Mawsynam

Kaziranga National Park welcomes you to the Village of Mawsynram ~ the Wettest Place on Planet Earth!

Mawsynram, Meghalaya Caves, Krem Puri Mawsynram, Kaziranga National Park, Mawsynram — **Our visitors capture a moment at the Mawsynram Village ~ Mawsynram ~ Meghalaya ~ India**

Mawsynram in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya is a place filled with nature that provides an ideal retreat away from the city life. The pleasant weather and warm hearted people always welcome visitors to Mawsynram with open arms. Mawsynram is a small village township located at a distance of around 65 kilometers from the State Capital of Shillong. Mawsynram records an average annual rainfall of 11,872 mm every year that makes it the region with the highest rainfall in the year anywhere in the World. Monsoons exists from the months of June through September across the region of North East India, but Mawsynram often has a longer period when the clouds cease to clear the skies and torrential downpour occurs regularly here. But with no proper meteorological department office located at Mawsynram, the statistics recorded have not been up to date always and the tag of being the wettest place on Earth is often juggled between the neighbours Cherrapunji and Mawsynram.

Often during the rains at Mawsynram, one can see families taking refuge in the comfort of their homes and the animals seeking shelter wherever they can. The wet season at Mawsynram draws a lot of tourists who come to see the majestic waterfalls and the gushing streams of Mawsynram. It’s an amazing sight to see the local people getting to work everyday battling all weather conditions by covering themselves with shell lieke baskets made from bamboo. Tourists also visit Mawsynram to beat the summer heat across other parts of India when temperatures soar well above 45 degrees and at Mawsynram the climate is always favorable ranging from 10 degrees to 20 degrees.

It would be interesting to state that while many parts of the World especially the deserts in South America fail to receive even half an inch of rainfall every year Mawsynram records a heavy rainfall of almost around 40 feet each year.

The major attractions at Mawsynram are the numerous waterfalls and the caves here. The most attractive tourist spot in Mawsynram is the Mawjymbuin Cave which is among the well known caves in the region. This cave is home to some majestic stalactites and stalagmites that are of great geographical interest because of its exquisiteness. The stalagtites of this cave is shaped into a Shivalinga. This is what attracts many visitors to the cave who consider it to be a revered shrine of Lord Shiva and in the festival of Shivratri thousands of visitors visit the cave. Another important cave in Mawsynram is the Krem Puri – the longest sandstone cave in the World. The Krem Puri in Mawsynram records a total length of 24.5 km which is almost three times the length of Mount Everest. The major highlight of the Krem Puri Cave in Mawsynram is not only its length but also the availability of dinosaur fossils from 70 million years old. The Krem Puri caves is located near Laitsohum village in Mawsynram in the East Khasi Hills district.

As per survey done at the Krem Puri Caves in Mawsynram, the dinosaur fossils here included one of the Mosasaurus too which was an aquatic lizard that lived on Earth around 70 million years ago. The previous longest sandstone cave in in Venezuela measuring 18.2 km.

Meghalaya is also home to India’s longest cave – the Krem Liat Bah Umim Labit limestone cave in the Jaintia Hills which in 31 km in length. The word Krem is Khasi means a cave. Meghalaya is home to around 1650 caves in total spread across the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills. As per data, around 491 caves have been explored in the State with a lot of potential to make Meghalaya a next adventure destination for promotion of caving expeditions.

Located in the vast wild wilderness of the Khasi hills of Meghalaya, Mawsynram is a land of steep sliding slopes, fresh air, rolling green mountains and beautiful waterfalls. At Mawsynram, the clouds cease to clear the sky resulting in Mawsynram recording 11,861 mm of rainfall every year making it the wettest place on planet Earth! It is said that in Mawsynram during the monsoons one can touch, smell and even taste the clouds.

Mawsynram is a rain and nature lovers ultimate paradise and considered as one of the best tourist attractions in India. The term ‘Maw’ is a Khasi word meaning Stone that symbolizes the unique Megaliths found here at Mawsynram. Mawsynram is a small village having around 1,000 homes and holds the Guiness World Record for being the ‘Wettest place on Planet Earth’! The heavy rainfall here is owing to the fact that the summer air currents sweeping over the plains of Bangladesh gather moisture as they move north. And while resulting clouds hit the steep hills of Meghalaya and they get squeezed through the narrowed gaps of the atmosphere and compressed to a stage that they can no longer hold their moisture leading to a near constant rains at Mawsynram. It is said that the rains in Mawsynram are so powerful that the locals villagers have to make use of thick grass to sound-proof their homes from the thunderous rains.

