Meghalaya: Shillong, Cherrapunji and Dawki
Waterfalls, living root bridges and a boat ride on a crystal-clear river.
- Duration: 5 days, 4 nights
- Route: Guwahati – Shillong – Cherrapunji – Dawki
- Best time: October to April
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate
- Price: Personalised Journeys, priced to your choice of hotels
Overview
A trip through Meghalaya, “the abode of clouds”. You’ll see waterfalls and caves around Cherrapunji, walk to a living root bridge shaped by the Khasi people over generations, and take a boat on the clear Umngot River at Dawki.
- Nohkalikai Falls and Mawsmai Cave near Cherrapunji
- Boat ride on the clear Umngot River at Dawki
- Living root bridges: Riwai, or Nongriat on the optional trek
- Mawlynnong village, known for its cleanliness
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Guwahati, drive to Shillong
Pickup at Guwahati airport or station and drive about 3 hours to Shillong. Check in and rest. Evening at Ward’s Lake or the local market.
Day 2: Shillong to Cherrapunji
See Elephant Falls and Shillong Peak in the morning. Drive about 2 hours to Cherrapunji (Sohra) and visit Nohkalikai Falls and Mawsmai Cave.
Day 3: Mawlynnong, Dawki and Shillong
A long day. Visit Mawlynnong village and the Riwai living root bridge, then take a boat ride on the Umngot River at Dawki. Drive about 3 hours to Shillong in the evening.
Day 4: Shillong to Guwahati
Drive about 3 hours to Guwahati. Visit Kamakhya Temple in the afternoon. Free evening.
Day 5: Departure
Transfer to Guwahati airport or station.
What’s included
Included
- 4 nights in hotels and resorts, twin sharing
- All meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Flights and train tickets within India
- Entry fees and the Dawki boat ride
- Private air-conditioned car with driver
- Airport or station pickup and drop
- Tolls, parking and driver allowance
- Nongriat root bridge trek with a local guide arranged on request
Not included
- Tips and personal expenses
Hotels
- Shillong: 1 night, Hotel
- Cherrapunji: 1 night, Resort
- Shillong: 1 night, Hotel
- Guwahati: 1 night, Hotel
We suggest hotels to suit your requirements, in the hotel style you choose (Premium, Luxury or Heritage & palaces). Stays are twin sharing.
Dates and price
Private trips can start on any date. October to April is drier, with the clearest water at Dawki. Waterfalls are fullest during and just after the monsoon, roughly June to September, but roads can be affected by rain.
This is a Personalised Journey, so its price depends on the hotels you choose, your dates and your group size. Ask us for a quote.
Questions
How hard is the double-decker root bridge trek?
The walk to the double-decker bridge at Nongriat has a steep descent of roughly 3,500 steps each way, so allow several hours. It is optional. The Riwai root bridge is much easier.
Will the waterfalls have water?
Waterfalls are fullest during and just after the monsoon, roughly June to September. In winter some are thin or dry, but the views are clearer.
India tours
- Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur: India’s classic first trip: Mughal monuments, old bazaars and Rajasthani palaces. (6 days, Personalised Journey)
- Kerala: Hills, Backwaters and Beaches: Tea estates in Munnar, wildlife at Periyar and a night on a houseboat. (7 days, Personalised Journey)
- Royal Rajasthan: Forts, Dunes and Lakes: Pink Jaipur, blue Jodhpur, a night in the desert and the lakes of Udaipur. (8 days, Personalised Journey)
- Ladakh: High Passes and Blue Lakes: Monasteries, Nubra’s sand dunes and a night beside Pangong Lake. (8 days, Personalised Journey)
- Goa: Beaches, Old Churches and Spice Farms: Beach days in the north, heritage in Old Goa and quiet sands in the south. (5 days, Personalised Journey)
- Himachal: Pine Valleys and Snow Peaks: Colonial Shimla, the Beas valley and snowy Solang, all by road. (7 days, Personalised Journey)
- Uttarakhand: Haridwar, Rishikesh and Mussoorie: Evening prayers on the Ganga, riverside Rishikesh and a cool hill station. (5 days, Personalised Journey)
- Kashmir: Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam: A houseboat on Dal Lake, the meadows of Gulmarg and the valleys of Pahalgam. (6 days, Personalised Journey)
- Andaman: Port Blair, Havelock and Neil Island: Clear water, coral beaches and island-hopping by ferry. (6 days, Personalised Journey)
- Meghalaya: Shillong, Cherrapunji and Dawki: Waterfalls, living root bridges and a boat ride on a crystal-clear river. (5 days, Personalised Journey)
- Buddhist Circuit: Varanasi, Bodh Gaya and Kushinagar: Follow the Buddha’s path from the first sermon at Sarnath to Kushinagar. (7 days, Personalised Journey)
- Sikkim: Gangtok, Lachung and Pelling: Monasteries, flower valleys and mountain views in the eastern Himalayas. (7 days, Personalised Journey)
Holidays abroad
- Nepal: Kathmandu and Pokhara: Temples and stupas in Kathmandu, then lakes and Himalayan views in Pokhara. (6 days, from ₹32,000 per person)
- Bhutan: Thimphu, Punakha and Paro: Mountain monasteries, hilltop dzongs and the hike to Tiger’s Nest. (6 days, from ₹46,000 per person)
- Maldives: Island Escape: Four nights by the water with snorkelling, sandbank picnics and sunsets. (5 days, from ₹58,000 per person)
- Thailand: Bangkok and Phuket: Bangkok’s temples and markets, then the beaches and islands of Phuket. (7 days, from ₹44,000 per person)
- Dubai: City, Desert and Abu Dhabi: Skyscrapers, a desert safari and a day at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. (5 days, from ₹49,000 per person)
- Bali: Beaches, Temples and Rice Terraces: Ubud’s rice fields and temples, then sunsets on the southern coast. (6 days, from ₹39,000 per person)
- Singapore: City, Sentosa and Gardens: Skyline views, Gardens by the Bay and a day on Sentosa Island. (4 days, from ₹47,000 per person)
- Vietnam: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Hoi An: Old Quarter streets, an overnight cruise and lantern-lit Hoi An. (7 days, from ₹54,000 per person)
- Japan: Tokyo, Mt Fuji, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima: Tokyo, Mt Fuji and Hakone, Kyoto and Nara, Osaka and a day in Hiroshima, with pure vegetarian meals throughout. (10 days, from ₹3,40,000 per person)
- Japan for Beginners: Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Kanazawa, Kyoto and Osaka: A first trip to Japan in 7 days: Tokyo, a day at Mount Fuji, old Kanazawa, Kyoto’s torii gates and a day in Osaka. (7 days, from ₹2,50,000 per person)
- Sri Lanka: Sigiriya, Kandy and the South Coast: An ancient rock fortress, tea country by train and the old fort town of Galle. (8 days, from ₹52,000 per person)
Destinations
Travel guides
- Visit India: a guide for your first trip
- Festival calendar
- Where to go in January
- Where to go in February
- Where to go in March
- Where to go in April
- Where to go in May
- Where to go in June
- Where to go in July
- Where to go in August
- Where to go in September
- Where to go in October
- Where to go in November
- Where to go in December
Zen Vibe Holidays
Contact us
B.no 1097, Main Road, Bijwasan, New Delhi 110061
Phone and WhatsApp: +91 98188 55992
Email: sales@zenvibeholidays.com