Nongriat is a traveller's paradise. With root bridges and skyblue waterfalls, anyone would deep into serenity and calm in this jungle away from civilisation.
Click here to goto the preface: Mesmerising Meghalaya: Preface, Plan and Itinerary
Click here to read the previous page: Skyblue Waterfalls and crystal clear lakes: Laitlum, KrangShuri and Dawki
Day 5 - Nohkalikai Falls and trek to Nongriat
Some of us went to Mawsmai cave. The cave was small and not so exciting. There was an alternative cave Arwah which needed much more time so we couldn’t take it. We left to Nohkalikai falls and trekked down around 30 mins to the mouth. The season made the falls dry and the mouth was walkable. We sat at the mouth and enjoyed the view. Then we trekked up back to village and started our 4 hour trek down to Nongriat (We took the not-so-frequently-taken-path from the falls to the village). We started around 1415 and reached the village after sunset. It was a bit difficult at low light to trek through the rocky path and the root bridges. The root bridges are something unique to Cherrapunjee and can be seen nowhere else in the world. The Nongriat village is a traveller’s paradise. We had to cross single root bridge to Nongriat. The entire village survives on tourism as the primary source of income. The most famous and richest guy in the village is Byron. He owns many rooms there and owns the only supplies shop in the village. Byron is a chill guy from what I’ve heard. But he doesn’t mingle with you unless you stay at his place. His place is always booked out. But it was okay, we stayed at homestay of a good man called Challi. Challi’s house is next to the double decker root bridge. It was a unique natural marvel. All these villagers had to carry supplies from Tyrna everyday trekking down the famous 3000 steps which takes almost an hour to climb down. Life in the village was not easy, but peaceful and slow. We could see tourists from far away lands come and stay the serene jungle for weeks altogether. Mobile network seemed not an issue in the village that seems far from modern civilisation.
Stay @ Challi (homestay): +91 - 8575787340 / 9774765508
Byron (homestay): +91 - 8787570552 / 9436739655 / 9615252655
Nohkalikai Falls mouth
Through the rock holes..
Nohkalikai Falls
Day 6 - Rainbow falls and Natural pool
We woke up late and started our walk to Rainbow falls and Natural falls which were a good 100 minute walk through the rocky path. It was March 2nd, Holi in North India that day. But none in Meghalaya celebrates it. Meghalaya is predominately christian, so Holi was slightly outlandish though known. All our tripmates celebrated Hoil except me (The Holi enthu junta neglected me because of my freakish over concern about washing away the colours). Rainbow falls and natural falls are so mesmerisingly beautiful. The skyblue waterfalls was something I witnessed for the first time in my life. There was no way we skipped a swim in the clean cold waters. We spent long time in both the pools and as usual started shivering after the swim. Some of us made fire using stones and we took heat from it. We reached the village back by sunset. We had told Challi to prepare some chicken for us as we craved for some Nonveg. We sat by the small pool below the double decker living root bridge at night. You could as well get a natural fish spa there. There is even a pitch dark cave and few other waterfalls in the village if you really stay back in the village for a few days. It would be definitely worth it and you could meet many others (Foreigners more-so) who do the same.
Rainbow Falls, Nongriat
Holi @ Nongriat
So blue the water is... Rainbow falls
Day 7 - Trek up to Tyrna
We set out in the morning to leave back to Tyrna. The climb along the 3000 steps was a bit challenging one. We stopped at roadside shops to eat a lot of fruits. We reached back to the Tyrna village by 1PM. We took the prearranged taxi to take us to Cherrapunjee with Jade’s friend Lastbon. And we started our long and difficult (because of the Meghalaya elections) journey as we wanted to rush back to Guwahati as we could chill and relax the next day in IIT. We reached IIT by 930PM. Had a huge dinner in the canteen.
Lastbon (taxi) : +91 - 8794364631
Bit (taxi): +91 - 9612920889
Star Fruit - juicy and tasty!
Double decker root bridge, Nongriat village
You get a free natural Fish Spa here...
Tired team
Day 8 - IIT Guwahati
IIT Guwahati itself is a tourist destination. Besides the grant Brahmaputra river, the campus could flaunt of numerous picturesque lakes and a hill. Owning an ambience of a resort, anyone would wish they could study in this campus for a few years. We roamed around and sat by the lakes and went to Guwahati city in a ferry to buy some Bengal and Assamese sarees etc. I had my flight at 530PM.
Lakes, IIT Guwahati
So long...
Meghalayan trip was an eyeopener for me in many ways. This being my first self-organised trip, I went through travel notes of a few people and avoided all the cliche places. We weren’t anymore the cliche tourists who would visit a place just for Instagram pics, FB check-ins, selfies an WhatsApp statuses, but we really took ample time in each of the places to very well engage in the real feel and ambience of the environment. Not to blame treks, I felt this trip better than an organised trek which is more of a traverse around one place.
Comments