Meghalaya · Sohra Plateau
Cherrapunji — Sohra — sits at 1,484 metres on a plateau above some of the deepest gorges in India. This guide covers the famous double-decker living root bridge trek at Nongriat, the falls and caves on the plateau, where to stay and how to pace the visit.
Highlights
A 3,500-step descent from Tyrna leads to Nongriat and the double-decker living root bridge — a Ficus elastica bridge living Khasi communities have grown for over 150 years. Plan an overnight in a Nongriat village house to do it without a brutal same-day return. Rainbow Falls is an extra 2 hours each way and worth it for the turquoise pool.
Nohkalikai (340 m, India's tallest plunge waterfall), Seven Sisters Falls (best in late monsoon), Dainthlen Falls and Wei Sawdong (the three-tiered turquoise pool). Most are within 30 minutes of Cherrapunji town.
A short, well-lit cave system 6 km from Cherrapunji — fossils, stalactites and tight squeezes. Combine with the nearby Eco Park viewpoint over the Bangladesh plains.
Polo Orchid and Sa-I-Mika are the practical mid-range options; canyon-edge glamping at Mawkma is the boutique pick. In Nongriat, the Serene Homestay and Cool Spot Guest House offer simple beds steps from the bridge.
Cherrapunji holds world rainfall records — Mawsynram nearby is the wettest place on earth. October to April is dry, sunny and cool. June to September is the famous monsoon; rivers are full and forests glow, but treks turn into mud slides without a porter.
Traveller Questions
It is 3,500 steps down and back up — moderate but tiring on the return. With a Nongriat overnight, porters and walking poles, most travellers handle it comfortably.
Two nights on the plateau plus one night at Nongriat is ideal. A single day rushes the bridge and skips most waterfalls.
Yes — the waterfalls peak then — but plan extra time, expect zero visibility on some afternoons and skip the long Rainbow Falls walk.
