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Shillong sightseeing by cab

Shillong in 3 days: what to see, in what order

Three days covers the best of Shillong. Day one is the town: Shillong Peak, Elephant Falls, Ward's Lake, the Don Bosco Museum and Umiam Lake, about 67 km. Day two is Sohra (Cherrapunji): Nohkalikai and Seven Sisters falls and the Arwah and Mawsmai caves, about 126 km. Day three is Mawlynnong, the Riwai root bridge and a boat on the Umngot river at Dawki, about 181 km.

16 places373 km by cabtimed against opening hours
Day 1

Shillong Peak, Elephant Falls, the museum and Umiam

Shillong Peak when it opens at 09:00, while the view is clearest, then Elephant Falls and Ward's Lake in the middle of town. The Don Bosco Museum from about 12:20, then lunch. In the afternoon, the Catholic cathedral in Laitumkhrah and Umiam Lake at about 15:30, on the Guwahati road. About 67 km by cab, back by about 16:30. Not on a Sunday, when the museum is closed; one listing also says Shillong Peak closes on Wednesdays.

08:30 to 16:236 places67 km by cab
  1. 1Shillong Peak
  2. 2Elephant Falls
  3. 3Ward's Lake
  4. 4Don Bosco Museum
  5. Lunch
  6. 5Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians
  7. 6Umiam Lake
  8. Back
  1. Leave central Shillong
  2. 1

    Shillong Peak

    45 min here
    Shillong Peak
    Photo: Aadri, CC BY-SA 3.0

    The highest point around Shillong, at about 1,960 m, with a view over the whole city and the hills beyond. It sits inside an Air Force radar station, so there is a gate, a ticket and a short walk to the viewing deck.

    Peaks & viewpointsAbout 09:00 to 15:30 (one listing says 17:00). One listing says closed on Wednesdays. Small ticket; carry photo ID?

    Tip: Carry a photo ID for the gate, and expect cameras to be held there. Some visitors are asked to switch to a local taxi at the gate for the last stretch. Foreign visitors may not be let in.

  3. 2

    Elephant Falls

    1 h here
    Elephant Falls
    Photo: Ishita Singh 015, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Three waterfalls one below the other in a fern-covered gorge, about 10 km from Police Bazar. The Khasi name means "three steps falls"; the British named it after a rock shaped like an elephant, which an earthquake broke in 1897.

    Falls, lakes & parksAbout 09:00 to 17:00, every day (one listing says 10:00 to 18:00). Small ticket?

    Tip: Steps go down past all three falls and are slippery when wet. The bottom fall is the best, so leave enough time and breath for the climb back.

  4. 3

    Ward's Lake

    45 min here
    Ward's Lake
    Photo: ANKAN, CC BY-SA 4.0

    A small horseshoe-shaped lake in the middle of town, made in the 1890s, with a wooden bridge, gardens and paddle boats. It is a few minutes from Police Bazar.

    Falls, lakes & parksOpen 08:30 to 17:30 from November to February, to 19:00 from March to October. One source says closed on Tuesdays, another lists no closed day. Small ticket

    Tip: Some sources say it is closed on Tuesdays. On a Tuesday, spend the time at Lady Hydari Park instead (not on a Monday).

  5. 4

    Don Bosco Museum

    1 h 15 min here
    Closed on Sundays
    Don Bosco Museum
    Photo: Chinnu24, CC BY-SA 4.0

    A seven-floor museum about the peoples of the Northeast: their clothes, tools, weapons, music and homes, gallery by gallery. On the roof, a skywalk looks out over Shillong.

    Museums & churchesOpen 09:30 to 16:30 from December to mid-February (last entry 15:30), to 17:30 the rest of the year. Closed on Sundays and some church holidays

    Tip: Closed on Sundays. Leave time for the skywalk at the top; it keeps the museum's hours.

