Highlight
The Travel Story's Meghalaya tour package covers Shillong, Cherrapunji, the double decker living root bridge trek, and Dawki over 5 nights and 6 days, starting and ending at Guwahati airport. Batches run through most of the year on a fixed departure date, with a dedicated trip captain and group sizes kept small enough for a shared Tempo Traveller.
This is built for the 18 to 35 age group specifically, not a family holiday with a backpacking label on it. If you're booking solo, you'll share a room with someone in the same age bracket, and travel with a group on the same pace and budget as you. For a fuller sense of what the state itself offers beyond this one route, our guide to the best places to visit in Meghalaya covers the wider picture, and the best time to visit Meghalaya breaks down how each season changes the trip.
Itinerary
Land at Guwahati airport before 12 noon. The group departs for Shillong by 12:30 PM, a 100 kilometre, 3 to 4 hour drive with a stop at Umiam Lake. Evening at Police Bazaar. Overnight in Shillong.
Drive to Cherrapunji, about 54 kilometres, 2 hours. Stops at Elephant Falls, Dympep Valley viewpoint, the Garden of Caves, and Nohkalikai Falls at dusk, India's tallest plunge waterfall at 340 metres. Overnight in Cherrapunji.
The main event of the package. Trek from Tyrna village, roughly 3,500 steps and 6 kilometres round trip, to Nongriat, home to the double decker living root bridge. 4 to 6 hours round trip. Also covers Rainbow Waterfall and Seven Sister Falls. Overnight in Cherrapunji.
Arwah Caves, the India to Bangladesh border viewpoint, and Mawlynnong, known as Asia's cleanest village. Overnight at Shnongpdeng, near Dawki.
Boating on the Umngot river, in a shared 4 person boat. The Umngot is at its clearest October to April, batches between August and early October will see greener, wetter scenery and a muddier river rather than the glass clear water in most photos online, a fair trade for fuller waterfalls elsewhere on the route that same week. Stop at Phe Phe Waterfall for a swim. Overnight in Shillong.
Departure around 9 AM via Laitlum Canyon, reaching Guwahati by roughly 3 PM. Book onward flights after 5 PM.
Other Info
Reporting and Arrival
Land at Guwahati airport before 12 noon on Day 1. The group departs together for Shillong at 12:30 PM, so flights arriving after this window risk missing the joining transfer.
Return Flights
You'll reach Guwahati airport by roughly 3 PM on Day 6. Book onward flights after 5 PM to allow a comfortable buffer.
Umngot River, What Season Actually Changes
The Umngot is genuinely at its clearest from October through April. If you're booking a batch between August and early October, expect greener surroundings and fuller waterfalls elsewhere on the route, but a visibly muddier river at Dawki rather than the glass clear water in most photos online. Neither season is objectively better, they're just different trips. Our best time to visit Meghalaya guide breaks this down month by month if you want to choose deliberately rather than by accident.
Connectivity
Network coverage is reasonably strong through Shillong and Cherrapunji, BSNL and Airtel both work in most areas, though signal thins out noticeably around Nongriat and the root bridge trek itself.
What to Pack
Comfortable trekking shoes with real grip, essential for the root bridge trek's steps, which are uneven and can be slippery after rain. A light rain jacket regardless of season, Meghalaya earns its reputation for rainfall even outside monsoon. Quick dry clothing for the Dawki boating day, and a dry bag or waterproof pouch for your phone and camera.
Other Meghalaya Departures
If your dates fall over the New Year window, the Meghalaya Backpacking New Year Special runs the same route on a dedicated year end batch. Travellers with more time who want to add Kaziranga National Park's rhino safaris to this same circuit should look at the Meghalaya Kaziranga Expedition instead.
How to Reach the Starting Point in Guwahati
By air, Guwahati's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (GAU) is the joining point for this trip, connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Kolkata by multiple daily flights. Shillong also has its own small airport, Umroi, roughly 30 kilometres from the city, though it currently sees limited scheduled service, most travellers still route through Guwahati.
By rail, Guwahati Railway Station connects to most major Indian cities, and sits roughly 96 kilometres from central Shillong, about the same driving distance as the airport transfer this trip already includes.
By road, if you're already in the Northeast, Guwahati to Shillong is a well maintained 100 kilometre stretch, generally 3 to 4 hours depending on traffic through Umiam.
- 5 nights hotel: 2 in Shillong, 2 in Cherrapunji, 1 at Shnongpdeng (Dawki)
- 5 breakfasts (Day 2 to 6), 5 dinners (Day 1 to 5)
- 30 minutes of boating at Dawki, shared 4 to a boat
- Trip captain for all 6 days
- Driver charges, toll and parking
- Guwahati airport pickup and drop
- Medical kit carried through the trip
- Food and drinks outside the fixed meal plan, alcohol, bottled water, highway meals
- Personal spends: driver tips, monument entry tickets, camera fees at sites like the root bridge (₹20 to ₹50 per person, paid on the spot), rafting, laundry, phone bills
- Costs from landslides or roadblocks, payable on the spot
- 5% GST, added separately
No Refund shall be made with respect to the initial booking amount for any cancellations. However,
- If cancellations are made 30 days before the start date of the trip, 50% of the trip cost will be charged as cancellation fees.
- If cancellations are made 15-30 days before the start date of the trip, 75% of the trip cost will be charged as cancellation fees.
- If cancellations are made within 0-15 days before the start date of the trip, 100% of the trip cost will be charged as cancellation fees.
- In the case of unforeseen weather conditions or government restrictions, certain activities may be cancelled and in such cases, the operator will try his best to provide an alternate feasible activity. However, no refund will be provided for the same.
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Testimonials
Bandita Shee
It was my first ever trip with strangers, and I was scared, being a young girl, of how it would be. But I wanted to explore and enjoy. Those people I met and those memories, I will cherish forever. Arvind, our group captain, did his job very well. Hotels and homestays were good, and I enjoyed the food too.
Meghalaya Backpacking
29 November, 2025
Deepa Makwana
My first big trip was with TTS Meghalaya. Our captain Arbind was very helpful, since this was my first time going on treks. He was patient, motivated us throughout, and made us feel comfortable and safe. Our stays were comfortable, and the food was tasty even though the vegetarian options were limited, the captain always found good vegetarian food for us.
Meghalaya Backpacking
22 August, 2025
Saif Thobani
I recently went for the Meghalaya backpacking trip with Travel Story for 13 to 18 September 2025. Our captain Arbind was very hospitable and kind and ensured we all had a great experience. I'm looking forward to their other packages as well, Kashmir, Ladakh and Vietnam, in the months to come.
Meghalaya Backpacking
13 September, 2025
Keerthi Rani
It was such wonderful experience traveling to meghalaya with travel story.. Captions arranged everything so perfectly and they handled all situations so clam and composed, Each of us felt safe and secure all the time and we thoroughly enjoyed our trip
Meghalaya Backpacking
17 October, 2025
