Meghalaya Diary and Itinerary

This is my Meghalaya trip plan written in the same simple style as my other travel posts. I wanted it to be useful in two ways: first, so I can remember the route and stay details later, and second, so that anyone planning a similar trip can use it as a practical reference.

Route overview

• 27th Dec - Guwahati to Shillong
• 28th Dec - Shillong to Dawki
• 29th Dec - Dawki and Mawlynnong
• 30th Dec - Dawki side to Upper Shillong / Cherrapunji side
• 31st Dec - Cherrapunji / Tyrna / Nongriat
• 1st Jan - Nongriat side to Guwahati

27th Dec - Guwahati to Shillong

This is the arrival and transfer day. The main plan is to leave Guwahati and head to Shillong.

Places on the way

• Umiam Lake

Umiam Lake is a good first stop on the route and worth keeping some time for.

Stay

Shillong stay

• type: Airbnb homestay
• price: 2610
• status: booked

Notes for this day

• Keep this day light and simple.
• Start early from Guwahati if possible.
• Umiam Lake is a good stop for a break before reaching Shillong.

28th Dec - Shillong to Dawki (4.5 hr / 131 km)

This day is more road-trip focused, with waterfall stops on the way before reaching the Dawki side.

Places to cover

• Jowai
• Phe Phe Falls - around 10 minute walk
• Krang Suri Falls - around 20 minute walk

This is one of the prettier driving days in the itinerary, so it makes sense to leave early and keep enough time for the falls.

Stay

Shnongpdeng stay

Planned approach: keep this flexible.

Possible stay option from my notes:

• Riverside Quechua tents, Shnongpdeng
• price: 1200
• type: riverside camping
• note: be prepared to use public/shared toilets, because many campsites there have shared washrooms

Notes for this day

• Leave Shillong early because the drive is long.
• Phe Phe and Krang Suri both need a short walk, so wear proper shoes.
• If not pre-booking in Shnongpdeng, check availability in advance because dates around year-end can get busy.

29th Dec - Dawki chill day

This day is lighter and can be kept more relaxed.

Things to do

• Dawki river boating
• kayaking
• cliff jumping
• other riverside activities
• Mawlynnong

The idea for this day is to enjoy Dawki properly instead of rushing through it.

Stay

Mawlynnong stay

• type: Airbnb homestay
• price: 1500
• status: booked

Notes for this day

• Keep this as a chill day.
• Dawki is better when you give it time instead of treating it as a quick stop.
• Mawlynnong can be paired well with this day.

30th Dec - Dawki to Upper Shillong / Cherrapunji side (2 hr / 70 km)

This day is more active again.

Places to cover

• Mawryngkhang Trek - around 5 hours up and down
• Laitlum Canyon

Mawryngkhang is the main activity of the day, so time management matters here.

Stay

Cherrapunji side stay

Stay option from my notes:

• Laitkynsew Resort
• price: 4300
• type: resort
• comment: average rooms, but the view is crazy

Notes for this day

• Start early if doing Mawryngkhang Trek.
• A 5-hour trek plus driving plus Laitlum can make the day long.
• If you feel tired after the trek, you may want to keep Laitlum flexible.
• Staying on the Cherrapunji side makes the next day's plan easier.

31st Dec - Cherrapunji / Tyrna / Nongriat

This is the heaviest day in the itinerary and the one that needs the most energy.

Places to cover

• Double Decker Living Root Bridge
• Rainbow Falls

This is the main trekking day of the trip.

Stay

Main itinerary note: Cherrapunji stay

Specific stay option from my notes:

• Smoky Falls Resort, Tyrna
• price: 5000
• type: resort
• comment: best luxurious resort within the budget

Notes for this day

• Start early for the Nongriat side trek.
• This is the day where stamina matters the most.
• Keep your bag light.
• Carry water, snacks, and only the essentials.
• A stay around Tyrna makes sense because it is practical for the trek route.

1st Jan - Nongriat side to Guwahati

This is the last day of the trip.

Places to cover

• all falls - optional
• all caves - optional

This day should stay flexible depending on how tired everyone is after the trek-heavy part of the trip.

Stay

Guwahati stay

Stay option from my notes:

• location: Guwahati
• price: 400
• type: hostel dorm
• comment: cheap hostel to crash for a night near the airport
• booking note: do not book from online sites, call directly
• extra note: contact is available on Google Maps

Notes for this day

• Keep waterfalls and caves optional.
• If you are returning to Guwahati the same day, do not overload the plan.
• A cheap airport-side crash stay is enough if you just need to rest before leaving.

Stay summary

Here is the stay plan in one place:

• 27th night - Shillong - Airbnb homestay - 2610
• 28th night - Shnongpdeng - possible riverside camping option - 1200
• 29th night - Mawlynnong - Airbnb homestay - 1500
• 30th night - Laitkynsew / Cherrapunji side - resort - 4300
• 31st night - Tyrna - resort - 5000
• 1st Jan night - Guwahati - hostel dorm - 400

Final Meghalaya notes

• December end will be cold, especially in the mornings and evenings, so warm layers are important.
• Start early on long drive days.
• Waterfall and trek days are better with proper shoes.
• Shnongpdeng camping options may have shared toilets, so be mentally prepared for that.
• The Nongriat day is the toughest day of the itinerary, so do not overpack.
• Keep one or two places flexible on heavy days instead of trying to force everything.

Packing list

I am keeping the packing list here as a separate section so it is easy to refer to before the trip.

Final trip note

If I had to describe this Meghalaya route simply, I would say it is a good mix of road trip, waterfalls, riverside time, village stops, and one serious trek day. The route looks packed, but if managed well, it can be a very solid Meghalaya trip.