Operation Cloudwalker!

In October 2021, right in the middle of an ordinary day, Mahesh and I resolved to go on a week-long trip to Meghalaya. Ever the giver of fancy monikers, Mahesh immediately christened our trip to the abode of clouds “Operation Cloudwalker”, and we set out to fix our itinerary.

We wanted the trip to be a slow paced holiday, than a tightly packed see-it-all- and-do-it-all one. We planned to spend seven days there, and decided to limit ourselves to three activities — (1) chill at Umiam Lake; (2) do the David Scott Trail and (3) trek up to Nongriat, to see the Living Root Bridges and Rainbow falls. No agenda was kept for the time in between these activities, other than to explore nearby areas on foot. In the end, our plan truly lived up to the trip’s name — it involved a lot of walking/hiking/trekking in the land of clouds!

This is a photo essay capturing some of the best moments from “Operation Cloudwalker”. The photos are all our own, captured using our phones, unless otherwise mentioned. It is my hope that these photos and captions will inspire you to visit Meghalaya soon, if you have not already, and that you will be able to take away some useful information that will help you plan your trip better.

Disclaimer: This is a fairly long post and would get boring and insufferably pompous at various points. If you are in a hurry, here is the gist: “Meghalaya is a great holiday destination — book your tickets today!”

Day 1: Sunday: Guwahati — Umiam

Morning rendezvous with the Brahmaputra

We reached Guwahati late night on Saturday and stayed at the Government guest house at Machkhowa, right in the heart of the city. As Google maps showed our location as close to the Brahmaputra river, we decided to walk upto the nearest Ghat, and view the river up and close. Little did we know that we would be leading ourselves to one of its famous Ghats — the Lachit Ghat, where the Government had recently installed a huge (arguably the tallest in North East India) bronze statue of the Ahom general Lachit Borphukan with soldiers and cannons. This was in honour of his bravery in defending the then city of Guwahati (Kamrup), against the Mughal siege during the Battle of Saraighat in 1761.

The Bronze statue of Lachit Borphuka and his soldiers, on a concrete pedestal, over the Brahmaputra river. It turns out that this re-enactment of his valour in the middle of the river is caught up in controversy, as the creators apparently placed the statues towards the wrong direction — they look poised to attack, and not defend, the city of Guwahati. Ouch!

Breakfast at Sangai Manipuri Rice Hotel

We were meeting friends for breakfast and wanted to try out local cuisine. After Mahesh’s Google map research, we settled on the Royal Naga restaurant at Paltan Bazaar, Guwahati. But when it remained shut at 10 AM, oblivious to our hunger pangs, we went to the Sangai Manipuri Rice Hotel which was right across the street.

The Sangai Manipuri Rice Hotel was not just the hotel right across the street, but a trip down the memory lane for Mahesh. He had visited this hotel during an earlier trip to the North East (photo on the left), and had such fond memories of the food — fond enough to venture a second trip there. On the right side is a photo of us at the hotel, during this trip, hungrily waiting for the food to arrive.

The colourful Manipuri rice Thali served for breakfast. The names and contents of the accompaniments went several levels above and beyond our collective comprehension. Photo by Wazim Mustafa IRS

Catching up with friends over breakfast. On the left is Jayaraj, a former colleague who is currently posted in Guwahati, all ready and eager to eat the Manipuri style pork fry in front of him! On the right side from L to R are— Mahesh, self, Jayaraj, Sherrin and Wazim. All happy faces from all the yummy food.

Onwards and southwards to Meghalaya

With a full tummy and a fuller heart, we set off Southward from Guwahati, to our first stop in Meghalaya- the Umiam Lake. Guwahati is quite close to the Assam-Meghalaya border and you enter Meghalaya soon enough. The moment you enter Meghalaya, one feels a definite change — the air is suddenly cleaner and cooler, the road wider and cleaner, the surrounds a lot more greener and the traffic a lot less crazy!

Ri Kynjai: Serenity by the Lake

Our first stop in Meghalaya was at this picturesque property called “Ri Kynjai - Serenity by the Lake”. Ri Kynjai overlooks the Umiam lake and offers exactly what its tagline says — “Serenity by the Lake”.

There is not a lot to do while at Ri Kynjai, other than chill, watch the lake and walk around the property and around the lake on the main road. We had booked in for two days at Ri Kynjai, with this exact agenda — chill, look at the Umiam lake and laze around!

View from our cottage. In Khasi, Ri Kynjai refers to “land of serenity”. Whether or not that is an accurate translation, the property definitely bestows upon its guests an indescribable sense of tranquil serenity.

The balcony overlooking the pine trees and Umiam Lake. Truly, serenity by the lake!

The cottage also has a spacious living area, a fire place, in addition to regular creature comforts like hotwater, WiFi and TV.

Cottages at Ri Kynjai are built on stilts, and incorporate a lot such Khasi traditional architectural detailing like the wooden floors (they creak!), lofts (mezannine sleeping area) and roofs that resemble an upturned boat.

The restaurant at Ri Kynjai is designed tastefully with stone flooring and wooden walls. This picture, however, prominently features the self and husband. Feel free to appreciate our beauty.

