Shillong & Cherrapunji (Sohra)

Shillong, the “Scotland of the East,” and Cherrapunji, one of the wettest places on earth: double-decker living root bridges, Seven Sisters Falls and the crystal-clear Umngot River.

Shillong and Cherrapunji lie in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya in northeast India, about 100 km south of Guwahati in Assam and bordering the Bangladesh plains to the south. Shillong, the state capital, sits at about 1,500 m; in British colonial times its pine-covered hills and cool climate earned it the name “Scotland of the East,” and today it is the heart of Khasi culture and India's rock music scene. Cherrapunji (Sohra in Khasi) lies about 55 km south of Shillong and, together with Mawsynram to the west, is one of the rainiest places in the world. Sightseeing falls into three areas. First, Shillong itself: Police Bazaar, Ward's Lake, the Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures, Shillong Peak and Elephant Falls. Second, the Cherrapunji area: plateau-edge waterfalls such as Nohkalikai, Seven Sisters and Kynrem; Mawsmai Cave and Arwah Cave; and the double-decker living root bridge and Rainbow Falls at Nongriat, reached by a descent of about 3,500 steps. Third, the border area to the southeast: Mawlynnong, “Asia's cleanest village”; the Riwai living root bridge; the transparent Umngot River at Dawki; and Krang Suri Falls. The best season is October to April, with clear skies and the Umngot at its clearest; June–September brings the full force of the monsoon, when the waterfalls are most spectacular but fog and landslides are common and some trails close. Getting there: the nearest major airport is Guwahati, about 3 hours to Shillong by shared taxi or hired car; Shillong also has a small airport at Umroi. Sights are spread out, so hiring a car is recommended. Allow 4–5 days: 1 day in Shillong, 2 in Cherrapunji (including a night at the root bridges), and 1 for Dawki and Mawlynnong. Foreign visitors currently need no special permit but must register at their hotel. Local culture is predominantly Khasi Christian and many shops close on Sundays; ask before photographing villagers.

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