  6. Lunch, about 1 h. Your driver will know a place nearby. The times after this include it.
  7. 5

    Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians

    25 min here
    Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians
    Photo: Javed Rahman, CC BY 2.0

    Shillong's Catholic cathedral, a tall church in Laitumkhrah rebuilt in the 1940s after a fire, with stained-glass windows along both sides.

    Museums & churchesOpen every day, about 09:00 to 17:00 (listings differ, from 07:00 to 18:30). Quiet during Mass?

    Tip: Dress modestly and keep quiet inside, as it is a working church.

  8. 6

    Umiam Lake

    45 min here
    Umiam Lake
    Photo: "User:RMehra", CC BY-SA 3.0

    A huge lake made by a dam in the 1960s, about 15 km north of Shillong on the Guwahati road, ringed by pine-covered hills. Locals call it Barapani, "big water".

    Falls, lakes & parksThe roadside viewpoint is open in daylight. Boats and water sports at the lake about 09:00 to 17:00?

    Tip: If you drive up from Guwahati, you pass it on the way in, so you can stop then. Boating and water sports are at the water sports complex by the lake, about 1.5 km on.

  9. Back at central Shillong
Day 2

Cherrapunji: falls, caves and viewpoints

Leave at 08:00 for Sohra, the town also called Cherrapunji, about 55 km away. The Mawkdok valley viewpoint at about 08:30 and Wah Kaba Falls on the way, then the walk to Arwah Cave and Nohkalikai Falls before 11:30. Mawsmai Cave at about 12:05, then lunch. Seven Sisters Falls and the Eco Park in the afternoon. About 126 km by cab. The map says back by about 16:20; on these hill roads, plan on 17:00 or later. Works on any day of the week.

08:00 to 16:187 places126 km by cab
  1. 1Duwan Sing Syiem viewpoint, Mawkdok
  2. 2Wah Kaba Falls
  3. 3Arwah Cave
  4. 4Nohkalikai Falls
  5. 5Mawsmai Cave
  6. Lunch
  7. 6Seven Sisters Falls
  8. 7Sohra Eco Park
  9. Back
  1. Leave central Shillong
  2. 1

    Duwan Sing Syiem viewpoint, Mawkdok

    20 min here
    Duwan Sing Syiem viewpoint, Mawkdok
    Photo: Harish Bhattad, CC BY-SA 4.0

    A viewpoint by the Mawkdok bridge on the Sohra road, looking down the Mawkdok valley. It is the first big view on the way to Cherrapunji.

    Peaks & viewpointsRoadside viewpoint, open in daylight. Small fee?

    Tip: Ziplining over the valley is offered here on most days, for a fee.

  3. 2

    Wah Kaba Falls

    20 min here
    Wah Kaba Falls
    Photo: Hkaay, CC BY-SA 4.0

    A tall, thin waterfall that drops into a gorge right beside the Sohra road, seen from a small viewing shelter.

    Falls, lakes & parksRoadside viewpoint, about 06:00 to 17:00. Small fee?

    Tip: In the dry months, from about December to March, it can be only a trickle.

  4. 3

    Arwah Cave

    1 h here
    Arwah Cave
    Photo: Wann Majaw, CC0

    A limestone cave above Sohra with fossils of fish and shells set in its walls, from when this land was under the sea. A paved path along the cliff leads to it.

    Caves, villages & root bridgesAbout 06:00 or 08:00 to 17:30, every day. Ticket?

    Tip: The path from the parking is about 1 km each way, with steps and fine views over the valley. Wear shoes with grip.

  5. 4

    Nohkalikai Falls

    40 min here
    Nohkalikai Falls
    Photo: Sohel78bd at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

    One of India's tallest plunge waterfalls, about 340 m, falling into a turquoise pool in a wooded gorge. The view is from the cliff opposite.

    Falls, lakes & parksViewpoint open in daylight. Small ticket?

    Tip: Steps lead down to a lower viewpoint. Stalls at the top sell tea, snacks and local oranges in winter.