Day 2: Monday: In and around Umiam Lake

We woke up ridiculously early (literally quite early by IST standards because the sunrise is at 05.00 AM in these parts of the country) to witness the glorious, golden hour. Couldn’t have asked for a better Monday morning!

After catching the sunrise, we decided to go on a walk around the Umiam lake, on the U.C.C Road and explore the neighboring villages of Umbir and Umsaw. The woods were lovely, dark and deep, we had miles to go, and walking those miles yielded us some of the best views and memories.

The UCC road snakes alongside the Umiam lake, offering stunning views just about anywhere you look — the serene lake below, the beautiful blue skies above and the verdure all around.

The fern obsession in Meghalaya. It was at Ri Kynjai that I first observed the ubiquitous nature of ferns in Meghalaya. This picture is from the Ri Kynjai restaurant. Just a few fern leaves being themselves, and perhaps the least expensive centre piece style statement one would encounter in a fine dining restaurant.

We saw ferns growing wild and free over the mountains and forests, and sometimes even curated into the most meticulously trimmed garden lawns, like this one at Ri Kynjai. Something about it is so captivating and disarming. A wild child of the nature, yet unimaginably beautiful. I became obsessed with them!

Day 3: Tuesday: Umiam to Shillong

On Tuesday morning, before we bid adieu to Ri Kynjai and Umiam lake, we took one more walk through the UCC road.

The walker who christened this trip “Operation Cloudwalker”. This being the last day at Umiam, we went for a longer walk on the UCC road, beyond Umbir, which took us to the “UCC” —after which the road is named.

UCC, that is Union Christian College, Umiam. Established in 1952.

And one for the road — one more photo of the Umiam lake, barely visible due to that day’s heavy fog. But if you strain your eyes, you can see the lake, beyond the coniferous trees and below the wispy clouds.

There is a common belief that if your activity is not recorded on Strava, you haven’t done it — so I compulsively recorded our walks on Strava, and today they form part of our Operation Cloudwalker keepsakes! My point here being, if you enjoy taking long, aimless walks in pleasant weather, surrounded by a lot of greenery, book your tickets to Meghalaya!

An afternoon in Shillong

From Umiam, we moved southwards to Shillong, which is roughly 20 kms away and takes around an hour to reach. After reaching there, we first met up with Mr. Kamal Chethri, our to-be-driver for the next five days, and fixed our routes and other details.

After that, we took a walk around Shillong to explore its various pubs and markets and its fabled nightlife (it gets dark by 5 PM). The Shillong we experienced was a very hip and happening city, with its young men and women moving about with abandon; and had a significantly higher presence of women out and about at night, compared other Indian cities. We loved the general vibe of the city and its populace.

The markets in Shillong — both inside the shops and on the roadsides — were bustling with activity. One must visit the Police Bazaar at night to enjoy hot local meals -jadoh with chicken/pork curry and chutney, chicken/pork satays, momos, corn on the cob, and what not - all at tempting prices, and before one knows it, one’s tummy is full!

Day 4: Wednesday: David Scott Trail and stay at Chirrapunji

Next day morning, we moved out of Shillong and travelled to Mawphlang, for the David Scott trail. This a historical trail, as it forms part of a 208 km briddle path that was laid out in the early 1800s, between Assam and Bangladesh for transporting goods on mules, apparently under the supervision of a British officer named David Scott.

A 16 km section of this route, between Mawphlang and Ladmawphlang, through the East Khasi hills forms the David Scott Trail of today. In fact, the local community that oversees the trail route and assigns guides for the tourists, has currently short circuited the 16km trail into 13kms, and it takes around 3 to 4 hours (or more) to complete, depending on your pace.

The trail is long, but it is a must do. It is an almost surreal experience that will keep you rooted in nature till the end. You pass through verdant hills, dense forests, sacred groves, beautiful meadows and valleys, gentle streams, beautiful water pools with crystal clear water, wire bridges, stone arch bridges, and quaint villages. Though a good part of the trail is through flat ground, there is quite a bit of steep incline as well.

If you are considering the trail, arrange for your driver to drop you at the entry point at Mawphlang, and thereafter drive himself or herself to Lad Mawphlang, and wait for you there at the trail exit point. These are remote places with infrequent traffic, and it would save you a good deal of time (and worry, if you’re like me) if conveyance is pre-arranged. The trail is long and tires you out, which means having a car and driver waiting for you at the exit will spare you the uncertainty and headache of finding a quick way to reach your hotel and give your tired limbs a much deserved rest.

That said, the internet has accounts of travellers who have used public transport or have hitchhiked their way around before and after the trail. So that’s another option you can explore, in case you would prefer it that way.

This informational was clicked at the exit point of the trail, at Ladmawphlang. I hope you’re able to read the rules. If not, feel free to appreciate the beautiful undergrowth forming intricate patterns.

“Half trek ” through the Sacred Forest

At the trail entry point at Mawphlang, the local community runs a small ticketing centre where the fees for the trail is to be paid. It turns out that the trail is fully maintained by the local tribe, and not the Government. We were told it is mandatory to have a local guide for the trail, that the fee includes the guide fees, and that the guide would explain information about the trail in detail, as one moves along.

