you will find here and this will include the Naga shawls, jackets, Mishing Gale, Bodo Dokhona, etc.

There is also a showroom of Neramac behind the place that is one of the largest food processing units of North East India again under the Ministry of Doner and you will find the best pickles that are made with ingredients like Bhut Jolokia, Ginger, Garlic, etc. and the very fresh black pepper, jam, sauce, etc. and with this we will wind up out visit at this place and proceed on our drive to the Chandubi Lake area where we will cross the Deepor Beel area (Ramsar Site) that is one of the prominent natural lakes around Guwahati and also is a perfect place for birdwatching and we will drive further to Pamohi and Rani areas to arrive at the Chandubi Lake by later afternoon. This is a very beautiful lake that was formed as a result of the great earthquake of 1897 and is located at the foothills of the Garo Hills of Meghalaya and the place is actually located along the border of Assam and Meghalaya. We will get down near the lake and there will be country boats available to pick us up and ferry us across the lake to the Chandubi Jungle Camp that is a very nice eco camp locate on the other bank of the lake and we will be welcomed by the owners of the Chandubi Jungle Camp and we go in to check into our cottages here.

We will freshen up and later we will go for a boat ride across the lake to admire the beautiful forest reserves that is overlooking the lake and we will hear the cry of the Hoolock Gibbons and the occasional roar of the herd of wild elephants that live across the forests surrounding the Chandubi Lake. This is one of the very nice place to enjoy birdwatching because in the winter season hundreds of migratory birds that come to Assam take shelter around the waters of the Chandubi Lake as there is good amount of fish in the lake thereby offering them food and we can spot the various migratory and resident bird species here as well. We will come back to the Camp and enjoy our evening tea and snacks and in the evening there will be a folk dance performance of the Rabha tribes of Assam here at the Chandubi Jungle Camp and we will also get to visit the traditional kitchen and see the traditional preparation of food by the chef of the place. The tribal people of Assam use most of the organic ingredients to prepare the food and most of the vegetables and meat/fish used to cook our meal will be from the home of the owner itself and we will notice the food preparations in the kitchen and we will enjoy a sumptuous dinner at the place that will be served on banana leaves.

Night Halt: Chandubi Jungle Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 8: Chandubi Lake – Guwahati Airport

Today is the final day of this tour and we will have the morning to explore the beauty of the Chandubi lake where we will admire the grand lake and enjoy some bird watching and after a quick breakfast we will go to visit a nearby waterfall called as the Soloka waterfalls that has amazing view of the valleys and landscapes and this is a secluded place and so not many people are seen here and we will admire this waterfall and later we will bid farewell to the place and continue on our drive to the LGBI airport at Guwahati. We will take the route via Azara to travel to the Guwahati airport and along the way we will stop at a local restaurant to enjoy a very delicious thali and later we will continue on our drive to the airport and we will drop you by early afternoon at the airport and thus we will end his tour of Cherrapunji and Meghalaya and also Assam and bid you farewell. Tour Ends, Bid Adieu! Please note we have kept this tour itinerary to suit most of the places of interest that are around Cherrapunji and Meghalaya and in case you are interest to explore some other places as well do let us know priorly and we will make the changes accordingly.

The Nohkalikai Falls ~ Cherrapunji

Cherrapunji has many breathtaking waterfalls across its entire landscape. The Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji is the tallest plunge waterfall in India. Its height is 1115 feet (340 metres), making it as the highest waterfall in India. Nohkalikai Falls are fed by the rainwater collected on the summit of comparatively small plateau and decrease in power during the dry season in December – February. Below the falls there has formed a plunge pool with unusual green colored water.

