Shillong Tourism – An Ultimate Travel Guide, 2023
Shillong is the capital of Meghalaya and the headquarter of East Khasi Hills District. Encircled and lying between the cradle of tall conifers pinewood trees and pineapple shrubs, Shillong’s rolling hills and terrain makes a constant source of attraction for tourists which has ultimately boosted Shillong Tourism a lot.
Shillong Travel has been in the bucket list of many travelers as it is one of the cleanest cities of India and is also referred to as the ‘Scotland of the East’ because of its rolling hills around the town which is similar to the Scottish Highlands.
Shillong is the home to a variety of waterfalls and water bodies and is located on a plateau that is surrounded on the northwest by Diengiei Hills at a rising height of 1823m and on the North by Umiam gorge. Among the key reasons for the boost of Shillong Tourism and tourists visiting Shillong is its breath taking mountain peaks, clear crystal rivers, spectacular Golf Course and the mesmerizing sceneries.
Shillong also acts as the gateway to Meghalaya which is famous for heavy rainfall, tallest waterfall, lakes, amazing people and culture. Some of the major places that has boosted Shillong Tourism are Umiam Lake, Elephant Falls, Laitlum Grand Canyons, Krang Suri Falls, Nohkalikai Falls, Seven Sister Falls, Mawsmai Cave, Dawki River and Mawlynnong Village .
Best Selling Shillong Tourism Packages
What Makes Shillong So Famous?
Shillong the capital city of Meghalaya, it is considered as one of the picturesque and unspoilt hill stations of India and it is located at an height of 1,496 above the sea level. It is famous because of its stunning waterfalls, enchanting lakes and lush green elevations that a visitor can witness in almost every turn. It serves a moderate weather condition to its visitors throughout the year. The maximum temperature one can find in this green city is 27-29 degree celsius whereas minimum is 5-7 degree celsius. Therefore, the British used to call this beautiful city the Scotland of the East. Apart from its enchanting waterfalls and scenic sites it also gives a chance to explore some of the biggest caves of India like krem liat Prah Cave, Umlawan cave, Mawsmai Cave, etc, etc. In Meghalaya there are around 1580 caves out of which nearly 980 caves have been explored. With excellent sites to visit in shillong. This enchanting holiday destination is like a topography of heaven. This desired destination is like a painting that you used to hang in your drawing room. This pleasing land is a pretty that rests on lofty valleys and hills where you can see tall-tall pine trees hovering and moving rhythmically with the gentle breeze and the clouds along the edges of its hills spreading all over the attractive blue sky. This romantic land situated in between lands of different heights is more than enough to quiet your attention of incantation and leaping over something.
When to Visit Shillong for Tourism
Shillong can be visited all-round the year as it has the most pleasant weather all the time. During monsoons the waterfalls and green mountains showcase its real beauty. The waterfalls have enough water giving a specteular view while it falls from the top. The entire area is greener and beautiful.
During winters although there is not enough rain but the lakes and rivers are cleaner, specially the Dawki River. The beauty of rivers can be admired during the winters. While boating in the Dawki river you can see the river bed very clearly. Also water sports and other adventures like trekking can be done during winters.
Since there are lot of options for planning your tour it makes Shillong an ideal tourist destination.
Things to do in Shillong
- Boating in Umiam Lake:you can perform a boating activity in the biggest lake of Meghalaya and witness a picturesque beauty. You can also visit an island which is situated in the middle of the lake.
- Exploring the central Market:Iewduh and Police Bazar which are termed as the central market of Meghalaya you can explore these busy markets and do shopping.
- Elephant Falls:This falls is called as elephant falls because it has an elephant-like stone at its foot. This falls is very famous among the locals as it provides a place to relax in the amids serenity.
- Don Bosco Museum:Known as the largest Museum of indigenoue and local cultures. This museum is also referred to as the major visiting spot within the Shillong city to witness and observe various types of tribes of Meghalaya and their cultures.
- Trekking in the calm and composed trails:Trekking in Shillong is considered as the best experience as it has numeros trekking sites some of them are Umshyrpi Cave trail, David Scott’s trail, Living Root Bridge Trail and many more.
- Explore the Caves:Shillong, Meghalaya has around 1,580 caves out of which only 980 caves have been explored. Some of them are fully explored whereas some of them are partially explored.
- Shillong Golfing:One of the biggest and oldest Golf courses of Meghalaya situated in Shillong.The course is situated in a scenic valley surrounded by pine trees, which attracts lots of migratory birds along with regional birds.
- Witnessing the wettest place on earth:Mawsynram and Cherrapunji which have the title of highest and second highest rainfall in the world. You can walk around its region and witness some of the picturesque beauty of Meghalaya.
