Meghalaya's root bridges are not a viewpoint — they are at the bottom of a gorge, down three thousand wet stone steps, and the village at the bottom has no road. That is why the double-decker bridge at Nongriat is still worth seeing and the ones you can drive to are not. Stay overnight in the village; everyone who day-trips it regrets the climb back up in the afternoon heat.
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When to go
October to April is clear and dry. June to September is the monsoon this place is famous for — the waterfalls are extraordinary and the trails are genuinely dangerous. September, when the rain eases but the water is still high, is the sweet spot.
Meghalaya right now and the next 7 days
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Meghalaya, planned for you
A satellite map for every day with each stop pinned in order, photos of the places, timings, what each part costs, where to sleep and eat, and a checklist. One PDF that works offline: print it, or send it to everyone going.
- Day 1 Arrive in Meghalaya · Rainbow Falls
- TravelTrain + shared taxi: → Guwahati, then 3 h₹3,600
- 11:00Rainbow FallsFree
- 15:30Living Root Bridge at Mawlynnong₹50
- Day 2 Mawlynnong village
- Day 3 Dawki & the Umngot river
- Day 4 Laitlum Canyon
- Day 5 A slow day
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Meghalaya on the map
Tap anything in the list: the map zooms straight to it. Tap your starting city to see the way there.
The area
Places to see
Day trips
Meghalaya · Open in Google Maps ↗
Map by Google. Places are found by name, so check the exact spot in Google Maps before you go.
Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
Change anything and the numbers update. Every price is what the bus, room or ticket itself costs. We take no commission and sell no packages, so this is what you pay booking each piece yourself.
Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Prices last updated 6 October 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book. Spot a wrong price? Tell us and we fix it.
On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Meghalaya in 5 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00Rainbow Falls3 h from Nongriat · free · An hour past the double-decker and far emptier. The better waterfall.
- 14:30Lunch break
- 15:30Living Root Bridge at Mawlynnong1 h · ₹50 each · The accessible one, if the Nongriat steps are not realistic for your group.
- 08:00Mawlynnong villageHalf day · ₹100 each · Marketed as Asia's cleanest village. Pretty, small, and very much on the tour circuit.
- 12:30Lunch break
- 13:30Mawsmai & Arwah caves2 h · ₹100 each · Lit, walkable, and genuinely impressive. Arwah has fossils.
- 08:00Dawki & the Umngot riverFull day · ₹900 each · The famously clear water. Go in winter — monsoon runoff makes it brown.
- Lunch on the way
- 08:00Laitlum CanyonHalf day · ₹50 each · The best free view in the state. Empty on a weekday morning.
- 12:30Lunch break
- 13:30Day trip: Mawphlang sacred forestHalf day · ₹100 each · Sumo from Shillong (25 km)
- A slow morning before the journey home.
How to get to Meghalaya
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
Flight + shared taxi
₹9,000Shared sumos leave Guwahati airport and Paltan Bazaar all day.
Train + shared taxi Cheapest
₹3,600Guwahati is the rail head for the whole North East.
Flight to Shillong
₹11,000Limited services and weather-dependent. Guwahati is more reliable.
Shillong → Cherrapunji Last leg
₹200From Bara Bazaar. Leaves when full, all morning.
Getting around once you're there
Shared sumo
₹200The North East's entire transport system. Fills and goes; no timetable.
Private taxi
₹3,000Necessary for the Cherrapunji viewpoint circuit if you're not on a sumo schedule.
On foot
FreeNongriat has no road. Everything below Tyrna is walked.
Motorbike hire
₹1,200Available in Shillong. Wet roads for nine months of the year.
Where to stay in Meghalaya
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Village guesthouse
₹700/nightNo road, no booking site, limited electricity. Staying here is the whole trip.
Dorm
₹600/nightShillong has a proper backpacker scene and live music most nights.
What to eat, and what it costs
Jadoh — Khasi rice and pork
₹120The regional dish. Eat it at a jadoh stall, not a restaurant.
Rice, dal and vegetable
₹90Every village. Simple and enough.
Shillong café meal
₹200Police Bazaar has a good café culture and excellent bakeries.
Tea and pukhlein at a roadside stall
₹50Sweet fried rice cake. You will eat four.