The Nohkalikai Falls is one of the very grand waterfalls in the Cherrapunji area and this is located around 15 minutes’ drive from the main market area in Cherrapunji. The drive from Cherrapunji market area to the site of the Nohkalikai Falls is one of the most pristine drives that resemble the landscapes of Scotland and one can hear the sounds of the gushing waters that fall down from a height of 340m. The Nohkalikai Falls is the tallest plunge waterfall in India and the third tallest waterfall in India. The Nohkalikai Falls is called as a plunge waterfall because the waters of the various perennial streams across Cherrapunji flow towards the summit of the Nohkalikai Falls and the water from these streams get collected on top of the plateau here and water falls down collectively as one falls to form a green coloured pool at the bottom and this is what makes the Nohkalikai Falls appear to be one of the grandest falls around the Cherrapunji area. The clouds hover across the lush beautiful landscapes of the Nohkalikai Falls area and once you get a peek at the breathtaking beauty of the Nohkalikai Falls you are left enthralled. This waterfall in Cherrapunji has a unique folklore attached to it as to why it is called as the Nohkalikai Falls.

Nohkalikai means the Leap of Ka Likai and it is believed that a Khasi lady had jumped off from the cliff near the waterfall and her name of Ka Likai. The Khasi lady has married and she had a daughter from her first marriage. Unfortunately her first husband passed away and she had to take care of all the chores of the household and also she had to take care of her daughter and even earn a livelihood (Khasi being a matrilineal society) so she had decided to get remarried so that the husband could take care of her daughter while she went out to work and earn a livelihood. It so happened that the new husband disliked the daughter and one day he decided to get rid of her and when Ka Likai had went out for work, the husband killed the daughter and he chopped up her flesh into small pieces and he cooked the flesh for dinner. Ka Likai had come back home after a long day of hard work and she was famished and so her husband served her the meat along with rice and she unknowingly had the meal not knowing that it was the flesh of her own daughter. After she had her meal and started to enquire about her daughter, the husband kept mum and she went in to the kitchen and she found the fingers of her daughter wrapped up in a betel leaf and kept at one side of the kitchen.

Ka Likai was in absolute disbelief as to how cruel here husband could be to kill their daughter and cook the flesh for the meal and having the feeling of guilt inside here as to how she unknowingly consumed the meat not knowing what to do she ran out of her house and she reached the cliff of the Nohkalikai Falls and filled with complete grief inside her she leaped off the cliff of the Nohkalikai Falls ending her life and the local people could save here. Since then this waterfall came to be known as the Noh Ka Likai falls meaning the Leap of Ka Likai. This unique folklore associated with the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji is written on a huge board across the viewpoint of this waterfall and you can have the opportunity to read this folklore on your visit to the Nohkalikai Falls in Cherrapunji.

 

Once you are finished admiring the grandeur of the Nohkalikai Falls and the vast beauty of nature across the place you can take the opportunity to explore across the area of the Nohkalikai Falls and across the place numerous local Khasi ladies setup their stalls and they sell here some of the very fresh produce that are sourced from the local forests around Cherrapunji. These ingredients are the fresh cinnamon sticks, black pepper corns, freshly grounded turmeric, bay leaf and the fresh fruits especially the pineapples. The stalls are setup by the local Khasi ladies because the Khasi people of Meghalaya follow a matrilineal society where the family lineage is taken from the Mother’s side and the head of the household is the lady of the house and she is in charge of all the day to day business activities of the house and also she earns the livelihood for the family and so across the area of the Nohkalikai Falls you will see most of the business establishments be it the small stalls, the restaurants or even the souvenir shops are run by the local Khasi women. Not only in Cherrapunji but across the East Khasi Hills and the West Jaintia Hills district you will see the similar way as the Khasi and Jaintia women who run most of the business establishments (including meat and fish shops) and they also hold various positions in the administration and political offices as well. Coming back to the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji you must try the pineapples here because these are some of the sweetest pineapples and these are sliced up in front of your eyes and served to you with black salt and chilli powder and it tastes absolutely wonderful.

