Help needed for planning trip to Cherrapunjee

Hi!

We are planning to visit Cherrapunjee for 3 nights in July 1st week. We have booked in advance in the Cherra Holiday Resort.

But we are a lil doubtful and want to know - is this at all a good time/season for visiting Cherrapujee? Is there possibility of landslide or road blockage during monsoon?

Will appreciate a speedy reply since we need to book a flight ticket asap.

Thanks in advance!

Well if you are chasing the Monsoons, then this is the place to be. Having said that. The monsoon is just about to start here. However for your information, it does not rain every day. It may rain for 3-4 days, then stop for some days before it starts raining again.

Hopefully your trip will be sometime in the days where it decides to stop or even if it rains, it will give some hours of respite during the day time. And due to climate change or global warming, it has become very rare or unheard of rainfall falling for 5-7 days non stop, atleast here in Shillong. Of course the intensity has increased, however the duration has decreased. So if you look at rainfall data you would not understand this phenomena as the collected rainfall in the rain gauge will be similar to past records.

Karikor Kharkongor

However be rest assured you have chosen the best place to stay for your holiday in Cherrapunjee and I'm sure whatever the weather may hold, you will have a memorable time. By the way, just for your information, it was raining very heavily at 7am here in Shillong, but then at around 1 pm, the weather has become all pleasant and sunny. And Shillong is not even 60km from Cherrapunjee.

For more information please check

http://megtourism.gov.in/attraction.html

Thanks Karikor! We are pretty sure that we will take our chance. If nothing else, at least we can enjoy the rain like we did never before.

June 29: We'll reach Guwahati early morning by air. Will get transported to Shillong the same day, check in a hotel and get around the town for the rest of the day.

June 30: Leave Shillong early morning and reach Cherrapunjee. Check in to Cherra Holiday Resort. Entire day at Cherrapunjee.

July 1: Entire day at Cherrapunjee

July 2: Entire day at Cherrapunjee

July 3: Check out at the afternoon and get transported to Guwahati Airport to catch our flight. I think we can do a bit of touring on the way as well because our flight is at late in the evening (8 pm).

This is a very rough chalk out. But yet to figure out a detail trip plan. Few places on top of our list are -
1. Living root bridges
2. 7 sister falls
3. Caves (don't know which one is the best and most accessible for us)
4. Mawlynnong

Could you please help us make our itinerary and suggest some places which we missed out completely?

Thanks!

@ skyleena.

Glad to see you enthusiasm. I pray it turns out great for you.

If you have already decided on staying at Cherra Holiday Resort, then this is my suggestive itinarary for you:

29th - Reach Guwahati/Shillong Airport. Head straight for Cherrapunjee. It is 180 kms away from Guwahati Airport and 60 kms away from Shillong. Relax. Halt.

On the way from Guwahati , stop by Makhaan Bhog restaurant in Byrnihaat. It is the only clean and hygynic eatery along the way and offers a decent vegetarian menu.
Mid way between Shillong and Cherrapunjee, there is a nice Drive-Inn cafeteria which is clean and hygyenic run by the State Tourism Dept. before reaching Duwan Sing Bridge in Mawkdok. It would be a good stop for tea and snacks.

You can ask the resort for pick up from the Airport. They do provide such services.

30th - Spend the whole day doing sight seeing in Cherrapunjee. Remember sunsets are early (6pm) in this part of the world. The resort can help you with the hired vehicle. For Lunch you can try Avron Restaurant in Saitsohpen village which is along the Cherra Local Sight seeing circuit.

In the evening, ask the resort to organise some cultural event.

My suggestion is start with Kynrem Falls, Move up to Khoh Ramhah, Thangkharang Park, Noh Sngi Thiang (Seven Sisters Falls) - Eco Park- Mawsmai Cave - Lunch at Avron in Saitsohpen - Wah Kaba Falls- Dain Thlen Falls - Sohra Market (if time permits) - Noh Kalikai Falls (definitely not to be missed- 2 highest single drop waterfall in India).

Remember the resort is 15 kms from Saitsohpen which is center of Cherrapunjee and 20 kms from Noh Ka Likai Falls.

1st - Start early after breakfast and trek to the Double Decker Living Root Bridge or trek to the smaller Root bridges in and around the resort. Come back for Lunch. Transfer to Shillong.Halt

Tip 1. Start by 8-9 am. It takes 4-6 hours. Depending how many hours you would like to spend in the Root Bridges and its crytal blue pools of water and also your physical fitness.
2. Bring Raincoat and good trekking shoes.
or
Chech Out after Breakfast.Day Trip to Mawlynnong. Asia's cleanest village. It is 2.5 hours from Cherrapunjee and around the same time from SHillong. Transfer to Shillong by 2pm after lunch.Halt

Tip 1: Have lunch in one of the local homes.
2. Visit Sky walk for view of Bangladesh
3. Visit Single Decker Root bridge near riwai village. About 20 mins walk from main road.