Having once lost my way about without a guide during an earlier trek in the Himalayas, I was greatly relieved at the idea of having a guide and was in fact, delighted at the prospect of hearing interesting tidbits about the trail from the guide. Mahesh however did not share my enthusiasm about having a random stranger for company.

While making our payment, we were persuaded by the lady at the counter to first take a walking tour of the Mawphlang sacred grove — along with a guide who would “describe it all” for us. We decided to take the “half trek”, i.e, a 30 minute walk in the grove, and then get on with the David Scott trail.

The charges for the sacred grove half trek and David Scott ‘Trial’ (sic). During the stretches of steep ascent, the David Scott trail is indeed a trial of one’s health and fitness.

Our guide at the sacred forest spoke a lot, but conveyed essentially one single theme over the course of several long drawn sentences — the Khasi community’s harmonious relation with the nature. In so many words, he explained the importance of the sacred grove to the community, and warned us that nobody — outsider or insider — shall remove anything from the forests, and that if anyone does that, ruin and wrath would befall them.

Ferns at the sacred grove. In the short trek inside the grove, we noticed that there was a near complete absence of birds and animals, including regular suspects like squirrels, snakes, bats and birds. The part of the forest that we saw was not as dense as a tropical forest or sub-tropical Himalayan forests, and did not have any thick undergrowth generally found in tropical forests.

Having seen denser and livelier sacred groves in Kerala, we both found the “half trek” experience through the Mawphlang sacred grove underwhelming. And we felt increasingly impatient to end it and begin the David Scott trail. At the end of the designated 30 minutes of the ‘half trek’, we were pleased to hear the guide announce the end of the trek.

In the end, our guide turned out to be a better photographer than a guide, who repurposed the trek in the sacred forest into an impromptu photoshoot, and clicked pictures through tree roots and fallen leaves.

David Scott Trail

After coming out of the sacred grove, we had a quick tea from the lone teashop there, and were ready and eager to start the David Scott trail. One mistake that we did here was in not buying any snacks or refreshments to take with us for the trail.

Soon after, we were assigned our designated guide for the trail — Mr. Joy, a wiry, young man, who however displayed no particular joy at meeting us, and simply asked us to proceed to the entry point to the trail, and we finally began the much awaited David Scott trail.

One of the first pictures taken during the trail. Rolling hills of green as far as the eyes could carry, and a crisp, cool mountain breeze would be your constant companions through the trail.

By the time we began the trail, it was around 11 AM, and quite sunny and bright, necessitating the use of caps and sun glasses. With the hot sun blazing down on us, the first part of the trail felt a tad more tiresome than it would have been, had we started earlier. The trek is open from 8 AM, and if you’re planning to do it, ensure that you start it at the earliest.

In the meanwhile, I had started badgering Joy with questions — Hello, how many times have you done this trail, when did this trail come about, who was David Scott, who maintains the trail, how many people do this every day, what plants are these, where do you live, what do you do when you’re not a guide, and so on and so forth — only to realise within the next five minutes that Joy specialised in grunting mono-syllable responses which included no helpful information either about the trail or about himself.

Partly gleeful that his earlier hypothesis about the futility of guides came true, and partly out of sympathy for a fellow reticent speaker, Mahesh asked me to “leave poor guy alone”. By then, I had also resigned myself to the fate that Joy was not about to rock my world with interesting trivia about the trail and that I’ll have to scour the internet later for any such information; and decided that we’ll just have to silently trudge behind the silent Joy and take in the breathtaking beauty around us, in silence.

In fact, it was Joy who was right — who needs talk when the beauty around you keeps you spell bound?

This is a tombstone one encounters quite early on during the trail. It reads: “To a child fondly called Camilla - soft silken primrose fading timelessly, 1843”. Of course, Joy only showed us the tombstone and knew no further. Internet research also did not help much. Anyway, continue resting in peace, dear Camilla.

The suspension bridge at the 5k mark. This bridge once got washed away in floods, and was reconstructed by the Government only around a decade back.

The Umiam river flowing under the bridge. The river keeps you company for the first half of the trek; after which you cross the river at a shallow stretch and carry on to a different set of mountains.

A picture us at the suspension bridge, clicked by Joy. Just a quick note on what to wear and things to carry for the trail : As it gets really warm and sunny during the day — wear loose, comfortable clothes, and carry a cap/hat, sun glasses and sun protection. Trekking shoes would be ideal, though sandals would do for seasoned trekkers. Joy, our indomitable guide effortlessly covered the rugged terrain in a pair of flimsy looking flip-flops while we trailed behind him (pun unintended) panting and puffing for breath during the ascent stretches. One should also carry some light refreshments and water. Water can be topped up at the many natural springs on the way, unless of course you’re averse to the idea of drinking from natural springs.

The Umiam river flows on. Though the river is a gentle stream in the dry season, it deluges the area during the monsoons. The trail is definitely not advisable during monsoons — also point #1 on the informational board (picture posted supra).

