Shillong Courtyard
Hotel
Day 1
Meghalaya: Root Bridges and Caves - 5 Days (Shillong, Laitlum, Mawlynnong, Dawki & Tyrna)
Five days including the 3,500 steps to the double-decker. Five days with private transport, the night at Nongriat rather than a day trip, and a local guide on the steps.
Kestrel High Routes
Runs this trip
Trekking
Five days including the 3,500 steps to the double-decker
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
Umiam LakeLaitlum drops away with no railing and usually no other people. MawlynnongThe Umngot is clear enough in winter that the boats appear to float on nothing. Double-decker root bridgeThree and a half thousand steps down, and the same three and a half thousand back up tomorrow.
Itinerary
Laitlum drops away with no railing and usually no other people. Go before the light goes.
Shillong, LaitlumHow the day runs
- 1 hrsOut to the Laitlum canyons for the evening
- MealsDinner
- AccommodationShillong Courtyard
Included Activities
- Transfer from Guwahati
- Hotel night
- Laitlum trip
LANDMARKS Umiam Lake Laitlum Canyons Police Bazar Start point Shillong, Police Bazar, Shillong, Meghalaya 08:00 - 18:00The Umngot is clear enough in winter that the boats appear to float on nothing. In monsoon it is brown.
Shillong, Mawlynnong, DawkiHow the day runs
- 3 hrs8:00 AM — south to the Bangladesh border
- 1 hrs1:00 PM — down to the Umngot
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationDawki Residency
Included Activities
- Boat ride on the Umngot
- Village entry fees
- Homestay night
LANDMARKS Mawlynnong Riwai root bridge Umngot river Dawki Three and a half thousand steps down, and the same three and a half thousand back up tomorrow. The bridge is a living tree, trained across the river over decades.
Dawki, Tyrna, NongriatHow the day runs
- 3 hrs8:00 AM — across to the Tyrna trailhead
- 3 hrs11:30 AM — 3,500 steps down and two steel bridges
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationNongriat Lodge
Included Activities
- Guesthouse night at Nongriat
- All meals
- Guide on the steps
Optional Activities
- Rainbow Falls, another hour beyond the village
LANDMARKS Double-decker root bridge Rainbow Falls Nongriat The climb out is the hardest hour of the trip. Nohkalikai afterwards is the tallest plunge waterfall in India.
Nongriat, Tyrna, Cherrapunji, Mawsmai CaveHow the day runs
- 4 hrs7:00 AM — the long climb back up the steps
- 1 hrs1:00 PM — the show cave, then Nohkalikai falls
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationCherrapunji Residency
Included Activities
- Cave entry
- Hotel night at Cherrapunji
LANDMARKS Mawsmai Cave Nohkalikai Falls Seven Sisters Falls Allow the full five hours to Guwahati airport. The Shillong road is slow.
Cherrapunji, ShillongHow the day runs
- 5 hrs8:00 AM — back up and down to Guwahati
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationNot included — onward travel
Included Activities
- Transfer to Guwahati
- Day 1Transfer from Guwahati
- Day 1Hotel night
- Day 1Laitlum trip
- Day 2Boat ride on the Umngot
- Day 2Village entry fees
- Day 2Homestay night
- Day 3Guesthouse night at Nongriat
- Day 3All meals
- Day 3Guide on the steps
- Day 3Rainbow Falls, another hour beyond the villageCosts extra
- Day 4Cave entry
- Day 4Hotel night at Cherrapunji
- Day 5Transfer to Guwahati
- Day 1 · 1 nightShillong Courtyard
- Day 2 · 1 nightDawki Residency
- Day 3 · 1 nightNongriat Lodge
- Day 4 · 1 nightCherrapunji Residency
- Day 1Shillong to LaitlumOut to the Laitlum canyons for the evening
- Day 2Shillong to Mawlynnong8:00 AM — south to the Bangladesh border
- Day 2Mawlynnong to Dawki1:00 PM — down to the Umngot
- Day 3Dawki to Tyrna8:00 AM — across to the Tyrna trailhead
- Day 4Tyrna to Mawsmai Cave1:00 PM — the show cave, then Nohkalikai falls
- Day 5Cherrapunji to Shillong8:00 AM — back up and down to Guwahati
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Dawki Residency
Hotel
Day 2
Nongriat Lodge
Lodge
Day 3
Cherrapunji Residency
Hotel
Day 4
What you'll eat
4 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 4 dinners across 5 days, at camp. It opens with dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast on day 5.
- DinnerServed on days 1–4
- BreakfastServed on days 2–5
- LunchServed on day 3
9 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.6/5
Based on 12 reviews
Review summary
Food4.5/5
Guide4.4/5
Itinerary4.3/5
Transport4.4/5
Accommodation4.4/5
Tour operator4.4/5
Sort by:Recommended
5
M
Marc Dubois – Dublin2026-07-01 · Verified booking
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. Hotels were clean and central, which saved a lot of time. The lead was calm and knew when to slow the group down. Worth every rupee.
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5
A
Aditi Rao – Bengaluru2026-07-01 · Verified booking
Did this over 5 days and it was the best walking I've done in years. Rooms were comfortable and the locations meant we could walk most evenings. Worth every rupee.
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5
S
Sofia Marchetti – Dublin2026-07-01 · Verified booking
Second trek with this operator and they've kept the standard up. Accommodation was a notch better than the price suggested. Solid operator.
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5
P
Priya Nair – Jaipur2026-07-01 · Verified booking
Meghalaya in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. Food was plentiful and hot, which counts for a lot at altitude.
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5
A
Arjun Pillai – Hyderabad2025-01-21 · Verified booking
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. Accommodation was a notch better than the price suggested. Guides answered every question, including the daft ones.
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4
S
Sofia Marchetti – Lisbon2025-01-21 · Verified booking
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. Would send friends their way.
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5
S
Sofia Marchetti – Berlin2025-01-21 · Verified booking
Second trek with this operator and they've kept the standard up. Accommodation was a notch better than the price suggested. Recommended.
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5
N
Nikhil Joshi – Kolkata2025-01-21 · Verified booking
Did this over 5 days and it was the best walking I've done in years. No complaints about any of the hotels — all of them well placed. Simple food, well made, and enough of it. Solid operator.
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Questions people ask
One other operator runs this trail. See all 2 side by side →