  6. 5

    Mawsmai Cave

    45 min here
    Mawsmai Cave
    Photo: Wann Majaw, CC0

    A lit limestone cave about 150 m long that you walk through, past stalactites and narrow gaps. It is the easiest cave to see in Meghalaya.

    Caves, villages & root bridgesAbout 09:00 or 09:30 to 17:00 or 17:30, every day. Ticket

    Tip: Some gaps are tight and the floor is wet, so wear shoes you can get wet. Not for anyone who dislikes small spaces.

  7. Lunch, about 1 h. Your driver will know a place nearby. The times after this include it.
  8. 6

    Seven Sisters Falls

    20 min here
    Seven Sisters Falls
    Photo: Trideep Dutta Photography, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Seven streams that fall side by side over a long limestone cliff near Mawsmai village. The Khasi name is Nohsngithiang.

    Falls, lakes & parksViewpoint open in daylight (one listing gives 08:00 to 17:00)?

    Tip: In the dry months only a few of the seven streams run.

  9. 7

    Sohra Eco Park

    40 min here

    A park on the edge of a plateau where streams run over the cliff. On a clear day you can see the plains of Bangladesh below.

    Falls, lakes & parksOpen in daylight. Small ticket. No published hours found?

    Tip: Keep behind the railings: the edge has no fence in places.

  10. Back at central Shillong
Day 3

Mawlynnong, the root bridge and Dawki

Leave at 07:30 for Mawlynnong, about 70 km away, and walk the village before the day-trip crowds. The Riwai living root bridge is 2 km on. Then down to Dawki for a boat on the Umngot river at about 11:50, with lunch by the river after it. About 181 km by cab. The map says back by about 14:40; the road is narrow and winding, so plan on 16:30 or later. Works on any day of the week.

07:30 to 14:383 places181 km by cab
  1. 1Mawlynnong village
  2. 2Riwai living root bridge
  3. 3Umngot river, Dawki
  4. Back
  1. Leave central Shillong
  2. 1

    Mawlynnong village

    1 h 30 min here
    Mawlynnong village
    Photo: Madhumita Das, CC BY-SA 4.0

    A Khasi village known as one of the cleanest in Asia: bamboo bins on every path, flower gardens and stone-and-wood houses. The Sky View, a bamboo tower, looks out to Bangladesh, and the Balancing Rock sits on the edge of the village.

    Caves, villages & root bridgesA village, open through the day. Village entry fee; Sky View tower is extra?

    Tip: Pay the village fee at the gate and keep to the paths; people live here. Small cafes serve lunch.

  3. 2

    Riwai living root bridge

    45 min here
    Riwai living root bridge
    Photo: Arindambasu2, CC BY-SA 4.0

    A bridge grown from the roots of a rubber tree, trained across a stream by villagers over many years. It is the easiest living root bridge to reach.

    Caves, villages & root bridgesOpen in daylight. Small fee?

    Tip: About 10 minutes' walk down steps from the road, then the same back up. The stones are slippery.

  4. 3

    Umngot river, Dawki

    1 h 30 min here
    Umngot river, Dawki
    Photo: Jyotishkardey, CC BY-SA 4.0

    A river so clear in winter that the boats seem to float on air. Small wooden boats row out under the old Dawki suspension bridge, a few hundred metres from the Bangladesh border.

    Falls, lakes & parksBoats about 07:00 to 17:00. Cash only, priced per boat. Boating stops when the river is high?

    Tip: Life jackets are compulsory. In the monsoon the water is brown and boating is often stopped. Shnongpdeng, 3 km upstream, is a quieter place to take a boat.

  5. Back at central Shillong

Drive times come from road routing without traffic. Shillong's roads are narrow, steep and often jammed from about 09:00 to 11:00 and 16:00 to 19:00, and the Sohra and Dawki roads are winding hill roads that slow down in rain and fog. Allow an hour or two more than the map shows on the Sohra and Dawki days. Opening hours marked ? are not yet confirmed, so check them before you go.