The stretch after the bridge is a lowland called the Wahtham valley, which is also the lowest point of the trail at 1525m. Like in the case of the sacred forest, there was a near complete absence of birds and animals through the course of the entire trail, though crickets, bees and butterflies are aplenty. Throughout the trail, a constant drone of crickets ring through your ears (another pan-Meghalayan phenomenon!). The absence of large animals however also makes the trail a relatively safer one, as you don't have to tread in fear of dangerous predators or pesky monkeys.

At the end of the valley, a clearing emerges where the river is relatively shallow. This is considered the half point in the trail, where one has to cross the river by hopping across the rocks. Internet research tells me there used to be a bridge here at one point, but it got washed away during heavy monsoons. Brings me back to the earlier point — the trail is not advisable during monsoons, as this crossing cannot be easy during heavy rains.

After crossing the river, it is a steep uphill climb for the next 3 kms. This is the hardest part of the trail, and we had to take several breaks, just to catch our breath. This stretch has beautiful ferns growing on the sides, and the fern obsessed soul in me used these breaks to click more and more pictures of the fern.

Please indulge my fern obsession a little longer. What else can be oh-so-pretty and oh-so-wild, both at the same time!

Maggi and tea at Laitsohma Village!

As noted earlier, one of our major mistakes was in not carrying any fruits or snacks during the trail, to refuel ourselves. This trail is through completely uninhabited areas until you reach the Laitsohma village at the 9th km mark, by which time both of us we were quite famished. We had, by then, mentally prepared ourselves to finish the trail in our hungry states. At this point, when Joy pointed towards a “Teashop” sign nearby and asked us if we wanted to have tea and maggi, our joy knew no bounds (pardon the pun!), as it came as a really pleasant surprise.

The teashop is run by a local family, and offers red tea (tea sans milk) and Maggi. If you strain your eyes, you can see the words “TEASHOP” written in blue on a precariously placed cardboard on the fence. Also seen is yours truly, hungry and tired, waiting for her deliverance in the form of Maggi and tea.

The trail after Laitsohma village consists of a particularly beautiful stretch of idyllic, green meadows with a gently flowing stream on the side. Perhaps inhibited by the sheer length of the route, relatively fewer tourists undertake the David Scott trail. Throughout the course of our trail, we saw no other trekkers — and we had the entire trail, all to ourselves (and Joy, as Mahesh would remind me!). The lack of crowds, the peace and quiet, the pristine environs — all add enormously to the charm of the trail.

The electricity pole — a sign of human habitation — something not seen until the village. Also, after the entry point, it is only here that you come across other human beings — villagers going on about their business -tending to crops, washing clothes, collecting firewood, tending to their cattle.

The village is so remotely located and everything about it appeared so green, clean and tranquil, we started debating if that is necessarily a good thing or a bad thing. I argued that the quality of their lives is just so much better than ours, what with such clean air and water. Mahesh argued it was rather presumptuous of me to travel from a fully urban setting and awe at the relative peace and quiet, when the local population may perhaps be dreaming about better facilities in terms of healthcare, education and employment, not to mention the fact that many of them may not have a right to self-determination if these basic needs are not met. I agree — it was a glib (and a very insensitive, touristy) observation to make, and it simply was not my place to make any kind of judgments about the quality of their lives.

The stretch after the village is dotted with natural pools with waters so enticingly clear that you would want to dive in and remain there for the rest of your lives (until reality hits hard and you’ve to hurry along before it gets dark, that is)!

The stone arc bridge, another milestone in the last quarter of the trek. As you can clearly see, Joy found some joy in clicking our pictures, if not in answering my questions.

Joy’s candid photography — performed in complete silence, of course!

After around two kilometres from the stone bridge is a resting point — such resting points were designed in the original briddle path for the mules and commuters to pause and rest for a while during their long and difficult journey. The trail exit point is approximately two kilometres far from this spot.

At the exit point — trying to consolidate the memories of the trail in our hearts and souls.

Endnotes on the trail: Though the David Scott trail has a defined beginning and end, it does not have any particular destination or endgame. The four hour journey alongside the mountains, forests, rivers and streams, in complete isolation from the outside world — is its destination.

The trail is an immersive, meditative experience, something akin to the Japanese ritual of “shinrin-yoku” or forest-bathing or taking in the forest through our senses. This is an eco-therapy like no other, a massage for the mind, and you emerge a changed person, at the end of it.

Yes, of course, I had strava record the trail. One is entitled to brag, isn’t one?

At the end of the trail, we said our byes to Joy, and thanked him profusely for safely (albeit, silently) guiding us till the end of the trail.

Cherrapunji/Sohra

At the exit point, we were relieved to find Kamal, our cab driver, waiting for us, and we travelled towards the very famous “Cherrapunji”— a place that has been drilled into the heads of almost every student of geography as the “wettest place on earth”.

The town is locally known, and referred to, by its original Khasi name, “Sohra”. In the 1830s, the British established their first headquarters in North East India here, and gradually anglicized the town’s name to “Cherrapunji”; before shifting their base to Shillong in the 1860s, owing to the town’s inclement weather (when it rains, it pours!).

