Short Shillong and Kaziranga trips

Two nights is enough for Shillong city itself: Umiam Lake, Shillong Peak, Elephant Falls, the Don Bosco Museum and an evening in Police Bazar or Laitumkhrah. It is not enough for Sohra or Dawki, which each need a full day. Add one night for Sohra, or two for Sohra and Dawki.

Cloud usually rises out of the Sohra gorges by late morning. On a day trip from Shillong you reach Nohkalikai around midday, when the view is most often lost. Sleeping one night in Sohra puts you at the viewpoint by 8 am, and gives you a quiet evening on the plateau away from Shillong traffic.

November to April is best, because the Umngot River at Dawki is clear and boats run every day. October is also good, with full waterfalls and a mostly clear river. From June to September the river turns muddy and boating is often stopped, although Sohra's waterfalls are at their fullest then.

From November to April, when there is little rain and the water is slow. In January and February the river is often so clear that boats appear to float on air in photos. From June to September heavy rain makes it muddy, and boating is often stopped. October is a transition month.

We plan it for groups of 15 to 60. Umiam Lake resorts suit groups up to about 40 in one property; larger groups split across two resorts or move the meeting days to Shillong, where Hotel Polo Towers has more space. Tell us your headcount and meeting format and we will match the venue.

Shillong is about 120 km from Guwahati Airport and about 100 km from Guwahati Railway Station. By car it takes 3 to 3.5 hours on the four-lane highway via Jorabat and Nongpoh, a little longer on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons. We plan the drives with a tea break at Nongpoh.

Sohra is about 55 km from Shillong, a 1.5 to 2 hour drive on a winding but well-surfaced hill road. With stops at the Mawkdok valley viewpoint and Wah Kaba Falls, plan on three hours. The road is usually open all year, though heavy rain can cause short delays.

Mawlynnong is 30 km from Dawki, while Shillong is 85 km. Sleeping in the village lets you reach the river by 7.30 am, before the crowds, and saves about five hours of driving compared with a Shillong day trip. You also see the village after the day visitors leave.

Dawki is the border town where most day-trippers take a short boat ride near the suspension bridge. Shnongpdeng is a village about 10 km upstream, with a wider, quieter stretch of river, riverside camps and water activities such as kayaking, snorkelling and cliff jumping. This trip covers both.