Meghalaya packs a lot into a small state. There are root bridges grown from trees, caves that run for kilometres and a river so clear the boats seem to float on air.
Here are fifteen things worth your time, from easy viewpoints to hard treks. At the end we sort them by season, and by what works with children.
1. Walk to the double-decker root bridge
At Nongriat two living root bridges grow one above the other across a stream. Khasi villagers trained the roots of rubber fig trees across the water, over many years.
Getting there is the catch. From Tyrna it is about 3,500 steps down and the same back up. Allow four to six hours for the round trip.
Stay a night in Nongriat if you can. The day crowds leave by late afternoon. See our root bridge trek, and read what the walk is really like.
2. See a root bridge without the stairs
Not everyone wants 7,000 steps in a day. At Riwai, just down the road from Mawlynnong, there is a single-span root bridge that is far easier to reach.
It is smaller and busier than Nongriat. But it is just as real, and it suits knees and children far better.
3. Stand at the edge of Laitlum
About an hour from Shillong, the grassland simply stops. The ground drops into a deep gorge, with ridges stacked to the horizon.
A stone staircase runs down to Rasong, a village with no road. Most people stay at the top, and that is enough. Go in the morning, before the cloud rolls in. More on our Laitlum page.
4. Chase the Sohra waterfalls
Sohra, still called Cherrapunji, sits on a plateau that falls away towards Bangladesh. That is why its waterfalls are so tall.
Nohkalikai is India's tallest plunge waterfall, at 340 metres. Seven Sisters spreads across a cliff face. Wei Sawdong drops in three tiers, down a steep and slippery path.
Do Nohkalikai first, in morning light. Our Sohra page has the full circuit.
5. Go underground
Meghalaya is often called India's cave capital. Well over a thousand caves have been surveyed here. Mawsmai, near Sohra, is the easy one. It is lit, with a floor, and has two tight squeezes.
Arwah is the better visit. You walk in through a forested gorge and see marine fossils in the rock overhead.
Two caves are world-class. Krem Puri runs for about 24 km, the longest sandstone cave known. Krem Mawmluh gave its name to the Meghalayan Age, the last 4,200 years of Earth's history. See the caves of Meghalaya.
6. Walk the sacred grove at Mawphlang
Mawphlang is a sacred forest the Khasi have guarded by custom for centuries. Nothing may leave it, not even a leaf or a stone.
A guide from the village walks you through. He explains the beliefs that kept the forest standing. It is one of the best hours in the state. See Mawphlang Sacred Grove.
7. Hike the David Scott Trail
This old bridle path runs about 16 km from Mawphlang to Ladmawphlang. It crosses grassland, pine forest, rivers and Khasi villages.
It is steady rather than steep, and takes most people five to six hours. It is the best day walk in Meghalaya. Read about the David Scott Trail.
8. Spend a morning in Mawlynnong
A travel magazine called Mawlynnong the cleanest village in Asia in 2003. The villagers still sweep it daily, and bamboo bins line every path.
Go early, before the tour vehicles arrive. And do not go on a Sunday. Since January 2026 the village has closed to day visitors on Sundays. Shops, stalls and toilets shut too.
Read our story on Mawlynnong.
9. Take a boat on the Umngot at Dawki
On the Bangladesh border, the Umngot runs over pale stone between green cliffs. In the dry months the water is so clear that the boats seem to hang in the air.
That is a November-to-April sight. In the monsoon the river runs fast and brown, and boating is often stopped.
10. Feel the rain at Mawsynram
Mawsynram has the highest average rainfall on Earth. It narrowly beats Sohra.
Its Mawjymbuin cave holds a large stalagmite shaped like a Shiva linga. See Mawsynram.
11. Swim below Phe Phe Falls
Phe Phe is in the Jaintia Hills near Jowai, far off the usual circuit. A short, steep path leads to a fall that drops into a deep green pool.
You can swim, and the water is cold. See Phe Phe Falls.
12. Cross the bamboo trail at Wahkhen
The men of Wahkhen built a trail of bamboo ladders and catwalks across a gorge wall. In places you walk a narrow ledge with a long drop beside you.
It is safe if you are steady. It is not for anyone who fears heights. See the Wahkhen bamboo trail.
13. Go west to Wari Chora
In the Garo Hills, far from Shillong, a narrow boat takes you through a canyon of sheer rock and clear green water.
The village runs access, so the fees stay local. It is best from November to March. See Wari Chora.
14. Slow down in Shillong
Stop at Umiam Lake, which the Khasi call Barapani, on the way up from Guwahati. In town, the Don Bosco Museum has seven floors on the cultures of the North East.
In the evening, walk Police Bazar and find some live music. Shillong takes its music seriously. Read why it is called India's rock capital.
15. Look up at the stars over Sohra
On a clear night away from the town lights, the sky over the plateau is full of stars. Winter gives you the best chance.
Read A Million Stars Over Cherrapunji before you go.
Things to do in October
The rains are easing, and the falls are still full. This is the month for waterfalls you can both see and hear.
Do the Sohra circuit, the caves and the sacred grove. Keep a spare day, as late showers still come. Book early if you travel in the Durga Puja week.
Things to do in November
November is dry and clear, with cool days. The Umngot at Dawki starts to clear, and the treks are at their best.
Time it right and you can add the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival on 20 and 21 November 2026. The 100 Drums Wangala Festival runs from 11 to 14 November at Tura, in the Garo Hills.
Things to do in December
December is the driest month. Shillong averages about 7 mm of rain in it. The views at Laitlum and Sohra are at their sharpest, and Dawki is at its clearest.
Spend Christmas in Shillong for the lights and carols. Nights are cold, so pack warm.
Things to do in the monsoon
From June to September the falls are huge and the hills are deep green. Many viewpoints sit inside cloud, and roads can close after landslides.
Lean on the caves, which stay the same in any weather. Read our best time to visit Meghalaya before you book a wet-season trip.
Things to do with kids
Children love the boats at Dawki, the root bridge at Riwai and the sky walk at Mawlynnong. Mawsmai cave feels like an adventure without being a hard walk.
Skip Nongriat with small children, and Wahkhen with anyone nervous. Our guide to Meghalaya with kids and elderly parents has the full list.
Plan your trip
Our Meghalaya in Full trip covers most of this list in a week, with three nights on the Sohra plateau. It starts from ₹31,500 per person, indicative, for 2 adults sharing, land only.
Tell us what you want to see and when. We reply within 24 hours.