- Visit Cleanest Village of Asia:In the year 2003 this required village received the title of Cleanest village of Asia by Discover India. Since then many tourists from various parts of the world visit this unbelievable site and explore it.
- Camping:An activity that one must try atleast once in his/her life. Therefore if you are visiting Shillong then you have the chance to perform this activity near Shnongpdeng.
- Scuba Diving:Experience river water scuba diving and observe underwater life, flora and fauna that lead their life away from sunlight in Shnongpdeng Dawki.
- Watch the sunset:watch the setting of the sun over the hills and valleys and click a snap for your Instagram feed.
Itineraries for Shillong Tour
You can choose your ideal Dawki Tour plan from our list of Shillong Tour Packages.
How do we reach Shillong
You can reach Shillong by road, rail or flight.Shillong is well connected with major cities of India by road. You can reach Guwahati from anywhere in India and from there it takes about 2 ½ hours drive to reach Shillong. There are different options to travel by road for reaching Shillong. You can take a bus which is available from Guwahati but it will take more time and the journey will be tyring and hectic. If you want a comfortable journey you can book a private cab from outside the Guwahati Railway Station or Guwahait Airport or even from Paltan Bazar. It will take around 2 ½ hours to reach Shillong and the best part is that with private cabs you can stop at sightseeing sports on the way and click memorable pictures which cannot be done while travelling in a bus or a shared taxi.
Since Meghalaya does not have proper railway connectivity, you can take a train up to Guwahati Railway Station from where cabs are available to reach Meghalaya. It is around 2 & ½ hours of journey from Guwahati Railway Station to Shillong.
The nearest airport to reach Shillong is the Shillong Airport, also known as Umroi Airport. As of now it is connected with Delhi and Kolkata. So if you are from these two places you can directly reach take a flight to Shillong Airport and from there it takes around 1 hour to reach Shillong City. Apart from Shillong Airport, travellers also prefer to arrive in Guwahati Airport which is also known as Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport. Guwahati Airport is well connected with the major cities of India. You can take a flight to Guwahati Airport from where you can easily get a cab to reach Shillong. You can also pre-book a cab with us to avoid any last minute hassle. On pre-booking a cab with us you can avoid any last minute inconveniences as once you reach Guwahati Airport the cab will wait for you outside the airport.
Honeymoon Packages for Shillong
Local languages spoken in Shillong are Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo. Apart from local languages people also speak Hindi, Bengali and Nepali. People of Shillong can communicate well in English. People of different origins and from different places of India live in Shillong and speak their languages.
Travellers generally doesn’t have difficulty in communicating with locals as most of the local youths can communicate in English.
People from different ethnic groups speaking multiple languages has been an added advantage for Shillong Tourism.
Shillong was a capital of Assam during British Rule. Being a hilly region, it was the summer capital of Assam and Eastern Bengal for many years. On 12th June, 1874, an earthquake occured in Shilllong. Post independence after Meghalaya became a state officially on 21st January 1972, Shillong was made its capital.
Different tribes and people live in Shillong. The major tribes are Khasi, Garo and Jaintia. Apart from local tribes people from other parts of India live here. You will people from places like Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan.
Oranges, Ginger, Turmeric, Broom and Limestone of Meghalaya are highly demanded products and are transported outside the state as well as exported to other countries.
Local people celebrate different tribal festivals like the Behdienkhalm, Seng Kut Snem and the Wangala Festival. Tourism in Meghalaya is thriving because of its natural beauty, different cultures and warm and welcoming people.
Top Tourist Attractions in Shillong
Shillong is a small and beautiful hill station and is the capital of Meghalaya. Because of its beauty and cleanliness, it is also known as the Scotland of the East. The city is surrounded by hilly mountains and huge pine trees. There are many beautiful places in and around Shillong which you can visit during your Meghalaya Tour.
You can visit the following places in Shillong:
Wards Lake
Botanical Garden
Shillong Golf-Course
Lady Hydari Park
Don Bosco Museum
Grand Madina Glass Masjid
Shillong Peak
Elephant Falls
SIGHTSEEING PLACES AT THE OUTSKIRTS OF SHILLONG
Cherrapunjee
Nokhalikai Falls
Seven Sisters Falls
Mawsmai Cave
Mawlynnong Village
Khasi Heritage Village
Double Decker Living Root Bridge
David Scott Trails
More Places in Shillong
Weather in Shillong
Weather condition in Shillong is typically cool and temperate with an average annual temperature of 17.1° C. The summers have a good deal of rainfall while the winters have very few.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average temperature of 21°C – 23°C and January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 4°- 10°C. The driest month is December with 8 mm of rainfall and most of the precipitation falls in June which averages at 851 mm.
| Season | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Summer(April-June) | 15°C-24°C |
| Monsoon(July-September) | 12°C-16°C |
| Winter(October-March) | 2°C-17°C |
Shillong Tourism One Day Tour
Shillong Tourism Adventurous Activities
Travel Advice on Shillong Tourism
For visiting Shillong travellers need to generate e-invite from the Meghalaya Tourism App which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.