As we entered the town, Kamal, doubling as our tour guide showed us few spots of local history on the way — the oldest Presbyterian Church in the North East, the Don Bosco Shrine, the Thomas Jones School of Mission etc. He told us about how it was at this town that the British Christian missionaries first came into contact with the Khasi tribal community and introduced them to Christianity in the early 18th century, and about Rev Thomas Jones — the ‘father of the Khasi alphabet’ — the one who captured the Khasi language in the Roman script.

By early evening, we reached our hotel for the night — “Abode of Clouds”, a bare bones setting that consisted of ten, modestly furnished independent cottages, practically in the middle of nowhere. Nothing posh, but cosy and comfortable for a good night’s sleep. (Thanks to our last minute planning, this was the only available accommodation in Sohra. If booked in advance, there are a lot more options in Sohra.) As we were quite worn out after the trail, a decent bed was all we cared for, and we called it a day.

Day 5: Thursday: Sohra to Tyrna

Exploring Sohra on foot

Sohra offers a lot of interesting sights to its guests — caves, waterfalls, valleys, historical sites and what not. Google maps showed a lot of interesting areas around our hotel, and as is our wont, we decided to spend the morning walking to these places.

Catching the beautiful sunrise over the hills. View from Abode of Clouds, our hotel.

The in-house-canine-trio at Abode of Clouds readily agreed to be our tour guides for our morning walk. Mahesh named the first one and the last one “Night” and “Shadow” respectively; and I named the one in the middle “Loyal”, for he was the most loyal amongst them. Seen in the background are the ‘cottages’ at Abode of Clouds.

With Shadow and Night leading the way, and Loyal at our side, we began our little walking tour of Sohra. After staying with us for around a kilometre, our canine guides ditched us, disillusioned by our seemingly pointless wanderings.

We walked up to a nearby viewpoint, to watch the mighty “The Seven Sisters Waterfalls” (Mawsmai/Nohsngithiang Falls). Said to be the fourth highest waterfall in India, water falls over seven stream segments, hence the name. The cliffs have a sudden drop, which makes the fall even more spectacular. During monsoons, when the water volume is enormous, the water falls down with a deafening roar and is quite a force to reckon with. However, during the cool, dry season from November to March, this is reduced to a humble trickle that quietly flows down in relative obscurity (seen in this photo as white patches on top of the cliffs).

Gently, gracefully flowing southward through the forested valleys, onto the plains in Bangladesh.

Every time I called family or friends from Sohra, their first question invariably would be — “So, is it raining there?”. Sohra has wet warm summers (when it would rain almost daily) and very dry, mild winters, with the vegetation going xerophytic. To answer the question — No, we did not see heavy rains, wet earth or lush green plant cover; instead, we saw bright blue skies, parched earth and browned grass, and it was beautiful.

Sohra is a plateau with an undulating terrain. Due to the heavy rains, the topsoil is almost completely washed away, and the ground is mostly rocky and infertile. Ironically, the wettest place on earth also faces acute water shortage in winter, though it has relatively eased in recent times after better rain water harvesting systems have been put in place. The absence of fertile topsoil and winter droughts have rendered the area unsuited for vegetation — a picture one would not readily associate with abundant rains! Environmentalists lament that Sohra is now the “wettest desert on earth”. The region is abundant in limestone, which is primarily used by the local cement factory, the Mawmluh Cherra Cements Limited (MCCL).

The stairway to heaven. No kidding — these steps lead to a cemetery, one among the many hill top cemeteries you would encounter in Meghalaya.

Bridging the living and the dead.

Talking about the dead, the Khasi monoliths are megalithic structures, erected in memory of their ancestors who passed on to the afterworld. Google research tells me that the upright stones represent the male, and the flat ones represent the female. Whereas some of these monoliths have become popular tourist attractions, there are many more lying scattered across the region, unseen and uncared for by the tourists. This was one such, that we came across during our morning walk in Sohra.

Khoh Ramhah Rock Formation

After the walk, we had our breakfast at the hotel and proceeded towards Tyrna for our next activity — the trek to Nongriat. En route, we stopped at a giant rock formation called Khoh Ramhah or Maw Trop. Resembling an upturned giant conical Khasi basket, this giant rock is flanked by two smaller rocks of the same size.

Khoh Ramhah or Maw Trop. A board erected at the site tells us that according to the local legends, this natural rock formation came about when an evil giant was killed by the people, and the basket he left behind fossilized into the giant rock. If you look closely, beyond all the green hills, lie the Sylhet plains of Bangladesh.

We also stopped en route for lunch. By this time we had already had many a local meal, but our best experiences in this department came from roadside eateries, than hotel restaurants. Needless to say, the Khasi local cuisine is a must-do on any Meghalayan trip, and it adds so many different layers (and flavours) to your experience, not to mention the colourful photographs! Rice is the predominant dish, and is served at breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with sides of pork/chicken/fish and local salads and chutneys.

Lunch from a roadside eatery — rice and pork curry, with a side of Dohjem, meat balls and green, spicy chutney.

What we did not see in Sohra

Meghalaya, and Sohra in particular are famous for their numerous cave formations. The region has rich and abundant reserves of sandstone and limestone, which lead to complex cave formations upon their interaction with water (another abundant resource, thanks to the rains). Apart from the more popular and easy-to-access caves frequented by regular tourists, Meghalaya also offers plenty of less explored caves, where professional caving adventurers go with their advanced caving gear. (I did not even know that caving is a full fledged sport!)

