East and Northeast
Meghalaya Travel Guide: Root Bridges & Falls
Living roots · Rain · Caves
One of the wettest places on earth, with living root bridges grown over centuries, waterfalls that drop into green gorges, and a plateau culture that is distinct from mainland India in food, music, and pace.
Plan your trip
When to go
- Jan: Fine, with trade-offs
- Feb: Fine, with trade-offs
- Mar: Best
- Apr: Best
- May: Fine, with trade-offs
- Jun: Hard: monsoon, heat, snow or closures
- Jul: Hard: monsoon, heat, snow or closures
- Aug: Hard: monsoon, heat, snow or closures
- Sep: Fine, with trade-offs
- Oct: Best
- Nov: Best
- Dec: Fine, with trade-offs
Dark green: best. Light: fine, with trade-offs. Sand: hard: monsoon, heat, snow or closures. Editorial judgement, not measured data.
- Best time
- October to May for manageable rain and clear views. The monsoon (June to September) brings the heaviest rainfall in the world to Cherrapunji — spectacular but wet.
- How to reach
- Fly to Guwahati (GAU) — the main gateway — then drive roughly 2.5 hours to Shillong on NH6. No Inner Line Permit is required for Indian citizens visiting Meghalaya.
- Getting around
- Shared sumo jeeps and local buses connect Shillong with Cherrapunji and Mawlynnong. A hired cab gives more flexibility for the scattered viewpoints and village trails.
- Rough budget
- A five-day trip from Guwahati runs roughly ₹15,000–25,000 per person including stays, food, and local transport. The trek to the root bridges charges a small local entry fee.
A short itinerary
- Day 1: Guwahati to Shillong: settle in, explore Bara Bazar and Police Bazar, try jadoh rice with pork at a local dhaba.
- Day 2: Cherrapunji: Nohkalikai Falls, Mawsmai Cave, and the viewpoints above the Bangladesh plains.
- Day 3: Tyrna village and the full root bridge trek — down 3,500 steps to the double-decker bridge and back up.
