7 Sister falls, Meghalaya
Meghalaya, meaning Abode of the Clouds, is easily the
most accessible of the Seven Sister states of North East India. Think
pixie rainforests, living root bridges, commanding vistas with
roaring high waterfalls, mountain drives under dramatic clouds,
spotless villages, mysterious natural caves, crystal clear rivers,
bright blue natural pools and the the most ridiculously friendly
people!
A trip to Meghalaya can be very easy on the pocket and
on your holiday calendar. Most of the stunning sights are not more
than 2 hours of driving time from each other (yay good roads!), and
there’s something for everyone- from adventure activities like
cliff jumping, caving, trekking and rappelling, to just sitting down
in a village home/lush resort and soaking in the sound of nature.
So here’s my detailed Guide (costs, logistics,
recommendations, et al) to all the places I experienced. I’ve also
added in some additional spots I missed which should definitely make
it to your itinerary should you have more time. Go on then, get
reading, bookmarking and booking!
India’s
tallest plunge waterfall- Nohkalikai Falls in Cherrapunjee
GETTING THERE
Guwahati in
Assam is the nearest big transport hub. Fly in or train it here and
you’ll find taxis and shared cabs by the dozen to Shillong,
Meghalaya’s capital city and the hub for all surrounding places of
interest. If you’re on a self-drive trip, Zoom Cars can be rented
at the airport/online.
Taxi stands in
Guwahati: The main stands can be found at the airport, Kamakhya
Railway Station and Paltan Bazaar.
Cost for a
shared Sumo: INR 170 per seat from Paltan Bazaar. You don’t have to
pre-book. Just show up at the Sumo stand and hop into one of many
Sumos lined up, screaming out “Shillong! Shillong!” (You won’t
miss them even if you want to)
Travel time:
2-3 hours
FIRST STOP:
SHILLONG
Shillong isn’t
your quintessential Indian capital city. Although busy and plagued
with traffic, it feels cozy and slow paced with a lovely old world
charm and a young energy. There’s a lot of local Khasi street food
to be had at Laitumkhrah, budget shopping to be done at Police Bazaar
and idyllic cafes to be hopped. The serene Umiam Lake and Umbrella
Falls offer a quick escape close to the city. Spend a day here
getting acquainted with the people and way of life before you begin
your road journey onwards to other parts of Meghalaya.
blue
lagoons in Nongriat village!
Where to stay:
Sha Ri Loum is a beautiful homestay tucked away from
the city’s cacophony. A lovely glass facade overlooks a quiet
forest, and the staff and the food are absolutely top notch. You can
find the property on Airbnb (use this link to get INR 2200 off on
your first booking!) and Booking.com
Some other options closer to Police Bazaar and the city
centre: The Pear Tree Bed & Breakfast/Kaizun Bed & Breakfast
Where to eat:
Street stalls at Police Bazaar and Laitumkhrah for
Khasi food.
Cafe Shillong and Dylan’s Cafe for some downtime and
to tune in to a killer playlist. (Shillong isn’t called India’s
rock capital for nothing!)
There’s plenty more to pick from, of course. But this
is all I had the time to try out.
STOP 2: CHERRAPUNJEE – TYRNA – NONGRIAT
The journey to Nongriat village to see the Double
decker living root bridge is an unmissable Meghalaya experience, if
you’re up for a bit of a trek (read 3600 steps aka 2 hours each
way)
Leave Shillong early in the morning and get a shared
Sumo/Alto to Sohra in Cherrapunjee. In about 2 hours, you’ll make
it to this sleepy village in the region that receives the world’s
second highest share of rainfall!
How to get there
Police Bazaar is the central hub for most private and
shared taxis out of Shillong.
For Sohra, head to Bada Bazaar for a shared Alto.
Shared
Sumo stands in North East India
Cost for a shared Sumo/Alto: INR 70 per seat.
You don’t have to pre-book. Just show up at the taxi stand and ask
for Sohra. These cabs don’t leave unless they’re at least half
full, so you may have to wait for around 15-20 minutes.
Travel time: Approx 2 hours to Sohra.
The Sumo/Alto will drop you off at the Sohra taxi stand
where you can get a private Alto to Tyrna village, which is where
your downward trek to Nongriat village begins.
Cost for a private Alto: INR 400 to Tyrna
village.
Travel time: 45 minutes.
Once at Tyrna, the trek to Nongriat is straightforward
and very well marked. Your Alto will drop you off at the entrance to
the steps and you’ll find a line of guides and porters hoping to be
hired. Porters charge between INR 400-500 for a one-way journey, and
Guides charge around the same.
Now, the downward trek to Nongriat is pretty easy to
complete as you’re mostly descending the steep steps and most of
the trail is well made. You don’t really need a Guide for this.
One
of many single root bridges en route Nongriat Village
Once at
Nongriat, pay the entry fee and declare all cameras that you have,
the fee is around INR 100 + INR 30-40 per camera + INR 150 or so for
a video camera.
Where to stay:
Go into Nongriat knowing that it is a tiny, remote village deep inside a valley at Cherrapunjee. Cell phone network is absent or weak at best, and the two accommodation options available are very basic and far from luxury, yet full of warmth and friendly faces.Byron’s Homestay or Chally’s Homestay are situated on either side of the double decker bridge, and charge around INR 700 for a single room. One can typically just show up and expect to find a free room, but pre-booking is advisable as a lot of foreign backpackers sometimes camp here for days on end.
Day 1 in Nongriat: Start early from Shillong and reach Sohra by 8 30 am, Tyrna by 9 am and Nongriat before 11 am. Chill at the natural pool under the double-decker bridge, get a free fish spa and hike to the Rainbow Falls in the afternoon. Spend the night around a bonfire, mingle with other guests and sleep in early.
