Meghalaya in 8 days with Off Beat Places…
Hello all,
When will you tell that winter has arrived? In our home, we change our cushion covers to bright red and white. The Christmas candles take place at the centre table, and when you enter the house, you feel the aroma of freshly baked cookies or dry fruit cake! Yes!! Winter has arrived. The comfy sweatshirts are now my constant companions, along with throws at night Netflix runs! Warm popcorn and cold ice creams are the best midnight snacks. And among these cosy vibes, we travelled to Meghalaya this December!!
Meghalaya is one of the most visited states in the Northeast region, and It was one of our dream destinations in India. We wanted to explore this magical state for a long and how we have explored it as best as we can in those eight days. So let me help you a little if you are planning a trip to Meghalaya.
Getting to Meghalaya
The most frequently connected airport is Guwahati. Though Shillong has an airport, flight connections are better from and to Guwahati, and the roads are pretty good.
Once you reach Guwahati /Shillong, if possible, take a private taxi or cab. And if you are going by public transport, buses are connected to Shillong and Cherrapunji. But for internal transfer, take the help of locals, as many places in Meghalaya are not on Google Maps!
Railway connections in Meghalaya are nil. There is no direct rail connectivity to Shillong.
Is Meghalaya safe to travel?
Yes! Definitely. Even in the remote places with late-night travels, we felt safe. People are friendly and helpful.
Stay in Meghalaya
There are many homestays in Meghalaya. In fact, apart from Shillong and Cherrapunji, you won’t get any four/five-star accommodation. We love homestays. They are the best way to learn about culture and people. So it was not at all a problem for us.
Camping is also an option in Dawki/ Shnongpedn.
Best time to visit Meghalaya
Meghalaya is stunning in all seasons, and according to our tour organizer, every season has different itineraries. You can’t compare any two, and you can’t include all in any particular season.
But if you want to pick any season, pick either winter or monsoon. Here are the reasons:
Why should you visit Meghalaya in the monsoon (June to October)?
- All waterfalls will be in their full glory.
- Lush-green mountains will steal your hearts.
- Some activities like river canyoning will be possible in the early or late monsoon.
The disadvantage of monsoon:
- For us, the most important was that Wari Chora is closed from March’s end to November’s beginning.
- Hiking to caves like Krem Chympe will be difficult.
- Trails to root bridges might be slippery.
- Water in the Umgnkot River and other waterfall plunge pools won’t be crystal clear.
Why you should visit in winter? (November to March)
- Wari Chora, Wari Chora and Wari Chora.
- Clean and transparent Umngot River and other waterfalls, that you can literally count each and every stone within. It is so soothing to the eyes and soul.
- Good weather for hiking with beautiful trails.
- You can do caving also.
- If travelling in November, then you will see magnificent cherry blossoms (why go to Japan when you have equally beautiful blossoms here in India?)
The disadvantage of winter:
- Most waterfalls will be dry, and some will have very little flow of water.
- The Sun sets early, so you will have a relatively shorter day, so you might need to wake up early.
Summer in Meghalaya: (April – June)
- Pleasant weather
- The flow of the waterfall might be less.
- It’s a good time for caving.
What to eat?
Traditional Khasi meal. Though they have limited vegetarian options, their local spices are divine. Don’t forget to eat fresh pineapples and oranges from the farm. We had traditional Khasi meals in leaves on our root bridge trek, packed Khasi meals during the Sliang/Amkoi trek, and We won’t forget the taste of Khasi mixed vegetables at our guide’s home in Brishnyrot village. There are a few delicacies like Pumaloi (which is a traditional Khasi rice cake), which we didn’t enjoy that much.
What to pack?
- A raincoat/poncho is a must, even if you are travelling in winter.
- Good trekking shoes, if possible, waterproof shoes because you might be crossing rivers or streams, and trails can be slippery in places.
- If you are traveling off-beat, then pack some snacks with you, as it can be difficult to get anything on the roads.
- Swimming costumes for water activities.
- If travelling in winter, take proper layers, as it can be chilly at night.
- Regular medicines / first aid kit.
