Itinerary & Budget for Meghalaya

Our experience says that no amount of itinerary and budget preparation can do justice to the wonder that is Meghalaya. It is a jackpot for any nature lover. Still untouched by commercialization and rooted in respect and bonhomie with nature, it offers what many places lack in India. If you cannot visit Bali for whatever reason, do go to Meghalaya for better experiences, less commercialization and more rooted trip. Ours was a short 5-day trip but we were awestruck by whatever we witnessed.

Itinerary

Here is a sample 5-day itinerary of our trip. You can extend it by 2-3 days and can cover all the places in Meghalaya. You can also reduce it by 2 days and explore everything around Shillong or Cherrapunji.

Guwahati-Day1:

  • Start from Guwahati to Cherrapunji
  • Explore Umiam Lake, Elephant falls, Mawkdok Dympep viewpoint, Tyangam Masi viewpoint and if time permits nohkalikai falls.
  • Check in to hotel in Cherrapunji and call it a day or take a stroll if there is daylight.

Cherrapunji-Day 2:

  • Wei sawdong waterfall, Dainthlen waterfall, Lyngksiar waterfall, Arwah caves, seven-sisters waterfall and mawsmai cave.

Cherrapunji- Day 3:

  • Leave for Dawki and visit Garden of caves, wah kaba waterfall, eco park, Mawlynnong village, single decker bridge.
  • (Optional +1 day): Go to Nongriat and undertake the double decker bridge trek and explore rainbow falls.

Dawki-Day 4

  • Leave for Shillong.
  • Boating at Shongpdeng, Visit zero point, Krang Suri, Phe Phe waterfall, if time permits Laitlum canyon.
  • Spend the late evening at Police Bazaar

Shillong- Day 5

  • Explore Lady Hyadri Park, Ward’s lake or take a rest.
  • Leave for Guwahati.

(Optional +2 days): Explore Jowai or take a more relaxed trip

You can strictly follow the above itinerary and below budget for Meghalaya. Or you may modify for additional days as suggested. No day is wasted in this beautiful state even if you spend it doing nothing.

Budget

Travelling around Meghalaya is inexpensive. if you want to travel in budget, you definitely can do it. You will need to plan a little. Major cost is of transportation from your city to getting around

Meghalaya. Accommodations come second. This can be adjusted according to the time and requirements. If you plan to travel during peak season, book in advance to get fair rates.

Here is the list and approximate expenses that we incurred (2 people) on our 5-day trip around Meghalaya:

  • Train/flights: ₹22,700
  • Hotels: ₹10,865
  • Taxi: ₹19,500
  • Food: ₹5,000
  • Tickets: ₹1,000
  • Shopping: ₹3,000
  • Total: ₹62,065

This is an estimate for two people. It may vary slightly depending on the season of travel and your preferences. We travelled in October and we booked resort and homestays quite late so, that increased our cost. Do plan a trip to Meghalaya and get back to us with what was your budget in your Meghalaya trip.

Have a great trip!

Download the itinerary for Meghalaya hereDownload