On the way to Shillong, Stop at Mawphlang Sacred Grove, Elephant Falls & Shillong Peak.

2nd - Whole Day Shillong Sight Seeing.
Pre Lunch- visit Smit,a village 15 km from Shillong & Laitlum Canyons, another 5 kms from it.Also Sweet Falls, Wankhar Butterfly Museum. Lunch

Post Lunch: Don Bosco Museum, and at 4.15pm , the local archery competition in Polo Grounds.

Evening : Shopping in Police Bazaar, Dinner. Halt

For this day, you can adjust accordingly to your interest.

3rd -
After Breakfast, Check out- Complete all Local Sight seeing within Shillong city.
Golf COurse-Wards Lake- Lady Hydari Park- Anglican Cemetry-
Leave Shillong by 11am. On the way stop in Umiam Lake Resort/ Umiam Water Sports Complex/Nehru Park. Leave Umiam Lake by 1 pm. Head for Guwahati Airport.

Reasons to:
Why I ended your trip in Shillong is because Shillong is 120 kms from Guwahati Airport, while Cherrapunje is 190 km away. Hence you can utilise the 2-2.5 hours it takes for travelling from Cherra to Shillong in more useful things.

For more information on places to see, places to eat & places to stay

Please check : http://megtourism.gov.in/dest-khasi.html

You can also google for more places to see.

If you need any other help, you can post back to me.

Hi Karikor,

I would like to visit Cherrapunjee + Shilong during mid December. Is it worth to go to Cherrapunjee in December?

Regards,
Arunava

Yes it definitely is. It is warmer than Shillong as it is a good 100-150m lower in elevation than Shillong. It is usually bright and sunny from morning till 3-4 pm and then it gets dark. After dark it may get a little chilly, but still manageable. And there are no rains that time of the year. The month is famous for the Khasi Mandarin Oranges from the lower slopes of the Cherrapunjee region.The only thing you might be missing is the water from most of the water falls. Anyway I say go for it. There are many other things other than just waterfalls.

And its the best time to do some trekking.

How many days are you planning it for?

I am planning to go Cherrapunjee directly from Guwahati/Shillong. My plan is to stay 3 nights and then go back to Shilong for 2/3 more days.

Can my 8 year old daughter make it to doubole decker root bridge?

@Karikor: Thanks Karikor for the details! But do you think the caves will be accessible at the monsoon time? Or we may have to skip the 'caves' part completely since it may be filled with water?

@Arunava: After some research I found out that the walks to the bridges are quite strenuous and especially for a 8year old it could be a bit too much. But you will be rewarded with beautiful waterfalls and swimming holes at the bottom

@ Arunava.
For an itirenary, you can follow something similar to what I have proposed for skyleena. Of course you will have more time, so you can cover them relaxingly. And well, maybe the double decker may be a little too much for your 8 year old daughter, however you will find many smaller living root bridges near the resort itself which needs smaller treks. And also you have a 20 mins trek to a very nice single root bridge near Mawlynnong.

If you have a particular interest in something, you can tell me, so I can make suggestions for you.


@ Skyleena.

Well you can definitely do the Mawsmai cave. The cave has two sections. One which is the main cave is longer and not very common to public, another is a smaller shoerter 150meters lit up cave. Yes you can expect a little dripping to take place, but the cave has been provided with proper ramps and ladders, so you will not have problems with the water.

Thanks for all the important info that you provided so far!

We have also been searching for a hotel in Shillong. We are trying to save time and effort by booking a hotel prior to our visit. Our primary requiremts are - should be at or around the central point of Shillong (Police Bazar) but not a costly one. Just a clean, well maintained and safe place to stay for a night or two. Can you please suggest something?

There are roughly about 20 hotels in a 1 km perimeter from Police Bazaar area. However it is always better to book in advance, as most of these hotels get completely booked. Anyway what is your ideal hotel budget per day like?

Something between 1200 to 1800..

How is the Eee-Cee hotel at Police Bazar? They are charding 1900 for a double bedded standard room including bearkfast. Do you thing this is reasonable at Shillong standard?

Well Eee Cee is a hotel right in the middle of Police Bazaar which have just been refurbished and renovated. And many have good reviews on it. However this time, one family I know stayed there for a night and maybe it was their luck or something, but everything kept on going awry.I guess it was just a one bad day for the hotel. Anyway 1900 is ok. given that the hotel is pretty clean and centrally located. My friends got a better room for 2600. If you are okay with it, then go for it else you can also check out Ashutosh Inn, Hotel Broadway.Both are on the main road itself. However Eee Cee should be good enough.

You should keep in mind that the hotels in Shillong are slightly overpriced. So for whatever you are paying, do not expect too much from it.