Sohra has a lot of highly popular caves that we passed by on our way to Tyrna, and despite our driver’s constant cajoling to visit them, we gave all of them a miss, as one of us is an avid bat avoider — and one cannot have caves without bats! And, well, the other person was just not curious enough to go alone into the caves. However, unlike us, if you are not spooked by bats/have a minimum interest in caves, you must definitely visit them, as these caves are said to be fascinating structures, not merely from a geography point of view, but also from an evolutionary point of view, as they hold and preserve rare fossils.

Another great sight that we gave a miss in Sohra is the NohKaLikai Falls, which is the tallest plunge falls in India, that has a plunge pool bearing an unusual shade of green. The falls are also famous for a very poignant local legend associated with it, and attracts a lot of tourists around the year. So that’s another spot you would want to add in your itinerary.

Tyrna — the gateway to Nongriat

Travelling westward from Sohra, we moved to a village called Tyrna, our basecamp for the next day’s trek to Nongriat to see the Living Root Bridges and thereafter to Rainbow Falls. Tyrna is also the last motorable point from where this trek begins, and the entrance to the trek begins there.

A rusted sign board at Tyrna. The decimal points in the board are masked by rust — Um Sophie village and living root bridges are 1.63 kms and 4.63 kms, respectively, from here, not 163 and 463!

Most travellers who trek to Nongriat stay at Sohra or other towns and travel to Tyrna in the morning to undertake the trek; but we wanted to start the trek at the first break of dawn to make the most of it, and decided to stay at Tyrna to get the early bird advantage over other travellers.

Apart from small homestays, there are two full fledged hotels at Tyrna, both located quite close to the entry — the pretty Smoky Falls Resort and the regular Royal View. Smoky Falls is the more popular option, but thanks to our late booking tendencies, we did not get a booking there. However, Hotel Royal View is also equally good and offers great hospitality.

After checking into our hotel, we decided to go on a small walk around Tyrna, to watch the sun set over the hills and the village wind down for the day.

Glimpses from our evening walk around Tyrna.

Ephemeral, thy life!

One fascinating sight we saw during our evening walk, (but did not capture on our phone) was that of villagers catching flying termites — the ephemeral insects that come out of the soil at dusk. For this, delicate tent-like structures are propped up on the ground using loose cloth tied around twigs. When the flying termites emerge from the soil at dusk, they get caught in this tent, and the children capture them and collect them in their buckets, while adults stand outside the tents to supervise the proceedings.

Without any knowledge of the local language (beyond the ubiquitous ‘Kublei’), we were unable to find out from the villagers why these flies were being captured. Numerous searches on Google also did not yield any answer. Later, during our return trip, our driver Kamal, professing great knowledge of the local customs theorised that these termites are used by the villagers as fishing baits, and sometimes as food. Currently, his explanation is the only one we have, and we have no means of verifying its truth.

Preparing for the trek to Nongriat and Rainbow Falls

After dinner, we finalised our plans for the next day’s trek — start by 5 AM, and carry some water and few snacks for the trek, as we did not want to make the same mistake that we did during the David Scott trail.

But unlike the David Scott trail, the trek route from Tyrna to Nongriat features many small shops and eateries that open by 10 AM; though there are fewer such establishments on the stretch from Nongriat to Rainbow falls. So we decided to carry only as little as needed to keep us going till these shops opened. The hotel staff, no strangers to early trekking plans, readily volunteered to give us packed breakfast to be had on the way, which was very thoughtful of them.

With our bags packed and minds fluttering with excitement, we settled in for an early night. However, one doubt lingered in our minds — what to wear during the trek? It was just the beginning of winter, in November and the temperature at night at Tyrna had dipped to 16 degrees, and we needed jackets at night. But if we were to wear them for the trek, will it get too hot and will they weigh us down? If we leave them behind, will it get too cold to bear? Google did not give us a clear answer either.

Day 6: Friday: Trek to Living Root Bridges at Nongriat and Rainbow Falls

On the day of the trek we woke up on time, still ambivalent about the jackets. Finally, we went out on a limb and decided to leave the jackets behind and wear something light, on the assumption that it could only get warmer during the day, particularly given the levels of activity involved.

Our assumption proved right and we were spared of the need to carry extra weight around during the trek. That day, during the trek, we saw a lot of visitors make this mistake. Due to altitudinal variations, the weather in different parts of Meghalaya varies widely. Those who travelled from colder areas like Shillong assumed it would be equally cold in Nongriat, and began the trek in winter wear, only to realise in the first ten minutes that it is too hot and humid for any kind of warm clothing. In fact, it gets too sultry for any kind of polyester or non-wicking fabric, though for reasons we cannot fathom, there were people who were trekking in clothes unsuited for that weather.

At the risk of sounding judgmental, I have to mention at this point that trekking along cemented steps and traversing wire bridges is definitely NOT fun when done in high heels, even though you may look less haute couture in your Instagram pictures. I kid you not — there were people doing this, amusing their fellow travellers with frequent cries of pain! But then, I have the fashion IQ of a dung beetle, so, I’ll refrain from making more judgments on this matter and write about the trek instead.

