Locally owned tour operator in Shillong · Meghalaya & North East India
WATERFALLS

Waterfalls in Meghalaya: 9 Best Falls to Visit

From India's tallest plunge waterfall to turquoise swimming pools — with distances, best seasons and access for each.

Updated September 2026By Shayeed Hussain, Shillong9 places

Meghalaya's heavy rainfall and steep plateau edges make it one of the best places in India for waterfalls. Some, like Nokhalikha and Kynrem, are among the tallest in the country; others, like Krang Suri, are perfect for a swim. Here are the best waterfalls in Meghalaya, with distances, best seasons and how hard each one is to reach.

At a glance

#PlaceAreaFrom ShillongBest timeTime needed
1 Sohra — Cherrapunji East Khasi Hills 54 km · 2 h Jun – Mar 1 to 2 days
2 Nokhalikha Falls East Khasi Hills 58 km · 2 h Jun – Dec 1 to 2 hours
3 Krang Suri Falls West Jaintia Hills 95 km · 3 h Oct – Apr Half day
4 Seven Sister Falls East Khasi Hills 57 km · 2 h Jun – Oct About 1 hour
5 Weisadong Falls East Khasi Hills 50 km · 2 h Oct – Mar 2 to 3 hours
6 Kynrem Falls East Khasi Hills 66 km · 2 h 30 min Jun – Oct 1 to 2 hours
7 Elephant Falls East Khasi Hills 12 km · 30 min Jun – Oct 1 hour
8 Dainthlen Falls East Khasi Hills 50 km · 2 h Jun – Oct 1 hour
9 Lynsiar Falls Meghalaya Ask us Oct – Mar 2 to 3 hours
Sohra — Cherrapunji, East Khasi Hills — photo 1
Sohra — Cherrapunji · Sohra
Culture & Villages · East Khasi Hills

1. Sohra — Cherrapunji

  • 54 km from Shillong · 2 h
  • 1 to 2 days
  • Easy — most sights are roadside
  • Varies by site
Best time: JFMAMJJASOND Jun – Mar

The town on the edge of the plateau — waterfalls, caves, canyons and the clouds that made it famous as the wettest place on earth.

Why visit: Nokhalikha, Seven Sister and Kynrem falls, two walkable caves and the Nongriat trek all sit within a short drive, so one base covers more than any other town in the state.

Local tip: Stay at least two nights. As a day trip from Shillong, most of your time goes on the road.
Nokhalikha Falls, East Khasi Hills — photo 2
Nokhalikha Falls · Sohra (Cherrapunji)
Waterfalls · East Khasi Hills

2. Nokhalikha Falls

  • 58 km from Shillong · 2 h
  • 1 to 2 hours
  • Easy — paved steps to viewpoint
  • Approximately 20 rupees per person plus parking
Best time: JFMAMJJASOND Jun – Dec

India's tallest plunge waterfall — a single 340-metre drop into a blue-green pool at the base of the Cherrapunji gorge.

Why visit: India's tallest plunge waterfall, dropping around 340 metres in a single fall into a jade-green pool.

Local tip: Arrive mid-morning on a sunny day for the best chance of a rainbow across the spray.
Krang Suri Falls, West Jaintia Hills — photo 3
Krang Suri Falls · Amlarem, Jowai
Waterfalls · West Jaintia Hills

3. Krang Suri Falls

  • 95 km from Shillong · 3 h
  • Half day
  • Easy to moderate — stepped path
  • Around 50 rupees entry, extra for life jacket…
Best time: JFMAMJJASOND Oct – Apr

A wide curtain of water falling into an unreal blue-green pool — the best natural swimming spot in Meghalaya.

Why visit: Meghalaya's best waterfall for a swim, with a startling turquoise pool and life jackets on hand.

Local tip: Hire a life jacket at the counter even if you swim well — the pool is deeper than it looks.
Want these places in one trip? Our packages include hotels, a private cab and a local driver — from Guwahati and back.
Seven Sister Falls, East Khasi Hills — photo 4
Seven Sister Falls · Mawsmai, Sohra
Waterfalls · East Khasi Hills

4. Seven Sister Falls

  • 57 km from Shillong · 2 h
  • About 1 hour
  • Easy — roadside viewpoint
  • Nominal viewpoint and parking charge
Best time: JFMAMJJASOND Jun – Oct

Seven parallel streams pouring 315 metres off the Sohra cliff face — best seen in monsoon, best photographed in the afternoon light.