Places to visit and things to do in Meghalaya
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
Double-decker root bridge, Nongriat
₹1003,000 steps down from Tyrna, and 3,000 back. Sleep at the bottom.
Rainbow Falls
FreeAn hour past the double-decker and far emptier. The better waterfall.
Mawlynnong village
₹100Marketed as Asia's cleanest village. Pretty, small, and very much on the tour circuit.
Dawki & the Umngot river
₹900The famously clear water. Go in winter — monsoon runoff makes it brown.
Laitlum Canyon
₹50The best free view in the state. Empty on a weekday morning.
Mawsmai & Arwah caves
₹100Lit, walkable, and genuinely impressive. Arwah has fossils.
Living Root Bridge at Mawlynnong
₹50The accessible one, if the Nongriat steps are not realistic for your group.
Day trips and next stops
Kaziranga, Assam
₹800Sumo to Guwahati, then bus east
Shared sumo from Shillong
Mawphlang sacred forest
₹100Sumo from Shillong
Nartiang monoliths
₹200Sumo via Jowai
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- The 3,000 steps are not a figure of speech. People with knee problems should not attempt the descent.
- Monsoon trails are slick and there are falls every year. September is the compromise month.
- Permits are not required for Meghalaya, but neighbouring Nagaland and Arunachal need Inner Line Permits — plan that separately.
Ways to spend less
- Sleep in Nongriat. Everyone who day-trips it does the worst climb of their life at two in the afternoon.
- Rainbow Falls, an hour further, is better than the bridge everybody photographs and has a tenth of the people.
- Shared sumos cost a tenth of a private taxi and are how the entire region actually moves.
Say it in Hindi
A few words go a long way, especially when you ask a price.
In Khasi, khublei means thank you. Locals will love it.
The pronunciation is a simple guide, not a native recording. Spot a mistake? Tell us.
Before-you-go checklist
Meghalaya in pictures
Tap a photo to see it full size.
Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Meghalaya?
On our month-by-month scores, the best months are Jul–Nov. October to April is clear and dry. June to September is the monsoon this place is famous for — the waterfalls are extraordinary and the trails are genuinely dangerous. September, when the rain eases but the water is still high, is the sweet spot.
How do I reach Meghalaya?
Flight + shared taxi: → Guwahati (GAU), then 3 h to Shillong, 2 h + 3 h, about ₹9,000 one way. Train + shared taxi: → Guwahati, then 3 h, varies + 3 h, about ₹3,600 one way. Flight to Shillong: → Shillong (SHL) direct, varies, about ₹11,000 one way.
How much does a 5-day trip to Meghalaya cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹6,500 on a shoestring, ₹11,000 mid-range or ₹21,000 in comfort over 5 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is train + shared taxi (→ Guwahati, then 3 h) at about ₹3,600 each way.
How many days do you need in Meghalaya?
5 days is right for most people. That covers Rainbow Falls, Living Root Bridge at Mawlynnong, Mawlynnong village, Mawsmai & Arwah caves without rushing.
Is Meghalaya good for families or solo travellers?
Out of 5 on our scores: solo 5, couples 4, families 2, groups 5. It is harder with young children or older parents. It is easy to do on your own.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Meghalaya?
Meghalaya is meat-heavy and pork-centric, and vegetarians should say so clearly and early. Shillong caters well; the villages will cook rice, dal and a vegetable without complaint but there is little variety. Carry snacks for the Nongriat descent.
Will my phone and cards work in Meghalaya?
Phone signal: Fine in Shillong and Cherrapunji, nothing in the gorge. Cards and UPI: Shillong only. Cash: Nongriat and the villages take nothing else.
Guides for Meghalaya
Longer reads from our blog that cover this trip.
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Make the plan yours
Set your dates and group at the top, shape the days, then book each piece directly.
Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we don't sell packages or bookings, we take no commission, and we link to maps and official sites, never to booking sites. Every guide is free; our only paid products are optional downloadable trip plans and itineraries. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 6 October 2026 · Photo: PJeganathan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: ANKAN · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Rajesh Rane · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Vikramjit Kakati · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Original: Chirnzb Derivative work: UnpetitproleX · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
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