24/12/2021
Meghalaya
Duration- 5 days, but ideally give yourselves at least 2 more days
Meghalaya was a captivating and beautiful place to visit. This was truly a treat for the the eyes... the lush green of all the forests, the azure blue of the water and the unbelievable beauty of the valleys among the majestic mountains.
Almost everyone we met was warm and friendly. The locals themselves were an interesting study in contrasts. On Sunday, for church, we saw everyone in knee-length skirts, sparkly heels and very modern clothes. At all other times, most women were wearing the traditional khasi outfit which is like a shawl, but pinned at one shoulder. Babies are wrapped around the mom's back. The guys have very modern haircuts, streaked and coloured hair, funky hairstyles, but you also see them in local outfits, carrying things on their heads, using traditional bags. Everyone is constantly chewing betel leaves and hence has red lips! The khasi tribe itself follows a matriarchal system.
This was an exciting itinerary as well, since we did some trekking, climbing through caves and camping as well. Meghalaya is a simply astoundingly beautiful place, and whether you choose to see the places listed or others, if you choose to do a whirlwind tour or a relaxed one, remember to soak in the natural beauty of the people, the forests, the lakes, the waterfalls, the mountains and the rivers...I doubt there are too many of these places left in the world.
Since we visited lots of places, I'm writing a short description of each. If you have questions on any particular one, please feel free to leave a question in the comments section 😊.
Mawphlang sacred groves- A beautiful introduction to the tribal society in Meghalaya. The guide is a member of the tribe that lives nearby; the lady with us was the sister of the tribal King. She showed us around the sacred forest, and explained how this was integral to their way of life, and talked about all their rituals and customs associated with it. The first itself is dense and green and barely any sunlight filters through. Came away with a feeling of peace and oneness with the forest...I hope you feel that too, when you visit.
Mawsmai caves- One of the smaller caves, it was an interesting walk through. The kids loved exploring the nooks and corners. Was a bit narrow and low in places...can be tight squeeze for big built people. Don't go if you're claustrophobic. The garden of caves is a much bigger set of caves, if you fancy seeing one more.
Naukalikai falls- Beautiful falls, with a lagoon at the bottom of the most brilliant blue. The view from the top is stunning. My son said it was like looking into the Grand Canyon, but with greenery 😄. Apparently the falls is much bigger during the monsoons, but we thought this was mighty impressive as it is! In fact, the water falls from such a great height, that it gets converted into mist before it reaches the bottom... feels like the waterfall is moving in slow motion! If you want to see the lagoon up close, there's a way to reach it, though it involves a nearly 30 minute trek. But, totally worth it. Try to go before 8am if you want to avoid the crowd.
Nongriat living bridges- one of unique things in Meghalaya. Now this one requires a difficult climb down and an arduous climb up! 3500 steps (a lot of them very steep) each way. Around 90mins going down, and 2.5 hours going up. You have the option of staying at the Nongriat village overnight, so you don't have to do both ways on the same day. Make note, the entire path is stairs, and is 'not really a trek' as my son says.
There's also rainbow falls, which is another 90 minutes from the double-decker Bridge. On the way there's Blue lagoon, which is a little lake with very clear water that looks azure blue from a distance.
We stayed at Serene Lodge, which wasn't a great place, but it's literally the only proper hotel there and most people will stay there and put up with the very rude guy who runs the place.
All in all, I'm super-proud that I climbed all the way and back with my bad knees 😊. I loved the walk through the forested path (didn't love the crowd, but hey, everyone wants to go on holiday). The path literally takes you from the top of a tall mountain, to the bottom, and halfway up the next (you don't need a guide), so you feel really good about the distance you cover because you can actually see where you're going to reach when you start.
Shnonpdeng Umngot lake- We camped here overnight with Pioneer Camping, and it was a truly fun experience. This is just a few kms further to Dhowki where most tourists go, and part of the same river. This was truly one of the most serene, beautiful, and unspoiled places I've ever been. I was overwhelmed with how calm and natural the place was. No motor boats, no shouting (well, not much. You have kids trying to swim in the water, you're going to hear a certain amount of screaming 😄), nobody trying to sell you stuff.
The Pioneer guys had someone come pick us up near our car and walked down to the water with us. He took us by boat to our camping site. We then went on one of the most peaceful boat rides of my life. The water was so clear, you could see the pebbles at the bottom - little fish flitting between the rocks. You're flanked by tall cliffs on both sides, with only the sound of the oar splashing in the water. The reflection of the surroundings on the water was mesmerising, undisturbed and still. You could see the bottom of the river and the reflection at the same time, almost like an optical illusion. Right at the end of the lake was a tiny little waterfall, a reminder that this was part of a big river during the monsoons.
We also kayaked, the kids jumped off a cliff into the water, sonny boy ziplined across the lake, and we had a lovely evening making new friends over dinner and a campfire by the shore. A lovely end to a truly memorable experience. We're off early tomorrow morning for a long drive to Guwahati to catch a flight out.