Book a cab for these 3 days

Call or message a local Shillong operator with this plan. Tell them your hotel and dates, and they send a price for the car and driver.

3 × full day, 8 h / 80 kmSedan, SUV or InnovaPrice from the operator

We are still listing Shillong operators. Write to [email protected] and we will put you in touch.

Opening times for this plan

The hours we planned around. Check before you go on a public holiday.

PlaceOpenBest timeVisit
Shillong PeakAbout 09:00 to 15:30 (one listing says 17:00). One listing says closed on Wednesdays. Small ticket; carry photo ID?First thing in the morning, before clouds roll in.45 min
Elephant FallsAbout 09:00 to 17:00, every day (one listing says 10:00 to 18:00). Small ticket?Any time of day; the falls are fullest from June to October.1 h
Ward's Lake08:30 to 17:30 from November to February, to 19:00 from March to October. One source says closed on Tuesdays, another lists no closed day. Small ticketLate morning, when the boats are out.45 min
Don Bosco Museum09:30 to 16:30 from December to mid-February (last entry 15:30), to 17:30 the rest of the year. Closed on Sundays and some church holidaysLate morning, with an hour or more to spare.1 h 15 min
Cathedral of Mary Help of ChristiansOpen every day, about 09:00 to 17:00 (listings differ, from 07:00 to 18:30). Quiet during Mass?Any time outside Mass; Sunday mornings are busy.25 min
Umiam LakeThe roadside viewpoint is open in daylight. Boats and water sports at the lake about 09:00 to 17:00?Late afternoon, when the light is soft on the water.45 min
Duwan Sing Syiem viewpoint, MawkdokRoadside viewpoint, open in daylight. Small fee?Morning, before the valley clouds over.20 min
Wah Kaba FallsRoadside viewpoint, about 06:00 to 17:00. Small fee?Any time; fullest in the monsoon.20 min
Arwah CaveAbout 06:00 or 08:00 to 17:30, every day. Ticket?Morning, before the tour groups.1 h
Nohkalikai FallsViewpoint open in daylight. Small ticket?Late morning; clouds can hide it, so wait a few minutes if they do.40 min
Mawsmai CaveAbout 09:00 or 09:30 to 17:00 or 17:30, every day. TicketMidday, after the morning rush.45 min
Seven Sisters FallsViewpoint open in daylight (one listing gives 08:00 to 17:00)?In the monsoon, from June to September, when all seven streams run.20 min
Sohra Eco ParkOpen in daylight. Small ticket. No published hours found?Afternoon, on the way back.40 min
Mawlynnong villageA village, open through the day. Village entry fee; Sky View tower is extra?Morning, before the day-trip crowds.1 h 30 min
Riwai living root bridgeOpen in daylight. Small fee?Morning, before it gets crowded.45 min
Umngot river, DawkiBoats about 07:00 to 17:00. Cash only, priced per boat. Boating stops when the river is high?November to March, when the water is clear enough to see the stones on the bottom.1 h 30 min

More or less time in Shillong?

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Shillong in 1 day

Shillong Peak, Elephant Falls, the museum and Umiam

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Shillong in 2 days

Shillong Peak, Elephant Falls, the museum and Umiam · Cherrapunji: falls, caves and viewpoints

See the 2-day plan →

All 22 places in Shillong

Every sight with what to see, opening times and how long to stay.

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Questions people ask

Which days should I avoid?

Keep day one off a Sunday, when the Don Bosco Museum is closed. Days two and three work on any day of the week, so swap them round if Sunday falls on day one.

Is the Dawki day too long?

It is a long day: about 181 km of hill road. The map gives about 3.5 hours of driving, but plan on 5 or more and be back by about 16:30 or later. Ask for an outstation fare, not the 8 hour, 80 km city package.

When is the Umngot river at Dawki clear?

From about November to March. In the monsoon it turns brown and boating often stops when the river is high. Shnongpdeng, 3 km upstream, is a quieter place to take a boat.