Frequently Asked Questions

It is 3,500 steps down and the same back up — roughly 1.5-2 hours down and 2.5-3.5 hours up. It requires reasonable fitness but no technical skill. Not recommended for those with knee or heart conditions. Porters and guides are available at Tyrna, and staying overnight at Nongriat splits the effort across two days.

Yes, and most of our bookings are customised. Send us your dates, group size, budget range and what you most want to see, and we will build an itinerary and price it line by line so you can see exactly what is included.

Hotel accommodation on twin sharing, a private AC vehicle with driver for all transfers and sightseeing, daily breakfast and dinner (breakfast only on some short packages), Guwahati pickup and drop, fuel, tolls, parking, driver allowance and 24x7 local support. Flights, lunches, entry fees and personal expenses are not included unless stated.

Call or WhatsApp +91 8730033848, or send an enquiry from any page on this site. We share an itinerary and quote, and once you confirm, a booking advance secures the hotels and vehicle. The balance is due before or at the start of the trip.

October to April for clear views and trekking; June to September for waterfalls at full power, with frequent fog.

Two days — one for the waterfalls and caves, and one for the Double Decker Living Root Bridge trek.

Cherrapunji and nearby Mawsynram both record extremely high rainfall and are often described as among the wettest inhabited places on earth.

About 100 km by road, which takes around three hours on NH6. From Guwahati airport it is roughly 120 km.

Cherrapunji (Sohra) is about 54 km from Shillong — roughly a two-hour drive via the Mawkdok Dympep valley viewpoint.

Dawki is about 82 km from Shillong, around three hours by road via Pynursla. Mawlynnong is a short detour on the same route, about 30 km from Dawki.

About 150 km, or roughly four and a half hours by road via Shillong.

Cherrapunji, Dawki with Mawlynnong, Laitlum Canyons, Mawphlang, Umiam Lake and the Jowai–Krang Suri route all work as day trips, though Cherrapunji is better with an overnight stay.

Indian citizens do not need an Inner Line Permit for Meghalaya. Foreign nationals do not need a Protected Area Permit, but must register with the Foreigners' Registration Office within 24 hours of arrival — your hotel will usually complete this for you. Carry photo ID at all times, particularly near the Dawki border.

October to February for clear views, Dawki boating and comfortable trekking. June to September for waterfalls at maximum flow, accepting reduced visibility and possible road delays. March to May is a quiet shoulder season with good weather and fewer tourists.

Five days covers the highlights. Three days is enough for Shillong and Cherrapunji, and seven days adds the Jaintia Hills.

Shillong for the first day or two, Cherrapunji with the root bridge trek for the next two, and Dawki with Mawlynnong on the last day before returning to Guwahati.

A comfortable five-day trip usually costs about ₹20,000–28,000 per person excluding flights, with private transport the largest single cost.

Hotels on twin sharing, a private AC vehicle with driver, breakfast (and dinner on most packages), Guwahati pickup and drop, fuel, tolls and parking. Flights, lunches and entry fees are extra unless stated.

Yes. Tell us your dates, budget and interests, and we will adjust the hotels, pace and places at no extra planning charge.

Yes — our fixed packages include pickup and drop at Guwahati airport or railway station. We can also start from Shillong.

Yes. We pace the route to your group, choose hotels with easy access and leave out strenuous treks when needed.

Yes. The photographs on this page were taken on our own trips around Meghalaya.

The photos belong to Meghalaya Travels. Please contact us before using them on another website or in print.

Just after the monsoon, in October and November, when waterfalls are still full and skies are clearer. For Dawki's clear water, visit between November and March.

Cherrapunji (Sohra) is the most famous, for waterfalls such as Nokhalikha and Seven Sister Falls, its caves, and the Double Decker Living Root Bridge nearby. Dawki's crystal-clear Umngot river and Shillong, the capital, are close behind.

Five to six days covers the main highlights — Shillong, Cherrapunji, Dawki, Mawlynnong and the root bridge trek. Add one or two days for the Jaintia Hills (Krang Suri and Nartiang). The Garo Hills need a separate trip of two to three days.

They suit different things. Shillong is the base, with city sights, cafés and easy day trips. Cherrapunji is where the big waterfalls, caves and root bridges are. Most travellers spend one or two nights in each.