The place around the Nohkalikai Falls is absolutely a stunning landscape view and visitors are left enthralled due to the beauty of the place and we will enjoy the beauty of Cherrapunji here on your visit. Another thing to visit around the Nohkalikai falls are the various souvenir shops around the place and these shops sell produce that are made by the local artisans of Cherrapunji and some of the souvenirs are imported as well. When you visit these stalls you will be left enthralled with the beauty of these handmade souvenirs and in case you are interested you can make a purchase of these souvenirs on your visit to Cherrapunji. Another thing noteworthy to be mentioned at the area around the Nohkalikai falls is the trek that takes you to the foot of the waterfalls and this trek route continues further to the Nongriat village where the Double Decker Living Root Bridge near Cherrapunji is present. This is not a well-defined trek route but in case you are an adventure junkie you can approach this trek as well. Although the trek route is present from the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji it is recommended that you approach this trek from the Nongriat village itself where you can hire the services of a local guide and he will guide you again on this route where you will cross the Mawshaw bridge and the beautiful rainbow falls at Cherrapunji and alter you will come out from the area behind the Nohkalikai Falls.

This trek is to be attempted only during the dry season of winters and it is best avoided to go on this trek in the monsoon season as the trek route gets muddy and slippery at the same time. Another place to go to explore near the Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji is the Sohra heritage village that is located on the approach to the Nohkalikai Falls and this place aims to illustrate the history of the Khasi heritage and also the history of Cherrapunji area as well. You can have a glimpse of the various traditional Khasi huts and savour delicious Khasi tribe cuisine at the heritage village and also get to witness the Khasi traditional attire that is adorned by the local men and women. Another place to visit near the Nohkalikai Falls in the summit that has now been turned into a tourist attraction and you can take the opportunity to go to the plateau that is on the top of the waterfall and here you can see how the waters from the perennial streams around Cherrapunji come and get accumulated and they fall down collectively and you get an aerial glimpse of the Nohkalikai Falls here at Cherrapunji.

 

The Living Root Bridges ~ Cherrapunji

Living root bridges are a form of tree shaping common in the southern part Meghalaya in and around the vicinity of Cherrapunji. They are handmade from the aerial roots of Rubber Trees (Ficus elastica) by the Khasi and Jaintia Tribes of Meghalaya.

These Living Root Bridges of Cherrapunji are literally grown by hands by using the aerial roots of the Rubber trees which are later merged with the betelnut tree trunks finally to form a horizontal path. Elaborately speaking, the tree roots are made to grow through betel tree trunks which have been placed across rivers and streams until the figs’ roots attach themselves to the other side. Sticks, stones, and other objects are used to stabilize the growing bridge. This process can take up to 15 years to complete. The useful lifespan of any given living root bridge is variable, but it is thought that, under ideal conditions, they can in principle last for many hundreds of years. As long as the tree they are formed from remains healthy, they naturally self-renew and self-strengthen as their component roots grow thicker. Further, these Living Root Bridges of Cherrapunji take around 15 to 20 years to be fully operational and keep getting stronger with age. Once grown these bridges last for more than 500 years and have a long life span. Normally, these root bridges are around 50-100 feet long and can hold around 50 people at a time providing a safe and stable path across streams and river crossings. Stony pavements along the bridges make the Living Root Bridges all the more stable and stronger.

These Living Root Bridges of Cherrapunji are one of a kind in the World and are perfect example of man-made natural wonders. Located in the deep dense jungles of the State of Meghalaya, these Living Root Bridges are a one of a kind native to North East India invented by the Khasi and Jaintia tribes of Meghalaya. These Root bridges can be easily said to be among the World’s most unusual man made structures.