Since Shillong is one of the favourite tourist destinations in India, it is highly advisable to book your hotels early as you may not get good hotels later. Further you can also book vehicles early as later the fare may increase when your travel dates are near.
Travellers visiting Shillong should wear good quality and strong grip shoes as some of the tour involves trekking. If you are on a trip to Shillong during monsoons, you can carry raincoat and umbrella to avoid drenching in rain.
There are some long trekking tours like the Double Decker Bridge or the David Scot Trail which requires almost a full day. So, if you are coming with your old parents or kids, long treks should not be in your list.
It would be a great fun while shopping in Shillong if you know the right places and right things to buy. Popular markets in Shillong for shopping are Police Bazar, Bhutia Market and BaraBazar. At Police Bazar you will see vendors at the footpath selling ethinic handicrafts, beautiful handlooms, handmade organic products, vicious fruits and species, winter wear and fashion apparel. The most famous shopping hub in Police Bazar is the Glory Plaza and the Tibetan Market which can meet all your clothing requirements at the cheapest price. Most small scale shops in Shillong do not accept cards so keep enough cash in hand.
Shillong Tourism Travel Guides
Best Places to stay in Shillong
| Name | Price (Tentative) |
|---|---|
| Ri Kynjai – Serenity By The Lake | Starts from Rs.13000/- per night. |
| Hotel M Crown | Starts from Rs.7000/- per night. |
| Hotel Heiga | Starts from Rs.6000/- per night. |
| The Heritage Club – Tripura Castle | Starts from Rs.7500/- per night. |
| Hotel Sapphire | Starts from Rs.5000/-per night. |
| Hotel Holiday Hills | Starts from Rs.4500/-per night. |
| Name | Price (Tentative) |
|---|---|
| Hotel Rainbow | Starts from Rs.3000/- per night. |
| Lalam Homestay | Starts from Rs.3000/- per night. |
| Hotel Blue Pine | Starts from Rs.3000/- per night. |
Shillong Tourism Reviews
Tarun Rathi
Very Reliable taxi operator in Shillong. I had booked a 3 day tour package from Travenjo which included Airport pick up and drop, Cherrapunji day tour, Dawki and Phe Phe falls. I was so glad that they ...
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Swapnil Salgaonkar
Travenjo Team is one of most disciplined. They are best in providing services related to tours and cab in Meghalaya and Assam. At that time Ali was driber during thse time. He gave us a glimpse of meghalaya. He advised ...
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Srividya Kumar
If I have to use one phrase to describe Travenjo's services, it is care for the customer. Right from the get-go, Anwar was extremely responsive to our needs and patient with our questions. There were ...
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Bhaskar Thakur
I had used services of Travenjo for my 6 days trip to Assam and Meghalaya. The driver was polite, cooperative and punctual. We could cover most of the places as planned. Overall was satisfied with the ...
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Tuhin Karmakar
I was very happy with the service provided. The driver named Prince was outstanding. He was so friendly and jolly that we felt like a family. He was there guiding us in every place we went and provided us ...
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Nishanth B S
We had an amazing experience with Travenjo. We booked for 7days Meghalaya package. Our tour guide Sandeep was ultimate. His driving skill, knowledge on places, local food all are top notch. He is one of the ...
View ReviewFrequently Asked Questions about Shillong Tourism
Yes, Shillong has been open for tourists and travellers post pandemic. However as mentioned above people visiting Meghalaya are required to generate an e-invite from the Meghalaya Tourism App.
For travellers who have not completed their double dose or are not fully vaccinated are required to produce a negative RT PCR report during their entry to Meghalaya.
For tourists Shillong is one of the safest places in India. Solo travellers also visit Shillong and generally travellers feel safe while on a trip to Shillong. The police force as well as the people of Shillong in general are helpful. But normally we always advice travellers to take precaution with your valuable belongings.
Some of the famous and unique places of Shillong are Umiam Lake, Elephant Falls, Shillong Peak, Ward’s Lake and Shillong Golf Course.
Shillong can be visited all-round the year as it has pleasant weather except for few days in winters. Monsoon will be an ideal time if you want to see waterfalls and greeneries. During winters the lakes are cleaner making it a perfect time for water sport activities.
