Cherrapunji

Cherrapunji at a glance

The Locals Traditionally Call It Sohra, However, The World Knows It By The More Popular Name Of �cherrapunjee� Or "cherrapunji". Once The Wettest Place On Earth, Cherrapunjee Today Is The Second Rainiest Place On Earth After Mawsynram. Cherrapunjee Receives Close To A Whopping 12 M Of Rain Every Year. Though The Status Of The Most Rainiest Place On Earth Has Changed From Chherrapunji To Mawsynram (about 16km From Cherrapunji), Cherrapunjee Still Reigns Supreme In Terms Of Tourist Attraction And Infrastructure Compared To Mawsynram. Cherrapunji Attracts Lot Of Tourists Because Of Its Abundant Natural Beauty, Package Of Valleys And Waterfalls, Caves And Canyons, Evergreen Misty Landscapes And Heavy Rains. Tucked Away In North East India, Cherrapunjee Is Located Around 60 Km From Shillong In The East Khasi District Of Meghalaya. The Umshiang Double Decker Living Root Bridge At Nongriat And Many Other Root Bridges Are Found In Cherrapunji (sohra) & Mawlynnong. Cherrapunji Is A Must Visit Destination Known For Its Varieties Of Cloud Formations And Quick Change Of Weather Fair To Foul And Vice Versa, Lush Green Plains, Numerous Waterfalls And A Trek To The Single And Double Decker Root Bridges. The Trek From Cherrapunjee To The Living Root Bridges Is Not For The Faint Heart As It Requires A Lot Of Stamina And Grit To Trek Down To These Natural Wonders Of Nature. Cherrapunjee Has A Few Fascinating Stone Gorges Noted Among Which Are Riat-maw-iew, Maw-laikhlieh And Riat-u-shain. The Famous Mawsmai Cave With Charming Stalactite Formations Is Located 9 K.m. Away Close To The Mawsmai Falls. Be It The Mystical Hues Or The Lofty Khasi Hills Reaching Out To Hug The Blue Sky, Cherrapunji Offers Many Magical Charms To Enthrall Visitors. Nature Lovers Can Experience Amazing Caves, Natural Trails And Unique Natural Phenomenon Of Inter Wined Root Bridges. The Journey To Cherrapunji Is In Itself An Experience Worth Savouring. Gushing Waterfalls, Foggy Mountains And Roads, Dense Equatorial Type Vegetation Add To The Beauty Of Sohra. A Visit To Sohra Is A Walk In The Clouds, A Wisp Of Imagination And Raindrops On Your Cheek, A Place Where Clouds And Rain Play In Their Own Time Wrap.

Area 7 sq. km
Population 14,816
Winter Temperature 12°C to 15°C
Summer Temperature 25°C to 30°C
Best Time To Visit

October to March

  • Air

    shillong Airport At Umroi Connects Only To Kolkata. You Can Get A Taxi To Shillong From The Airport. Guwahati Is The Nearest Major Airport, About 100 Km From Shillong. Guwahati Airport Is Well-connected To Major Cities, Like Delhi, Agartala, Aizawl, Kolkata And Imphal. International Travellers Will Have To Travel To Guwahati Through Kolkata Or Delhi. From Airport You Can Hire A Taxi To Sohra / Cherrapunji.

  • Rail

    guwahati Is The Nearest Railway Station, Around 150 Km Away. From Station You Can Hire A Taxi To Sohra / Cherrapunji. Guwahati Is Well-connected To All Major Railway Stations Of India.

  • Road

    regular Bus Services Connect Shillong With Guwahati. The Bus Station Or Depot Is Located At The Centre Of Shillong. State Transport Corporation And Private Operators Run Bus Services From Shillong To Many Cities In Meghalaya And Neighboring States. From Shillong You Can Hire A Taxi To Sohra / Cherrapunji.

  • Nohkalikai Falls

    One Of The Most Photogenic Waterfalls In India, Nohkalikai In Meghalaya Is The Fifth Highest Waterfall In India. Nohkalikai, Which Means Means ka Likai's Leap In Khasi Language, Is Located About Seven Km Away From Cherrapunji, The Second Wettest Place On The Planet. Water Plunges From A Height Of 1,100 Ft Uninterrupted From The Highest Point To The Foot Of The Falls Making It A Spectacular Site. The Force Of Water Has Carved A Waterhole Which Remains Blue In The Winter And Turns Green In The Summer Months. The Flow Of Water Is Profuse In Summer While The Flow Recedes In The Winter To A Small Stream Giving The Impression Of A White Rope Against The Green Forest.