It is possible but rushed. Three days covers Shillong, Cherrapunji and Nokhalikha comfortably; adding the root bridge trek and Dawki needs a fourth day.

Shillong Peak (10 km), Elephant Falls (12 km), Umiam Lake (17 km), Laitlum Canyons (23 km) and Mawphlang Sacred Forest (25 km) are all within about an hour of Shillong.

Cherrapunji's plateau-edge stays, early-morning boating at Dawki, riverside camping at Shnongpdeng and sunrise at Laitlum Canyons are favourites with couples.

October to April is best overall — clear skies, safer trekking and clear water at Dawki. Waterfalls are at their most powerful from June to September.

Most are, but conditions change a lot with the season. Dawki boating is often suspended in the monsoon, trekking trails get slippery from June to September, and some waterfalls thin out in the dry months.

Umiam Lake, Elephant Falls, the Nokhalikha and Seven Sister Falls viewpoints, Mawsmai Cave, Mawlynnong and the short walk to the Riwai root bridge all have easy access. Skip the Nongriat trek and the Weisadong ladders.

It involves about 3,500 steps down and back up, taking most people four to six hours in total. It needs reasonable fitness but no technical skill. The Riwai root bridge near Mawlynnong is an easy alternative.

Indian citizens do not need a permit. Foreign nationals do not need a Protected Area Permit but must register within 24 hours of arrival, which hotels usually handle. Shillong Peak requires photo ID, and Balpakram National Park needs forest department permission.

Five days and four nights covers Shillong, Cherrapunji, Mawlynnong and Dawki without rushing. Three days works for a Shillong and Cherrapunji weekend. Seven days lets you add the Jaintia Hills, Krang Suri and Shnongpdeng. Anything under three days means most of your trip is spent in a car.

Layers year-round — even summer evenings in Shillong are cool. A rain jacket is essential from April to October. Shoes with grip for waterfalls and treks, a power bank, cash, basic medication, and a dry bag for electronics if you are visiting in monsoon.

Yes. Meghalaya is among the safer states in India for solo women travellers, and Khasi society being matrilineal contributes to that. Standard precautions apply: avoid remote areas after dark, use pre-arranged transport rather than hailing vehicles at night, and keep someone informed of your route.

October and November are the best months for most travellers: the monsoon has ended, the hills are green, waterfalls still flow well and skies are clear.

Yes, with planning. Main roads stay open, but landslides can cause delays, treks become slippery and Dawki boating may stop. Keep buffer days and avoid trekking in heavy rain.

The Umngot river at Dawki is clearest from roughly November to April, when water levels are low. It turns muddy during the monsoon.

In December and January, Shillong typically ranges from about 4°C at night to 16–17°C in the day. Pack warm layers.

June to September for maximum flow; October and November for a good balance of flow and clear views.

Its cool climate, colonial-era architecture, lakes and waterfalls, lively music scene, and its role as the gateway to Cherrapunji and Dawki.

March to May and September to November bring pleasant weather. December and January are cold but clear.

Fly or take a train to Guwahati, then drive 100 km (about three hours). Shillong's small airport at Umroi has limited flights.

Fly or take a train to Guwahati, Assam. From Guwahati airport or railway station it is 100-125 km and about three hours by road to Shillong. We include Guwahati pickup and drop in all our packages.

Jio and Airtel work well in Shillong and reasonably in Sohra town. Coverage is patchy at Dawki, Mawlynnong and the Jaintia Hills, and absent entirely in the Nongriat gorge. Download offline maps before you leave Shillong.

Shillong has plenty of ATMs and most hotels and restaurants accept cards and UPI. Outside the city, assume cash. Waterfall entries, village fees, guides, boats and small eateries are almost all cash-only. Withdraw enough in Shillong before heading to Sohra or Jowai.

Nokhalikha (Nohkalikai) Falls near Cherrapunji is the best known, with a single plunge of around 340 metres. Kynrem Falls also drops over 300 metres, in three stages.

At Krang Suri Falls, swimming is organised with life jackets. Elsewhere, swim only where locals confirm it is safe, and never after heavy rain.

Nokhalikha, Seven Sister, Dainthlen and Weisadong Falls are all near Sohra; Kynrem is a little further, in Thangkharang Park.