Meghalaya Tour: Living Root Bridges & Whistling Villages
Ten days crossing bamboo bridges, hearing a language only Kongthong speaks, and staying in villages most travelers never reach
A 10-day private tour departing Guwahati that moves through Meghalaya's remote villages, limestone caves, and highland plateaus, staying in hotels and a village homestay while trekking natural root bridges, witnessing tribal traditions, and traveling by private air-conditioned vehicle with a guide. The itinerary includes Tura, Daribokgre, South Garo Hills, Nongstoin, Shillong, Kongthong, and Mawlynnong, ending at Dawki on the Bangladesh border. Accommodations, private transport, and most meals are included. Meals not listed in the itinerary, tips, travel insurance, and flights are booked separately.
More experiences you might like
Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Guwahati and Riverfront Walk
- Arrive at Guwahati Airport
- Meet & greet and transfer to hotel
- Rest at hotel
- Walk at Brahmaputra riverfront
- Ferry ride to Umananda Temple and evening aarti
- Walk through Fancy Bazaar market
- Dinner at hotel or restaurant
Day 2: Drive to Tura and Sunset View
- Breakfast and hotel check-out
- Drive from Guwahati to Tura with stops
- Check-in and rest at Tura hotel
- Visit Tura Peak Viewpoint for sunset
- Walk through Tura town market
- Dinner at hotel
Day 3: Tura Village Walk and Trek
- Breakfast at hotel
- Drive to Daribokgre Village
- Guided village walk and orange orchards visit
- Packed picnic lunch with villagers
- Trek in Nokrek Biosphere buffer zone
- Cultural interaction with villagers
- Drive back to Tura
- Leisure time or walk to DC Park
- Dinner at hotel
Day 4: South Garo Hills Caves and Park
- Early breakfast at hotel
- Drive to South Garo Hills
- Explore Siju Caves or visit waterfall
- Lunch at local eatery or packed meal
- Visit Balpakram National Park or reserve forest
- Return drive to Tura with photo stops
- Dinner at hotel
Day 5: Emangre Village Exploration
- Breakfast and check-out at Tura
- Drive to Emangre village
- Welcome and check-in at homestay
- Traditional village-style lunch
- Guided village exploration and handicraft demo
- Cultural interaction and local cooking or weaving
- Dinner with host family
Day 6: Nongstoin Waterfalls and Market
- Breakfast and farewell at homestay
- Drive to Nongstoin with refreshment stop
- Check-in at guesthouse
- Lunch at guesthouse or local eatery
- Visit waterfall
- Visit Rilang Viewpoint
- Optional Nongkhnum River Island excursion
- Walk through Nongstoin market
- Dinner at guesthouse
Day 7: Shillong City and Cultural Sites
- Breakfast and check-out at Nongstoin
- Drive to Shillong with tea stop
- Check-in at hotel
- Lunch at hotel or café
- Visit Ward’s Lake
- Explore Don Bosco Museum or Air Force Museum
- Visit Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians
- Shopping and snacks at Police Bazaar
- Dinner at hotel
Day 8: Kongthong Village and Hike
- Breakfast at hotel
- Drive to Kongthong Village with tea stop
- Introduction by locals
- Guided village walk and orange groves
- Picnic lunch or local meal
- Light hike in surrounding hills
- Drive back to Shillong
- Dinner at hotel
Day 9: Mawlynnong Trek and Dawki Boat Ride
- Early breakfast at hotel
- Drive to Wahkhen Village
- Trek across bamboo bridges and cliffs
- Picnic lunch during trek
- Return trek to Wahkhen
- Tea break at local stall
- Drive back to Shillong
- Dinner at hotel
Day 10: Mawlynnong Visit and Departure
- Early breakfast and check-out
- Drive to Mawlynnong Village
- Guided walking tour of Mawlynnong
- Tea break in village
- Drive to Dawki
- Boat ride on Umngot River or suspension bridge
- Lunch at Dawki
- Scenic drive to Guwahati
- Arrive Guwahati Airport or Railway Station
The experience
The route starts in Guwahati with a temple visit and river ferry, then climbs into the Garo Hills toward Tura over seven to eight hours of winding forest roads. From there, the tour branches into three distinct regions: the Garo tribal villages around Daribokgre and Emangre, where you walk orange orchards and learn about the whistling communication system unique to Kongthong; the limestone country of South Garo Hills, with Siju Caves and Balpakram National Park; and the Khasi highlands around Shillong, where you trek across living root bridges and visit Mawlynnong, Asia's cleanest village. A private air-conditioned vehicle with a driver moves the group between sites, and a guide leads walks through villages and natural areas.