So, after all the dilly dallying about the jackets, we finally began our trek at 5.30 AM. As we had hoped, we were the only ones around at that time, and also quite possibly the first ones trekking on that day. No tickets are required at the trek entrance, and the entrance is always open. Guides are not mandatory for this trek, as the route is fairly straightforward.

At the trek entrance, we were welcomed by numerous notice boards dishing out trek rules, regulations and restrictions by the dozen. These boards are a constant feature through the trek.

The “trek” from Tyrna to Nongriat and back is essentially an exercise in descending and ascending seemingly unending number of steps. It is said that there are 3000 steps (around 3 kms) one way till Nongriat, and a further 3 kms till Rainbow Falls. The onward trek to the Living Root Bridges, and thereafter to Rainbow falls takes around 4 hours at medium pace, and the return trip takes much longer as it involves ascents.

After trekking for about an hour and a half, we reached the first living root bridge of the trek, at Nongriat — a single decker bridge. There is a fee collection centre next to it, where a small fee has to be paid for gaining entry to the area.

A closer look at the Living Root Bridge. These suspension bridges are handcrafted by the local community using the pliable, secondary roots of rubber trees, that grow in abundance in the area. These bridges are formed over decades, and are strong enough to last centuries! A true bio-engineering marvel! They form part of the local community’s socio-cultural and ecological heritage, and highlight their harmonious relationship with nature. Meghalaya has sought UNESCO recognition of these bridges as World Heritage Sites.

Thanks to our early morning start, we had the bridge entirely to ourselves and spent some time happily clicking pictures from various angles.

After passing the single decker living bridges, comes a wire suspension bridge that shakes quite a lot! Refer back to my earlier point on wearing comfortable clothes and shoes— that is, if you do not want to feature in sartorial cliffhangers on suspension bridges where your billowing skirts are trapped in the wire mesh and your stilettoes are stuck in between the bars. Okay, I am clearly exaggerating here, but I swear I have not recovered from the trauma of watching some people do the trek in painfully uncomfortable clothing and shoes.

Unbelievably beautiful shades of blue and golden yellow against the green — nothing short of magic!

View from the other side, after crossing the wire suspension bridge. Look at that little waterfall and pool — illegal levels of beautiful!

After some more walking, we finally reached the entrance to the most famous double decker living root bridge- the highlight of our trek. Seen in the picture is the ticket centre, where we have to pay a nominal fee to access the double decker bridge.

It took us exactly two hours from the start to reach here, and it looked like we were the first ones to arrive that day. With no one else around, I got my exclusive photo-ops at the bridge — I am that tiny blot of black and white in an otherwise perfect frame.

The natural pool under the bridge. If there is any one useful tip we can give you, it is this — if you want to enjoy the bridge and the pool in peace and quiet, start early! Once more people join in, the place becomes insufferably crowded and touristy. (When we passed by the double decker bridge at noon during our return from Rainbow Falls, what we saw was a crowded and noisy setting — a far cry from our morning’s experience.)

Free fish pedicure under the bridge!

Some travellers opt to halt the night at Nongriat, and return the next day. There are a few homestays and guest houses in Nongriat that offer overnight stays with local meals. We also met a couple of people who were staying continuously at Nongriat for more than two days, simply because they loved being there so much that they did not want to return yet! They described their nights at Nongriat as ‘truly magical’ and that they could not get enough of it.

Onwards to Rainbow Falls

By this time, the crowd slowly started setting in and we realised it’s time to begin the second half of our trek, towards Rainbow Falls. Fewer tourists travel to the Rainbow falls, as the trek from Nongriat to Rainbow falls is even more strenuous, not to mention time consuming.

Most people arrive at the Double decker bridge by late afternoon and simply would not have the time to go till Rainbow falls. The trek is near impossible after nightfall (i.e, after 5 PM), as the paths are not lit, and climbing numerous, narrow steps through forested areas is a task that requires one’s full attention even during the middle of the day! It was due to all these, that we wanted to start at the earliest, so that we could spend as much time as we wanted to at both the places, without a sense of hurry, and return at leisure to Tyrna before it got too dark.

More and more miles to go and bridges to cross before reaching Rainbow Falls. The trek from Nongriat to Rainbow falls goes through an uneven mix of ascends, descends and flat lands.

More concrete bridges..

…and living root bridges, on the way.

The view from the other side — after crossing over the concrete bridge and the living root bridge.

A very tired, but determined Mahesh taking a breather in front of a hut we saw on the way. It would be a good idea to rent one of these bamboo poles to help retain balance, as the trek gets steep and narrow at various points. The sticks are rented for Rs. 20 and are available at the entrance. [As we started the trek when the people renting the poles were not around, we had to make do with two not-so-strong bamboo sticks that were found lying around at the entrance.]

The trek to Rainbow falls is narrower and steeper, and has several unsteady steps like these that can make even the strongest pair of knees feel wobbly. Steady, but firm, must be your step! We also came across this unhelpful sign board that seemed to suggest that Rainbow falls is located up in the sky.

