7 Best Day Trips from Shillong: Caves, Waterfalls, Treks and Clear Rivers (2026)
Seven day trips from Shillong, from Cherrapunji's caves to the clear river at Dawki, with how far each is, how long it takes, the best season and what it costs.
Shillong is the best base in Meghalaya. It has the most hotels and restaurants, and almost everything famous in the state is a day trip away.
The catch is that the trips go in different directions on different roads. If you choose the right one for each day, you spend less time in the car and more time at the falls, caves and rivers.
Here are the seven best day trips from Shillong. For each one we give the distance, how long the day takes, the best time to go, and how to book it with a car and driver.
Day trips from Shillong at a glance
| Day trip | Distance from Shillong | Length of day | Best months | Breeziah price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherrapunji caves and waterfalls | 55 km | 8 am to 6 pm | Oct to Apr | ₹4,499 per car |
| Krang Suri Falls and Dawki | 85 km | 7 am to 7 pm | Nov to Mar | ₹5,499 per car |
| David Scott Trail trek | 25 km | 7:30 am to evening | Oct to Apr | ₹3,999 per car |
| Mawphlang sacred forest | 25 km | Half day | Oct to May | ₹2,999 per car |
| Laitlum Canyons (overnight option) | 22 to 25 km | Afternoon to next morning | Oct to Feb | ₹1,500 per person |
| Umiam Lake kayaking | 15 to 20 km | 2 to 3 hours | Oct to Apr | ₹999 per person |
| Double-decker root bridge, Nongriat | 65 km to Tyrna | Full day | Oct to Mar | ₹899 per person (guide) |
"Per car" prices are for up to 4 people, with the car and driver from your Shillong hotel.
1. Cherrapunji caves and waterfalls
Best for: first-timers who want the classic Meghalaya day.
Cherrapunji (Sohra) is the reason most people come to Meghalaya. The limestone plateau is full of caves and edged by some of India's highest waterfalls.
In one day you can see:
- Garden of Caves: a park of caves and streams with a waterfall falling through the rock.
- Mawsmai Cave: short and lit, with stalactites and narrow squeezes.
- Arwah Cave: fossils in the walls and a forest path to the entrance.
- Nohkalikai Falls and the Seven Sisters viewpoint on the way.
Book: Cherrapunji caves day trip from Shillong, ₹4,499 per car. Read more in our Garden of Caves guide.
2. Krang Suri Falls and Dawki
Best for: clear water and a swim.
This is the longest day on the list, and many people think it's the best.
- Krang Suri Falls in the Jaintia Hills drops into a pool of startling blue. You can swim there with a life jacket.
- Dawki, about 30 km on, is where the Umngot river is so clear the boats seem to float.
Leave by 7 am, because it's 2.5 to 3 hours each way. Swimming and boating stop in the monsoon, so go between October and May.
Book: Krang Suri Falls and Dawki day trip, ₹5,499 per car. To slow down, stay the night by the river with Dawki riverside camping.
3. David Scott Trail trek
Best for: walkers who want hills, rivers and villages without crowds.
This 19th-century bridle path from Mawphlang to Lad Mawphlang is Meghalaya's classic day trek. It's about 14 to 16 km and mostly downhill, past stone bridges, river pools and Khasi hamlets.
Book: David Scott Trail trek from Shillong, ₹3,999 per car, with drop, pickup and a local guide. Our David Scott Trail guide has the full route.
4. Mawphlang sacred forest
Best for: a slow half day, culture and nature.
Khasi tradition has protected this grove for centuries: nothing may be cut, hunted or carried out. A guide from the community walks you past moss-hung trees, orchids and stone monoliths, and explains the beliefs behind them.
It takes about four hours from Shillong in all, so you're back by lunch.
Book: Mawphlang sacred forest walk, ₹2,999 per car with the guide fee.
5. Laitlum Canyons, by day or overnight
Best for: views, sunrise and photographers.
Laitlum, "the end of the hills", is a grassy ridge where the plateau falls into deep green gorges. By day it's a short trip from Shillong.
The best way to see it is to stay the night. The day visitors leave, the sunset lights up the gorges, and sunrise often comes over a sea of cloud.
Book: Laitlum Canyons camping, ₹1,500 per person with dinner and breakfast. Runs October to April.
6. Umiam Lake kayaking
Best for: arrival or departure day.
Umiam Lake (Barapani) is the big reservoir on the Guwahati–Shillong road, ringed by pine hills. An hour in a kayak is an easy first activity on the day you arrive, or a last stop before Guwahati.
Book: Umiam Lake kayaking, ₹999 per person with kayak, life jacket and guide.
7. Double-decker living root bridge, Nongriat
Best for: fit travellers who want Meghalaya's most famous sight.
The trek starts at Tyrna, near Cherrapunji, and goes down thousands of stone steps to two living root bridges grown one above the other. It's possible as a long day from Shillong if you leave by 6 am. It's easier if you stay the night in Cherrapunji.
Since 2025 a registered local guide is compulsory on this trail.
Book: double-decker root bridge trek, ₹899 per person with the guide and entry fee. Transport to Tyrna is extra.
How to fit them into a trip
- 3 days in Shillong: Cherrapunji caves, Krang Suri and Dawki, then Mawphlang with Laitlum.
- 5 days: add the David Scott Trail and a night in Cherrapunji for the root bridge trek.
- Arrival or departure day: Umiam Lake kayaking on the way.
Prefer to have everything planned? See our Meghalaya tour packages, or book a Guwahati to Shillong cab to get here.
Helpful Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best day trip from Shillong?
For a first visit, Cherrapunji, for the caves and waterfalls. For clear water, Krang Suri Falls and Dawki between November and March.
Can I visit Cherrapunji and Dawki in one day from Shillong?
Not comfortably. They are on different roads, and each needs most of a day. Do them on separate days.
How much does a day trip from Shillong cost?
With Breeziah, a car and driver for a day trip costs ₹2,999 to ₹5,499 for up to 4 people, depending on the distance. Entry fees are usually paid at the gate.
Which day trips from Shillong are open in the monsoon?
Cherrapunji, the David Scott Trail, Mawphlang and the root bridge trek run all year but are wet and slippery from June to September. Swimming at Krang Suri, boating at Dawki and Laitlum camping stop in the monsoon.
Is Shillong a good base for exploring Meghalaya?
Yes. Most of the famous sights are 30 minutes to 3 hours away, and Shillong has the widest choice of hotels.
Plan This Journey
Turn this Shillong guide into a trip that fits your pace
If this guide is part of the kind of holiday you want, Breeziah can help shape the route, travel flow and stay style around your dates, comfort level and destination priorities.