Around Mawsynram area there are several unexplored caves. One primary is called the Mawjymbuin Cave which is one of the well known caves in Meghalaya. This cave, due to years of weathering and due to dripping of mineralized solutions and deposition of calcium carbonate, it has thus given rise to some magnificent stalagmites. These stalagmites are not only important and of great interest for geological research but also because of their exquisiteness. The stalagmite of the Mawjymbuin Cave is shaped into a massive Shivalinga. The cave also has a dome shaped rock with a flat top called the Symper Rock.

Mawsynram is well-connected by road to Guwahati in Assam and Shillong as well as other prominent spots like Cherrapunji in Meghalaya. The road route is flanked by wonderful, cloud-capped hills and sprawling farmlands. Easiest way to access Mawsynram is to land at the Guwahati Airport. It is located at a distance of 170 km from Mawsynram. Travel time from the Guwahati airport to Mawsynram is close to 5 hours. Mawsynram is located just 60 km from Shillong city and takes a little over 2 hours to reach by road. Mawsynram is located around 81 km from Cherrapunji and takes close to 3 hours to reach by road.

How to reach Mawsynram from Kaziranga National Park –

By Road – Mawsynram is located at a distance of around 310 kilometers from Kaziranga National Park. It takes around 9 hours by road to reach Mawsynram from Kaziranga. Private Taxi operators ply from Kaziranga National Park to Mawsynram. We operate our Taxi Service to Mawsynram from Kaziranga National Park. Our well maintained fleet makes your journey from Kaziranga National Park to Mawsynram a comfortable one.

By Air – Mawsynram is well connected to the Guwahati Airport by road. You can choose to fly to the Guwahati Airport. We operate taxi service from Guwahati Airport to Mawsynram.

By Train – Mawsynram can be reached from Guwahati Railway Station. We operate taxi service from Guwahati Railway Station to Mawsynram.

Sample Itinerary for visit to Mawsynram ~

Day 1 ~ Guwahati – Shillong

Arrive at Guwahati Airport. From the Airport drive to Shillong. On the way sight the majestic Umiam Lake – the largest artificial water reservoir of North East India. Upon arrival at Shillong, visit the Shillong Peak and Elephant Falls. Check into your Hotel at Shillong. Evening free to visit the Police Bazaar at Shillong.

Night Stay: Nalgare’s Guest House at Shillong or Similar

Meals Included: NA

Day 2 ~ Shillong – Mawphlang – Mawsynram – Shillong

After Breakfast depart to Mawphlang. Arrive at Mawphlang. First, we will embark on a short trek to visit the Khasi Hills Sacred Groves at Mawphlang. Revered by the Khasi Tribes of Meghalaya, the Sacred Groves is home to over 200 species of Orchids and not one tree is allowed to be cut from the groves. Later visit the Khasi Heritage Village near the Mawphlang Sacred Groves. Later, travel to Mawsynram – the Wettest place on Earth. At Mawsynram visit the Jykrem Falls and hot water spring. Travel back to Shillong. Evening free to visit the Madina Masjid – India’s only glass mosque at Shillong.

Night Stay: Nalgare’s Guest House at Shillong or Similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3 ~ Shillong – Cherrapunji

After Breakfast transfer to Cherrapunji. At Cherrapunji, do local sight-seeing of the Nohkalikai Falls – India’s Tallest Plunge waterfall, the Arwah Caves, the Mawsmai Cave and the Seven Sister Falls.

Night Stay: Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji or Similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 4 ~ Cherrapunji – Double Decker Root Bridge Trek (Duration of Trek ~ 6 Hrs. (Complete))

Early morning we will kick start the Double Decker Root Bridge Trek to reach Nongriat Village. On your way you will spot the first Root Bridge of your tour at Tyrna Village. Admire the Engineering marvels of the Khasi Tribes ~ ‘the Double Decker Living Root Bridge’. Later trek back to Cherrapunji. After Lunch, visit the Dainthlen Falls at Cherrapunji.

Night Stay: Sohra Plaza Homestay at Cherrapunji or Similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 5 ~ Cherrapunji – Mawlynnong – Dawki – Shillong

After Breakfast, depart to Mawlynnong and Dawki. Today is our day in the beautiful village of Mawlynnong, settled in the wilderness of East Khasi Hills.

Arrive at Mawlynnong. At Mawlynnong 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