And then, an eternity later, we arrived at the Rainbow Falls! The falls get their name from the fact that the water spray around the pool creates a perpetual rainbow. And it is actually true — though my photo does not do justice to the beauty of the place. Every drop of sweat and every unit of muscle pain is worth it.

The water there is wonderfully cool and refreshing, and we spent a lot of time just chilling inside the pool. There is a little bit of a rocky formation there, and it does take some sliding over rocks, some manoeuvering and some scraping of knees (for lesser mortals like me) to reach the pool, but in my opinion — hitting the pool is a MUST DO! It is a phenomenal experience! So yes, carry your swimwear and other related paraphernalia, and get into the pool!

Again, thanks to our early bird advantage, we enjoyed our rendezvous with the falls and the pool without a lot of crowd around (Okay, I have to stop bragging about this bit!).

The Return Trek

After spending enough time at Rainbow Falls, we began our slow and painful return trek to Nongriat and thereafter to Tyrna. We knew we would reach back Tyrna in good time, so we took it slow and easy (but it is not easy!) and we panted and puffed our way back through what felt like thousands and thousands of steps.

On our way back, we stopped at the local shops and treated ourselves (several times) to their “Special Lime” — it is a very tasty and refreshing drink, made using lemons and honey harvested in the forests, and came highly recommended.

There are not many pictures we clicked on our way back, partly because we had already clicked them during our onward trip, and partly because we were too tired. Seen above is an exasperated yours truly, pausing to wonder if she’d ever make it back to Tyrna in another hundred years!

Strava for the win, again! Moving time was 4 hours, but time elapsed would be around 8 to 9 hours.

We reached back our hotel by late afternoon, feeling quite tired, but extremely happy and accomplished!

Endnotes on the trek:

The trek is definitely worth your time and experience, and if you ever get a chance, do it! If you want an early start, plan to arrange your stay at Tyrna. And avoid the trek during the monsoons, as the path could get really slippery and treacherous. If you want to experience the magic of staying at remote villages overnight, you can also explore the option of staying at Nongriat.

Day 7: Saturday: Tyrna to Shillong

Having finished the third and last item on our agenda, we travelled back north to Shillong on Saturday morning. We were flying back home from Guwahati on Sunday, and planned to spend the remaining time catching up some more of Shillong.

The drive from Tyrna to Shillong — green hills, blue skies and pretty clouds, every where!

We stopped over for lunch at Mylieum, at a restaurant called S. Nongsten, and had some great food. And great style too! If you pass by this area, Mylieum has a lot of great eateries.

In and around Shillong

By late afternoon, we checked into Anchorage, our Airbnb at Shillong, a guesthouse with pretty garden views and charming interiors. As soon as we were settled in, we decided to start our walking tour of Shillong!

One of the first sights that caught our attention during the walk was the All Saints Cathedral, which dates back to 1902 (as per the internet). With its wooden structures and colonial architecture, the Church has a beautiful, old world charm.

Ward’s Lake and Gardens

After that, we walked upto the famous “Ward’s Lake”, where we could gain entry after a ridiculously long waiting time! From the crowd that day, it looked as if just about everyone in Shillong comes here to chill — but the place is so pretty, one can’t really blame them. As per the information boards we saw there, the lake and the gardens were constructed in 1893–94, by William Ward, Chief Commissioner of Assam. Today, it is maintained by the State Department of Forests and Environment. The gardens are not just spick and span, but absolutely gorgeous, despite the heavy footfall.

Postcard pictures from Ward’s Lake. We were hoping to catch a glimpse of the Cherry blossoms, but back then the buds had only started coming. The trees go into full blossom by end of November/early December. Imagine how much more prettier this scene would get, if you were to throw in a lot of pink into it!

But for now, please make do with these pink flowers and my pretty face!

Day 8: Sunday: Shillong to Guwahati, and back home

Our flight from Guwahati was on Sunday evening, and so we planned to leave for the airport after breakfast, which meant — one more morning walk while at Shillong!

But before we could get out of the Airbnb for the walk, this absolutely cute, in-house canine force gheraoed us and demanded immediate pets! Cute criminals, they were!

Anchorage is situated close to Malki forest, which apparently is a nature trail, right in the middle of the city. We walked up to it, along a beautiful winding road by the side of a hill. Unfortunately the forest was not open to public that day at that time, and we had to return without having seen it. But the morning walk in the pleasant weather through the beautiful locales, more than made up for it.

We quickly returned to our Airbnb after the walk, had our breakfast, moved to Guwahati airport, boarded our flight and made it back home, safe, sound and happy! And that brings me to the end of this essay.

If you have come this far — I thank you for your amazing levels of patience and for your ability to bear with my monologue —there are not many like you! :)

And if I have inspired you enough to contemplate a trip to Meghalaya, I would just leave a reminder here that there are just SO MANY MORE to see and do in Meghalaya — Dawki, Umngot, Shnongpdeng, Mawlynnong, Laitlum Canyon, Maysynram — the list is endless. And that every place and experience will be remarkably different during the monsoons. Plan your trip accordingly.

The last picture of the trip, taken at the Guwahati airport. On that note, I would say “Kublei Shibun”, just about the only Khasi phrase we managed to learn during our trip.