Local bamboo products and handicrafts are available in Police Bazar. You can also buy souvenirs. If you want to buy good quality local turmeric and honey of Meghalaya you can visit Iewduh (Barabazar).
You will find strawberries, oranges as well pineapples of good quality in Shillong Market.
During most of the time of the year climate in Shillong is generally moderate and pleasant. Summer ranges from 15°C to 24°C, monsoon has 12°C to 24°C and during winters the temperature in Meghalaya is cold ranges from 2°C to 16°C.
You can plan Shillong Tour for atleast five days. Here is a customized plan for Shillong Tour:
Day-1: Arrive in Shillong and go for Shillong Sightseeing and the sorrouding places.
Day-2: Visit Dawki and Mawlynnong Village.
Day-3: Cherrapunji Day Excursion.
Day-4: Krang Suri Falls and Laitlum Canyons Tour.
Day-5: Guwahati Drop via Umiam Lake visit.
If you want to book a ready made tour package, you can book one of our best selling Best of Meghalaya Tour Package.
For 5 days Shillong Tour, the budget would be around Rs.15,000/- per person. Shillong Tour Package includes stay, transportation and sightseeing. You can book our Spectacular Shilong Tour Package which is of 5 Days, 4 Nights and covers tourist places in Shillong and outskirts.
A budget Shillong Tour can be for 3 Days and 2 Nights. It will cost around Rs.7,000/- per person. Our 3 Days Shillong And Mawphanlur Tour is ideal budget travellers.
Shillong has some of the best sightseeing spots and lush greenery. The beautiful pine trees and the sylvan hills adds beauty to it. Its mesmerizing waterfalls, splendid lakes and less explored caves gives reason for tourists to visit Shillong.
The beauty of Shillong is at its peak during monsoons. The waterfalls looks and the greenery looks amazing during this time of the year.
Travellers are required to generate e-invite from Meghalaya Tourism App. You can download the app from Google Play Store or App Store.
You can reach Shillong by flight, bus and car as well. Train is available till Guwahati, Assam. Shillong is properly connected with major cities in India.
You can reach Shillong by:
Flight: Shillong Airport is the nearest airport which is connected with Kolkata and Delhi Airport at present.
Train: Guwahati Railway Station is the nearest railway station to reach by train. From here you will get cabs for Shillong.
By Bus: From Guwahati, bus service is availablefor Shillong. You can take a bus from ASTC (Assam State Transport Corporation) which is located in Paltan Bazar.
By Car: Taxi for Shillong is available at the Guwahati Airport, Railway Station, Paltan Bazar and also in Khanapara. To avoid last minute hassle you can book your cab for Shillong online through us.
Book our Shillong and Cherrapunjee Tour with Kaziranga for the best Shillong experience.
Shillong has many beautiful places which are best in its own way. You can visit the following best places in Shillong:
Elephant Falls
Umiam Lake
Laitlum Canyons
Mawphlang Village
Ward’s Lake
Some best nearby places are:
Cherrapunji and its Double Decker Living Root Bridge
Kongthong Village, the whistling village
Umden Village, famous for its Eri Silk
Mawlynnong and Dawki
Nongkhnum River Island, largest river island in Asia.
Yes, Shillong Tourism has adventure activities such as:
Boating
Skiing
Water Scooter Ride
Camping
Trekking
River Rappelling
Kayaking
Cliff Jumping
Scuba Diving
Zip Lining
Snorkeling
You can perform adventure activities in Umiam Lake, Shnongpdeng, Dawki, Nongriat, Mawryngkhang.
Resorts in Shillong offers good view. You can get view of mountains or lakes depending on the location of the resort. Even hotels are in food locations.
Some best resorts and hotels in and around Shillong are:
Ri Kynjai – Serenity By The Lake, Umiam Lake
Hotel Centre Point, Shillong
Hotel M Crown, Shillong
Jeeva Resort, Cherrapunji
Polo Orchid, Cherrapunji
Smoky Resort – Cherrapunji
Betelnut Resort, Shnongpdeng, Dawki
Some good budget hotels in and around Shillong are:
Lalam Homestay
Hotel Blue Pine, Shillong
Hotel Indiana, Shillong
Hotel Rainbow, Shillong
Nalgre Guest House, Laban
Amazing Resort, Cherrapunji
There are different markets in Shillong where you can buy local handicrafts, clothes and souvenir. For shopping in Shillong you can visit Police Bazar, Barabazar (Iewduh) and also Laitumkhrah Bazar etc.
There is not much Shillong night tourism as it is a small place and markets are closed early. It is advisable to tour Shillong during the day.