Assam Meghalaya Tour

Highlights & Route

This short North East tour joins the Shakti Peeth of Kamakhya with the hills of Meghalaya, the wettest and greenest corner of India. It begins and ends in Guwahati, which has direct flights from Delhi, so it fits into a five-day leave with no overnight train. One night is spent in Guwahati for the temples and three in Shillong, from where the day trips to Cherrapunji and Dawki are made and you return each evening to the same hotel.

Kamakhya on Nilachal hill is one of the most important Shakti Peeths in the country, where the goddess is worshipped in the form of a natural rock cleft rather than an idol. Umananda, on a small island in the Brahmaputra, is reached by a short ferry and is one of the smallest inhabited river islands in the world. From there the road climbs past Umiam Lake to Shillong at about 1,500 m, a town of pine trees, old churches and a bustling Police Bazaar.

The two full days in Meghalaya show two very different faces of the state. Cherrapunji (Sohra) is about rainfall and limestone: the Nohkalikai and Seven Sisters falls, the lit passages of Mawsmai cave and the longer Arwah cave with its fossils. Dawki is about the Umngot river, so clear in winter that boats seem to float on air, and nearby Mawlynnong, a Khasi village famous for its cleanliness, with a living root bridge a short walk away. Everything is by road in a private vehicle, with a good deal of time outdoors.

Route

Guwahati airport → Kamakhya and Umananda (1 night Guwahati) → Umiam Lake → Shillong (3 nights) → Cherrapunji day trip → Dawki and Mawlynnong day trip → Guwahati → airport drop

Good to know before you book

Indian citizens need no permit for Assam or Meghalaya. Foreign nationals need no permit either, but must register at the Dawki border checkpost.
The best months are October to April. The Umngot river at Dawki is clearest from November to March; in the monsoon (June to September) it turns brown and boating stops.
Kamakhya temple opens early in the morning and closes for the afternoon; queues are long on weekends and during Ambubachi Mela in June. A paid fast-darshan ticket is available at the temple counter.
Umananda ferries do not run when the Brahmaputra is in high flood, usually in the monsoon.
Shillong to Cherrapunji is about 55 km and to Dawki about 80 km, each a two-hour drive on hill roads.
Entry fees at caves, falls and parks, and boating at Dawki, are paid on the spot.

Yatra Highlights

Darshan at Kamakhya Shakti Peeth and the island temple of Umananda
Nohkalikai Falls, Seven Sisters Falls and the Mawsmai and Arwah caves at Cherrapunji
Boat ride on the Umngot river at Dawki and the living root bridge at Mawlynnong

Day 1 :

Arrive Guwahati, Kamakhya and Umananda

Our representative meets you at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport or Guwahati railway station at your arrival point (airport, railway station or hotel) at the agreed time. Drive up Nilachal hill to Kamakhya temple for darshan. The sanctum is a natural cave with a rock fissure kept moist by a spring, and devotees queue to touch it; the temple's beehive-shaped shikhara and the surrounding shrines of the ten Mahavidyas are worth a slow walk.

In the afternoon, take the short ferry from Uzan Bazar ghat to Umananda, the Shiva temple on Peacock Island in the middle of the Brahmaputra. Return to the hotel; the evening is free. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Guwahati

Day 2 :

Guwahati to Shillong via Umiam Lake

After breakfast, drive to Shillong, about 100 km and three to four hours. Just before the town the road runs along Umiam Lake (Barapani), a large reservoir where you can stop for photographs or a short boat ride.

Check in to the hotel in Shillong. In the afternoon visit Ward's Lake with its garden paths, and the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, a large church built in the 1930s. Spend the evening at Police Bazaar, the town's main market, for shawls, local snacks and a look at Shillong's lively street life. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Shillong

Day 3 :

Cherrapunji day trip

After an early breakfast, drive south to Cherrapunji (Sohra), about two hours, through the rolling grassland of the Khasi plateau. First stop is Nohkalikai Falls, which drops over 300 m from the plateau edge into a green pool; the view is from a platform at the top. Then the Seven Sisters Falls viewpoint and the Eco Park on the edge of the escarpment, from where the Bangladesh plains are visible on a clear day.