To know more about the Living Root Bridges: Click Here

Today is our day of long trek to the Nongriat village from Tyrna village near Cherrapunji where we will be going to visit the grandeur of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge – a UNESCO World Heritage Site at Nongriat Village. We will start after an early breakfast and we will drive from Cherrapunji to Tyrna village across the market area of the place and we will approach the dense tropical forests of Cherrapunji and a beautiful waterfall as well and we will soon approach Tyrna village. At Tyrna we will be welcomed by our local guide who will take us to the Nongriat Village from Tyrna and we will start on our hike from Tyrna to Nongriat. This is one of the challenging tasks because guests and the local who use this route need to climb across a flight of 3500 stairs. Although the trek downstairs doesn’t pose to be much of a challenge, the trek upstairs is a daunting one because it is a very steep flight of stairs and so one had to have good stamina to be able to attempt this trek to the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat. We will pass a very neat and clean village area and the flight of stairs starts post this.

One thing noteworthy about the villages of Meghalaya is that they are very neat and clean and the members of the village take pride in keeping the premises of their village very clean and Mawlynnong is known to be the cleanest village in Asia. As soon as we cross the village a dense cover of tropical forests welcomes us and all we hear around us is the chirping of birds and insects and we will cross this area and soon a vast valley gets visible to us and we can see from a distance the Nongriat village and the trek ahead of us. We will also see a very beautiful waterfall area and we continue on our trek downstairs. The stairs are quite narrow and not much wide and so one has to be careful while going down as to not injure their ankle and we will keep going downstairs and we soon approach a village area at the base once the fleet of stairs end and this is where we will go to Tyrna Elaka area to sight a set of single decker Living Root Bridges before we go to Nongriat. These single decker root bridges are not known to many people and so we will approach the place and we will admire the grandeur of the Living Root Bridges of the Tyrna Ecotourism Elaka. These living root bridges are bridges that are grown and not built.

This is because, these regions of Meghalaya are very remote and with the amount of rainfall these places receive it is not feasible for authorities to construct iron bridges at these places and so the villagers came up with the unique idea to grow bridges instead of building them. This was a necessity because there are numerous remote village across the forests of Meghalaya and to access these villages one has to cross several streams to reach the place and though it is an easy task in the winter season when the streams are running with less water but it possess a big challenge in the monsoon when the streams are full and the water current is very strong. So they had to come up with a solution to face this problem and they thought that why not grow bridges if we can’t build them. They found that the roots of the rubber tree will provide good support to these bridges and so they used to take the young roots of the rubber tree and allow them to grow in one particular direction by typing them up and providing them direction using hollowed out trunks of areca nut trees or even bamboo poles and the rubber tree roots would grow across from one end of the stream to another. The roots would take almost about 15-20 years to grow completely and get strong and later the pathway across the root bridge would be built using stones and wood planks.

Once completely grown the root bridges would last for over 500 years and they generally grow strong with rains unlike the conventional iron bridges that catch rust. We will admire the grandeur of these living root bridges that are unique to the Khasi and Jaintia tribes of Meghalaya and we will again start on our hike to go to visit the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat. We will take a break at a local village to hydrate and replenish ourselves and we set out again to trek to Nongriat. We will cross a hanging bridge and a sacred grove and another suspension bridge and we will approach Nongriat Village. At first we will cross over a small root bridge to reach Nongriat and the various homestays at the villages will welcome us and this is where we will get to see the various trekkers and backpackers from all over the World who come to witness the grandeur of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat village. We will make our way across these homestays and trek a little further to reach the site of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge at Nongriat. We will pay our entrance fees and we will sight the grandeur of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge.

This is soon to be a triple decker root bridge as another set of Root Bridge is being grown over the existing two bridges sand you will not find any other root bridge like this in the entire World! It surely is a bioengineering marvel and the mesh of the roots going across each other to pass over the stream and form a root bridge is surely a unique sight to behold and a clear water stream flows under the Double Decker Living Root Bridge. We will get our cameras out and we click our pictures and videos and in case you are interested you can also take a swim in the waters or even enjoy a natural fish spa on the waters here and this is a very refreshing experience to be enjoyed here. The pathway across the Double Decker Living Root Bridge takes you further to the Mawshaw Bridge and the Rainbow Falls and the very crystal clear water pools ahead on Nongriat and there is also a trek route that takes you from Nongriat across the base of the Nohkalikai Falls and you can com eout at the area behind the Nohkalikai Falls to reach Cherrapunji. We will not plan anything further on this itinerary and instead we will enjoy our time at the Double Decker Living Root Bridge and later we go to have snacks at a local shop nearby.