The
majestic Rainbow Falls, look at the blues!
Day
2 in Nongriat:
Check out a couple
of other unnamed natural pools with a Guide and aim to start your
trek back up by 10 am. The upwards trek is quite strenuous, I won’t
lie. The steps are high and steep, and most travellers feel their
legs tremble mid-way up. Do this at a slow pace and aim to reach
Tyrna by noon and make your way back up to Sohra in an Alto.
Cafe Cherrapunjee is a nice alternative.
What to see in Cherrapunjee:
The Nohkalikai Falls, Arwah Caves and Mawsmai Caves are quick stops and can be completed in the afternoon or the next morning before you take off for your next big destination. Hire a local taxi from your resort/Sohra taxi stand to take you around.STOP 3: MAWLYNNONG VILLAGE – DAWKI – SHNONGPODENG
There isn’t much to do at Mawlynnong Village, but if the prospect of visiting ‘Asia’s cleanest village’ excites you, then stop by on your way to Dawki from Cherrapunjee. A quaint and quiet village with tree houses, a marketplace and scores of bamboo dustbins lining the road, Mawlynnong Village is one of many spotless and sustainable villages in Meghalaya. The onus to keep the village clean lies with every person residing in the village. Locals including little children cleaning the roads, picking up leaves and throwing garbage in the bin is a very common sight. Bamboo garbage bins adorn every nook and corner of the village. Cleanliness isn’t a chore here, it’s an age old tradition and a way of life!
Another top
highlight is the single living root bridge which is a 10-15 minute
walk from the car drop-off point and a lucky alternative for those
who don’t have the time/energy for the Nongriat trek.
A couple of hours further on, is the Indo-Bangladesh border town of Dawki. A sleepy town famous for its magnificently clear river river waters, where during certain times of the year, one can see straight through to the very bottom of the river bed with their naked eye! The tiny island by the river serves as an open border and you can see Bangladesh on the other side of a flimsy flag post indicating the border. (You can’t blame me for accidentally entering Bangladesh and buying a snack from a local vendor before being schooled by a BSF officer to come back into India!)
My journey took me beyond this now-touristy town to another sleepier village by the same Umngot river– Shnongpodeng (quite the tongue-twister, that name. Aye?)
Life on the
transparent waters of Umngot river, Shnongpodeng, Meghalaya
There
are only a couple of campsites in this simple village and barely any
crowds. Come here for a day trip from Shillong or Mawlynnong and
spend the day engaging in adventure sports like kayaking,
snorkelling, cliff jumping and zip lining with Pioneer Adventure
Tours– boat along the deceiving Umngot river which, for the
uninitiated, feels like a cruise right over a rocky bed which might
scrape the bottom of the boat any minute!
Best
time to visit: November-March.
Come
rain, and the waters get cloudy and murky, hiding away the river bed
which goes into hibernation through most of the year.
How
to get there
Because
I was short on time, I decided to directly head to Shnongpodeng from
Sohra. There are no shared taxis on this route, so I hired a private
cab for the 3 hour journey with a stop at Mawlynnong village en
route. I paid INR 2500 (eeeks!) for the journey which was rather
steep for a solo traveler on a budget, but this would be ideal for a
group of people.
Alternatively,
shared cabs ply from Shillong to Dawki from Anjali Point.
Shnongpodeng
Tips:
#
Get on over to the massive suspension bridge for iconic shots of
boats on the water!
#
Only Jio Sim cards tend to work here. There’s zero network on the
likes of Vodafone and Airtel, don’t say I didn’t warn you!
#There are a few hole in the wall restaurants serving
fresh fish from the river and thaali meals of rice, meat, dal and
vegetables
#The nearest ATM is in Dawki
Some other recommendations for you to look up if you
have more time in the beautiful State!
Nongkhnum River Island-
Touted to be Asia’s second biggest river island (after Majuli in
Assam), this remote island has a sandy beach, a massive waterfall,
endless grasslands, a lake and two gushing rivers. I’m definitely
going back to visit this place on my next trip!
Mawphlang Sacred Forest- A quick journey
from Shillong, this 1000 year old sacred grove has stood the test of
time thanks to being worshipped by the chiefs and inhabitants of its
village, whose traditions have made cutting down trees akin to a
grave sin. Nature holds great significance in Khasi culture and the
spirit of conservation is deeply embedded in the people and
their beliefs.
Mawlyngbna– A quiet hill-top village with
natural springs, a large broadleaf forest, animal fossils, rich
folklore, a couple of waterfalls, rappelling opportunities and
generally a good place to slow down and peace out.
Krang Suri Waterfalls– They’re
supposedly more beautiful and much less crowded than the popular
Umbrella Falls, situated about 90 kms from Shillong.
Oh, and a final all-important tip- Sundays are a dud
across the State for tourists. As most of the Khasi folk are
practising Christians, they’re busy at Church- so shops, cab
stands, etc are shut down on the day. Best to pre-book your cab well
in advance for your Sunday in Meghalaya!
And that’s a wrap on what has turned out to be an
extensive Guide to Meghalaya! I hope this helps you with all the
reference material you need to plan a trip to this stunning State.
Drop me a comment if you have more questions, I’ll try and answer
them
I partnered with ChaloHoppo on my journey across
Meghalaya. They helped pick out the most local and lovely homestays
and sponsored my accommodation across these destinations. Moreover,
they also gave me access to their extensive network of guides, taxi
drivers and logistical knowledge in these parts. However, all
thoughts, opinions, photographs and my incurable love for Meghalaya
is entirely my own, as always.
Source : trulynomadly.com
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