Phone Network:
An Airtel or Jio connection works best in Meghalaya. We had both, so it was not a problem for us.
People of Meghalaya:
Meghalaya has three main tribes. Khasi, Jaintia and Garo. We met people from all their tribes, and they all had different vibes, but one thing was common: all of them were true nature lovers. They worship nature, and they try to preserve every bit of it. The most stunning example of a harmonious relationship between nature and people is living root bridges. They try to protect the natural flora and fauna and find ways to maintain the ecological balance.
Another peculiar feature is that these people follow a matrilineal culture, where the elder daughter of the family becomes head after the mother. The daughter stays with her family after marriage. Isn’t it amazing?
Our Itinerary:
Day 1- We reached Guwahati by morning flight from Ahmedabad via Kolkata. Unfortunately, our flight was delayed due to excessive fog in Kolkata.
Once we reached Guwahati, we met our cheerful and extremely kind driver, Mr. Sanjay. We immediately left for Khileriat because the drive was approximately 7 hours.
As we were going to Jaintia Hills, we couldn’t visit Umiam Lake or Laitlum Canyon. If you are going to Shillong, you can cover either of these.
Day 2- Krem Chympe cave and waterfall tour. You can read about that here.
Our night stay was again in Khileriat.
Day 3 – Khileriat to Shnongpdeng
Drive for 4-5 hours. Along the way, we took a diversion through remote parts of Jaintia hills, and we went to Leshka Dam. The drive is amazing, with beautiful rolling Jaintia hills all around you. Once you reach Shnongpedng, don’t waste your time and start your adventures right away. We also did Sliang/Amkoi hike.
Another option is Dawki, which is more crowded and has fewer adventure activities.
We had a night stay in Shnongpedng’s homestay.
Day 4 – From Shnongpdeng, we went for the Rangthylliang root bridges trek
Our Night stay was in Cherrapunji.. along the way, we saw a beautiful sunset and an amazing moon rise. The drive from Rangthylliang to Cherrapunji is amazing, with a panoramic view of Khasi hills and clouds in the valley.
There are other options on root bridges, too.
If yoy want a more lengthy trek – Nongriat – more famous, more crowded
If you want a shorter and easier trek – The Laitkynsew trek or near Mawlynnong, the cleanest village in Asia.
Day 5– We spent a day in Cherrapunji, also known as Sohra, which was once the wettest place on the earth, as we have studied.
Day 6– We started early, at around 5:00 am, as the drive was 10-11 hours with bad roads from Cherrapunji to Baghmara.
Along the way, we visited the magnificent Monolith Kyllong Rock
We had our homestay in Baghmara.
Day 7- Wari chora trek. We also went to Jaindisil Fish Sanctuary.
For the night, we had a homestay in Siju.
Day 8 – Back to Guwahati and Home
More Places you might love to see:
Garo Hills:
- Siju caves
- Balpakram National Park
- Tura Peak
Khasi hills:
- There are a few more waterfalls in Sohra, like Wei Sawdong.
- Markham Valley
- Nongkhnum River Island
- Whistling village.
- Mawlynnong
Jaintia Hills:
- Krang Suri waterfall
- Phe Phe falls
That’s it. As you can see, we have almost travelled from the easternmost part of Meghalaya to the town on the southwest end. We hope you have everything you need to plan that perfect trip to Meghalaya for yourself. Leave us a comment if you enjoyed reading it or if you have any questions at all.
Hi kajal, Thank you for such a detailed information of your Meghalaya trip.
We, 3 friends are also planning to visit Meghalaya in December. We will be following your itinerary mostly.
I was curious if you have done the bookings through a tour operator. if so, can we also have their contact number?
Kindly recommend the transport driver, stay of your trip.
Thank you
Thank you so much. comments like this inspire us to write more and more. Yes we went via tour operator. Experience Destination. I have mentioned his number here : https://safarwithsasha.com/our_trips/krem-chympe-off-beat-mysterious-cave-with-enigmatic-chympe-waterfall/
Thank you so much.
Our pleasure. If you want to book directly via local guides, then at the end of each posts you will get guides number. You can contact them directly. We went with kids so it was better fro us to book via tour operator.