The local shop is run by a Khasi lady and she prepares delicious maggi noodles, egg omelette, tea and some other snacks as well and also you will find packages water bottles, soft drinks and chips at the shop as well and she cooks the food over wood fire that imparts a very unique flavour to the humble maggi and it is cooked with freshly chopped vegetables as well and we will enjoy our meal here and after spending sometime at the Double Decker Living Root Bridge area we will start on our trek back to the Tyrna village. We will cross the homestays at Nongriat to trek to the suspension bridge and we cross this to travel to the sacred groves and further to the hanging bridge area and we will cross the hanging bridge and we trek towards the village and soon the tall flight of stairs approach us and we begin on our hike back to the Tyrna village area on top and we will slowly climb up the fleet of stairs to reach Tyrna on top and our lunch will be kept ready at a local shop and we will savour some fine Khasi cuisine meal and later we will drive back to Cherrapunji.

 

The Seven Sister Falls ~ Cherrapunji

The Seven Sisters Waterfalls is a seven-segmented waterfall located in the Mawsmai village in East Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya. The Water falls from a height of 315 metres (1,033 ft) and has an average width of 70 metres (230 ft) making it one of the tallest waterfalls in India and the Second Tallest Plunge Waterfall in India after the Nohkalikai Falls.

The falls plunges over the top of limestone cliffs of the Khasi Hills only during the rainy season. In full spate, the segments stretch most of the way along the cliff. The waterfalls get illuminated by the sun and the vibrant colors of the setting sun on the waterfalls makes it beautiful.

To know more about the Seven Sister Falls: Click Here

The Mawsmai Caves ~ Cherrapunji

The Indian State of Meghalaya is home to around 3500 caves and out of these around 1500 has been explored by the geologists and many more caves are still to be explored. Among the explored caves, a few of these are opened to tourists for exploration to provide them an insight into the pre-historic era and they get to see the rock formations, fossils and the various stalactites and stalagmites inside of the caves. At Cherrapunji, one can have the opportunity to explore the Mawsmai Cave and the Arwah Cave and both these caves are located near the main Cherrapunji town area and the interiors of the cave are well lit and can be easily explored by the tourists without the help of a guide. The other popular caves to be explored are the ones at Tyrna Ecotourism Elaka, Mawlynnong, the Mawjymbuin cave at Mawsynram and the Krem Puri (World’s longest limestone cave) near Mawsynram as well. The Mawsmai Cave at Cherrapunji is a short distance around 10 minute drive away from the main market area of Cherrapunji and it is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Cherrapunji. The Mawsmai cave is accessible from a small stairway that is present after the ticket booking counter and one has to enter the cave from the cave mouth entry.

There are certain places inside the cave where you will need to squeeze and crawl to access the place and this provides an authentic way of cave exploration here at the Mawsmai caves in Cherrapunji and this is notable for the various fossils that you can see on the cave walls. Also the cave interior that has a passageway and it is not very long and it is easily accessible. The Mawsmai Cave at Cherrapunji offers a perfect experience to visitors to catch a glimpse of the fascinating World that is under our feet. The caves of Meghalaya are formed as a result of the erosion of limestone by the water streams and this forms a complex network of routes underneath. The approach to the Mawsmai Caves in Cherrapunji is across a pleasant walk across the thick wooded area and all you hear is the creaking of insects and the soulful chirping of the birds. The hike is a very pleasant one and you will get the striking views of the valleys and the occasional local music playing from a nearby café. The cave entrance will cost you INR 20 per person and camera charges are additional. The fossils of the pre-historic creatures on the walls of the Mawsmai Caves at Cherrapunji takes you back into time and you get to relive the pre-historic era here.