Elephant Falls

Where

Upper Shillong, East Khasi Hills

Altitude

About 1,700 m

Distance

About 11–12 km from Shillong, 30 minutes

Timings

Daytime; reported hours vary from 9am–5pm to 6am–6pm

Entry fee

₹20 per person plus ₹20 for a camera (most reports)

Permit

None

Best time

June–October for the most water

Time needed

45 minutes–1 hour

Elephant Falls is a stepped waterfall in a fern-filled gorge on the edge of Upper Shillong, 12 km from the city centre. Its Khasi name, Ka Kshaid Lai Pateng Khohsiew, means "the three-step waterfall", and steps lead down past each level.

Where the English name came from

British settlers named the falls after a large rock beside them that looked like an elephant. The rock was destroyed in the great Assam earthquake of 1897, but the name stuck. A signboard at the entrance tells the story.

The three tiers

• The first fall is broad and partly hidden among trees.
• The second is gentle and can look minor in the dry months.
• The third, the tallest, comes into view suddenly at the bottom of the steps, falling over sharp, oddly shaped rocks.

Benches at the first and second levels let you rest on the way back up.

How to reach Elephant Falls

The falls are about 12 km from the city centre, signposted off the road near Shillong Peak, opposite Mattilang Park. It is usually combined with Shillong Peak and the city sights. See car rental in Shillong and top places to visit in Shillong.

Road distances from OpenStreetMap routing. Drive times are what we see on these mountain roads, not map estimates.

Tickets and timings

• Entry: ₹20 per person plus ₹20 for a camera in most reports; one recent guide quotes ₹100, so carry small notes.
• Hours: daytime; reported hours range from 9am–5pm to 6am–6pm.
• The steps are steep and slippery after rain. Allow about 45 minutes down and back.

Weather and best time

Shillong is mild year-round. The falls are fullest from June to October, and the dry months from November to March make the steps easier.

Monthly averages for 2015–2024 from ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, at the site's elevation (about 1724 m). Rain and snow are rated relative to this location's own year.

Things most guides don't tell you

• Go early on weekends and holidays; by late morning the steps are crowded.
• The bottom tier is the one to see. Don't turn back at the first viewpoint.
• Wear shoes with grip. Slippers are a common cause of falls on the wet steps.

A half-day plan around Shillong

• 9am: Elephant Falls, before the crowds.
• 10am: Shillong Peak viewpoint nearby for the view over the city, if open to visitors that day (it sits within an Air Force area and access can be restricted).
• 11:30am: drive on to Laitlum Canyons, about 30–40 minutes away.
• 2pm: back in town for Ward's Lake, the Don Bosco Museum and Police Bazar.

Who it suits

• Families: the top viewpoints are easy; the full walk to the bottom tier is steep, with handrails in most places.
• Older travellers: the first tier is a short walk; take the descent slowly and use the benches.
• Photographers: a polarising filter cuts the glare on the wet rocks; mornings give softer light in the gorge.

What to carry

Shoes with grip, a light rain jacket from May to October, and small notes for the ticket and camera fee.

Nearby

• Laitlum Canyons, about 30 minutes away.
• Umiam Lake on the Guwahati road.