After lunch (own cost) explore Mawsmai cave, a short lit passage through limestone, and Arwah cave, longer and with fossils in its walls; both involve some stooping and uneven ground. Return to Shillong by evening. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Shillong

Day 4 :

Dawki and Mawlynnong day trip

After breakfast, drive to Dawki on the Bangladesh border, about 80 km and two and a half hours. Take a boat ride on the Umngot river; in the dry months the water is so clear that the rounded stones on the riverbed are visible many feet down, and the suspension bridge above makes a fine backdrop.

Continue to Mawlynnong, a Khasi village known for its spotless lanes, bamboo dustbins and flowering gardens. From here a short walk of about 20 minutes down stone steps leads to the Riwai living root bridge, grown over decades from the roots of rubber fig trees; a bamboo sky-walk platform in the village gives a view over the forest canopy. Return to Shillong by evening. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Shillong

Day 5 :

Shillong to Guwahati, departure

Breakfast and check-out. Drive back down to Guwahati, about three hours. If your flight or train is in the evening, there is time for a river cruise on the Brahmaputra (own cost) or a visit to the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra cultural complex. Transfer to the airport or railway station at your departure point (airport, railway station or hotel).

Night	Place	Hotel (or similar)	Room type
1	Guwahati	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
2	Shillong	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
3	Shillong	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
4	Shillong	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

How do we reach Guwahati from Dehradun or Delhi?

Fly from Delhi to Guwahati, about two and a half hours non-stop. The Rajdhani from New Delhi takes around 27 hours if you prefer the train. Day 1 is planned so that a morning flight gives you time for Kamakhya the same afternoon.

Do we need any permit for Meghalaya?

No. Indian citizens need no permit for Assam or Meghalaya. Foreign nationals also need none, but their passports are registered at the Dawki checkpost, which is a border area.

When is the best time for this tour?

October to April. For the famous clear water at Dawki, November to March is best. Cherrapunji’s waterfalls are fullest just after the monsoon in October. The monsoon itself, June to September, is very wet and boating stops.

How long is the queue at Kamakhya?

On ordinary weekdays, one to two hours in the general line. A paid special-darshan ticket from the temple counter shortens this considerably. Weekends, Navratri and the Ambubachi Mela in June bring very large crowds; tell us your dates and we will plan the visit for the quietest hour.

Is this tour suitable for elderly parents?

Mostly yes. The drives are two to three hours at a time on good roads, and the sights are viewpoints reached by vehicle. The root bridge walk and the caves involve steps, and they can wait at the village or the cave entrance while the rest of the group goes.

Can this be run for an office group?

Yes. For groups of 12 or more we use tempo travellers or a coach, add a group lunch each day and can arrange a bonfire evening in Shillong. Ask us for a group quote with your head count.

Will we get vegetarian food?

Yes. Hotel meals are vegetarian, and Guwahati and Shillong have plenty of vegetarian and North Indian restaurants. In Cherrapunji and Dawki the choice is limited to small eateries, so we point you to the ones with reliable vegetarian thalis.

Will we see a living root bridge on this 5-day plan?

Yes. On Day 4, after the Umngot boat ride at Dawki, we stop at Mawlynnong. From there a walk of about 20 minutes down stone steps leads to the Riwai single living root bridge, and you climb the same steps back. The famous double-decker bridge at Nongriat, which needs about 3,000 steps each way, is not part of this plan. If you want it, our 7-day Assam Meghalaya package includes two nights in Cherrapunji and a guided Nongriat trek.

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Highlights & Route

Route

Good to know before you book

Yatra Highlights

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Inclusions & Exclusions

Included

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Hotels

Documents & Fitness

Documents to carry

Fitness and health

Cancellation Policy

Frequently Asked Questions

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