Days split between long drives and half-day or full-day explorations. The Daribokgre excursion includes a guided village walk and a trek into Nokrek Biosphere Reserve for birdwatching. The South Garo Hills day covers Siju Caves or a replacement waterfall, then Balpakram National Park or reserve forest depending on access. One night is spent in a basic village homestay at Emangre with the host family providing dinner. The Kongthong day is a four-hour round trip from Shillong to experience the whistling language and surrounding hills. The Mawryngkhang Trek crosses bamboo bridges and cliffs over three to four hours round trip, with a packed lunch at a rest point. The final day visits Mawlynnong and Dawki, where a boat ride on the Umngot River (subject to water levels) precedes the return drive to Guwahati.
Inclusions cover accommodation at listed hotels, private transport with a chauffeur, guided treks in Nokrek and across root bridges, a sunset cruise on the Brahmaputra, a boat ride on the Umngot River, airport transfers, two bottles of mineral water per person per day, and government taxes and entry fees. Meals listed in the itinerary are included. Other food, tips, travel insurance, and flights are separate. The tour suits adventure travelers, photographers, and families seeking offbeat experiences and cultural immersion in remote areas. Moderate physical fitness is required for trekking and village walks. The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or poor cardiovascular health.
What’s included
- Accommodation at all listed hotels and one village homestay.
- private air-conditioned vehicle with chauffeur for all transfers and sightseeing.
- guided treks in Nokrek Biosphere Reserve and across Mawryngkhang root bridges.
- boat rides on the Brahmaputra River at sunset and on the Umngot River at Dawki.
- airport and railway station transfers.
- two bottles of mineral water per person daily.
- all government taxes, entry fees, tolls, and road permits.
- traditional welcome with garlands on arrival.
Options for this experience
3 optionsBefore you book
Prices and times updated 4 days ago
Operated by Trippack Tours and Travels
Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to move slowly through remote villages and stay overnight in a tribal homestay: the 10-day length and private vehicle make it possible to reach places day tours skip and spend real time with local communities. The fixed itinerary means you travel with a guide who knows the region. If you prefer to set your own pace or skip certain stops, a shorter or self-guided option would suit you better.
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (6 to 11 years); Child (3 to 5 years): free; Infant (under 3): free.
What is the whistling language of Kongthong, and how do I experience it on this tour?
Kongthong village in the Khasi Hills is known for a unique whistled communication system used by locals to call across valleys and hills: a language passed down through generations and rarely heard by outsiders. On day eight, you drive four hours from Shillong to Kongthong, spend a guided morning walking the village and meeting residents who demonstrate the whistling, then return the same afternoon. The village sits surrounded by orange groves and hills, and the trek includes light hiking for panoramic views of the Khasi countryside.
Are the living root bridges real, and do I actually walk across them?
The root bridges in the Mawryngkhang Trek are living structures grown over centuries from the aerial roots of rubber trees, woven and trained by hand into crossings over streams and ravines. On day nine, you trek from Wahkhen village across bamboo bridges and cliff paths to King's Rock viewpoint, a three- to four-hour round trip with photo stops and a packed lunch break. The pace is slow and the trek is guided. The route includes jungle paths and bamboo bridges alongside the root structures.
What is Mawlynnong, and why is it called Asia's cleanest village?
Mawlynnong is a small Khasi village in East Khasi Hills known for its cleanliness, waste management practices, and community discipline. It earned the title through organized efforts to keep streets, homes, and surroundings free of litter. On the final morning, you spend one and a half hours walking the village, visiting the Living Root Bridge and Sky View Bamboo Tower (weather permitting), and taking tea in the village before driving to Dawki for a boat ride on the Umngot River.
Do I stay in hotels the whole time, or are there homestays?
Most nights are in hotels (Guwahati, Tura, Nongstoin, and Shillong), but one night (day five) is spent in a basic village homestay at Emangre in South Garo Hills. The homestay includes dinner with the host family featuring regional Garo dishes and breakfast the next morning, offering direct experience of tribal village life. Accommodations are simple but comfortable with local hospitality.
How much driving is involved, and what are the longest stretches?
The longest single drive is day two from Guwahati to Tura, approximately 320 kilometers over seven to eight hours with tea and lunch stops. Other major drives include Tura to Emangre (three and a half hours), Emangre to Nongstoin (four to five hours), and Nongstoin to Shillong (four hours). Days eight and nine involve shorter drives from Shillong to Kongthong and Wahkhen (four hours and three and a half hours respectively). All transport is by private air-conditioned vehicle with a chauffeur. The driver and guide handle navigation and logistics.
What meals are included, and what do I need to arrange myself?
Dinners at hotels and the homestay are included in the itinerary, as is a traditional welcome meal in Guwahati and a sunset cruise on the Brahmaputra. Breakfasts at hotels are included. Lunches are marked as "on own" or "packed" depending on the day. Some are arranged by the tour operator at local eateries or as packed meals during treks, but you pay separately. Snacks, beverages not mentioned in the itinerary, and any meals at restaurants outside the listed schedule are your own cost. Two bottles of mineral water per person per day are provided during travel.
Meghalaya Tour: Living Root Bridges & Whistling Villages
10d · at your hotel
from US$ 656 per person