Why visit: Seven streams pouring off a single cliff, with views stretching to the Bangladesh plains.

Local tip: Come in the late afternoon — the cliff faces west and glows at golden hour.
Weisadong Falls, East Khasi Hills — photo 5
Weisadong Falls · Sohra (Cherrapunji)
Waterfalls · East Khasi Hills

5. Weisadong Falls

  • 50 km from Shillong · 2 h
  • 2 to 3 hours
  • Moderate to difficult — steep ladders
  • Small community entry fee
Best time: JFMAMJJASOND Oct – Mar

A three-tier waterfall with turquoise plunge pools, reached by a steep bamboo-ladder descent through the forest.

Why visit: Three tiers of waterfalls with circular turquoise pools, hidden in the forest away from the tour buses.

Local tip: Only attempt the bamboo ladders in dry weather, and wear shoes with real grip.
Kynrem Falls, East Khasi Hills — photo 6
Kynrem Falls · Thangkharang, Sohra
Waterfalls · East Khasi Hills

6. Kynrem Falls

  • 66 km from Shillong · 2 h 30 min
  • 1 to 2 hours
  • Easy — park pathways
  • Thangkharang Park entry, around 20 to 30 rupees
Best time: JFMAMJJASOND Jun – Oct

A 305-metre three-stage cascade inside Thangkharang Park, thundering straight down a black rock face in monsoon.

Why visit: A 305-metre, three-stage waterfall that is one of the most dramatic sights of the monsoon.

Local tip: Visit between June and September — it thins dramatically in the dry season.
Elephant Falls, East Khasi Hills — photo 7
Elephant Falls · Upper Shillong · Photo: Ashwin Kumar from Bangalore, India · CC BY-SA 2.0
Waterfalls · East Khasi Hills

7. Elephant Falls

  • 12 km from Shillong · 30 min
  • 1 hour
  • Easy (steps)
  • Small entry fee plus camera charge
Best time: JFMAMJJASOND Jun – Oct

A three-tier waterfall on the edge of Shillong, reached by steps through a landscaped garden.

Why visit: The easiest waterfall to reach from Shillong, and a good first-afternoon stop.

Local tip: Visit on a weekday morning. Weekends bring long queues on the steps.
Dainthlen Falls, East Khasi Hills — photo 8
Dainthlen Falls · Sohra · Photo: ANKAN · CC BY-SA 4.0
Waterfalls · East Khasi Hills

8. Dainthlen Falls

  • 50 km from Shillong · 2 h
  • 1 hour
  • Easy
  • Small entry fee
Best time: JFMAMJJASOND Jun – Oct

A broad waterfall over flat rock near Sohra, tied to a Khasi legend about a giant serpent.

Why visit: A legend-rich waterfall that most tour groups skip.

Local tip: Ask your driver or guide to tell you the legend of the Thlen on the way.
Lynsiar Falls, Meghalaya — photo 9
Lynsiar Falls · Meghalaya
Waterfalls · Meghalaya

9. Lynsiar Falls

  • 2 to 3 hours
  • Easy — short walk from the road
  • Check locally
Best time: JFMAMJJASOND Oct – Mar

A quiet twin-curtain fall spilling into a wide green pool — an off-beat stop for travellers who want the falls to themselves.

Why visit: A quiet, uncrowded waterfall with a wide green pool — the opposite of the busy roadside falls.

Local tip: Ask us about road conditions before you plan a visit; access changes with the season.

When are Meghalaya's waterfalls at their best?

Most falls are rain-fed and peak between June and September, when Nokhalikha, Seven Sister and Kynrem are thunderous but views can be hidden by cloud. From October to December the flow is still good and skies are much clearer. Swimming spots like Krang Suri are best from October to April, when the water is calm and clear.

Waterfall safety

Rocks near waterfalls are far more slippery than they look. Stay behind barriers, swim only where swimming is organised with life jackets, and never enter the water after heavy rain upstream — rivers in Meghalaya can rise within minutes.

QUESTIONS

Frequently asked questions

Still unsure? Our Shillong team answers on WhatsApp, usually within minutes.

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Our top picks are 1. Sohra — Cherrapunji, 2. Nokhalikha Falls, 3. Krang Suri Falls, 4. Seven Sister Falls, 5. Weisadong Falls, 6. Kynrem Falls, 7. Elephant Falls, 8. Dainthlen Falls, 9. Lynsiar Falls. Each is covered in detail on this page with its distance from Shillong, best months and entry fee.

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.

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