Natural Wonders of Meghalaya

Hey guys! Today, I will share some of the best natural wonders of Meghalaya which you can’t miss visiting when traveling with kids.

Yesterday, I shared a day from our Meghalaya trip where we traveled to Mawsynram, the wettest place on Earth. I hope you liked reading our adventures. Mawsynram was just the beginning of our electrifying time in Meghalaya. If Mawsynram is the wettest place on Earth, Meghalaya is the wettest state in India.

Do you know 70% of this state is covered with forests which are considered to be among the richest botanical habitats of Asia?

Apart from its rich biodiversity, Meghalaya is also famous for the longest and deepest natural caves in the subcontinent and some of the most breathtaking waterfalls. If you wish to explore the caves with your kids, make sure you plan the trip in the dry months. And, to experience the true beauty of the majestic falls, visit in the monsoon.

Here’s a list of 12 natural wonders of Meghalaya which we visited with our toddler last year.

A- The Caves in Meghalaya

There are some 900 caves in Meghalaya which have been partially or fully explored by the experts. Krem Liat Prah is the longest cave in India and is listed among the longest caves in the world. Most of the caves can only be explored by the experienced cavers with proper skills and gears. But there are a few other caves which can be easily explored by anyone without requiring any special skills except the skill of balancing. Even the kids can visit these caves.

1- Mawjymbuin Cave, Mawsynram

Mawjymbuin cave is a small cave 60 km from Shillong in the town of Mawsynram. Read our experience of visiting this cave here!

2- Mawsmai Cave, Cherrapunjee

Mawsmai cave is the most popular cave in Cherrapunjee for tourists who want to feel the thrill. It is well lit and easily accessible which makes it the favorite choice of tourists especially families. It is a long cave but only a small portion is open for the visitors. Will share more details in my next post.

3- Arwah Cave,  Cherrapunjee

Arwah cave is the more recent discovery and was opened for tourists in 2014. If you want to experience the real thrill of exploring the unknown then this is a must visit. This was not in our itinerary, in fact, we had no idea that such a cave existed, thanks to our driver who told us about the cave sensing our love for adventure from the other day. I will share more about it in my next post.

B- Waterfalls in Meghalaya

Now, coming to the waterfalls which are abundant and truly magnificent in Meghalaya. Each waterfall has some kind of interesting tale associated to it, ask your local guide or driver to narrate these to you. Also, you will need really good stamina or at least ample time at hand to trek to some of the most spectacular waterfalls. 

1- Elephant Falls in Shillong

Elephant falls are quite popular among the tourists visiting Shillong. This fall is a 3-step waterfall and each step is easily accessible by walking down the stairs. And, no! there are no elephants neither they resemble an elephant now. More on it in my upcoming post.

2- Khreng Khreng Falls in Mawsynram

I have already shared our experience of visiting Khreng Khreng falls. You can read more about it here!

3- Wah Kaba Falls in Cherrapunjee

Visiting Wahkaba falls was one of our most memorable experience. We walked down around 700 steps to reach the top of the falls which was calm enough to walk across from one side to the other. At some dangerous points, you may need to pick up your toddler and walk, it may sound tiring but the stunning views of the valley you get to see all along the way make it all worthwhile. Trust me, you will not regret visiting these falls. Will share our wonderful experience in my next post.

4- Seven Sister Falls

One of the popular falls are these 7 streams which fall in parallel from over the hill and looks quite enchanting when in full glory. These are very close to the Mawsmai caves hence also known by the name Mawsmai Falls. More about it in my next post.

5- Nohkalikai Falls

Another famous waterfall in Meghalaya is the majestic yet mesmerizing Nohkalikai fall which is also one of the highest waterfalls in India. There’s a horrible tale related to this waterfall which is also known as the legend of Nohkalikai. You won’t have to walk much to see it’s beauty since this can only be enjoyed from far.

6- Mawkdok Dympep viewpoint in Cherrapunjee

This is the first viewpoint en route to Cherrapunjee from Shillong. When we were walking down the stairs to reach the falls, some of the visitors coming back discouraged us from going till the end with a small child. We got confused and came back from halfway. Later, we realized we did a mistake listening to people. We should have at least tried. But the views were stunning even from that point and worth clicking.

C- Living Root Bridge, Mawlynnong

The living root bridges are not completely natural but they are a wonder, no doubt. Cherrapunjee and many other parts of Meghalaya are famous for these root bridges. These are formed by the local villagers by inter-connecting & directing ariel roots of some trees over the rivers which then keep growing and form a complex structure. Once the structure looks strong enough, it is then used as a natural bridge to cross the streams on foot.

The most famous double-decker root bridge is in Nongriat village, Cherrapunjee. One needs to trek down the hill and cross 2 streams using a hanging steel wire bridge. Approx. steps down the hill are 3000, so you will need a lot of stamina to do this trek. We visited a smaller root bridge in Riwai near Mawlynnong village.

D- Umiam Lake, Shillong

Umiam lake is situated on the way to Shillong from Guwahati and is a perfect picnic spot for families. I highly recommend visiting the Umiam viewpoint and spend some leisure time.

There’s a small kid’s play area inside the park. Older kids and adults can enjoy water sports at the lake. Make sure you carry your food and water as there is are no facilities inside the picnic area.

E- Umngnot River, Dawki

Dawki village is on the border of India and Bangladesh. It is famously known for the Dawki bridge over Umngnot river and also for boating in crystal clear water of the Umngnot river.

The water is surprisingly clear and you can see till the bottom of the river. You can enjoy the best of nature’s wonders while camping by the riverside in Dawki. I will share our extraordinary experience in my next post.

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So, these are the 12 best natural wonders in Meghalaya which you should definitely add to your itinerary. I am sure your kids will love the whole experience of exploring the best of nature in Meghalaya. I hope you liked reading this post.

Have you been to Meghalaya with your kids? Would you like to add another natural wonder to this list? Tell me about your experience of visiting this gorgeous state in North-East India. I love it when you leave a comment below.

That’s all for now, guys! See you tomorrow.

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Today is Day 14 of #BlogchatterA2Z and the letter of the day is ‘N’. My theme for the challenge is ‘Traveling with kids’ & I have chosen N for Natural Wonders. 

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