Weekend getaways near Shillong

Entry to the Umiam Water Sports Complex is approximately ₹50 per person. Lum Nehru Park charges a separate nominal entry fee of roughly ₹20 for adults and ₹10 for children. The water sports complex and park operate daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Boating activities are individually ticketed at the MTDC booking desk: speedboats cost approximately ₹300 per boat (around 5 minutes), shared cruise boats roughly ₹75 per passenger, water scooters around ₹150, and pedal boats between ₹100 and ₹200. Wearing certified life jackets is strictly mandatory for all watercraft passengers. Swimming in the reservoir is strictly prohibited due to deep underwater silt and strong intake currents.

Located in Ri-Bhoi district along National Highway 6 (Guwahati-Shillong Highway), approximately 82 to 85 km south of central Guwahati (Guwahati Railway Station) and 15 km before Shillong. The smooth, four-lane asphalt mountain highway climbs continuously through the scenic Khasi hills, taking roughly 2 to 2.5 hours by private car or hired taxi from Guwahati. Shared tourist cabs running between Guwahati (Paltan Bazaar) and Shillong pass directly by the lake. Ample paid parking is provided at both the Water Sports Complex and Lum Nehru Park.

• Operating hours:
  • Major waterfalls and viewpoints (Nohkalikai, Seven Sisters): Open daily from Sunrise to Sunset (approx. 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM).
  • Mawsmai Cave and Arwah Cave: Open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Admission fees (Nominal individual spot fees):
  • Nohkalikai Falls Viewpoint: Approx. ₹20 to ₹30 per person; camera pass: ₹20 - ₹50.
  • Mawsmai Cave entry: Approx. ₹20 per adult; ₹10 for children; camera pass: ₹20.
  • Arwah Cave entry: Approx. ₹20 per adult.
  • Seven Sisters Viewpoint / Eco Park: Approx. ₹20 per adult.
  • Vehicle parking fees: Approx. ₹30 to ₹50 per spot.
• Photography: Personal still photography and mobile videography are permitted at all viewpoints and inside caves; commercial drones require clearance from the district administration.
• Notice: Leaning over cliff edge railings, climbing into restricted cave fissures, and littering plastic along canyon reserves is strictly prohibited.

Sohra (Cherrapunji) is situated approximately 52 to 55 km south of central Shillong (Police Bazar). Private cars, tourist taxis, and outstation cabs follow the smooth, scenic National Highway 106 through Upper Shillong, crossing the spectacular gorge bridge at Mawkdok-Dympep Valley onto State Highway 5 directly into Sohra (driving time is typically 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours). Frequent shared passenger sumos and local tourist taxis depart every morning from Bara Bazar (Iewduh) in Shillong directly to Sohra market. Ample organized paid vehicle parking is provided at all major attraction entrance gates.

• Operating hours:
  • The trail and village are open daily from dawn to dusk.
  • Trekkers on a single-day return trip must depart Tyrna by 8:30 AM at the latest and start their return climb from Nongriat by 2:30 PM to avoid ascending in the dark.
• Admission fees:
  • Tyrna village eco-tourism entry: Approx. ₹50 per person.
  • Camera pass: Approx. ₹20 for mobile phones, ₹50 for DSLRs.
  • Vehicle parking at Tyrna: Approx. ₹50 for cars.
  • Local guide fee: Approx. ₹700 to ₹1,000 for a certified village guide (recommended for first-time hikers and solo travelers).
• Notice: Nongriat is an indigenous village community; loud music, littering plastic, and disorderly behavior are strictly prohibited by the village council (Dorbar Shnong).

The journey from Shillong to the Nongriat trailhead covers approximately 65 to 68 km. Travelers drive south from Shillong along National Highway 106 to Sohra (approx. 54 km, 1 hr 45 min), continuing southwest along the narrow, winding asphalt road toward Tyrna village (another 12 km, 30 - 35 min). Hired private taxis from Shillong or Sohra can drop hikers at the Tyrna parking clearing and wait for your return in the afternoon or the following day. Shared passenger sumos run from Shillong’s Bara Bazar to Sohra, where local taxis can be engaged for the Tyrna transfer. Vehicle parking is available at the Tyrna village entrance.

Mawlynnong village entry fee is typically ₹50 per person or ₹100 per light vehicle, collected at the entrance gate by the Village Tourism Development Committee (VDC) to fund village cleanliness, waste sorting, and maintenance. Riwai Living Root Bridge charges a separate entry fee of approximately ₹40 per adult and ₹20 per child. Bamboo Sky Walk / Treetop watchtowers charge approximately ₹20 per visitor. The village is open daily from dawn to dusk (typically 6:00 AM to 5:30 PM). On Sundays, villagers attend morning church services; shops, food stalls, and village guides may operate on reduced hours until early afternoon.

Located in Pynursla C&RD Block in southern East Khasi Hills, approximately 78 to 82 km south of Shillong. The drive from Shillong proceeds south via NH206 through Mylliem, Pynursla, and Pongtung, where a well-signposted rural road branches south toward Mawlynnong and Dawki. Driving time by private car, taxi, or tourist shared cab is roughly 2.5 to 3.5 hours depending on morning road conditions, periodic fog around Pynursla, and narrow village bends. Designated village car parks are located at the entrance to Riwai root bridge and the main Mawlynnong visitor reception plaza.

There is no general entrance fee to visit Dawki town or view the river from the bridge. Country boat rides are priced at regulated local union rates, typically ₹800 to ₹1,000 per boat (accommodating up to 4 adult passengers) for a standard 40 to 45-minute excursion along the gorge; longer upstream excursions cost ₹1,200 to ₹1,500. Boating operates daily during daylight hours from approximately 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM (subject to water conditions and daylight). Visiting the border zone requires no special inner-line permit for Indian citizens, though visitors must carry valid government photo identification and respect BSF security protocols along the boundary fence. Foreign tourists should carry original passports and valid Indian visas.

Situated in West Jaintia Hills district, approximately 82 to 85 km south-southeast of central Shillong and 30 km east of Mawlynnong. From Shillong, the journey follows NH206 (Shillong-Dawki Road) south via Mylliem, Pynursla, and the dramatic descent towards the Bangladesh border. The drive takes roughly 2.5 to 3.5 hours by private car, taxi, or shared tourist cab, with the final 20 km descending through winding hillside roads with occasional heavy international freight truck traffic heading to the border post. Parking areas are available above the Dawki bridge and on designated riverbed approach lanes.