  • Mawsynram

    Crowned As The Wettest Place On Earth, The Village Of Mawsynram Is A Nature Lover's Dream And The Best Place To Witness The Fury Of The Rains. With 11,872 Mm Of Rainfall Received Annually, Mawsynram Beats Cherrapunji By A Slender Margin. Cherrapunji Receives 11,777 Mm Of Rainfall. Situated In East Khasi Hill District Of Meghalaya, 15 Km West Of Cherrapunji, Mawsynram Is 1400 M Above Sea Level. Meteorologists Believe Mawsynram's Location Plays A Huge Part In It Receiving Huge Amount Of Rainfall. Moisture Gathers Over The Bay Of Bengal, It Causes Precipitation Over Mawsynram, Leading To A Heavy And Very Long Monsoon Season. The Rains Are So Intense In Mawsynram That The Villagers Use Thick Grass To Sound-proof Their Huts From The Deafening Rain. The maw In Mawsynram Is A Khasi Word Which Means stone, Thus Referring To Certain Megaliths Found In The Khasi Hill Area. The Village Is Most Famous For The Gigantic Formation Of A Stalagmite, Which Resembles The Shape Of A shivling.

  • Khoh Ramhah

    This Place Attracts A Lot Of Tourists Throughout The Year. Its Called Khoh Ramhah By The Locals Which Means basket Of The Giant. It Is Believed The Ancestors Of The Locals In Cherrapunjee That The Stone Which Resembles A Basket Was Carried By A Giant. Some Legends Even Say That Its A Basket With Spirit Of An Evil. The Waterfalls Besides The Rocks With The Combination Of Adjacent Scene Of Plains Of Bangladesh Is Worth Experiencing. It Is An Ideal Spot For Picnic.

  • Thangkharang Park

    This Park Is A Popular Tourist Spot In Cherrapunjee Than Others. It Consist Of A Beautiful Looking Fountain, Garden For Little Children And Various Species Of Plants And Trees In The Greenhouse In The Park. It Provides A Great 180 Degree View To The Various Nearby Sights. It Gains Popularity From Its Perfect Panoramic View To The Nearby Places Like Bangladesh Plains And Kynrem Falls. This Place Attracts Tourists And Mostly Photographers To Visit This Park.

  • Seven Sisters Falls

    Located Just 1 Kilometre South Of Mawsmai Village In East Khasi Hills District In The Indian State Of Meghalaya, The Seven Sisters Waterfalls Have The Reputation Of Being The Fourth Highest Waterfalls In India. It Is A Seven-segmented Waterfall, Which Plunges Over The Top Of Limestone Cliffs Of The Khasi Hills. The Falls Only Flow During The Rainy Season. The Vibrant Colours Of The Setting Sun Make For A Great Sight.

  • Living Root Bridges

    Meghalaya's Double-decker And Single-decker Root Bridges Are Known To Be Unique In The World. The Bridges Are Tangles Of Massive Thick Roots, Which Have Been Intermingled To Form A Bridge That Can Hold Several People At A Time. Khasi People Have Been Trained To Grow These Bridges Across The Raised Banks Of Streams To Form A Solid Bridge, Made From Roots. The Living Bridges Are Made From The Roots Of The Ficus Elastica Tree, Which Produces A Series Of Secondary Roots To Form Bridges. The Root Bridges, Some Of Which Are Over A Hundred Feet Long, Take Ten To Fifteen Years To Become Fully Functional, But They're Extraordinarily Strong Enough That Some Of Them Can Support The Weight Of Fifty Or More People At A Time. These Bridges Are Alive And Still Growing And Gain Strength Over Time.

  • Shopping

    Cherrapunjee Might Not Rank Very High On The List Of Best Shopping Destinations, But There Are Definitely A Few Things That Catch The Attention. Since The Town Is Surrounded By Serene Forests, Locals Are Able To Harvest And Sell Some Wonderful Orange Honey. The Local Artisans Also Show Tremendous Talent With Wood And Bamboo, And Several Of Their Handicrafts Are On Sale In Markets. Locally Made Shawls And Fabrics Are Also Popular Items That Can Be Purchased By Tourists.

  • Drive in Cafeteria

    A Lovely Cafe' Located On The Shillong- Cherrapunjee Highway Where You Can Park Your Car To Have A Sip Of Your Favorite Hot Beverage In The Cold Rainy Weather. Location: - Shillong-cherrapunjee Road, Mawkdok, Cherrapunjee, India

  • Avron Restaurant

    Avron Restaurant In Cherrapunjee Is A Nice Place To Have Your Favorite Food. The Prices Are Pretty Reasonable And The Decor Is Beautiful. Location: - Sohra Thangkharang Road, Saitsohpen Village, Sohra, Cherrapunjee